Category Archives: Scripture

Scripture Studies

What is holiness?

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1 Peter 1:16, Be holy, for I am holy. (See also Exod 22:31; Lev 11:44, 45; 19:2; 20:7, 26;  21:28; 1 Pet 1:16.) How do we as redeemed believers initially become kadosh or set-apart? This occurs only through the blood of Yeshua, the Lamb of Elohim at the time of our salvation. 

And from Yeshua Messiah, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. (Rev 1:5)

“Come now, and let us reason together,” says YHVH. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isa 1:18)

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness [sin or Torahlessness], we lie, and do not the truth [i.e. Torah/YHVH’s instructions in righteousness], but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Messiah Yeshua his Son cleanse us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:6–9)

How does one stay set-apart or sanctified and stay in fellowship with a kadosh Elohim? This is accomplished by staying under the blood of Yeshua the Lamb and by confessing and forsaking sin (i.e. violation of the Torah-law of Elohim—1 John 3:4) on a regular basis:

We also stay set-apart or holy by walking in accordance with YHVH’s Torah commandments. The Scriptures are clear on this: holiness or being set-apart from world cannot be separated from obedience to YHVH’s Torah instructions in righteousness.

Everywhere in Scripture (Exod 22:31; Lev 11:45; 19:2; 20:7, 26;  21:28; 1 Pet 1:16) where YHVH’s saints are commanded to be holy, the command is tied to obedience to his laws be they his dietary laws, the Sabbath, honoring one’s parents, treating one’s neighbor ethically, being a righteous minister, or not succumbing to the pagan practices of the world including sexual immorality, witchcraft, sorcery and witchcraft. To be sure, when we practice holiness by living according to the word of Elohim, it will set us apart and make us different from the world. We cannot be like the world and be holy, set-apart and pleasing to Elohim.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with Elohim? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of Elohim. (Jas 4:4)

Don’t forget the importance of being holy or set-apart from this world, for the Scriptures tell us that without holiness no one will see Elohim (Heb 12:14). This is pretty cut and dried!

Why is holiness so important? Simply this. Contrary to Scripture, the mainstream Christian church teaches one of two things: either holiness is equivalent to religiosity, or that love is YHVH Elohim’s chief attribute. The first notion is incorrect because the Bible teaches that holiness is about obedience to the word or will of Elohim and is not merely about religious activities. The second notion is incorrect because although the Scriptures teach that Elohim is, indeed, love, this is not his chief attribute. Holiness is. This is why the heavenly beings surrounding the Elohim’s heavenly throne are continuously declaring that he is holy. 

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the YHVH of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (Isa 6:3)

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, YHVH Elohim Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Rev 4:8)

Elohim created humans with the potential to be holy as he is holy, so that he, a holy Elohim, can spend eternity with holy glorified humans. No unholy or sinful beings can remain in his presence.

 

Spiritual Nuggets From James 5

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James 5:7, 8, 10, 11. The Lord. This passage is another proof of the deity of Yeshua, for here, amazingly, James who is believed to be the biological half brother of Yeshua, equates Yeshua with YHVH of the Tanakh (Jas 5:7, 8, 10, 11). This is evident in his usage of the word “Lord” where he equates the Lord Yeshua (verses 8 and 10) with the LORD (or YHVH) of the Tanakh (verses 10 and 11).

James 5:7–9. The Lord is at hand. This scripture passage along with others by Paul, James and John clearly indicates that the apostolic writers when writing these passages (i.e. prior to AD 70, the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple) viewed the second coming of Yeshua as imminent, and was not far off in the future. (See also 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:14–15; Rom 13:11; 16:20; cp. 1 John 2:18.) The imminence of Yeshua’s second coming may have been based on a misunderstanding of Yeshua’s own words in his Olivet Discourse where he talks about the events announcing his second coming falling on “this generation” (Matt 24:34, 36). From this passage in Matthew, it’s not readily understood to which generation he is referring—that one, or another off in the future, or both. It appears that the apostles applied his words to their generation.

