Hebrews 6:1, Elementary principles of Messiah.What follows are the six principal doctrines of the redeemed believer, yet they are all subsets of faith in Messiah Yeshua, which is foundations upon which it all rests.
Repentance from dead works.True biblical repentance involves turning from sin or a lifestyle of Torahless behavior, since sin is the violation of the Torah-law of Elohim (1 John 3:4), and lining all aspects of our lives up with the Torah-Word of Elohim.
Hebrews 6:2, Doctrine of baptisms. (See notes at Matt 28:19.)
Laying on of hands. Ordination is something that YHVH instituted in the Torah when he charged Moses to impose hands upon the Levites, and instructed all Israel to do the same (Num 29:10). We also have the example of Moses anointing with oil Aaron (Exod 29:10). Of course, kings of Israel were also anointed with oil to consecrate them for their official duties by the laying on hands.
Laying on of hands/ordination was earth’s confirmation of a heavenly calling. Elohim had already called someone into ministry and men were simply confirming what Elohim had already determined. Ordination doesn’t confirm the calling, but the other way around.
In the Testimony of Yeshua, by lot, the 11 apostles chose Matthias to replace Judas (Acts 1). This was heaven’s choice, yet no mention of ordination is recorded. After that, we have the choosing of the seven in Acts 6:1. These were men who were already full of the Spirit and wisdom, so the apostles simply confirmed the work of the Spirit in them by laying hands on them (verse 6).
The same is true in the other examples of ordination in the Apostolic Scriptures. Men would be mentored by a leader/apostle, and after a period of time (“lay hands on no one suddenly” 2 Tim 5:22)—much like the five years of mentoring that occurred with a priest in training in the Torah (from age 25 to 30), and after meeting the qualifications of eldership (see 1 Tim 3:1–12 and Tit 1:5-9) they were appointed. Of course, those who were the mentors had oversight over those they mentored. It was less of a authoritatively-hierarchical system and more of patriarchal system with the older men lovingly overseeing those they had raised up—and only exercising strict authority when needed, which occurred only rarely.
Of course, there was no such thing as licensing or even denominations which issue licenses in the Apostolic Scriptures. To me, that seems more like a man-made thing for the purposes of maintaining power, control and keeping the money flowing upward.
In the entire Bible, there are no examples of or precedence for women being ordained. Paul says in 1 Timothy 5:22 “to lay hands suddenly on no man.” He is gender specific. Women did, however, minister in conjunction with their husbands—their spiritual heads, which is something Paul is very clear about in Ephesians 5:21–24. Even though in the body of Yeshua there is neither male nor female so that all are equal before Yeshua, when it comes to governance in the congregation, the Bible upholds male leadership. Now that doesn’t mean that women can’t hold high positions of authority, but always in conjunctions with their husbands. We have the example of the apostolic team of Andronicus (husband) and Junia (wife) whom Paul called apostles (Rom 16:7), Aquila and Priscilla who were co-laborers. Sometimes Priscilla’s name is mentioned first. Obviously, this husband and wife team were such a tight unit that it didn’t matter whose name was mentioned first. Of course, we have examples in the Scriptures of women prophets. Deborah, though she was a judge in Israel, seems to have been married to Barak the military general. If so, we have an apostolic-prophetic team operating together to lead the Israelite nation. Huldah was a prophetess who seemed to operate without male headship, though she hung out with other prophets in a “school” or neighborhood where the prophets lived. So there was must have been some accountability between her and the other prophets, although she was the most gifted of YHVH since hers is the only name mentioned. Then we have the daughters of Philip the evangelist who were prophetesses—again, presumably under the spiritual leadership of their father (Acts 21:8-9).
Hebrews 6:6, If they fall away, to renew.
Is the “Once Saved Always Saved Doctrine” Biblical?
