I’ve entitled today’s Message, HaTikvah – This is Modern Israel’s National Anthem. It means “The Hope.”
It is from a Poem that depicts Israel’s desire to return home, to our land.
“As long as in the heart, within, A Jewish soul still yearns, And onward, towards the ends of the east. An eye still gazes toward Zion; Our hope is not yet lost, The hope of two thousand years, To be a free people in our land, The land of Zion and Jerusalem.”
I find it touching, yet lacking in the heartfelt desire of T’shuva (True Repentance). To have Hope is important, but we must remember what caused our dispersion from Israel in the first place. It was the breaking of Covenant –It was the disobedience to Torah.
Therefore, although we are making a Political Aliyah, and once again settling into The Land, there is still a Spiritual Aliyah to come – A return to Torah!
This too is HaTikvah. Perhaps, if our heart truly yearns for Zion, and the Spirit of the LORD moves upon Israel, once again, we will see our Mashiach within the Scripture, as He told us that He was there, and this time we will be ready for His return.
And May All Israel declare, “Baruch Haba B’Shem YHVH!” - “Blessed is He who comes in The Name of YHVH!”
Then we may see a full return to Torah, as it was meant to be, as Mashiach completes and activates the fullness of Torah – His Word.
In today’s message I wanted to address the concept of Torah Observance, and touch on what the implications of this idea are. Although it may sound like a simple concept, the idea is not only complex, but presently impossible to accomplish, as it stands.
Therefore, the reason that I used HaTikvah as a title, is because it is our HOPE to return to Torah, and within Hope, we may find the Faith to be restored unto HaShem. Nevertheless, this undertaking will require dedication, much time, and great Wisdom.
A Wise Man once said, “How could I be such a fool?”
I wanted to open this Message with a paradox, to set the tone to demonstrate what True Wisdom is. Wisdom is the ability to recognise our limitations, but it doesn’t stop there. Wisdom is also the ability to adapt to our limitations, and still achieve the objective.
The last time I shared a message with you, I was focused upon the theme that “Not everything is what it appears to be.”
This means that there are things within this World that may appear one way, but they may not be, as simple as we think they are. We must investigate further to determine their Truth and Value.
In fact the book of Judges holds a theme phrase as well, of which the book ends with, “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25
YET – Proverbs 3:5 tells us:
“Trust in the LORD with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding.”
How do we know the difference between “Trusting in the LORD,” and“Leaning upon our own understanding?”
I trust in the LORD with all my heart, but I still have to make decisions, and in spite of my dependence upon the LORD, I have made errors. Is this what this verse means, or are we just placing an assumption upon its interpretation?
Now, let us apply this understanding to our view of Torah. There are some in this very room that still hold to the premise that the Torah or as some refer to it as, “The Old Testament,” is done away with. The Laws and Rituals have no practical application for today. There are others that say that the Torah is still just as valid today, as it was from the beginning of time, let alone from Sinai.
Two very different views, from two very different camps, yet both claim to: “Not lean upon our own understanding, but in all things Trust in The LORD.”
One camp asks the other, “How can you trust in the LORD, all the while defy the Instruction that He gives us in Torah?”
While the other rebuts, “But there are Commandments in Torah that can no longer be fulfilled, therefore our Salvation is found within ‘The New Testament.’”
“But the Torah is the Word of God!”
“But it has been fulfilled within Jesus!”
And the debate goes on…
We’ve heard these arguments over and over, to the point that the debate and discussion becomes futile.
We must stop and ask ourselves, why are we debating such things? Does this really matter?
Perhaps for the sake of Unity, it does?
A young man once said, “Bring me a sword.”
Now, if I were to cut the word of God in two, and give each their desired half, would this be fitting?
Whoever would declare “Stop! Give it to the other,” would be the righteous one.
The Scriptures cut in half, between the Old and New Testament would make The Word of God as dead as that infant would have been, should Young Solomon fulfilled his judgement.
Without the Torah, there is no Brit Hadasha. Without the Brit Hadasha, the Torah is incomplete. They are designed to be Echad – One – Complete.
Therefore, of course it matters whether or not the term “Complete” means “done away with,”or “ready for application.” If we are seeking the Truth, the Heart and the Will of YHVH, then we must not lean upon our own understanding, but consult with Him.