James 5:16, Confess your faults/trespasses. Faults is the Greek word paraptoma means “to fall beside or near something, a lapse or deviation from truth and uprightness, a sin, misdeed or a sin committed through ignorance or thoughtlessness.” This is in contrast to the Greek word hamartia, which is the generic word for sin and means “to miss the mark, to err, be mistaken, to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong, to wander from the law of God, violate God’s law, sin, that which is done wrong, sin, an offence, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act, collectively, the complex or aggregate of sins committed either by a single person or by many.” In 1 John 3:4, the classic verse where sin is defined as lawlessness or Torahlessness, the apostle uses the word harmatia. Similarly, in Matt 18:15 where Yeshua instructs the saints on what to do “if your brother sins against you,” the word for sin is hamartano, the root word for harmatia. Paraptoma seems to indicate a less egregious sin than harmatia. If so, the verse in Song 2:15 comes to mind, “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” It is often seemingly the “little sins and offenses” that more often damage relationships between the saints, rather than the major sins. These need to be dealt with on an on-going basis by keeping short accounts between brethren by regularly confessing your sins one to another as James suggests in this verse. Not only will doing this smooth over the waters of troubled relationships, but it will help to still the unsettled waters within a person’s own conscience, inner man or personal spirit. In so doing, this will help to purify one’s spirit, thus unclogging or opening up the spiritual pathways or river of life, between the individual and Elohim resulting in the receiving of more answered prayers and divine revelation as well as greater overall all victories and fruitfulness in one’s spiritual life and ministry. Sins, offences and faults committed against brethren can hinder us in our spiritual walk and impede our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (Matt 5:23–24)

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. (1 Pet 3:7)

 

Are you committing spiritual abortion?

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We ask the hard and thought provoking questions here…

Leviticus 24 Overview

Leviticus 24 is one complete thought. The next thought begins with “And YHVH spoke to Moses in Mount Sinai saying…” in chapter 25. 

Leviticus 24 is divided into three subsections: caring for the menorah, baking and placing the show bread, and punishment for the blasphemer. Each new section begins with the Hebrew word vav meaning “and,” which expresses a new thought, but is also a continuation of the previous thought. What do these three sections have to do with each other?

The menorah is a spiritual picture of Yeshua and the redeemed believer. It is also a prophetic picture of Yeshua who is the tree of life to which each redeemed Israelite is attached and draws his spiritual sustenance through the Spirit of Elohim. (Yeshua is the vine and the saints are his branches, John 15:1.) The gold in the menorah represents pure, godly character of righteousness. A menorah produces heat and light through its flame. Light represents the fruit of the Spirit of Elohim, and heat represents the power of the gifts of the Spirit. This is how a saint reaches the world: he is a light in the darkness around him and lets his light shine through the fruit of the spirit, and then reaches the world through the supernatural power gifts of the Spirit. The menorah also represents the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot when YHVH gave his people his Torah instructions in righteousness, and then latter wrote his Torah on their hearts by his Spirit in Acts chapter two on the day of Pentecost.

The show bread is a picture of redeemed Israel (the twelve tribes) bringing the bread of life, the Word of Elohim, to the world. The bread was covered in frankincense representing the prayers of the saints not only praising YHVH, but interceding for those who are spiritually lost.

The death of the young blasphemer is what happens when parents don’t raise their children correctly by reaching out to them with the truth of Torah—they blaspheme Elohim and are killed in judgment. Perhaps the Israelite woman had married an Egyptian who was not a believer in Elohim and the Torah and thus she was unequally yoked with a heathen unbeliever. Perhaps they were both followers of Elohim, but they raised their child incorrectly by not teaching him the lover and fear of Elohim—giving him the spiritual bread of life (represented by the table of  showbread). Either way, the Israelite woman (a picture of the church) was not discipling her child in the word of Elohim and not being a spiritual light to him (represented by the menorah) and she lost her child because of it. How many redeemed believers (and church leaders) spiritually abort their children because they didn’t properly disciple or raise them in the Torah-Word of Elohim?