Deuteronomy 28:1–68, Blessings and curses for Torah obedience. Are the curses for Torah disobedience and the blessings for obedience still applicable in the life of the redeemed believer today, or because “we’re now under grace” are these blessings and curses irrelevant to us? Or, as some preachers teach, do Christians now only receive the blessings, and not the curses of the law regardless of whether they violate the Torah or not, since Yeshua took away the curse of the law? What is the answer to this question? The short answer is this: Is the law of gravity still in effect if you jump off a cliff? For a further explanation, see my notes at 2 Cor 3:7.
Deuteronomy 28:1, Commandments. Most people with whom I have engaged in discussions about the Torah-law of Elohim have a limited understanding of the breadth, scope and purpose of Elohim’s law. If they were to understand the full ramifications of the Torah, they would likely be less inclined to dismiss its validity in their lives. When discussing the Torah with people who have a traditional Christian view of “the law,” it might be helpful to keep the following truths in mind; they help to “blow the lid” off of people’s theological boxes!
What Is the Purpose of the Torah?
(Excerpted from a larger work by Ya’acov Natan Lawrence entitled, YHVH’s Instructions In Righteousness—A Messianic Believer’s Introduction to the Torah available online at http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/torahprimer.pdf)
The purpose of the Torah is to show man how to walk in right relationship (or righteousness) with his Creator. To do this, we must love YHVH with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Deut 6:5; Mark 12:30) and love our neighbor as ourself (Lev 19:18; Mark 12:30). Once one is saved by grace through faith (See my teaching article entitled: The Abrahamic Covenant: The Covenant of Salvation, available at http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/abracov.pdf.), Torah helps show man how to walk in the straight and narrow path that leads to blessings and life and avoids the curses of the law (Deut 30:15; 32:47). The Torah shows man how to avoid sin (which is the violation of YHVH’s Torah-commandments, 1 John 3:4), which is walking contrary to YHVH’s instructions in righteousness that are for our blessing and benefit.
The Torah does not set an impossible standard by which to live. We must ask ourselves, would a righteous and just Creator and a loving Heavenly Father give to his chosen people and children a set of standards that were humanly impossible to perform, and then curse them for their inability to meet these standards? Of course not! Rather, the Torah (including both the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants) sets a standard of faith, trusting in Elohim, and of following its system of repentance and sacrifice for obtaining forgiveness from Elohim and restoring a condition of being considered righteous in his sight. After all, Moses, the human instrument through whom YHVH revealed the Torah to the Children of Israel, states in Deuteronomy 30:11–14:
For this [Torah] commandment which I command you this day, it is not hidden from you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?” Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?” But the word is very near unto you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.
Paul quotes this very passage in Romans 10:6–8 where he relates the written Torah to Yeshua, the Living Torah or Word of Elohim incarnate (in the flesh, see John 1:1, 14). He shows that they are one in the same and that Messiah Yeshua came to live and reveal to us the righteousness of the Torah-law (verse 4) that is available to us if we will but have a heartfelt faith in him (verses 4, 9–10) and allow him to live out his righteousness in us through the empowering work of the Spirit of Elohim. In verses 11 through 21, Paul goes on to relate this very truth to being the central message of the gospel that Isaiah prophesied (Isa 52:7) would be preached to redeem both houses of Israel to Yeshua their Messiah.
It might be said that in a sense that the Torah itself is neutral; neither positive nor negative, for it is like a mirror simply reflecting the image portrayed in it. Torah reacts according to human action. Those who obey it are blessed and those who disobey it are cursed. David Stern in his Jewish New Testament Commentary lists both some of the “negative” and some of the positive functions of the Torah. On the “negative” side:
1) The Torah has the capacity to stir up sin in an individual. This capacity of the Torah to make us sin is not a fault in the Torah but a fault in ourselves. A healthy person thrives in an environment deadly to someone who is ill; likewise, the Torah, beneficial to a believer living by faith, is an instrument of death to these controlled by their sinful nature (p. 375).
2) The Torah can still produce guilt feelings in a believer—as it rightly should whenever he contemplates how his behavior falls short of the standard Elohim sets in the Torah. But these feelings are not irremediable. The remedy is once-and-for-all trust in Yeshua the Messiah’s final atonement for sin (Rom 3:21–26), followed by ongoing confession of and repentance from sins (1 John 1:9) (Ibid.).
