Asarah B’Tevet 10

by | Dec 22, 2023 | Blog

Jews around the world honor Tevet 10 as a day of fasting, mourning, and repentance, specifically commemorating the siege of Jerusalem and the subsequent destruction of Solomon’s Temple. It is an abbreviated, complete fast day (i.e. the observant Jew refrains from consuming any “food and drink from daybreak to nightfall”). (Asarah B’Tevet (Tevet 10) – Jerusalem Under Siege – Chabad.org) Consequently, penitent prayers and liturgies (aka “selichot”) are recited in synagogues on this day.

Some synagogues honor the victims of the Holocaust on this day as well.

There are a few biblical references for Asarah B’Tevet 10:

1Now it came to pass in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his entire army advanced against Jerusalem, set up camp by it, and built a siege wall all around it. 2So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society, Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015), 2 Kings 25:1-2.

And in the ninth year, in the tenth new moon, on the tenth of the new moon, the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

2“Son of man, write down the name of the day, for on this same day the sovereign of Baḇel has thrown himself against Yerushalayim.The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009), Eze 24.

19“Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth months, are to be joy and gladness, and pleasant appointed times for the house of Yehuḏah—and they shall love the truth and the peace.’ The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009), Zec 8:19.

If anything, this Zechariah passage supports the idea that people observed Asarah B’Tevet during the time of the Babylonian Captivity.

21In the twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth day of the tenth month, a survivor from Jerusalem came to me saying, “The city has been struck down.”Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society, Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015), Eze 33:21.

I should be mention that some Jewish sages argued that Asarah B’Tevet should be observed on Tevet 5 instead of Tevet 10 based on this passage (Rosh Hashanah, Tractate 18B).

Every year, people revisit the memory of this horrific event at Asarah B’Tevet, which is considered a “Memory Place”, and commemorate it with a fast. This event holds a “place” on Yah’s annual calendar.

Of this and other annual commemorations of the Temple’s destruction, Maimonides commented:

There are days in which all the people of Israel fast to repent the misfortunes which befell them. The fasting will serve as a reminder of our bad deeds and the deeds of our fathers which have caused us hard times. Remembering our misguided ways gives us the opportunity to be better people…”  (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Taaniot, Chapter 5, 1)

Although I don’t give credence to the so-called Jewish sages and their writings, I can appreciate Maimonides’ point that these traditional fasts remind our Jewish cousins of their “misguided ways and give them the opportunity to be better people.” (Asarah B’Tevet (Tevet 10) – Jerusalem Under Siege – Chabad.org)

It must be remembered that Asarah B’Tevet 10, and the other remembrance fast days, are Jewish memorial days that we are not required as Nazarene Israelis to keep. May this day, however, serve as a time of reflection-even introspection if you will–of those behaviors and violations and transgressions of Yah’s Torah that led to Jersualem’s fall and the destruction of the Temple. And like Maimonides alluded to, may we also consider that which Yehovah our Elohim expects of us, and take whatever actions that are necessary in our lives to make sure we live accordingly.

Shalom

But Paul Said There is Neither Jew Nor Greek–Part 2 of Israel’s Inextricable Link to our Salvation Series

by | Dec 22, 2023 | Blog, Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer

This is “But Paul Said There is Neither Jew nor Greek—Israel’s Inextricable Link to our Salvation Part 2

In part 1 of this series, I gave what I hope was a clear explanation of why I was led to explore Israel’s unshakable link to our salvation, which in great part was due to the troubling calls for the extermination of Israel throughout the world. As I read article after article, and watched newscast after newscasts that were capturing images of the violent protests against the nation, I could not help but think that these people have no idea what they’re calling for. I was disturbed and angered by their words and their violent actions against Jews around the world and against those who stood with Israel, not just on moral principle mind you, but more so, on biblical principle. And the most tragic aspect of this whole antisemitic uprising throughout the world is the number of young people who have been foolishly and ignorantly sucked-up in all of this foolishness and evil. They have no clue of the hell they are calling down upon themselves. These have been terribly harmed by their parents and whatever church or fellowship they may have had the meager opportunity to attend and learn from. Most have never been exposed to Torah, much less the true Gospel message.

 

Yah was clear:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee (i.e., both Avraham and those who will be in covenant with Avraham’s God): and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Gen 12:2-3 KJV)

 

Thus, my hope is that these antisemites might come to their senses, given what we know happened on October 7th in the Land of Israel, and simply do an about face and repent for the error of their ways. And what made this all the more devastating to me was that countless self-professing people of faith were joining that antisemitic chorus on various and sundry platforms.  Truly, this crisis has unmasked, at least in my mind, the realities of the unredeemed and ignorant heart of humanity in this world today.

So, I began the discussion with a look at the story of the Yeshua and the Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well. And if you’ve not had the opportunity to read or listen to that teaching, I would humbly encourage you to do so, simply by clicking on this hyperlink. That historic interaction between Yahoshua and the Samaritan Woman revealed to the unredeemed world one of the most fundamental realities of the true Faith once delivered: Yeshua stated to the woman that “salvation comes from the Yehudim/Jew” (Joh. 4:22). And so, we explored what Yeshua meant by his shocking statement.

And let me just say that there is a reason that I used the term “inextricable” to describe the link that Israel has to our salvation. Inextricable, according to the Oxford Dictionary, means “impossible to disentangle or separate.” A good synonym for inextricable is inseparable. Indeed, I feel very strongly that when it comes to the issues related to our individual and collective salvation, we cannot dismiss Israel from the equation whatsoever. Now, don’t get me wrong beloved, I’m not saying that we are saved because the modern nation state of Israel exists. Not in the least. What I am saying is that our salvation is based upon the covenant that Yehovah cut with Israel. Israel was the only entity that Yah cut this covenant with. And it is that covenant that ultimately leads to our salvation. A covenant ends with the death of one of its signatories. Of course, Yehovah is God Almighty and can never die, which leaves Israel. If Israel were to cease to exist, then the covenant would become null and void and our hope for salvation would also become null and void. The apostle wrote that “all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26), and if this is indeed the case and we are truly engrafted into the commonwealth of Israel and are in an obedient covenant relationship with the God of Israel, our salvation is certain.

In this 2nd installment of the series, we will explore one of the Apostle Paul’s most sighted but misunderstood statements in the whole of his written catalogue. Paul writes to his followers in Galatia and Colossae that there is neither Jew nor Greek (aka Gentile) as it relates to the Body of Mashiyach/Messiah (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11). So, what did the apostle mean by this statement? On the surface, it would appear that the apostle’s statement here completely challenges my belief that Israel is inseparably tied to our salvation. But as we will see in just a few, the apostle’s fundamental statement that there is neither Jew nor Greek in Messiah by no means undermines Master Yeshua’s statement that salvation is of the Jew, nor the overall premise of this teaching series.

Paul and Hebrew Roots Series

A few years ago, I launched an ambitious teaching series with a subtitle of Paul and Hebrew Roots. My purpose in delivering those teachings was to bring to the light of clear and true understanding some of the apostle’s more challenging writings. Indeed, the Apostle Peter is correct in his statement that some of the writings of his apostolic colleague Paul are hard to understand, which leads the unlearned and unstable to twist unto their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:15-16). Throughout that series, I emphasized that modern-day western pastors, teachers, and preachers should not use Paul’s writings as glorified and sanctioned, contrived set of manuals to operate their churches. But—and this is a fundamental principle that every Nazarene must understand in their studies and read of Paul’s writings—that in every instance of his writings Paul was responding to either a question or set of questions or a problematic situation or set of situations that were ongoing in the assemblies he oversaw, and that someone in the know brought those issues to his attention. Thus, the apostle’s letters were meant to inform and correct on the topics and issues that were brought to his attention by concerned assembly members. His letters were not meant to be used as standards by which Christian churches are to operate.

The Wise Application of the Apostle’s Writings

That being said, we can presume that Paul did not waste precious parchment or write off-the-cuff, contrived, unnecessary words in his epistles. Each epistle ministered to a specific Messianic assembly who were going through some stuff at the time they were written. Now, this doesn’t negate the inspired nature of the apostle’s writings, nor does this reduce the universal application of certain of his teachings, as long as those instructions relate to a similar situation that may be ongoing in one of our modern day fellowships or assemblies, taking all things, of course, into consideration.

With this background given, we are left to determine what question or issue was the apostle responding to when he made the statement that there is neither Jew nor Greek/Gentile? Well, the apostle sort of answers this question for us at the outset of this letter:

6I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from the One who called you by the grace of Messiah, to a different “good news” — 7not that there is another, but only some who are confusing you and want to distort the Good News of Messiah. Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society, Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015), Ga 1:6–7.

The Galatian Problem

Clearly, the apostle was alarmed by the assemblies in Galatia deviating or moving away from the true Gospel that was once delivered unto them to (Gal. 1:6) to a false Gospel (1:6-7). Obviously, there was an individual or a group of individuals, no doubt a member or members of the Galatian assembly, that were actively “confusing the Galatian Messianics by distorting the Gospel of Mashiyach.”

Identifying the Distortionist

So, riddle me this batman: Who were the individuals creating the confusion in the Galatian Assembly? It’s quite possible that some of them (presuming there were more than one culprit) were of the pesky early Gnostic contingent that was slowly infiltrating first century Messianic assemblies throughout the Roman Empire. However, our concern in this post has to do with the apostle’s statement, there is neither Jew nor Greek/Gentile. Therefore, it’s a reasonable guess that the individuals in questions are what many in Christendom have named as Judaizers, or as Messianic Torah Teacher Tim Hegg of Torah Resources calls them “Influencers.”

The Galatian Assembly Make-up

Sticking with Mr. Hegg for just a bit longer, it is prudent for us, before we go any further in our inquiry, to first understand the make-up of the Galatian Assemblies.