Leviticus 24:10–23, The punishment must meet the crime.This section of Scripture teaches us that the greater the sin, the greater penalty. Less intense sins (like cursing, v. 11) require a lighter penalty (v. 15), while the sin of blasphemy against Elohim (v. 11) required the death penalty (v. 16). This passage then goes on to mention various other sins showing the same principle. While the Bible presents the view that all sin is evil, will separate man from Elohim, and ultimately brings a death penalty, it also teaches that temporal penalties for sins vary depending on the gravity of the sin. This information is important to know so that earthly judges when adjudicating the law will judge fairly when meting out sentences for crimes committed.

Leviticus 24:15–16, Curse…blaspheme.Cursing Elohim received had specified penalty attached to it, while blaspheming Elohim was a capital crime. What is the difference between sins cursing and blasphemy?

Curse is the Hebrew word qalal meaning “(lit.) to be light, or (fig.) to trifle, make light of, despise.”

Blaspheme on the other hand is the Hebrew word nawkab meaning “(lit.) to violently puncture, perforated, or (fig.) to blaspheme, curse, pierce, strike through, puncture with holes.” Blasphemy is a more intense or violent form of cursing showing purposeful and malicious intent on the part of the perpetrator.

 

Free Hoshana Rabbah Resources on the Biblical Feasts and the Sabbath

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Leviticus 23:1–1–44. The Biblical Feasts

Over the years, my wife and I have created many free discipleship resources on the biblical feasts and the seventh day Sabbath. Here is a list of links where you can find them. Also, you can use the search engine on the front page of this blog and type in key words (e.g. Sabbath, Pentecost, Passover, etc.) to pull up past articles published on this blog on the biblical feasts and the Shabbat. May these free resources be a blessing to you as you seek to understand biblical truth and learn to love Yeshua the Messiah and YHVH’s plan of salvation more deeply by keeping his commandments.

Articles about the feasts: https://www.hoshanarabbah.org/teaching.html#feast

Articles about the Shabbath/Sabbath: https://www.hoshanarabbah.org/teaching.html#shabbat

Calendars—when to celebrate the feasts: https://www.hoshanarabbah.org/calendars.html

Some suggestion on how to celebrate the feasts: https://www.hoshanarabbah.org/lifestyle.html

Videos on the biblical feasts and Sabbath: https://www.youtube.com/user/HoshanaRabbah/playlists

 

“Justified By Faith Alone” Vs. “Faith Without Works Is Dead Explained”

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James 2:20–24, Faith without works is dead. (See notes at Rom 3:28; 4:2.)James is referring here to the works of faith, not the works of the law. No man can live a good enough life to be saved by his Torah-obedience or the works of the law (Rom 3:20, 28; Gal 2:16; 3:11). 

At the same time, faith in Elohim is more than just mental ascent—“a knowing in your heart.” It has to be backed up by action (and we’re not talking about the works of the law). For example, when Elohim told Abraham to leave Babylon or to sacrifice Isaac, he obeyed by leaving that country and moving to Canaan. 

Moreover, many were healed in Yeshua’s ministry because they had faith in the Master and backed that faith up with corresponding action, which was the evidence of their faith. This faith-action continuum had nothing to do with Torah-obedience per se, but had everything to do with “putting your money where your mouth is” by backing up your faith or belief with action. 

It is this kind of faith that James is talking about here, and this in no wise contradicts the teachings of Paul who said that no man is justified by the works of the law. When Paul declares in Ephesians 2:8–9, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of Elohim, not of works…,” he was correct and not opposed to James. What’s more, Paul goes on to say in verse 10, “For we are [Elohim’s] workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works…that we should walk in them.” These good works (i.e. obedience to the Torah) are the fruits, evidence or proof of our salvation and are the works that back up our faith. 

So, in summary, the Bible teaches that we need the faith (a heart that believes and wants to obey Elohim) to lead us to salvation, as well as the works of faith after we have received Elohim’s free gift of salvation as evidence that we are saved. This fact in no way contravenes the reality of salvation by grace through trusting belief in Yeshua the Messiah, which is apart from the works of the Torah-law.