This is the point, isn’t it? When we are spoon fed theology, and argue the values of our Teachers, then where is the value of OUR argument? We must study, to show OURSELVES approved unto God. Just because our Teachers are Wise, and “Filled with the Spirit,” should we just simply trust them without question?
A Wise Man once said, “How could I be such a fool?”
Who is more the fool, he, or the one who follows him?
In Matthew 15, the LORD teaches us:
14 Leave them; they are blind guides.[d] If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch.” Matthew 15:14
Haverim, you know that this is not the first time that I am saying this, but your personal pursuit of the Word of God, IS the foundation to your Personal Relationship with Him. Listening to me, our any other Pastor for that matter, is not enough. You need to “KNOW” it for yourself. When I say KNOW it, I am talking in the Biblical sense – Intimately -- Because when we know it intimately, then we know Him intimately, and when we know Him intimately, then He knows us intimately, and therefore we will not hear those most dreadful words on that Day:
“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23
This was the NIV. The King James Version refers to this as “Lawlessness.” ("You who practice lawlessness!")
This is the point. The doctrines that we hold onto so dearly have come from our Teachers, more so than our personal study. Oh – The teachings have“Come” from the Word of God – Yes – but filtered through various doctrines and theologies. We need to KNOW it for ourselves. We need The Word of God to establish our doctrine, not the doctrine to filter The Word of God.
This takes time! What if we don’t have enough time to learn it all before He comes? Haverim, I’m not up here presenting crib notes. I’m simply here to tell you that even if you had a lifetime to learn, there wouldn’t be enough time! This is not about the perfection, it’s about the attitude. This is not about fulfilling the Law, it’s about the lessons that we learn from Torah. This is not about the goal of Righteousness, as we have none within ourselves, this is about the journey with Him, and trusting in His Righteousness.
This is about our attitude towards The LORD and His Word – His instruction – His Torah.
We can sit around Haverim pointing our fingers saying, “You are not fulfilling Torah,” or “You are Breaking Torah!” All the while, the other Camp is declaring, “You can’t even keep the Law anyway, so why are you even trying?”
Bring me a sword.
God is not the author of confusion. He is the God of Order. He is Holy, and He demands that everything be in its rightful place. Freedom in the Spirit, does not mean “Free for All.” Just as much as Freedom from Sin, doesn’t mean Freedom to Sin. We are freed from the Condemnation of the Law, but The Law still stands.
It is The Law that defines what Sin is, and because The Law, and Sin still reside, we still have a need for Salvation from the Condemnation of The Law – That Salvation is Yeshua HaMashiach.
So – What you are saying Daniel, is that The Law or The Old Testament is NOT Done Away With, but it is still in affect?
What I am saying is that certain aspects of The Law; ritual and blood sacrifice, have been placed on “Hold,” until these things are restored, as is talked about in the Prophets. This is in reference to Ezekiel’s Temple depiction towards the end of his prophetic writings.
I don’t care what your theology teaches, it’s what the Word of God says, that counts, and if your interpretation states otherwise, then you have some paradox and scriptural anomalies to reconcile, because the Word of God says that these things will return, whether we understand why or not.
Therefore, Go and study.
This paradox and understanding is for Him to teach you. That is between you and Him. I’m not here to judge anyone. I am just here to provoke you to think outside the box of pre-packaged theology.
The Theology today is just as much a bondage as it was to the Pharisees of Yeshua’s Day. They could not hear what He had to say, because they could not and would not hear Him without the filter of Rabbinical Theology. Just as the Church today, will only accept what“Christianity” deems “Kosher.” What does the Word of God say?
Haverim, “Christianity,” like “Rabbinical Judaism,” is just a Religion, vying for legitimacy and vindication. Do not be Patriotic to a Religion, you are not a slave to it. You have been bought with a price. You are not a slave to Religion. You are a slave to Messiah. What does His Word say?
What does the Word of God say? What is Messiah Truly teaching us?
Did He say that, “We are no longer under The Law?” No – He most definitely did not say that. In fact He said:
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:17-20
Now therefore, if the Law is not done away with, all the while we are unable to fulfill the Commandments of the Torah, then what is all this talk about? What are we to do? Do we do Torah, or do we not do Torah? We are in a Paradox of sorts!