Unlike our present-day community set-ups, where one can drive down any of the streets of this nation and come across various denominational churches with a rare Jewish synagogue in the midst thereof, first-century communities of the Roman Empire did not have such a composition. There were no so-called Christian Churches that were separate from Jewish synagogues. In fact, people in the first-century Roman Empire viewed and treated the first century Way Movement or the Messianic Faith as a Jewish sect, such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, the Essenes, and others. Therefore, the make-up of these assemblies were, what we’ll refer to as Rabbinic Jews who possessed a trusting Faith in Yahoshua as their Messiah (we might call them Messianic Jews today), and Gentiles who had become Jewish proselytes, or those that would be described as God-fearers who had a trusting faith in Yeshua as their savior. In short, the Galatian Assembly likely comprised both Messianic Jews and Gentiles.

Were there more Jews than Gentiles, or vice versa in the Galatian Assembly, it is impossible to tell. Luke writes that Paul and his evangelistic team, comprising of Priscilla and Aquilla, had gone “over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples” (Act. 8:23). Luke’s text is specific that Paul and his team ministered to disciples that were members of Galatian synagogues (8:26). So, from the terms used by Luke—those terms being that of disciples and synagogues—we can conclude that, at the very least, Messianic Jews populated the Galatian Assemblies. Now, apart from Galatian Jews, history bears out that Celtic descendants primarily peopled first-century Galatia (Wikipedia-Galatians (People). Thus, as the Gospel message spread throughout that region, and given the fact that Paul is even addressing the difference between Jews and Gentiles in his epistle to the Galatians, shows that a sizeable number of Galatian gentles peopled the Galatian Messianic assemblies as well.

When Sectarian Halachah Collides with the Gospel

Unfortunately, the Messianic assemblies in Galatia, as well as the assemblies of Rome and Colossae, had a handful of [Pharisaic] Messianic Jews who clung to their sectarian Jewish Halachah. Matthew referred to their sectarian Jewish Halachah, that the Pharisaic sect of Judaism added to, and many times, made to supersede true heartfelt Torah obedience, as the “traditions of the elders” (Mat. 15:2). Yeshua criticized the Pharisees’ over-dependence on the tradition of the elders (15:3). He charged they were transgressing the commandments of God (i.e. Torah) for the sake of their traditions (i.e. their sectarian Halachah).

Never to be deterred in their staunch adherence to the traditions of the elders and worship of their Jewishness, these influencers or Judaizers insisted to the point of occasional physical confrontation, that any Gentile who would seek to enter the Messianic Faith had to first convert to Judaism. This process is called proselytization. The proselyte, upon converting to Orthodox Pharisaic Judaism, was then required to walk in strict accordance with the traditions of the elders. This is what sectarian Halachah is: an adherence to a sect’s set of instructions and commandments in order to be accepted as a member of that sect.

Beloved, do you see any problems with putting sectarian Halachah ahead or in front of one coming to an obedient covenant relationship with the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov?

The problem with this contentious situation, at least in Paul’s eyes (as it should be in all our eyes), was that if this perversion of the Faith were permitted to continue unabated within the Galatian Assembly by these influencers or Judaizers, the essentiality of Faith in the Person and Ministries of Yeshua would take a back seat to works of the flesh or to sectarian Jewish Halachah, which was contrary to the set-apart tenets of the original Gospel Message that was taught and preached by Yeshua Messiah and His appointed and anointed apostles.

As far as the apostle was concerned, Jewish sectarian Halachah was not the issue per se. Yeshua never condemned the traditions of the elders. What He condemned was the transgression of Torah that strict adherence to sectarian Halachah brings (i.e. when the traditions of the elders become equal to and or supersede or replace Yah’s Torah).

The critical issues that these first-century assemblies were having to deal with then had to do with the gross misplacement of spiritual priorities. At question was who or what were the new Gentile converts to the Messianic Faith being pushed to put their trusting Faith in? What relationship were the new Gentile converts being steered towards? I’ll tell you: the Gentile converts were being steered towards placing their eternal security in Pharisaic Judaism and to establish a relationship with the Jewish religion over that of establishing a trusting covenant relationship with Yehovah Elohim through Yeshua Messiah. In other words, beloved, these Judaizers or influencers were promoting to, and sometimes, forcing incoming non-Jewish converts into religion (i.e. Pharisaic Judaism) over that of steering them towards the true Faith once delivered to the saints (Jud. 1:3). In this respect, it became a question of one’s Jewishness versus one’s obedient-faith-based covenant relationship with Abba Yah through Yeshua Messiah and this alarmed the apostle and drove him to make the statement that in Mashiyach there is neither Jew nor Greek/Gentile.

(If you haven’t had the opportunity to read or listen to my teaching series entitled “A Question of One’s Jewishness,” I would humbly encourage you to check it out at your leisure).

The Heart of the Problem was Faith and Covenant Relationship

At the heart of this critical situation, the Judaizers promoted almost a worship of their Jewishness, (i.e. their circumcision even) and a covenant relationship with their sectarian Jewish community over a true and set-apart covenant relationship with the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov. Seeing the Gentile converts develop and maintain a trusting Faith relationship with Yehovah through Yeshua Messiah was of little concern to them. This spiritual situation had salvific consequences associated with it. And these influencers, as Hegg refers to them, were hell-bent on dragging as many potential non-Jewish Messianic converts down the road of destruction as they could (Mat. 23:13-23).

Sectarian Halachah Supplanting the Gospel

So, what the apostle was responding to when he made the statement that there was neither Jew nor Greek as it relates to the Body of Messiah, was the Judaizer-influenced Gospel that was supplanting the Gospel of the Kingdom which is the bedrock of the true faith once delivered. In his response to this critical ongoing crisis, was the Great apostle to the Gentiles removing the commonwealth of Israel from the equation that supports the Gentile’s ultimate salvation and covenant relationship with Yehovah? No. In fact the Jew’s foundational role in humanity’s salvation would remain irrevocably intact. In fact, it must remain intact in order for Yah’s Plan of Salvation, Restoration, and Redemption to formally, as planned from the foundation of the earth, play out (Rev. 13:8).

The Modern Day Messianic’s Challenge

This is one of the many challenges that we as Nazarene Israelis must deal with as it relates to walking out our Faith amid a Pauline-based Christian-Torah-Rejecting—many times antisemitic—Church Body. Paul was one of the most brilliant Messianic Jews of his day. Unfortunately, much of what he wrote regarding our Faith is hard for most people in our community to understand. In fact, even his apostolic colleague, Peter (aka Kefa) referred to the difficulties of some of Paul’s writings:

14Therefore, loved ones, while you are looking for these things, make every effort to be found in shalom, spotless and blameless before Him. 15Bear in mind that the patience of our Lord means salvation—just as our dearly loved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom given to him. 16He speaks about these matters in all of his letters. Some things in them are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist (as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures)—to their own destruction. Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society, Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015), 2 Pe 3:14–16.

The inherent difficulties of some of the apostle’s writings, however, do not grant any would be child of the Most High license to kowtow to the antisemites of the world or the Torah-haters, both of which write-off Israel’s role as it relates to our salvation. Despite the twisting of Paul’s writings that too many so-called bible scholars, teachers, preachers, and pastors have undertaken in order to promulgate their anti-Torah, antisemitic agenda, Paul was anything but pro-Israel and pro-Jewish (Rom. 9:1-5). In fact, nowhere do we find in the whole of the Holy Writ where Paul gave up or denounced being a Jew. Of any apostle, he perfectly understood the inextricable link that exists between Israel and humanity’s salvation.

Israel’s Physical and Spiritual Advantage

When asked what advantage did the Jew have as it related to the Messianic Faith, he responded with profound brilliance:

2Much in every way! Because firstly indeed, that they were entrusted with the Words of Elohim. 3For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief nullify the trustworthiness of Elohim? 4Let it not be! But let Elohim be true, and every man a liar, as it has been written, “That You should be declared right in Your words, and prevail in Your judging.” Teh. 51:4  The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009), Ro 3:2–4.

I speak the truth in Messiah, I do not lie, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Set-apart Spirit, 2that I have great sadness and continual grief in my heart. 3For I myself could have wished to be banished from Messiah for the sake of my brothers, my relatives according to the flesh, 4who are the children of Yisra’ěl, to whom is the adoption, and the esteem, and the covenants, and the giving of the Torah, and the worship, and the promises, 5whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Messiah according to the flesh, who is over all, Elohim-blessed forever. Aměn. 6However, it is not as though the word of Elohim has failed. For they are not all Yisra’ěl who are of Yisra’ěl, 7neither are they all children because they are the seed of Aḇraham, but, “In Yitsḥaq your seed shall be called.” (Ber. 21:12) 8That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of Elohim, but the children of the promise are reckoned as the seed. The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009), Ro 9.

Israel’s Role and Relevance

So, from these two key Pauline passages, we get a full and true sense of what the apostle received from his Master Yeshua in terms of the realities of Israel’s role—her relevance—to the Creator’s Plan of Salvation, Redemption, and Restoration for humanity: the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov entrusted to Israel the safekeeping and practice of His oracles. Those oracles are Yah’s Torah. Yehovah’s instructions in righteous. Therefore, through Israel, Yehovah created the only means of human salvation; not just because Yeshua was descended from the Tribe of Judah (which He was) or that Israel was and remains the custodian of His eternal Words of Truth (which they were and are). But more so, Yah cut/made a covenant with Israel, which is the only means by which the whole of humanity can draw near and enter a covenant relationship with Him. And for one to truly enter a covenant relationship with the Almighty and be saved, they must be engrafted into the commonwealth of Yisrael. (And we’ll get into this bottom-line concept of the Gentile being engrafted into the commonwealth of Israel in our next installment to this series.)

Salvation is of the Jew

So here we have it. The great apostle to the Gentiles wrote of Israel’s inextricable link to our salvation in the most brilliant of prose. Master Yeshua didn’t dismiss Israel from the salvation equation, neither did any of His sent ones or Talmidim or apostles. Indeed, salvation, as Master Yahoshua stated to the Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well, is of the Jews (Joh. 4:22).

The Obvious Meaning to Paul’s Statement

So then, what did the apostle mean by his statement that there is neither Jew nor Greek/Gentile/Barbarian? Well, when we bring all that we’ve discussed into the context of this verse, the answer to the question of what Paul meant by there is neither Jew nor Greek/Gentile should be obvious.