3) The Torah also provides a framework of justice by which Elohim, the Just Judge of the universe, will judge the actions of men to determine both their level of punishment for its violation and their level of reward for obedience to it.
4) Because of the righteous standards the Torah sets out, for the sinner it points out the fact that they have sinned and how far they have fallen short of the glory of YHVH (Rom 3:23) and hence their need for a Savior or Redeemer. The Torah actually points the way to Yeshua as Paul points out in the book of Galatians (3:25).
On the positive side:
1) The Torah provides a framework of grace in which one can live. As David Stern points out, YHVH’s people are to live “within the framework of” Torah, but they are not to be “in subjection to” [or under] the Torah in a legalistic fashion. YHVH’s giving of the Torah was in itself an act of grace that the New Covenant (NT) compares with his sending Yeshua (John 1:17) (Ibid., p. 374). Ariel Berkowitz, in his book, Torah Rediscovered, states it this way, “[Torah] function[s] as a protective border for the people of [Elohim].” He goes on to show that there are two opposing spiritual realities in the universe: the kingdom of light (YHVH’s kingdom) and the kingdom of darkness (Satan’s kingdom). Torah acts as a protective border to keep those wanting to abide in the kingdom of light/life/blessing/relationship with YHVH safe and secure. The Torah tells us what is truth as opposed to error, light as opposed to darkness, clean as opposed to unclean, holy (kadosh or set-apart) as opposed to profane or polluted, life as opposed to death (pp. 26–27).
2) The Torah, as understood and applied through the Spirit, thereby gives life in union with Messiah (Stern, p. 381).
3) Obeying the Torah brings us eternal rewards (not eternal life, which is by grace through faith alone, see Eph 2:8) in the world to come (Matt 5:19).
4) Obeying the Torah helps deepen a loving and intimate relationship with YHVH-Yeshua and helps us to abide in Yeshua (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3–6).
5) Obeying the Torah helps us to stay spiritually pure (1 John 3:3–6).
6) Obeying the Torah protects us from the influence of the devil (1 John 3:8).
7) Obeying the Torah-Word of YHVH helps to perfect YHVH-Yeshua’s love in us (1 John 3:6).
Deuteronomy 28:4 and 5–12, The fruit of your womb.Please note that the blessings of children are mentioned before material blessings. What does this teach us about how YHVH views children and families? Is such a view reflected in the mores of our current society? Are those with large families more respected than those who have large homes, drive expensive cars and have high social positions?
Deuteronomy 28:15, To the voice of YHVH.What is the voice of YHVH? Is his voice that which was uttered the Torah at Mount Sinai? Is it the voice of his Spirit inside of a Spirit-led, redeemed believer? Is it the voice of Yeshua as largely recorded in the red letters of the Testimony of Yeshua, or is it the entire Word of YHVH Elohim called the Scriptures? If the answer to the question is “all of the above,” then should any parts or aspects of Elohim’s voice contradict with any other? If we have a Biblical view or theology where we believe that one aspect of YHVH’s voice contradicts with and another in that we believe a part of it has been “done away with,” then what does this imply about the mind and nature of YHVH? There is a psychological term for this. It is called schizophrenia. Now in our right mind, we would never dare label YHVH with such terms, for to do so would be blasphemy, right? Yet, in reality, many of our religious beliefs make YHVH into something that he is not, and we risk become an unwitting party to attaching this blasphemous labeling to the Almighty Creator if we subscribe to these false theologies that, in one way or another, tell us one part or another of the Word of Elohim is no longer for us today. One thing is certain. YHVH is not a liar, nor does he ever contradict himself. If there seems to be a problem with inconsistency in YHVH’s Word, the problem is with OUR misunderstanding or misinterpretation of it, and NOT with the actual Word or voice of YHVH!