We ask this question as if there is no president in History. There is a model, “The Babylonian Exile.” The difference is that since Messiah came, He gave us instruction on how to live, and we have. The problem isn’t so much that we walk without Torah, as much as it is that we have abandoned Torah.
You see, even in times that the LORD has turned His face from us, He never abandoned us. Even during the Time of the Babylonian Exile, we have MUCH evidence within Scripture that the LORD was still with us, even when we were not fulfilling Torah, due to the loss of our Temple.
Although we were unable, we never gave up. The modern anthem of Israel, HaTikvah – The Hope – The Hope was that we would return, but that “Hope,” was invested into HaShem’s Word, that He would return us, and He did, as He said that He would. For He is a God of Promise – Amen?
This Hope, this Faith, this Emunah is A Way of Living, that reflects this Understanding that we will one day return. In the same way we “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.” Psalm 122:6
When we Pray for the “Peace” of Jerusalem, this is written within the context of what Jerusalem means – “Yah-ru-salem” – “God-sees-peace,” or“Yah-Provides-Peace.” It is a prophesy within its name. Even when Israel was scattered, those who trusted in the Scripture, Jew and Gentile alike, when they read this verse in Psalm 122, they would pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.
WHY?
Even when Jerusalem was abandoned? We prayed that God would fulfill His Word, and return us to Jerusalem. We don’t pray for an Earthy Peace, although that too would be nice. We pray for the prophesy of Messiah’s Return, which will bring an everlasting Shalom to Jerusalem – His Peace.
This is how we should view the Torah. Although we are unable to fulfill it completely, due to present circumstances, it is “complete” in Him, but we should not abandon it. We must carry HaTikvah (Hope) and Live with Emunah (Faith) that reflects that HaShem will restore the Torah, just as He has restored us to the Land of Israel.
In the meantime, we do have a relationship with Him, just as our Fathers did in Babylon, just as our Fathers did before the Written Torah was given. Therefore we must simply walk with Him, learning Torah from Him, in preparation for our return and the restoration of the Complete Torah, which includes Messiah. The Truth is that He is the Complete Torah, rather than that Theology that teaches that He replaced the Torah.
The perfection of Torah is not our immediate goal, because due to present circumstances, this is impossible. It is within Him that the Torah is Complete. Therefore, we must be within Him for the Law to be accomplished. This does not mean that the Law is abolished, but rather in Him, and through Him, it is fulfilled. At this time, our Halacha – Our Walk with Him, is the goal. This journey with Him through this Wilderness, is exactly where He wants us. We may be focused upon the destination, but He wants us to savour the experience.
In fact, as a younger man, while reading from the Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, I experienced a moment with The LORD. Through these Prophets, the LORD was speaking His heart to Israel, and to me.
I remember taking away from my devotion that, The LORD was reminiscing about Our Days in the Wilderness, as a father would think back to when his children were very young, to a simpler time.
“Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the LORD: I remember for thee the affection of thy youth, the love of thine espousals; how thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.” Jeremiah 2:2
We, as Nation, were young in our relationship with Him. Yes, we made mistakes, and some with grave consequences, but all in all, we were dependent upon Him, and this made for a better relationship, in spite of it all.
In the days of the Prophets, things had changed, for the worse.
In Isaiah chapter 1 he writes:
“Your new moons and your appointed seasons My soul hateth; they are a burden unto Me; I am weary to bear them.” Isaiah 1:14
Here, He is saying that although we are “Torah Observant,” we were getting it all wrong. Not in deed, but where our heart was at. We were going through the motions, but our heart was not in love with the LORD, but rather simply “Doing it to please Him.”
“And the Lord said: Forasmuch as this people draw near, and with their mouth and with their lips do honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear of Me is a commandment of men learned by rote;” Isaiah 29:13
Don’t you know that we cannot please the LORD in deed alone?
In fact Hebrews Chapter 11, is dedicated to this very matter – “By Faith.”
Doing things for the sake of “Pleasing The LORD,” ironically has a completely adverse effect. It makes Him angry. He doesn’t want our deeds or our sacrifices, He wants our Hearts! If our heart isn’t in it, He doesn’t want it!