No one’s ethnic, social, economic, cultural, or gender, including being a Jew, makes any difference to the court of heaven in its ruling of who is justified. Justification is independent of any human markers. It is based entirely upon one’s trusting faith in the Person and ministries of Yeshua Messiah. Justification or being pardoned by a holy, just, and righteous God is a gift. We cannot earn it in any way, shape, or form. And this set-up for humanity’s redemption was and continues to be worked out through Yisrael, Yah’s covenant people. Entering and remaining in an obedient covenant relationship with the gracious God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov is the second thing that humans must engage in for their salvation. Apart from Yehovah and Israel, there are no other parties to the established covenant agreement. Yah cut or made an exclusive covenant with Israel and every human who seeks to be saved must attach themselves to that covenant and walk in it. We accomplish this only through the Person and Ministry of Yeshua Messiah.

And let us not get hung up on the two human classifications that Paul uses in his statement: Jews and Gentiles. According to the Hebraic worldview, there are just two classes of people in the world: [True or Remnant Hebrews/Jews] and [unredeemed] Gentiles/strangers/sojourners. This helped God’s people to discern who were His and who were not. At its core, because of the Person and ministries of Yeshua, we consider any soul that is not a biological Jew or Hebrew an Israeli or Israelite in the eyes of Yehovah when they enter and walk in covenant with and believe the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov.

Yehovah made it perfectly clear when He was cutting the covenant with Israel that there is only “one law and one manner for you (i.e. native-born Israelis), and for the stranger that sojourneth with you (i.e. those who were not biological descendants of Ya’achov/Jacob)” (Num. 15:16). Thus, within the context and confines of the Covenant that Yehovah cut with Yisrael, any who would truly obediently walk in covenant and trust in Yehovah were citizens of Yisrael and of the Kingdom. And if we truly consider this Hebraic worldview to have been valid back in the day, then we have a good understanding of what the apostle meant by there being neither Jew nor Greek in Messiah.

Unfortunately, first-century Pharisaic Jews twisted Yah’s differentiation between those who are His (i.e. true Jews or Hebrews) and Gentiles (i.e. the unredeemed souls of the world) by teaching their sons and daughters to look down upon any who were not native or biologically born Jews. Even in her oppressed state, first-century Pharisaic Judaism was excessively bigoted.

This liturgy gives us a sobering glimpse into this bigotry:

“Blessed are You, Adonai our God, King of the Universe, Who did not make me a Gentile. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, King of the Universe, Who did not make me a slave. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, King of the Universe, Who did not make me a woman. (Attributed to R. Y’hudah b. Elai and R. Me’ir by y. Berchot 7.18 and b. Menachot 43b.)

Obviously, Yehovah never viewed Gentiles, much less slaves and women, in such a disgusting light. Such twisted thinking people as these, who were entrusted with the oracles of Elohim and abused their privilege and honor, will have a lot to answer to at the Great White Throne judgment.

But this twisted worldview was not Yah’s worldview. As Yah sees it, even biological Jews who don’t walk in covenant are as any unredeemed soul in this world. In sync with this Godly worldview, Paul wrote that what makes one a “[true] Jew is not that which is physical such as circumcision or culture or heritage or pedigree, but what makes one a [true] Jew is that which is inward such as found in the state of their heart—Rom. 2:28-29).

Tim Hegg puts a beautifully tied ribbon on this discussion with his statement:

“This is the point: all who are ‘in Messiah,’ are justified by faith and thus all are equally justified. There are no levels of righteousness in the eyes of God for those who are in His Son. Thus, the equality Paul stresses here is one’s standing as righteous before God” (Commentary on Galatians, p. 162).

Indeed, the existential thing that is at stake here is not what human-physical classification (such as being a biological Jew) qualifies or makes one eligible for salvation and receipt of the Malchut Elohim (i.e. the Kingdom of God), but how any rational human, regardless their human classification, is legally deemed as justified by a holy, just, and righteous Elohim.

Two Crucial Considerations Regarding Our Salvation

There are two things to consider here: (1) In the Kingdom of Elohim, Orthodox Messianic Jews are no better or no worse than their Gentile or non-Jewish counterparts. Now, this understanding by no means shows that there is no longer any Hebrew or Jewish relevance or that Yisrael doesn’t matter in Yah’s overall grand plan of salvation. Yisrael very much matters. Furthermore, it means that through the Person and ministries of Yeshua Messiah, the Gentile (aka the Ger), who was once lost, without hope, and far from the presence and attention of Yehovah, was now brought near unto Him (Eph. 2:13). This one, Paul explains, is joined fitly with their true Hebrew/Jewish counterparts. Indeed, the once unredeemed non-Jew, through faith in the Person of Yeshua Messiah, has been granted full-unrestricted access and inclusion into the commonwealth of Israel and the Body of Messiah. No matter what the Orthodox Jewish rabbis may think or say about non-Jews of this world, both the Messianic Jew and the engrafted redeemed non-Jew are, through Yeshua, in every respect a unified body. Thus, there is no need for incoming non-Jews to convert to Judaism in order to partake of the rich covenant promises that belong to true Israel.

The bottom line is this beloved—which the Judaizers/Influencers of Paul’s day missed—humanity’s salvation is inextricably linked to remnant Israel, true Israel, Yah’s chosen ones. Through the Person and Ministries of Yeshua Messiah, humanity is inextricably linked to true Israel, not by conforming to sectarian religious Halachah, but by adoption and an engrafting into the commonwealth of Israel—trusting and walking in covenant with Yehovah. And true Israel possesses the only existing covenant agreement with Yehovah on the planet.

Abba willing, in Part 3 of this series, I would like to dig into what this engrafting into the commonwealth of Israel biblically means and how it really works.

Secondly: Those who are Messianic Jews or non-Jews who have been engrafted into the commonwealth of Israel must bear in mind that receipt and entry into the Malchut Elohim (aka the Kingdom of Yehovah) come first and foremost through their trusting Faith in Yehovah and His Son Yeshua Messiah. Paul declared to his Messianic Ephesian readers that it is by grace that we are all saved, through faith; and that salvation is not based upon anything that we, Yah’s netzers, do. Our salvation is founded first and foremost upon our trusting faith. No amount of Torah commandment-keeping will save us. No amount of obedience to Jewish traditions will usher us into the Kingdom. It’s faith in the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov through the Person and Ministries of Yeshua Messiah that makes us eligible (i.e. meeting the basic criteria) for salvation and to receive the Kingdom. To be qualified to receive the Kingdom (i.e. possessing exceeding criteria), however, we must be in an obedient, covenant relationship with Yehovah through the Person and Ministries of Yeshua Messiah. The would-be child of the Most High must meet both elements (trusting faith and obedient covenant relationship) if they are to receive eternal life and become a citizen of the Malchut Elohim.

The Example of Abraham

We find the fullness of this understanding in the story of Abraham. The apostle states it was Abraham’s faith that resulted in Him being reckoned or credited or counted (i.e. “logizomai”) as righteousness (Rom. 4:9). He wrote that “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:3). Even more so, he declared that of Abraham: “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith” (Rom. 4:13). James, the half-brother of our Master Yeshua Messiah, recorded that it was because of Abraham’s trusting faith that righteousness was imputed unto him, and that Abraham’s extraordinary faith merited him the appellation of “Friend of God” (Jas. 2:23).

However, the scriptures do not stop at faith and Avraham’s resulting imputed righteousness (i.e. imputed righteousness being a gift of Yehovah that comes through trusting faith; also referred to as justification). The writer of the Book of Hebrews spends a great amount of time laying out the case for Abraham’s “actionable” righteousness (i.e. righteousness that comes through one’s obedience to Yah’s instructions or Torah, and conformity to the covenant Yah shares with them) that led to fulfillment of Yah’s promises to him:

8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he was to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he migrated to the land of promise as if it were foreign, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob—fellow heirs of the same promise. 10For he was waiting for the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God…17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had received the promises was offering up his one and only son— 18the one about whom it was said, “Through Isaac offspring shall be named for you.” 19He reasoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead—and in a sense, he did receive him back from there. Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society, Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015), Heb 11.

The trusting faith of Avraham that resulted in both his inputted and actionable righteousness is a great example of what this whole discussion is about. As we witness the prevalence of antisemitic violence and rhetoric worldwide, supposedly in response to Israel’s war against the terror organization Hamas, we are reminded of the undeniable link between Israel and our salvation. Additionally, those who call for the destruction of Israel are also calling for their own destruction.

Closing Thoughts

The Psalmist counseled his readers to pray for the peace (aka the shalom) of Jerusalem and the one who does not bow to the evil of this world and follows through with this admonition secures unto themselves prosperity (i.e. “shalah” which means quiet, rest, even shalom or wholeness of being) (122:6). The prophet Jeremiah affirmed this counsel and promise: Jer 29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

We were Baptized into Moses in the Red Sea

by | Nov 12, 2022

Our Baptism in the Red Sea Was Illustrative of our Transformation into the People of God So, in our departure from Mitsrayim/Egypt, which was representative of a would-be child of Yah coming into a covenant relationship with Yah through the Person and Ministry of...

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Walking in God’s Divine Guidance and Protection

by | Nov 5, 2022

Introduction   This week’s Torah Portion/Parshah/Reading is the 56th Reading in our 3-year Torah Reading Cycle. And it is contained in the Cepher of Exodus/Shemot 13:21-15:18.   It is a continuation of last week’s reading which I entitled “The Key to Knowing...

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The Key to Knowing God: Remembering and Obeying

by | Oct 29, 2022

In the past two readings, which we did not cover because we were on hiatus for the Fall Feasts, Yisrael experienced or witnessed the inauguration of Pesach in the midst of the final tenth plague that resulted in the death of every Egyptian/Mitsri firstborn and the...

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Israel’s Inextricable Link with our Salvation Part 1

by | Dec 1, 2023 | Blog, Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer

This is “Israel’s Inextricable Link to our Salvation Part 1.”