Deuteronomy 28:15–68, Judgment on a nation and a saint’s responsibility. Read the punishment for Torah disobedience listed in chapter 28. Are these curses coming upon America as its political leaders enact legislation and its judicial leaders make legal rulings that help to turn us away from our historic Judaic-Christian heritage, while at the same time America’s religious leaders say little or nothing against this trend? You and I do not have a large voice in this nation, though we have a small voice. What can we do to help turn the spiritual tide? What are you doing to be the salt and light in this society that Yeshua has called you to be with regard to keeping YHVH’s Torah commands?
Deuteronomy 28:47, Ungratefulness versus thankfulness. YHVH states that ungratefulness for the blessings he has given us and failure to obey him out of a joyful and glad heart will bring curses on us. Reflect on this. How much time each day do you spend thanking him for his blessings in your life? When you get up in the morning? Every time you eat? At noonday do you stop to praise him, as David did? Before you go to sleep? Not only is doing so a form of worship, but such a heart attitude and orientation helps us to keep our focus continually upon him so that we will forget not all his benefits (Ps 103:2) and fall into a state of hardened heart and forgetfulness (Deut 29:2–4). Israel forgot what YHVH had done for them, which led to their disobedience, faithlessness and explains why the older generation was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Will we learn from their examples (1 Cor 10:11)?
Deuteronomy 27:2–10,Set up for yourselves. Immediately upon crossing the Jordan and upon entering the Promised Land, YHVH instructed the Israelites to set up a stone monument containing the Torah and to construct an altar for burnt sacrifices. What is the significance of these and why was it so important that this be Israel’s first order of business upon entering the Land of Promise? Matthew Henry states in his commentary that the Word of YHVH (the Torah) and prayer (the altar) must always accompany each other. Discuss this and relate it to Psalms 51:16–19 and Hosea 6:6 and the believer’s spiritual walk. Also, why did YHVH command the Israelites to construct the altar of uncut and whole stones? To whom does this prophetically point? (Read Dan 2:35, 45; Ps 118:22; Matt 21:42; Luke 20:17.) The stones of the altar were rough and uncut. To whom does this point who became our Living (spiritual) Altar and Sacrifice? (See Isa 53:2.)
Deuteronomy 27:2, 4, 8, Set up great stones. On Mount Ebal on whole, uncut stones, the Israelites were to write the Torah-law and then coat these stones with lime plaster. Elohim also told them to build an altar there where they were to make burnt and peace offerings. Why was the Torah written on stones on Mount Ebal—the mountain of the curses? Why not on Mount Gerizim, the mountain of blessing? Certainly this cannot mean that the Torah is a curse, for Paul calls it kadosh (holy), just and good in Romans 7:12. What could these stones represent symbolically?
First, this symbology tells us that those who don’t follow the Torah will come under a curse, for to violate it is sin (1 John 3:4), and the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23), and every person has sinned (Rom 3:23).
Second, Who is the Chief Cornerstone, the Stone the builders rejected (Ps 118:22; Matt 21:42; Acts 4:11; Eph 2:20), and the stone cut without hands (Dan 2:34)? What was the purpose of these offerings and to whom do the burnt and peace offerings point? Could white lime plaster symbolically represent the saints, the bride of Messiah, being clothed in robes of righteousness (see Rev 19:7–8)? Who is the King of Righteousness through whom redeemed sinners become righteous? Who is clothed in robes of righteousness once their sins have been atoned for? (Read Heb 7:2, 20–28 cp. Rev 19:7–8 cp. 3:5, 18; Isa 61:10.) Who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, had laid on him the iniquities of us all, and was made an offering for sin (Isa 53:5, 6, 10)? Who was the Living Torah, the Word of Elohim made flesh (John 1:1, 14)? Who redeemed us from the curses of the law (Gal 3:13), which came upon us as a result of our sinning (sin is the violation of YHVH’s law, 1 John 3:4), and thus bringing a death penalty upon us (the wages of sin is death, Rom 6:23)?