“So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:16
“For Thou delightest not in sacrifice, else would I give it; Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering.”
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; {N}
a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.”
a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.”
Psalm 51:18-19
Does this mean that we are not obligated to keep the Torah, because He doesn’t want that anyway -- Really? Is that what we are supposed to take away from Psalm 51? What does the last verse state?
“Then wilt Thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt-offering and whole offering; then will they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.” Psalm 51:21
He’s not saying “We don’t have to,” He’s saying that IF you are going to do it, do it with the right intent of the heart.
This is why Yeshua tells us in Matthew 5:
23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,
24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
He didn’t say, “It doesn’t matter if you offer a gift to the LORD or not, because the Law is done away with…” He is saying, “If you’re going to do it, do it for the right reason. Otherwise it is meaningless.”
At the time of Jeremiah’s writing, Israel was Observant to their Religion, but that was the problem. Isaiah addressed this Observance as “YOUR new moons and YOUR appointed seasons…”
They were doing what they were supposed to, as a “Legal Obligation,” but their hearts were far from HaShem.
Oh - How the LORD longs for those days that we were in the Wilderness together.
But we were so focused on the destination, those of us that actually believed in HaShem’s promise, we were so focused upon the destination that we neglected to embrace the moment – The Experience of Walking with Him. Getting to know Him, and Him getting to know us.
Today, we too are on that Journey from Egypt into the Promised Land. Learning Torah, all over again. The Egyptian influence had taught us that we no longer need those “Old Ways,” that they were a thing of the past, but for those of us who sought the Scripture, for what they truly said, we have decided to make our Exodus and return to the Truth of God’s Word, leaving Theology behind.
“Are we there yet?” – “Are we there yet?” – “Are we there yet?”
Far from it, we have only just begun. Our understanding of Torah is a long way off, but as each year passes, and with each cycle of Torah, we learn a little more about the heart of our LORD, and why He gave us His Instruction in the first place.
Yes, it was to lead us to Messiah, but we must embrace the Messiah that teaches us Torah (His Instruction), not the false Messiah that teaches against His Own Word. This premise makes no sense.
In fact, if Yeshua, or any of His followers taught against the Law, this would be a direct breach of Torah. This would not only be Sin, which Yeshua had no part of, but if we read what He told us Deuteronomy 13:1-5, then He would, in fact, not be the Messiah, but a False Prophet.
These are strong words, I know, but let’s read why I use them:
1 All this word which I command you, that shall ye observe to do; thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. {P}
2 If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams--and he give thee a sign or a wonder,
3 and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee--saying: 'Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them';
4 thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God putteth you to proof, to know whether ye do love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
5 After the LORD your God shall ye walk, and Him shall ye fear, and His commandments shall ye keep, and unto His voice shall ye hearken, and Him shall ye serve, and unto Him shall ye cleave. Deuteronomy 13:1-5
Therefore, if Yeshua taught against The Law, He could not be The Messiah. This is why we know that He did not teach against The Law of God. This theological premise has been misconstrued for a long time. We were so bond in our Traditions, pointing our fingers at the Pharisees from our “Christian Theology,” not realizing that we were just as trapped within our own Traditions.
It’s time to make T’shuva (repent-turn around), and Make Straight the Way of the LORD. This will not be an instant event. This is a Journey, through the Wilderness once again. It has taken us many years so far, and it may take many more, should the LORD tarry, but we are seeing progress. His Sheep are hearing His Voice!
One thing is for certain, we should not be judging one another on where we are at along this journey. We should continually recognise where we are, and where we came from, before we boast about where we are going. Therefore, as Yeshua taught us, let’s work on the beam in our own eye, before we talk about the spec within our Brother’s.
Remember, this journey isn’t about perfection of Torah, because we know that this is impossible. This is not about deeds, this is about attitude towards His Word. Our Halacha (The Way we Walk) should reflect our Emunah (Faith in Action), believing and living as though we actually believe that the Torah is the Truth and Alive and Active, opposed to being Dead and “Done away with.”
We should be working it out with fear and trembling, rather than rejection, arrogance and spite.