Back on 10/13/2023, I posted a teaching and discussion entitled Ministry Update and My Thoughts and Reflections on Hamas’ Invasion of Israel. In the Hamas’ Invasion of Israel portion of the post I expressed my concerns that the evil that Israel experienced and has since 10/7/2023 may have been, in great part, because of Yehovah’s arms of protection being loosened from Israel because she has and continues to violate the terms of the covenant agreement she’s had with Yehovah from back at Mount Sinai, as recorded in the Book of Exodus. Israel is as secular a nation as any of the modern western nations of the world are today. However, Yehovah, their Elohim, still shares a covenant agreement with her that requires she keeps the tenants of their covenant agreement. If she keeps her end of the covenant agreement, she will receive countless blessings (Deu. 28:1-14). Failure to keep the tenants of the covenant, according to Yehovah, would cause her having to endure many curses (Deu. 28:15-45). Part of the curses for her failure to walk in Yehovah’s covenant involves Yah’s hedge of protection being lifted from over her.

I also addressed several other concerns related to Israel, especially as it relates to End Times Prophesies.

Since that post, a lot has happened in the world revolving around Israel’s war against Hamas. Unfortunately, much of what has occurred around the world in response to this crisis has tended, shockingly, to lean on the side that is against Israel.

Now, I’m not here to rehash world events since October 7th since I’m pretty sure this audience is pretty much up to speed on such things.

But I will make this one comment regarding the violent protests we see taking place around the world in favor of the terrorists and that are calling for the extermination of all Jews in Israel and throughout the world.

When we put ourselves in positions where we are promoting and advocating for the destruction of Israel, who happen to be the only people that have a covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe, political opinions aside (although I’m not a fan at all of the Zionist government of the nation state of Israel because of their extreme secularism), when the people of this nation engage in such ignorant and foolish behavior, they are cutting off our noses to spite their faces. Let us never forget that there is a remnant or a true Israel in the Land that we must love and pray for, regardless of what our political views of the modern nation of Israel happen to be.

And let us not forget Yehovah’s declaration to Avraham that He would bless those that bless Him and His descendants, as well as He would curse those that curse Israel (Gen. 12:3). So, when this nation calls for the extermination of Israel (and by extension we who are Nazarene Israel), they are actually calling for their own destruction, which by the way, is only adding to the mounting charges against them and the other western nations that stand before the Court of Heaven. How foolish is it to call for the elimination of Yehovah’s covenant people on top of the nation’s moral crimes of abortion and advancement of the LGBTQ agenda, just to name a few of this nation’s trespasses against the Almighty? Indeed, Yah’s righteous judgment is coming to this nation in a terrible way, and when it finally does come, what will the nation’s peoples of the world have to say? How can and will they defend the foolishness and rebellious actions they’ve waged against Yehovah and His chosen ones? They won’t be able to say anything to sway Yah’s righteous indignation.

Because of the broad display of antisemitism that has overtaken the world in the past 55 or so days, it has led me to conduct a teaching series on Israel’s inextricable link to humanity’s salvation.

What do I mean by this? Well, quite frankly, without Israel, there is no salvation to be had by anyone.

It was in the Spring of 27 CE when Yeshua, attempting to avoid a premature confrontation with the Jewish religious establishment, packed up, gathered His disciples, and departed Judaea for the Galilee. The trip required Him to transit Samaria or Shomeron (Joh. 4:1-4), a trip of about 70 or so miles.

One of the first cities in Samaria that He transited through on this trip was Shekem, which is in Samaria. As the story goes, Yeshua, tired from the journey, sat by Jacob’s Well while His disciples went on to another Samaritan city to purchase provisions (Joh. 4:5-6; Gen. 33:19). It just so happened that a woman of Samaria came to draw water from the well where Master Yeshua had sat down to rest. The Master was thirsty from the long journey but unfortunately, He did not have any implements or containers in which to draw water. So, He asked the woman if she would be so kind as to draw some water from the well for him to drink (Joh.4:7).

Shocked that a Jew would ask a Samaritan for a drink of water, much less a Samaritan woman at that, she queried Yeshua what was behind His going against the cultural norm of the day which held that Jews had nothing to do whatsoever with Samaritans. The first-century Jew, by the way, viewed and treated Samaritans as dogs (Joh. 6:9). This was an unfortunate mindset shared by most first-century AD orthodox Jews who, not only with arrogant pride, looked down upon Samaritans as being worthless beings, but this bigoted mindset applied to all non-Jews (aka Gentiles). Rabbinic Orthodox Jews firmly believed that their bigotry against non-Jews was warranted because the Torah instructed them to not have anything to do with any people who were not Jews. But this mindset and treatment of Gentiles by Rabbinic Jews of the first century was a lie from the pit of Hades itself. Anyone who possesses even a modicum of Torah understanding knows that Yehovah’s Torah was meant to be followed by all of humanity; Hebrew and non-Hebrew alike.

Yah declared: “There is one Torah for the native-born and for the stranger (non-Hebrew) who sojourns among you” (Exo. 12:49; The Scriptures ISR).
“One Torah and one right ruling is for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you” (Num. 15:16; The Scriptures ISR).

Exodus 22:21, Yehovah commanded native Israel: “Do not tread down a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Mitsrayim” (Exo. 22.21).

Again, Yah instructs: “And do not oppress a sojourner, as you yourselves know the heart of a sojourner, because you were sojourners in the land of Mitsrayim (Egypt)” (Exo. 23:9; The Scriptures ISR).

Love for the sojourner or stranger was to be the same as love one would have for a fellow Hebrew: Leviticus 19:10–“And do not glean your vineyard or gather every grape of your vineyard, leave them for the poor and the stranger. I am Yehovah your Elohim” (The Scriptures ISR).

And there are other Torah passages where Yehovah shows His love and care for non-Hebrews, despite the stiffnecked Jews of the first century having an opposite feeling and mindset towards them. Indeed, Yeshua, our walking-talking Torah Messiah, defied the anti-Gentile sentiments of His day. Despite his earthly ministry targeting the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel, He not only healed a Gentile Woman (Mat. 15:21-28) and the servant of a Roman Centurion (Mat. 8:5-13), He revealed His identity as HaMashiyach (the Messiah) to this Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well (Joh. 4). Thus, we can clearly see that the first century orthodox Jew’s despisement of the Gentile or the non-Jew was not biblically warranted, otherwise Yeshua would not have done what He did with these non-Jews.

Getting back to our original story, the Samaritan woman’s questioning of Yeshua about her drawing water for Him to drink led to a fascinating conversation that included (1) Yeshua publicly declaring to the woman, who then spread the message throughout the city of Shekem, His Messianic identity. (And get this, one of the first people that He publicly announces His true identity to is not to another Jew, but to a Samaritan woman–a non-Hebrew woman! Imagine that!) (Joh. 4:25-26). (2) Her life’s story without the Samaritan woman ever revealing it to Yeshua (Joh. 4:15-17). And (3) a revealing Yah’s earth-shattering Plan of salvation, redemption, and restoration to the woman that would take human communing with the Creator of the Universe from the physical to the spiritual (Joh. 4:19 -24).

And this is the passage that forms the crux of my discussion today. It reads:

(19) The woman said to Him (the Him being Yeshua), “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. (20) Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, but the Yehudim (that is, the Jews) say that Yerushalayim is the place where men should worship.” (21) Yeshua replied, “Madam, believe Me, the day is coming when they will not worship the Father in this mountain or in Yerushalayim. (22) You gentile Samaritans worship, but you do not know Him who is to be worshipped. We Yehudim know whom we worship, for salvation comes from the Yehudim…” (Joh. 4; Rood’s Chronology).

Salvation comes from the Yehudim or the Jew. What in the world did Yeshua mean by that shocking statement? Well, we intend to take somewhat of a deep dive into this statement and see if we can answer this question.

Denominationalists have been indoctrinated over the centuries to believe that their salvation has nothing whatsoever to do with the Hebrew or the Jew, despite Yeshua making the clarifying statement to the Samaritan Woman that salvation is of the Jew or Yehudim (Joh. 4:22). The rejection of the Jew from Yehovah’s salvation, redemption, and restoration equation smacks of antisemitism and the erroneous doctrine of “replacement theology.”

In many ways, the Samaritan Woman was like so many nominal Christian believers who believe that they and their faith hold the keys to the Kingdom when she confidently declared that her religion’s fathers worshiped God on Mount Gerizim which was held as the holy mountain upon which the community worshiped Elohim (Joh. 4:20) . But it took Yahoshua to put the woman in her place, correcting her and informing her that her people were ignorant as it relates to the true worship of the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov (Joh. 4:22). Clearly, the Samaritans had a head knowledge of Yehovah, but they did not possess a true and substantive relationship with Him, which sadly is the same case with so many people of faith.

There are several interpretations of John 4:22 where Yeshua tells the Samaritan Woman that salvation is of the Jew, but they all pretty much fall short of the full story that is behind what Yeshua was attempting to put forth to the woman at the well.

The vast majority of conservative, denominationalist believe that Yeshua in His statement that “salvation is of the Jew” was referring to two sides of a spiritual equation that directly involved the Jew’s tenuous link to the salvation of humanity. The first side of the equation conceded Judah’s preservation of the oracles of God (as stipulated in Rom. 3:2; Heb. 5:12; 1 Pet. 4:11), which foreshadowed Yah’s ultimate plan of salvation, working first with the Hebrews, and then to be worked and made accessible to all humanity under the auspices of the renewed covenant and the Gospel Message. The second half of the equation holds that the Machiyach, the savior of the world, would descend from Judah as opposed to being descended from the Samaritans or any other Gentile, non-Jewish people. And this second portion of the equation is the prevailing understanding and belief of much of Christendom.

In making what may appear as a rather rude statement from our Master in Him saying to the Samaritan woman that you (i.e., you Samaritans) 22“You worship what you do not know…”The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009), Jn 4:22…was taking the position that He was indeed a Yehudi (i.e., a Jew) and that He and His people were correct in the manner and in the God to whom they worshiped. This, of course, suggests that the Samaritans were off in the manner of their worship and the God to whom they worshiped. It was not simply a question of the rote manner in which the Samaritans worshiped compared to Him and His fellow Yehudi brethren. Rather, it was, as always the case, a question of relationship. What is the relationship that the Samaritans had with the Elohim of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov compared to the relationship that Yehudah had with Yehovah Elohim? For it was the relationship that Yehovah held with Yehudah that facilitated or provided the pathway or through-point by which it may save humanity. You see, the nature of the relationship that Yehudah had with Yehovah was that of covenant. Consider how Yeshua responded to the Samaritan’s question: You worship what you do not know.