Mount Ebal
Is it now making sense why the Torah and the altar were placed on Mount Ebal? This is another one of the many prophetic shadow pictures in the Torah pointing to the redemptive work of Yeshua at the cross. Let us give glory to Elohim who knows the beginning from the end and to Yeshua the Messiah, the Lamb of Elohim, who was slain from the foundation of the world for our salvation!
Does this strengthen your faith that Yeshua is indeed the Messiah, the Lamb of Elohim slain from the foundation of the earth? Who else could have fulfilled these prophecies?
Deuteronomy 27:11–28:68, Moses commanded the people.YHVH required the Israelites to recite a “pledge of allegiance” affirming their commitment to him before entering the Land. What can we learn from this? Is this something we should do from time to time in our own spiritual walk: recite pledges of commitment to YHVH and set up spiritual markers or reference points in our lives as tokens of our allegiance to him to which we can harken back when the going gets tough? These are acts of the will that when done can engage the heart and stir up feelings of love, devotion and remembrance.
Deuteronomy 27:11–16, Freedom versus bondage. Christian author Matthew Henry in his commentary on this verse points out something very interesting that none of the Jewish Torah commentaries I have read mention: The six tribes appointed to read the blessings from Mount Gerizim were all children of free women (Leah and Rachel). What are the spiritual implications of this? (Compare this with Paul’s discussion of the free and bondwoman pertaining to Isaac and Ishmael in Galatians 4:21–31.) To which children do the promises of YHVH’s material and spiritual blessing (namely, eternal life through Yeshua the Messiah) belong: those who are in bondage to or under the curses of the Torah-law because they walk in sin (which is the transgression of the law, see 1 John 3:4), or to those who walk in obedience to the Torah (i.e. in sinlessness or who walk in YHVH’s instructions and teachings in righteousness)? This brings up yet another issue. Is the purpose of the Torah simply to condemn people, as is taught in the mainstream church, and to bring people into spiritual bondage, and beyond that, the Torah’s only purpose is to point people to the cross after which it is to be discarded like a dirty old rag? This may be what men’s traditions and doctrines teach, but this is not what the Word of Elohim declares. Selah.
Deuteronomy 27:11–26, Cursed.What are the broader principles or remez understanding behind each of these curses? Imagine how much better the world be if people obeyed these commandments and what they imply. The Creator gave man these laws to keep the civil peace and order in society. When violated, they result in social upheaval, wars, strife, conflicts, destruction and all sorts of evil consequences between individuals and people-groups.
Verse 16—Do not treat your father or mother with contempt: Respect your elders and older people in general.
Verse 17—Do not move your neighbor’s property line: Respect the property rights of others, and do not steal anything from your neighbor.
Verse 18—Do not make the blind to wander off the road: Take care of the handicapped, disabled and sick among you. Do not take advantage of them.
Verse 19—Do not take legal advantage of the stranger, fatherless or widow: Do not take advantage of the underprivileged, poor or the helpless people in society.
Verse 20—Do not have sexual relations with your step-mother: Do not have sexual involvements with any non-blood related family member.
Verse 21—Do not have sexual relations with animals: What more can be added to this command?
Verse 22—Do not have sexual relations with your sister: All incest is forbidden.
Verse 23—Do not have sexual relations with your mother-in-law: Again, do not have sexual involvements with any non-blood related family member.
Verse 24—Do not attack your neighbor secretly: Have open and honest dealings with everyone around you including your enemies.
Verse 25—Do not take a bribe to slay an innocent person: Do not pervert justice, lie or twist the truth to your advantage.
Verse 26—Do not violate YHVH’s Torah-law: All of YHVH’s commandments are to be followed.
Deuteronomy 27:11–28, Blessing and curses for obedience. In these verses we find listed some of the blessings and cures for Torah obedience. Do you believe the Torah principles (spiritual truths) of blessing for obedience and curses for disobedience to YHVH’s Word are for us today? If not why not? Is it because you are listening to Bible preachers and teachers who claim to know and teach the Word of Elohim, but who are instead teaching the doctrines and traditions of men by which the Word of Elohim has been made of none effect (see Mark 7:13)?