It took over a two month journey from the beginning of the Exodus, which is marked by the Passover, to the point of the giving of the Torah in Sinai, which according to Tradition, was at the time of Pentecost. Then it took another 40 years in the wilderness, before the next Generation entered The Promised Land.
Sometimes our goals are set by times and experiences, but there is the old saying that,“The journey is the experience, and the goal is not always what we expect it to be.”
This is what is meant by, “Stop and smell the roses,” or “Success is not a place at which one arrives but rather the spirit with which one undertakes and continues the journey.”
The point is that sometimes we become so focused upon the goal, that we forget the purpose of the journey. The journey is the point, and the goal is just the marking point of the next journey. The Goal is just that resting place before Another Beginning.
This is why we are taught that we should “Labour into God’s rest.”
In fact, we read in Hebrews 4:
1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.
2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.[a]
3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
“So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’”[b]
‘They shall never enter my rest.’”[b]
And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world.
4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words:“On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”[c]
5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”
6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience,
7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.
9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;
10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his.
11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:1-13
Did you catch that? Vs 12:“For the Word of God is ALIVE and ACTIVE. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
What does? His Word… To the Writer of Hebrews, he would not have been addressing the Brit Hadasha (The Written New Testament), as we know it today. He was speaking of the Living Torah – that’s right – ALIVE and ACTIVE –Not Dead – Not done away with.
The point is that the same Torah that convicted us, and made us aware of our Sin, is the same Alive and Active Torah that is doing the same today. If it were not for the Torah, we would not even know what Sin is.
The Torah tells us what Sin is, but it also tells us that we need to make T’shuva (repent) and it tells us where our atonement comes from. If we are to “T’shuva” (turn around and return) then what are we “Turning around, and returning to?” His Instruction – His Torah – His Ways.
This understanding, and the general understanding on our Theology, is dependent upon where we find ourselves along this journey with Torah.
This means for those who are “Babes in Messiah,” to proclaim, “We are no longer Under the Law,” is like a child talking about running, before they have even began to learn how to walk. First learn to walk and what “The Law” is, before you proclaim that you are no longer under it, because those who proclaim this prematurely, have no idea what The Law is, or what they are even talking about – Arrogance mixed with Ignorance – Which is Pride.
The Torah, is referred to as a “Schoolmaster.” Galatians 3:24
The term in Greek is pedagogue, which goes further to explain that the pedagogue actually “Leads the child” and makes sure the Student goes to and from School, rather than the teacher himself. The pedagogue is more of a Nanny than a teacher, but the Nanny is the one who walks with the child to school, preparing him for what he is going to learn, and the Nanny is the one who walks the child home from school, testing if what he has learned has taken affect.
This does not mean that once he reaches the school, the Nanny’s job has ended, nor does it mean that the job is over, once the child is home. The Nanny is the one that the child takes the journey with – The Practicum –The Application.
Therefore if the Torah is the Journey, then what is the goal? We are taught that “The Goal” is Messiah. Is Messiah that Rest that the Scriptures speak of? Yes, but should our understanding be that simple?
If Messiah is simply “Rest,” then why does Yeshua teach us as,
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38
62 Yeshua replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62
There are many other passages that talk about “The Work of the Kingdom.” Therefore “Messiah” is that coming Rest, just as “Jerusalem,” is that coming Peace, but today, it is “A Cup of Trembling,” a Threshing Floor of turmoil. We will have our Rest, but today we labour into it.
In the Spirit, we are transformed into that day of Rest, but as we are still here in the flesh, we must labour into that rest, working towards the goals of the Kingdom.
We so easily get hung up on Theology, and choose our camps of Systematic Doctrines and interpretations of Scripture. All the while, the Word teaches us to let everyone be a liar, but God be true. (Romans 3:4) Search the Scriptures, and Walk in His Ways.
This is the journey. As we walk with Him, and think we got it right… We find that down the road, we only had a part of the picture… Therefore Walk with Him, learning as we pass through life, allowing Him, and His Word to be our pedagogue. Then He will lead us into His Righteousness.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, this is why the early Believers did not refer to themselves as “Christians,” but rather they referred to themselves as “Halacha.” “The Way in which to Walk.” It was the journey that they were focused upon, and not necessarily the Goal. The Goal is where HE SAYS is the Goal, and not what we perceive that Goal to be.