Now, we’ve spoken quite often on this program about the Hebraic concept of knowing Yehovah and His Ways as opposed to knowing about Yehovah and His Ways. The Hebraic term for “to know” is “yada.” Yada, beloved, denotes an intimate level of recognizing or personally knowing, not about, but knowing Yehovah and His Ways. I know about a great many people, places, and things, but I personally know just a few individuals. And when it comes to the yada level of knowing, I know my Elohim and my Savior, and on a human level, I know just a few individuals like Hilary, my children, my dad, and my brothers.
Unfortunately, this crucial element of the relationship is missing from many denominationalists’ understanding of this verse. For without the essential element of Yah’s covenant relationship with Yisrael, Yeshua’s statement that salvation is from or of the Jews is simply a parenthetical statement of fact, when the truth of the matter is that Master’s statement encompasses so much more.

The scriptures, the very foundation bedrock of our Faith, record Yehovah cutting a covenant with just one nation: Yisra’el. It goes back to the day when Yisra’el was encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai and Yehovah proposed to Yisra’el the following covenant that would form the framework upon which our salvation would rest:

3And Mosheh went up to Elohim, and יהוה called to him from the mountain, saying, “This is what you are to say to the house of Ya‛aqoḇ, and declare to the children of Yisra’ěl: 4‘You have seen what I did to the Mitsrites, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5‘And now, if you diligently obey My voice, and shall guard My covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession above all the peoples—for all the earth is Mine—6‘and you shall be to Me a reign of priests and a set-apart nation.’ Those are the words which you are to speak to the children of Yisra’ěl.” The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009), Ex 19:3–6.

And it was there, at the foot of the Mountain of Yehovah, that He spoke the non-negotiable terms of His covenant agreement to Yisra’el (Exo. 20:1-23:33). Yisra’el had previously consented to the terms of this covenant agreement before Yah had even delivered it, and even after hearing the terms of the covenant agreement, they once again consented to it (Exo. 19:7-8; 24:3-4 respectively). But Yehovah had Moshe codify the terms of the covenant in a cepher (or simply in writing) and sealed the covenant with blood sprinkled upon it and upon the children of Yisra’el, the recipients of the covenant (Exo. 24:4-8) and with a celebratory meal with 70 of the Elders of Yisra’el on the Mount of Yah (Exo. 24:9-11).

Of course, biblical history bears out that Yisra’el broke covenant with Yehovah multiple times. Because Yisra’el did not keep her end of the covenant agreement, Yehovah had every legal right to annul the covenant agreement and end His relationship with her. Yet His steadfast love, righteousness, will, and plan would not permit Him to do that. Instead of annulling His covenant with Yisra’el, His unfathomable wisdom led Him to create and establish an upgrade to the Mosaic Covenant that would put much of the spiritual heavy lifting upon the Father’s shoulders:

(31) “See, the days are coming” declares Yehovah, “when I shall make a renewed covenant with the house of Yisrael and the house of Yehudah…” Stop!
Nowhere does the Father stipulate He was making a covenant with any people outside the House of Yisrael and Yehudah. Period. This is crucial information that anyone who has aspirations of making it into the Kingdom of Elohim (aka the Malchut Elohim) understands: there is but one covenant between Yah and humanity and that covenant with the one that exists between Yehovah and Israel.

Continuing:

(32) “Not like the covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I strengthened their hand to bring them out of the land of Mitsrayim. My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares Yehovah. (33) for this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisrael after those days, declares Yehovah: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. (34) And no longer shall they teach, each one his neighbour, and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know Yehovah, for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares Yehovah. “For I shall forgive their crookedness, and remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31; The Scriptures ISR).

Beloved, despite the replacement theology advocates’ firmly entrenched belief and teaching that the renewed covenant is all about the Church Triumphant, they are sorely lacking in their understanding. Yah says here through the Prophet Jeremiah that He was going to make a renewed covenant with “The House of Yisra’el (i.e., the exiled tribes of Yisra’el, otherwise referred to as the 10-Lost Tribes of Israel) and with The House of Yehudah” (i.e., the Jews). This covenant does not name any other signatories or parties, which means if any who are not of Yisra’el who want to reap the benefits of the covenant promises, they must somehow become Israelites themselves.

And the process by which the non-Hebrew is transformed or made into an Israelite we will cover the next addition to this series: “Israel’s Inextricable Link to our Salvation Part 2.” In that and the following additions to the series, we will come to learn that without Israel, the world is without hope, for salvation was and is of the Jew.

So, when we see countless thousands throughout the world blindly calling for the destruction of the Jew, it becomes abundantly clear that the world at large does not know the amount of fire and brimstone they are calling upon themselves, not just from a moral standpoint (Gen. 12:3–such that Yehovah will bless them that bless Israel and curse them that curse Israel), but also from a salvation standpoint whereby the salvation of humanity is founded only through the renewed covenant of Yehovah for Israel. Without Israel, there is no salvation.

We were Baptized into Moses in the Red Sea

by | Nov 12, 2022 |

Our Baptism in the Red Sea Was Illustrative of our Transformation into the People of God So, in our departure from Mitsrayim/Egypt, which was representative of a would-be child of Yah coming into a covenant relationship with Yah through the Person and Ministry of...

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Are God’s People Required to Wear Tzitzit Today and is the Wearing of Them a Salvific Issue?

by | Nov 17, 2023 | Blog, Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer

This is “Are God’s People Required to Wear Tzitzits Today and Is the Wearing of Tzitzits a Salvific Issue?” And just to cut to the chase, beloved, the answer to both questions is yes. I’ll explain why in just a few.

Why Discuss Tzitzit Wearing?

The reason I was led to discuss this topic is simple: I had not at any time in the past taken on this topic at any appreciable level. And given this topic’s importance to the overall Messianic Faith Communities, I thought it is high time that I share with you both the biblical and my personal perspective on the wearing of tassels or tzitziyot by Yah’s set apart people. And oh, by the way, the term tassels and tzitzits are synonymous for the purposes of our discussion here today.

Background on Tzitzits

If you have been around the Messianic, Hebrew Roots Faith Communities for any appreciable length of time, you’ve no doubt run into certain individuals wearing a set of four tassels (aka tzitzits) that extend from either their belt loops or from the hem of their blouses or tops. These tassels generally consist of white threads with a single thread of blue that are knotted together into strands.

Now, there are variations on this theme whereby some tzitzit makers have fashioned their tassels using multi-colored strands as opposed to just the blue strand embedded amid numerous white strands. Conversely, the tzitziyot or tassels of some of our orthodox Jewish cousins consist of just white strands that are sewn into the hems of their garments.

These strands when attached to Messianic believers’ trousers or tops/blouses/tallit/prayer shawls are easily seen by the outside world. However, members of certain orthodox Jewish sects wear their tzitzits hidden beneath their outer wear.

Also, generally speaking, more Messianic-Netsarim-Nazarene Israelite males than women wear tzitziyot or tassels. And we’ll get into why this is so later in this discussion.

Like most things associated with Orthodox and Messianic Judaism, there are traditions and rules on how tzitzits are to be made or fashioned and when and how they are to be worn. We won’t get into these traditions and rules in this discussion simply because we’re not subject to Jewish rabbis. Our Rabbi is Yeshua HaMashiyach, and we follow in His footsteps and adhere to His teachings and example. And yes, as we will discuss in a few, our Master Yeshua did in fact wear tzitzits.

And furthermore, let’s just put it out there now: There are Hebrew Roots groups, such as the Churches of God splinter groups, that reject the wearing of tassels or tzitziyot by their members. We’ll get into some of their arguments against tzitzit wearing later in this discussion.

 I’ve worn tzitzits full time since 2014 and I will share why I wear them later in this discussion as well.

The Commandments Regarding the Wearing of Tzitziyot

The commandment to make and attach tassels to our garments is found two places in Torah. Let’s read them together:

Nu 15:37–41–37And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

38“Speak to the children of Yisra’el, and you shall say to them to make tzitzit on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue cord in the tzitzit of the corners.

39“And it shall be to you for a tzitzit, and you shall see it, and shall remember all the commands of יהוה and shall do them, and not search after your own heart and your own eyes after which you went whoring,

40so that you remember, and shall do all My commands, and be set-apart unto your Elohim.

41“I am יהוה your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, to be your Elohim. I am יהוה your Elohim.” The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009)

 

And then there is Dt 22:12–12“Make tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself .The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009).

 

 

The Hebrew Term Tzitzits

 

Just about every English translation of these two Torah passages render tzitzits as either fringes or tassels. So, the use of the term tzitzits or tzitziyot may sound foreign to the uninitiated.

 

The word “tzitzit” consists of 5-Hebrew letters:

 

  • Tsadey
  • Yad
  • Tsadey
  • Yad
  • Tav

 

It means “tassel” or lock of hair or blossoms. When our ancient cousins were commanded to make tzitziyot and fasten them to the corners of their garments, they would have been familiar with what tzitziyot were, for they were customarily worn by many pagan priests and kings as symbols of their privileged station and positions of authority in their respective nations. Yah’s instructions for Israel’s use of tzitziyot served the dual purposes of identifying or marking them as a royal priestly nation, and most importantly, they were to serve as a reminder for them to keep His instructions in righteousness and to not go awhoring after their own passions and false gods.

 

Unpacking the Torah Commandments for Tzitzit Wearing

 

 

Yah commands Moshe to speak to bene Yisrael and tell them to fashion tzitziyot with a blue cord to the corners or hems of their garments throughout their generations (Num. 15:37). The purpose of the tzitziyot is to serve as a reminder for the wearer of Yah’s Torah and to walk exclusively in Yah’s ways (vs. 39). Furthermore, to remind the wearer not to follow or pursue their own way–their own heart–their own perspectives. And thus, in walking in Yah’s Torah Yisrael becomes set-apart unto Yehovah (vs. 40).