 

Holiness Is More Than Just Acting Religious

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Leviticus 22:1–31, Profane Vs. Holy. In this section of the Torah, YHVH makes some strong delineations between that which is profane, polluted or contaminated and that which is kadosh or set-apart in service to YHVH. To come into his presence demands that men follow high and exacting standards. Why? It is to teach sinful man that although YHVH is high and lifted up above the mortal and mundane plane in his set-apartness and righteousness, he is not unapproachable by men if they will prepare themselves properly to come into his presence (see Eccl 5:1–2). He wanted to impress this upon the Israelites as they began the service of the tabernacle.

Therefore, YHVH specifies that certain offerings brought to his altar that are contaminated will be rejected if (a) the offerer is in a state of physical contamination, (b) he is contaminated through improper marriage, or (c) he is offering a blemished animal. What can we learn from this? What offerings do we bring to YHVH’s altar now? Our time, our money, our energy, our talents and spiritual gifts, our devotion? Do we give him the best? Do you pray to him and study his Word in the morning when you are the freshest, or do you give him the crumbs of your day after a hard day’s work just before bed when you offer up “sleepy time” prayers and read the Scriptures as your drifting off to sleep? Are your tithes the crumbs and leftovers after all the bills are paid, the government has taken out its portion and your play money has been set aside?

If you are a young person, are you serving YHVH while you have the health and vigor of youthfulness, or are you planning on playing now and serving YHVH after you have sated the lusts of the flesh, if at all? (Read Eccl 11:9–10; 12:1–14 and Matt 6:24.) Examine your life. Are you giving YHVH the best in all areas? If not, repent and change your priorities, and then see what happens in your spiritual walk and relationship with him!

The Bible reveals that there are many aspects relating to the concept of holiness. One thing is for certain: Without holiness, no one will see YHVH (Her 12:14). Holiness is not only a mindset, but a lifestyle—a way of living, acting and speaking. Holiness is much more than just acting religious!

Leviticus 22:2 and 32, Profane not my set-apart [kodesh] name. Chapter 22 opens and closes with YHVH commanding his people to not desecrate his kodesh name, but to sanctify or to keep it set-apart.

In Hebrew thought, a name is not only what we verbally call a person, but it is also a reflection of one’s character and identity. Why does YHVH stress the importance of revering and sanctifying his name? How does having a proper understanding of his name help humans to not offer profane, polluted or contaminated offerings to YHVH?

In Exodus 20, we find the Ten Commandments. The Jews teach that the first word or command is not “You shall have no other gods before me …” but rather “I am YHVH your Elohim …” Why is knowing his identity and his name so vital to a righteous walk? Do you use his name carelessly or utter it with great fear and reverence?

 

So you want to be in the ministry?…

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Leviticus 21. Conduct for those in the ministry. This chapter contains the regulations for the conduct of priests. YHVH’s standards are high, and a priest could easily be disqualified from service for failing to measure up. YHVH demands higher standards of righteousness, obedience and holiness for those in leadership over his people. 

The higher up in leadership one desires to go, the more one’s walk must characterize service, sacrifice, self-deprecation and holiness (see 1 Tim 3:1–13; Tit 1:5–9). The standards of holiness rise as one seeks to attain a deeper and more intimate relationship with YHVH, for as he entrusts a person with greater spiritual responsibility he gives a greater level of anointing commensurate with the responsibilities of the ministerial office. Spiritual responsibility and divine anointing aren’t things to be trifled with or taken for granted.

Yeshua condemned the religious leaders of his day for not practicing what they preached (i.e. hypocrisy), for living lives of pretense and show (he called such ones “whited sepulchers full of dead man’s bones”), and for greediness and pride. 

Check your walk in these areas. Do you want to “go places” with YHVH in service to him and his people? Are you willing to pay the price of self-sacrifice and self-deprecation? The sacrifices necessary to be Yeshua’s bondservant comes at a high price (especially for the flesh), but the spiritual rewards are priceless!