Sometimes in our Piety, we get so hung up on the idea of “Messiah,”that we don’t even realize that we are not listening to what He, Messiah, is telling us…
15 “If you love me, keep my commands.” John 14:15
Sometimes we are so focused upon holding onto our Theology about Him that we are no longer even listening to what He is telling us.
This is why he warns us,
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23
(Again other translations refer to this as “Workers of Lawlessness.”)
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23
(Again other translations refer to this as “Workers of Lawlessness.”)
It’s not about doing things in Messiah’s name, but rather walking with Him, and following His Instruction regarding the matters along the way. Get to know Him, and allow Him to know you. The real you. The Sinful you. The one that He came to save, because you needed His Salvation.
He is not looking for the “Sons of Thunder,” because of their strength and passion, but rather those meek who will simply do the Will of Our Father.
Even for those who struggle with Sin, He says;
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
RIGHT ON! NO MORE LAW!!!
That is NOT what He is saying!!!
That wouldn’t make any sense… and we all know that. He didn’t say that there is no more burden…He said “my burden is light.”
What He is saying is, “Come and ‘learn from me’ – Be instructed by me, and be taught the Torah through me.” He is not replacing the Torah, but Activating it. It is Alive and Active through Him. He is the Torah. He is The Law. He is the Word, become Flesh, and dwelt among us. He is the journey, just as much as He is the Goal.
This is that Walk in the Wilderness that the LORD longs for, and if we love Him, we should long for it as well. Just as the Psalmist writes:
This is that Walk in the Wilderness that the LORD longs for, and if we love Him, we should long for it as well. Just as the Psalmist writes:
“As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs for you – Oh God.” Psalm 42:1
Now, today in Messianic Circles, there is much talk about “Torah Observance.” Since many of us have come to an understanding that Church Theology has also missed the mark, on what Yeshua was teaching regarding The Law, we are now trying to understand what exactly IS expected of us regarding Torah.
On one hand, we know that the Torah has not been done away with, while on the other hand, without a Temple there are many things that cannot be accomplished regarding Torah Observance. Then there is the, “What do we do with Paul’s Teachings within Galatians and various other passages in Scripture that depict ‘The Law,’ as ‘Finished?’” The challenge is for us to reconcile these points so that they are all correct. The Word of God is One.
As Michael teaches, we have some options on how to view this:
A) Yeshua and the Teachings of the Kehielah in Jerusalem were right and Paul was wrong in what he taught.
B) Paul was right, and Yeshua and the Kehielah were wrong, because they were still teaching about “The Law.”
C) All parties were right, and it is our application of their teachings that is in error. (ie: Works Righteousness and Dispensationalism)
Well, since most of us, when given these choices would probably pick option C, we must look at how to reconcile Paul’s position with everyone else.
However, before we even go there, we must look at what Torah Observance means in the first place, then we can look at whether we should be doing it or not.
What is Torah Observance?
I know that I cannot answer all these questions today, but to get us started, here are some things to think about…
1) Do we need to even consider Torah Observance as an issue?
2) If we do, is it “Legalism?” (What is Legalism?)
3) If this is a learning process, how much time do we have (or in other words, “Does Grace have an expiration date?”)
4) What parts of Torah are presently applicable, and what parts are specific to Temple Era, and what parts are gender specific, or for certain individuals, and not others, and what parts are ambiguous?
5) How do we recognize the difference between Rabbinical Substitutes of Tradition, opposed to actual Torah interpretation on a subject? (We’ll come back to this later.)
6) If we “Break” Torah, the Torah prescribes a particular method of providing atonement, however if this process is superseded by Messiah’s Sacrifice, what other aspects of Torah are covered as well, or become non-applicable?
7) If we “KNOW” better – and we still “Chattah”(Sin) this is a “Transgression.” If we have been sinning, “Shagagah” (unintentionally), and then learn that our behaviour is unacceptable, then there is Chen (grace.) (Then again, How do we define Grace and How long does His mercy endure?)
The point is that there are many issues involved within this idea of being “Torah Observant.” It is not as cut and dry as one would perceive it to be. I mean, we could simply make a Halachic decision to follow the 10 Commandments, and then begin to stem out from there. This would be a good and logical starting point, but it always comes down to that whole Sabbath thing.