 

Bene Yisrael is commanded:

 

  1. Make unto themselves tassels that include a single cord of blue.
  2. Attach the tassels to the four corners of their garments.
  3. To look at the tassels and be reminded to guard and walk in Yah’s Torah and not follow their own ways.

 

This commandment seems to have been given by Yah on the heels of Yisrael’s refusal to go in and take possession of the Land of Promise as Yah commanded them. Yisrael, after receiving the negative report from 10 of those that went to spy out the Land, determined to replace Moshe as their leader and to return to Egypt (Num. 14:1-4). Yahoshua and Caleb, after renting their clothes in response to this rebellion, attempted to reason with the nation with the following words:

 

Nu 14:8–9–8“If יהוה has delighted in us, then He shall bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which is flowing with milk and honey.’

9“Only, do not rebel against יהוה, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread. Their defence has turned away from them, and יהוה is with us. Do not fear them.” The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009).

 

Yisrael rejected the pleas of Joshua and Caleb, even posturing to take them out by stoning them (14:10).

 

The glory of Yah appeared in the Tabernacle in the sight of the nation. The rebelliousness of the people kindled the wrath of Yehovah. Yah purposed to wipe out the whole nation, save Moshe, Caleb, and Yahoshua. But Moshe appealed to the mercies of Yah, who in turn halted the nation’s destruction from the wrath of Yehovah. However, the adult generation that came out of Egypt  would be condemned to wander for forty-years and die in the wilderness.

 

Thus, the commandment that bene Yisrael wear tzitziyot was binding and served as a reminder of what they failed to do: Obey Yah’s commandments. Consequently, every adult that departed Egypt in the Exodus, because of their rebelliousness and refusal to obey Yah’s command to take the Land of Promise, died in the wilderness, save Caleb and Joshua (Num. 26:65). And throughout the whole of those 40-years leading up to each Israelite’s death, they would see tzitzits attached to the four corners of their tallit and remember why they were in the situation they were in.

 

Looking closer to the actual fringes or tassels and how they were to be worn, Yah commanded:

 

Dt 22:12–12 “You shall make tassels for yourselves on the four corners of your clothing with which you cover yourself. W. Hall Harris III, Elliot Ritzema, Rick Brannan, et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012),

 

The tzitziyot mitzvah is concisely repeated here in Deuteronomy 22:12. This iteration of the instruction stipulates that the tassels are to be fashioned onto the 4-corners of the garments that bene Yisrael uses to cover themselves.

 

Yah further elaborated that the tzitziyot were to have intertwined in them a blue cord. What’s up with the blue cord?

 

Portions of the tabernacle curtains and the priestly garments were made of blue colored fabrics (Exo. 26:31; 28:31). Thus, blue accents were linked to the priestly identity and function of Yisrael. That identity was not confined only to the Levites, but it was attached to all the descendants of Yisrael (Exo. 19:6). Therefore, it would not be a stretch for us to associate the ribbon of blue that is commanded to adorn the tzitziyot to be a symbol and reminder of the Yisraelites’ priestly function and purpose to the world. Thus, the commandment that Yah attached to tzitzit wearing by His people: That they remember and walk in Yah’s Torah, as would be expected of any priest (Num. 15:40). The Israelite was prohibited from following their own whims and ways. They belonged to Yehovah. They had been purchased with a price from the gods of and pharaoh of Egypt.

 

Looking back to the Levites and their priestly function, they were to have no inheritance when the nation would come and take possession of the Land. Yah told Aharon: “Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them. I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Yisrael” (Num. 18:20; cf. Deu. 18:2). Thus, the priests would not only intercede on behalf of people to Yehovah, but they would also serve as a model of the ideal Israelite whose whole purpose and function was to loyally serve Yehovah. And conceivably this ribbon of blue, indicative, and reflective of Yah’s set apart nature, intertwined in bene Yisrael’s tzitziyot would remind each soul of their covenantal role as a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exo. 19:6).

 

The Wearing of Tzitziyot Would Extend Through Every Generation

 

Every Hebrew four-cornered Hebrew garment possessed tzitziyot, extending from the time this mitzvah was passed down in Torah, even up to the time of Yahoshua and beyond.

 

Post Temple and into the Talmudic period of the diaspora, the Jews upon adopting the attire of whatever people they ended up living amongst, modified their tzitzit wearing. Instead of the tzitzits being fashioned to every four-cornered garment they possessed back in the land, they had them attached to two primary sets of garments: (1) Their prayer tallit, otherwise referred to as prayer shawls; and (2) their undergarment tallit which they wore each day.

 

The rabbis, never at a loss to control even the smallest Torah-related practice, codified and enforced the way tzitzits were to be fashioned. This rabbinic instruction delineated “the exact manner in which each tassel was to be made and gave a symbolic meaning to the numbers of windings and knots. The main aim seems to have been the association of the fringes with the Law in the mind of the wearer” (Harrison R. K. Isaacs E. D., “Fringes,” ed. Geoffrey W Bromiley, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1979–1988), 363).

 

Tzitzits and Yeshua-Healing in His Wings

 

Of course, the wearing of tzitziyot continued well into the first century Judea. They were prominently worn by the religious leaders of the Sanhedrin who, instead of keeping the spirit of the commandment, wore them to draw attention to themselves. This self-centered practice drove Master Yeshua crazy, and He criticized the Jewish religious leaders for their misuse of tzitziyot:

 

5 And they (the scribes and pharisees) do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries broad and make their tassels long.

 

  1. Hall Harris III, Elliot Ritzema, Rick Brannan, et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mt 23:5.

 

Not to be lost on the self-centeredness of the scribes and pharisees, tzitziyot were worn by every first century Jew, including our Master Yahoshua. And it is our Master’s wearing of tzitziyot that should be of particular interest to the Kingdom-minded and Kingdom-bound Messianic.

 

The story of the woman with the “issue of blood” factors prominently into the efficacy and spirituality that is associated with tzitziyot wearing by Yah’s set apart people. Most prominent when we consider the fact that the woman with the so-called issue of blood sought healing from her debilitating illness by simply grabbing onto the Master’s tzitzit clearly reveals two relevant truths: (1) Yahoshua kept Yah’s commandments as evident in His wearing tzitzits. (2) The woman fervently believed there was healing in even the Master’s garments, including His tzitzits.

 

The passage reads as follows:

 

20And see, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the tzitzit of His garment.

21For she said to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I shall be healed.”

22But יהושׁע turned, and when He saw her He said, “Take courage, daughter, your belief has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that hour.

 

The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009), Mt 9:20–22.

 

The Greek word for “fringes” or “tassels” in our Mitzvah of Numbers 15:38 and in the story of the healing of the woman with the issue of blood in Matthew 9:20-22 is “kraspedon.” The woman with the issue of blood is recorded to have “haptomai kraspedon autos himation” or “fastened herself to the tzitziyot of His tallit.”

 

 

It is a reasonable probability that the affected woman was familiar with the prophecy that stated: 1 “For look, the day shall come, burning like a furnace, and all the proud, and every wrongdoer shall be stubble. And the day that shall come shall burn them up,” said יהוה of hosts, “which leaves to them neither root nor branch.

 

2“But to you who fear My Name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings. And you shall go out and leap for joy like calves from the stall. The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009), Mal 4.

 

There is a clear connection between the colorful description of wings and the kanaph or borders of one’s garments where tzitzits would be attached. Clearly, the woman with the issue of blood took this prophecy to heart and grabbed hold of the Master’s tzitzit and in so doing, she was healed. Sadly, most bible teachers aren’t willing to make this connection.

 

And there is one other reference to Yeshua’s tzitziyot healing the sick that is found in Matthew 14:34-36, which reads as follows:

 

34And having passed over, they came to the land of Genněsar.

35And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding country, and brought to Him all who were sick,

36and begged Him to let them only touch the tzitzit of His garment. And as many as touched it were completely healed. The Scriptures, 3rd edition. (Northriding: Institute for Scripture Research, 2009)

 

Most English translations of this passage of holy writ render what we consider to be Yeshua’s tzitzits as “the fringe of His garment,” or the “border” or “hem” of His garment. The CSB surprisingly renders this portion of the Master’s garment as tassels.

 

The Koine Greek term that is in question here is “kraspedon,” which means edge, border, or tassel. Clearly tassel is the most accurate rendering.

 

 

 

The 21st West and the Wearing of Tassels by God’s Set Apart People

 

For the Nazarene Israelite of the 21st century west, tzitzits and the wearing of tzitziyot serve as outward symbols to the world of our identification as disciples of Yahoshua Messiah and our commitment to walk in His ways. He is for all intents and purposes the walking, talking Torah. He is our example for righteous living and our direct link to Yehovah, the Creator of the Universe. His righteousness has brought peace between us and Yehovah. His righteous obedience has brought us salvation and has provided the means for us to receive and enter the coming Kingdom of Yah. His Person and Ministry has led to Yah’s Set Apart Spirit dwelling upon and within we who are Children of the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov.

 

 

The whole concept of Yah’s people wearing tzitzits in the 21st century West has become somewhat of a divisive issue in Messianic circles. I’m confident that most Torah-honoring souls, especially in the West, do not wear tzitziyot, at least not on a full-time basis for various and sundry reasons. But the minority that do wear them full-time do so for a couple simple reasons: (1) Yah instructed that they be worn by bene Israel throughout their generations, and (2) wearing them is a symbol of being set apart unto Yehovah for His exclusive use (i.e., personal consecration) (Lev. 20:7-8; Rom. 6:13). These dismiss all the excuses and reasons given by the majority for not wearing them as an example of rebelliousness; that is, picking and choosing which commandments the rejecters feel like keeping versus which they don’t feel like keeping.

 

The point behind Yah’s instructions for His sons to wear tzitziyot is simple: bene Yisrael was to look upon them as a reminder to them to walk in Yah’s instructions in righteousness and to not follow the unfaithfulness of the wearers’ own heart and eyes (Num. 15:39; Deu. 4:9, 23; Isa. 55:6-8). Again, the ultimate goal is wearer and congregation set apartness or consecration.

 

Humans forget that which they are supposed to do. Human forgetfulness in this context, however, is not so much about people failing to remember critical central truths such as the covenant and Yah’s instructions for righteous living. The forgetfulness that Yah is referring to here as it relates to the wearing or not of tzitziyot has to do with abandoning Yah’s ways for the ways of the world because the supposed child of Yah simply wants to do carnal things. The tzitziyot that every bene Yisrael is commanded to wear provides them with a final escape from wickedness and carnality when they are tempted. Today, this final escape mechanism of the tzitziyot is in addition to the indwelling presence and work of the Ruach Kodesh (aka the Holy Spirit).

 

Everyday life, pride, stubbornness, and modern-day anti-Hebrew-anti-Torah mindsets are some of the reasons why the majority of members in our faith reject the wearing of tzitziyot by modern day Messianics. I’ve been personally criticized for my wearing of tzitziyot by Sabbath-keeping, feast-keeping, clean eating believers. The two reasons I was mocked and rejected by these individuals was (1) the commandment to wear tzitziyot no longer applies to us because we in the 21st century west do not wear four-cornered garments, which they claim nullifies both the Numbers and Deuteronomy instructions to wear them. And (2), the wearing of tzitziyot by Yah back in the day was for purposes of reminding bene Yisrael to keep the commandments. Well, in the minds of the tzitzit rejecters, Messianics today have the indwelling Holy Spirit to keep them on the straight and narrow, which means that the advent of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Messianics has nullified this commandment.

 

Let’s look at the first challenge. Indeed, most of us do not wear four corner garments. But does this reality completely nullify this commandment?

 

Consider the fact that neither the Tabernacle nor Temple exists. So, does this reality nullify the commandment to observe the pilgrimage feasts of Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, and Sukkot? Both tzitziyot wearing and feast keeping commandments were promulgated by Yah to be kept throughout all Yisra’el’s generations. What is the difference? Well, let me tell you the one difference: One can easily hide their feast keeping from others, but they can’t hide their wearing of tzitziyot. Properly worn, tzitziyot can be easily seen by the world. And that wearing of these consecrated implements serve as a testimony to the world of the wearer’s covenant relationship with the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov, as well as it keeps the wearer accountable of their responsibility to walk in Yah’s Ways exclusively and at all times.

 

If the wearing of tzitziyot has been nullified by the reality that 21st century western attire does not have four-corners, then we shouldn’t give tithes and offerings. For when the commandment to tithe and give offerings was passed down to us, we were an agrarian people. And based on the commandment given by Yah regarding the tithes and offerings, many of us cannot keep the commandments to tithe and give offerings as it is recorded in Torah. Why? Because most of us are not farmers and there is no Levitical Priesthood nor Tabernacle or Temple in which to deposit our tithes and offerings. Right? Yet, a great many of us still believe we should tithe. So again, why do we reject tzitzit wearing over the technicality that we no longer wear four-cornered garments.

 

So, any argument against the commanded wearing of tzitziyot by Yah’s set apart people is a dangerous argument to wage. Any one of us can easily find those who are not members of our Faith communities who will just as easily poke holes in our rationale for keeping all the Torah instructions that we generally keep.

 

The other argument often raised by some against the wearing of tzitziyot by today’s Messianics is that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit makes the wearing of tzitziyot invalid. Why? Because the Holy Spirit works within the believer to help them obey Yah’s instructions and to resist sinning.

 

Well, like the previously debunked argument, this argument is also a dangerous excuse for not wearing tzitziyot. To say that the Holy Spirit’s existence in the life of the believer invalidates Yah’s commandments, including the wearing of tzitziyot, then you are condemning the collective and individual walks of the first century saints, who kept Yah’s instructions in righteousness even unto death.

 

To say that the indwelling presence of Yah’s Holy Spirit makes one impervious to sin while at the same time urging people to violate Yah’s Torah commandment to not wear tzitziyot is a self-condemning act. One of the purposes and functions of Yah’s set apart Spirit is to provide the Netzer the power to say no to sin and to earnestly desire to keep Yah’s commandments. Thus, for one to condemn and encourage people to violate this and other Torah commandments because the Holy Spirit dwells in them is contradictory at best. For Yah’s set apart Spirit would never lead one to disobey Yah’s commandments. Yah’s Holy Spirit cannot, nor will it ever, nullify Yah’s Torah.

 

Which brings to mind the question of tzitzit wearing by Yah’s set apart people being of a “salvific” issue. (Explain what you mean by salvific issue.) Cutting to the chase, I believe tzitziyot wearing can very much be a salvific issue. It is a salvific issue when one, knowing of the existence of a commandment of Yah that they should keep and that they are more than capable of keeping and walking out, and that they choose not to keep and walk out that commandment because they don’t want to, then they stand a good chance of losing their salvation. Why? Because they are in effect rebellion against the Almighty. And Yah has only so much patience for rebelliousness. The prophet cried: “Woe to you, O rebellious and defiled one” (Zep. 3:1; LEB)!

 

Those who know better are expected to do better. And those who know Torah will be held responsible and judged within the framework of Torah. (See my teaching on being judged within the framework of Torah.)

 

I, however, am not the judge of anyone. Yeshua will have that job on that day when so many will say to Yeshua, Master, Master, didn’t I…(Mat. 7:22-23).

 

______________________________________________________

 

We keep the Torah Commandments that we can keep today to the best of our understanding and ability. And certainly, we can wear tzitzits. It’s quite doable. It just comes down to one’s earnest desire to walk blamelessly in Yah’s set apart ways and instructions.

 

Which brings us to the last argument that is often waged against tzitzit wearing by modern day Messianics: Are women or female required to wear tzitziyot?

 

It appears that when the commandment for bene Yisrael to wear tzitziyot was given, it applied to just the males of the nation. Let me remind you, however, that under the auspices of the renewed covenant there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for we are all one in Messiah Yeshua (Gal. 3:28). So, I will let this passage answer the question of this commandment as it relates to women wearing tzitzits today.

 

 

Closing Remarks

 

Beloved, I pray that you got something out of this teaching on tzitzits and their relevance to Messianics-Netsarim-Nazarene Israelites today.

 

If you are struggling with the question of whether you should wear tzitzits, or if you are dealing with challenges surrounding your wearing of them, take it to Yehovah. Talk to Yah about your situation and express to Him your concerns about wearing them.

 

As in all things related to walking out this beloved faith of ours, your keeping of Yah’s instructions in righteousness is between you and Him. I don’t have a heaven or hell to place anyone into. We are all on this amazing journey to the Kingdom. Consequently, we are all at different places in our journey to the Kingdom. So, I don’t pass judgment or reject any who chooses not to wear tzitzits. Hey, I come across very few people who wear them anyway. So, I’m used to it. But when I do run into someone who is wearing them, I tell you, it’s a beautiful thing to commune with that individual and share the blessings of our faith with one another.

 

Then there are those who are drawn to my wearing of tzitzits, either out of curiosity or simply to strike up a conversation around them. Those times are precious, as I get to provide witness of our beloved faith to souls that desperately need the truth and redemption. And my prayer is that they see the light of Messiah beyond the simple threads of my tzitzits and come to enjoy a covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe.

 

Beloved, there is great spiritual power and meaning to be had by the wearer of Yah’s consecrated tzitzits; the one who keeps the commandments of Yehovah and holds tight to the testimony of Yeshua Messiah (Rev. 12:17). For there is coming a day when teshuvah and revival in Yerushalayim—greater even than that great day of Shavuot in 28 AD. The prophets foretell of a  day when Yerushalayim and her inhabitants will be the epicenter of a great revival which will draw the Gentile nations to come and earnestly seek Yehovah and His Messiah (Isa. 2:2; Jer. 3:17; 16:19). Of that time, the prophet wrote:

 

(20) “Thus said Yehovah Sabaoth, ‘Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities, (21) and the inhabitants of the one go to another, saying, “Let us earnestly go and pray before Yehovah, and seek Yehovah Sabaoth. I myself am going.” (22) And many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Yehovah Sabaoth in Yerushalayim, and to pray before Yehovah.’ (23) “Thus said Yehovah Sabaoth, ‘In those days ten men from all languages of the nations take hold, yes, they shall take hold of the corner of the garment of a man (that is, “kanaph,” the wing of his garment), a Yehudi, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that Elohim is with you”’” (Zec. 8; The Scriptures, IVP).

 

Therefore beloved, if you are led to wear tzitziyot, not simply because you are commanded of Yah to do so, but because you love Yehovah with all your being and you desperately want to imitate our Master Yahoshua HaMashiyach, do so in peace, joy, love, hope, and great anticipation of the coming Malchut Elohim (aka the Kingdom of God).

 

Until next time beloved, Shabbat Shalom, Shavuatov, take care.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were Baptized into Moses in the Red Sea

by | Nov 12, 2022 |

Our Baptism in the Red Sea Was Illustrative of our Transformation into the People of God So, in our departure from Mitsrayim/Egypt, which was representative of a would-be child of Yah coming into a covenant relationship with Yah through the Person and Ministry of...

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Invitation to Messianic Discipleship-From the Sinner’s Prayer to True Messianic Discipleship

by | Nov 3, 2023 | Blog, Podcasts

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer

Welcome to The Messianic Torah Observer.

Maybe you’ve been here before and have more questions about our ministry or the Messianic, Hebrew Roots, or Nazarene Israelite faith. And if that’s the case, I’m happy you’re here and I’m happy to answer questions you may have about our ministry and about this beloved faith of ours. If this is the case, please contact us from any of the contact platforms that are posthemessianictorahobserver.org.

However, if you have returned to TMTO after visiting other Messianic/Hebrew Roots sites, or maybe after visiting a Messianic-Hebrew Roots congregation or fellowship and you’ve maybe decided to transition to the True Faith once delivered, you’ll want to pay close attention to this post. In this post, I plan to discuss the steps that you will need to properly transition into the Messianic-Hebrew Roots Faith.

Traditional Christianity over the last century devised and implemented what I would describe as a universal prayer that they promise, if prayed, will lead to a would be convert’s salvation. They call this universal prayer the “Sinner’s Prayer.”