Now, the point is that if you have even begun to consider these issues, you have already made a decision regarding what the“Sabbath” is, but then comes the question: “What is acceptable on Shabbat?”
Which means that you have “Accepted” that the Shabbat is the Shabbat, but now how do you Observe the Sabbath, all the while remain Kosher in your Observance? There are so many things that we do on the Shabbat, right here at Kehielah, that appear to be in violation of the Shabbat itself – Cooking, Cleaning, Setting Up, Taking Down, Driving, even Tithing. At what point does our reasoning, simply become excuses and cover-ups, to the point that we are no different than the Rabbis that Yeshua rebuked by their hypocritical behaviour?
Then again, maybe that’s the point… The point is that it’s not about “How,” we observe, but rather our attitude towards observance. Are we willing to take the first step in following Him, or are we going to take the easy road, and declare, “It’s too much… We are no longer under The Law… I am free in Christ,” and we start this argument all over again.
Haverim, as much as we would like to avoid this argument, and come to Kehielah to express ourselves in a Jewish style or within Hebrew Context, or attempt to return to the Scriptural Foundation, the fact of the matter is that sooner, or later, you will be called on this. Will you have to give an answer.
Have you even begun to think about these questions?
What about Legalism? Is living a Torah Life,“Legalism?” Do you even know the what the definition of Legalism is? Legalism is the belief that we obtain merit by “Good Works,” and therefore, the more perfect the Life we live according to Torah, the better our reward will be. Which is to say that we Work our Way into Righteousness. Is that what a Torah Life is, “Works Righteousness?” Therefore, by God giving the Torah to Israel, this was like a “Speed Trap,” of Sin?
“Here Israel, do this… Wrong!” Tell me that you have a better understanding of our God than this. If so, then think about this theology that depicts a Torah Lifestyle as “Legalism.” It just doesn’t add up.
The LORD would not ask us to do something and then say, “I changed my mind.” This is not the LORD we serve. Our God is the same Yesterday, Today, and Forever. In fact – That is His Name:“YHVH” – “Who was – Who is – Who is to come!” “I am the LORD, I change not!”
As I draw this Message to a conclusion, let me address one more important point to ponder over the issue of “Torah Observance.”
In our last Vision Committee Meeting over a year ago, before we handed things over to the Steering Committee, a very important question was asked. The topic that we were discussing was our Observances and Messianic Halacha. Once again Halacha meaning simply “The Way we do things.” The way we Observe the Mo’edim (The Holidays)– What do we, as Messianic Believers, consider “Biblically Kosher,” and this type of thing?
As we look to Traditional Judaism as a model, because Christianity has so far removed itself from the Biblical Feasts, the question was: “How close do we go towards Rabbinical Judaism before we cross that line?”
This was a very important question regarding our Halacha, because there are many things lingering within Rabbinical Judaism that was picked up in Babylon. Traditions that, like Christianity, have adopted from Pagan roots. It should be far from us to point our fingers at the Church, all the while, we do not challenge the very things that Broke Covenant with YHVH, in the first place.
Therefore, if we are addressing the issues of Torah Observance, then we better make sure that we are taking such things into account.
Now, I know that I am leaving you with more questions than answers again today, but this is the point. We must take these things before the LORD. We are not simply here to listen to me speak, we are here to acquaint ourselves with The LORD most High.
I am here to encourage you to think for yourselves, and search the Scriptures to establish your own Halacha. In order for us to Walk together, we must first walk with Him. If it is He who will unify our Walk, then we must first seek Him, and He will teach us how to unite.
Haverim, as you know these are difficult questions, and as you know Michael has worked to establish a panel which is known as “The Nikud Group,” to investigate these matters. As we do, we will be presenting our findings to the Congregation, and it will be up to you to Challenge, Accept or Reject those findings, as we work towards establishing a Halacha and Statement of Faith for our Congregation. Therefore, it is important that you Study as well, so that you can make wise choices on what will be presented.
Let us study together to show ourselves approved unto God. Precept upon precept, we will learn His Ways, and in as much, we place our Hope – HaTikvah into the hands of our Messiah, Israel’s Hope – Yeshua HaMashiach.
Let’s Pray –