Reciting the “Sinner’s Prayer,” they claim, is the means by which a would be convert to the Christian religion accesses God’s Plan of Salvation.

When reciting the Sinner’s Prayer, a would be convert acknowledges or confesses to Jesus and to any person in earshot that they are a sinner. They also ask Jesus for forgiveness for their sins and they also declare that they repent of their sins. They invite Jesus into their heart or life such that they trust Him to be their Lord and Savior. And that’s it. The reciter of the sinner’s prayer is then saved or has received eternal life and can henceforth and forevermore refer to themselves as a Christian, or a believer, or even a sinner saved by grace, etc.

You, like me, and millions of other souls throughout the world over the course of the last century, prayed a version of the sinner’s prayer. So, I am sensitive to the relevance of this life-changing event in a would be believer’s life. That being said, there is nothing wrong with reciting the sinner’s prayer. In fact, if one’s heart is truly accepting of what the sinner’s prayer is ideally supposed to accomplish in their life, it becomes the perfect starting point for them to transition to the Nazarene Israel-Messianic Faith.

Now, evangelicals believes that saying a sincere sinner’s prayer alone suffices for leading one to salvation. But is this indeed the case?

Well, turns out that there are a few issues to consider as it relates to the Sinner’s Prayer.

To begin with, the sinner’s prayer is not biblical. There is no reference or guidance given for the prayer’s use in the apostolic writings (aka the New Testament). When we look at their calls to Messianic Discipleship, neither Yeshua, John the Immerser, or Peter/Kefa instruct their listeners to engage in a form of the sinner’s prayer. They delivered a simple message: repent (aka teshuvah), believe the Gospel, and get baptized (Mat. 3:1-6; Mar. 1:4; 4:17; Mar. 16:16; Luk. 24:47; Act. 2:38).

In fact, history is silent as it relates to the existence and use of the sinner’s prayer until Christian Evangelist D.L. Moody (1837-1899) conceived. Christian Evangelists such as Billy Sunday (1862-1935) and Billy Graham (1918-2018) later refined the prayer and introduced it into wider use during their well-attended crusades and revival meetings. And at the risk of sounding crass, it was used to drive bodies into the Christian Church, with the ultimate goal of leading the new converts to become supporters of their respective ministries. In other words, ministries used the sinner’s prayer to steer people into a relationship with the Church Triumphant, as opposed to steering them towards a true and substantive relationship with the Creator of the Universe.

Reciting the Sinner’s Prayer can deeply move anyone with a spiritual inclination. However, religion’s use of the sinner’s prayer as the sanctioned pathway to becoming a born again Christian may give the convert the false impression that God is content with the recitation of this rote prayer for the granting of salvation. Truth be told, scripture clearly shows that the Father has expectations beyond the recitation of a simple prayer from any who would become His child. And the Hebrew Roots, Messianic Faith, is the closest thing to the true faith once delivered to the first century saints. The first century Kahila (aka church) that was headed by Yeshua’s sent ones (aka the apostles), possessed the knowledge of what Yehovah expects of those who would become His elect one.

What, then, are the steps one must take to enter and thrive in the Nazarene Israel-Messianic Faith?

  1. Believe in the Person and Ministries of Yisrael’s Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiyach. In order for one to begin a true and substantive, obedient covenant relationship with the Creator of the Universe, they must first believe Yeshua. The very first calls made to our first century Jewish cousins by the sent ones were for them to “repent and believe the Gospel” ( 1:15). To Hebraically believe something or someone requires more than a cognitive acceptance that someone or something is real or true. Biblical belief is an intense action word. The disciples of Yeshua Messiah must trust in Him and His ministry. They must believe that He is who He claims to be and will fulfill His promises. They must also follow His instructions without hesitation. This is the essence of true discipleship: obedience that flows from and trusting faith in the Person and Ministry of Yeshua Messiah. The one who would enter into Faith possesses the understanding that they direly need a savior. And so they confess a trusting faith in the Person of Yeshua unto salvation (Rom. 10:9-17).
  2. This trusting faith comes through their hearing the Gospel message and positively responding to it by engaging in teshuvah, which means to repent of one’s sins; to turn from one’s former way of life and to an obedience of the one true Faith ( 16:26). The heart of the Gospel message is repentance from one’s sins and turning to obedience of the one true Faith (Rom. 16:26). However, for there to be true teshuvah, the would be disciple of Yeshua must:
    1. Abandon-Leave Behind their old life for the newness of life which is in Yeshua Messiah ( 6:4).
    2. Enter an obedient covenant relationship with Yehovah. Such a relationship comes because of provisions Yah made in His plan of salvation, restoration, and redemption. He established a covenant relationship with Yisrael ( 19). Yah made allowances and provisions in that original covenant for non-Israelite who chose to serve the God of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Ya’achov (Exo. 12:49; Num. 15:16, 29). Torah, aka the Law, is the backbone of Yehovah’s covenant relationship with Yisrael. Consequently, Yehovah established just one covenant and one law or Torah for both Yisrael and Gentile alike. Yeshua brings non-Yisraelites into the covenant and grants them the same privileges as true Yisrael. And so the would be disciple or Netzer submits themselves to the rule of Yehovah over their lives and obeys Him and His Son unconditionally (2 The. 1:8). Master Yeshua emphatically stated to His disciples, if you indeed love me, keep My commandments (Joh. 4:15). And Yeshua’s commandments are His Father’s commandments.
    3. And out of an obedience to the Faith, the disciple learns to fear Yehovah. Fearing and obeying Yehovah’s instructions is the whole duty of humanity (Ecc. 12:13). Most self-professing Christians misinterpret what it means to fear Elohim. To fear or “yare” Elohim is to literally be afraid of Him. When one truly fears Yah, they will keep on the straight and narrow, fearful of the consequences if they go astray from that narrow path that leads to life. We develop genuine fear of Yehovah during the lifelong sanctification process.

So, teshuvah has the would be disciple repenting (i.e., regretting and being remorseful over their life of sin) and turning or returning to an obedience of faith in and through Yeshua Messiah. This is the primary focus of orthodox Jews during the Ten Days of Awe and Yom Kippur. During this period, the religious Jew embarks on a journey of teshuvah as they reflect upon how they conducted themselves over the course of the year.

  1. Be water immersed. For one to become a true disciple of Yeshua, they must be water immersed. And yes, water immersion has a historic and spiritual tie to the Hebrew miqvah. The idea behind the miqvah was to facilitate in one’s return to ritual purity. Ritual purity was required for one to enter the presence of Yehovah. Well, water immersion takes the concept of being returned to a state of ritual purity through miqvah a few steps further. When the would be disciple is submerged beneath the surface of living water and they re-emerge back to the surface, this act of faith is symbolic of (1) the disciple’s committed abandonment of their old sinful nature for the righteous nature of Yahoshua, (2) their sincere repentance/teshuvah, and (3) their identity being fixed to the Person and Ministry of Yahoshua Messiah. Water immersion is a requirement of salvation. Peter instructed the crowd in Jerusalem who witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Yeshua on that great day of Shavuot or Pentecost to “repent (i.e., turn from sin and teshuvah) and be water immersed…in the Name of Yeshua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins” ( 2:38). Water immersion leads to the next action.
  2. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to aid the disciple in their transformation into the image of Yeshua Messiah. The indwelling, set apart Spirit or presence of Yah within a disciple of Yeshua serves so many purposes that to attempt to discuss them all would take us off topic and beyond the allotted for this forum. The Holy Spirit is crucial for obeying Yah’s instructions and having a relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Master Yeshua Messiah told His disciples that His Father gives the Holy Spirit (aka the Ruach haKodesh) to them who ask ( 11:13). It is impossible to walk blamelessly in the Master’s footsteps without the indwelling presence of Yah’s precious Holy Spirit (Mat. 19:26; Mar. 9:23; 10:27; 14:36). As one beloved Messianic teacher says about the Holy Spirit’s work in a disciple: He, the Holy Spirit, gives the disciple the “I want to obey heart” (G. Stevens Simons of Triumph in Truth Ministries). Obedience to Yah’s instructions in righteousness is a non-negotiable element of the true faith once delivered. Which leads to the fifth step.
  3. Become a voracious reader and student of Yah’s Torah (i.e., the whole of Scripture). Most importantly, become a true disciple of Yeshua Messiah. The Apostle Paul described the critical importance of the scriptures to one’s walk in Messiah: 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2Ti 3:16-17 KJV)
  4. Seek out and engage in convocational and fellowship opportunities as Yah so leads. The writer of the Book of Hebrews penned: 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Heb 10:22-25 KJV) Yah commands His people to convocate (i.e., convene or take part in a sacred assembly or rehearsal) on each of His set apart days, including the weekly Sabbath ( 12:16; Lev. 23:3-36; Num. 28:18-26; 29:1-12). Finding holy convocation opportunities on Yah’s set apart days can be very challenging, especially for those who are not near a Messianic-Netzari fellowship or congregation. However, there is nothing too hard for Yehovah. There’s always a solution and if one goes to Yah with their concerns, He will take care of that concern according to His will and purpose.
  5. Last, commit to the Way with one’s whole being with the goal of enduring to the end, for those that endure to the end shall be saved ( 24:13; Mar. 13:13).

So in quick review, beloved, the would be disciple of Messiah must (1) believe, (2) teshuvah, (3) be water immersed or baptized, (4) ask Yah for His Set Apart Indwelling Spirit, (5) become a disciple of Yeshua Messiah and study the Word vociferously (i.e., develop an appetite for the Word), (6) convocate in holy convocations, and (7) purpose to endure to the end.

Beloved, I pray that if you are truly being led to walk in this glorious Faith of ours, that you consider the steps I’ve enumerated in this post. And if you go forward to pull the trigger on committing the rest of your life to walking in the Netsari Faith, please contact me so that I may rejoice with you. And certainly, if you have questions about anything I’ve discussed in this post, please touch basis with me. Hilary offers an excellent Messianic Discipleship Training Program, and she wants you to be her student.

Beloved, if this is you, don’t hesitate. Commit your life to the service of the Kingdom and to an obedient covenant relationship with the King of the Universe through His Son, Yeshua Messiah. Today is the day of salvation.

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