The following are some questions to ask yourself when considering Elohim’s Torah and the blessings and curses that come upon us as a result of our response to these instructions in righteousness, which are a reflection of the character and nature of the Creator: Does YHVH’s character, Truth or Word change? If the blessings listed in these verses are not being manifested in your life why might that be? Could it relate possibly to your level of Torah obedience and faith or trust level vis-à-vis YHVH and his Word? What changes could you make in your life that might place you in a more favorable position to receive his blessings rather than the curses?
Deuteronomy 27:15–18, The commandments are all inter-connected. To the casual reader, the admonitions contained in these verses may seem to be arranged in a random order, but this is not the case. Let’s discuss the purposeful design of the order in which Elohim gives this commandments.
Consider the following: The prohibition against idolatry (verse 15) is juxtaposed with that of degrading one’s parents (i.e. not honoring one’s parents, or as S. R. Hirsch states in his commentary, “who outwardly is respectful to his parents but inwardly considers himself vastly superior to them”) along with trespassing against one’s neighbor’s property by removing his neighbor’s boundary markers or landmarks.
Now consider this: One who does not honor and fear YHVH but turns to idolatry (the second commandments) will not honor one’s parents (the fifth commandment) (and vice versa) will likewise not honor the property of one’s neighbor (including his neighbor’s wife).
Juxtaposed next to these commands is the prohibition against misleading a blind person (verse 18). This means that we should not take advantage of one’s blindness by advising a blind person in a way beneficial to us and detrimental to him.
Following this commandment is the principle about one who steals justice from another by perverting judgment against one who is weaker socially or financially or who is less informed at law than another thereby giving the advantage to the stronger (The ArtScroll Davis Edition Baal HaTurim Chumash/Devarim, pp. 2126–2127).
Can you see how each command is interrelated with all the others? Does this not give one insight into the curious statement found in James 2:10, which declares that if you have broken one commandment you have broken them all? This should help us to see that in one way or the other, all of YHVH’s commandments are inter-related, all depend on each other, and they all stand or fall together.
Now relate James 2:10 back to verse eight of the same chapter where James notes that the entire Torah-law can be summarized as the “royal law of love.”
As you review YHVH’s list of prohibitions in Deuteronomy 27 can you see any other relationships between these juxtaposed concepts? Learning to exegete (draw truth out of) Scripture in this manner will yield a whole new level of spiritual revelation to the reader.
Ecclesiastes 9:1,The hand of Elohim. As the Preacher comes to the end of his treatise on the meaning (or lack thereof) of life, he begins to narrow his focus on the missing link, the key ingredient that gives an otherwise pointless life any meaning whatsoever, and that missing piece of the puzzle is the God principle.
Solomon begins by stating that those who are righteous and wise along with all that they do are in the hands of Elohim. In other words, Elohim is with those who seek him and he guides their activities. This is huge! Up to this point, the Preacher has demonstrated that all of life’s activities are basically meaningless and pointless, although one can squeeze some bits of joy out of life here and there, but even then, all humans end up in the same place—dead. Everyone is a condemned prisoner, who is a victim to the never-ending cycles of the time space continuum called life on this earth. So what is the point of it all? Minus some outside entity or force from without reaching down to man and lifting him out of his trapped condition, there is no hope of escape. However, the Preacher tosses the God principle into the mix and offers his reader a glimmer of hope. Somehow, if one will follow the path of wisdom and righteousness, the Creator will actually take notice of this poor, hapless human creature and will an alternative to those who will begin to look up. This is the beginning point of faith…
So who are righteous and wise? Righteousness and wisdom are not terms that are open to capricious and subjective human interpretations, but are specifically defined in Scripture.
Righteous is the Hebrew word saddiq meaning “just, lawful or righteous” and derives from the root verb sadeq meaning “to be just or righteous.” The root verb basically connotes conformity to a moral or ethical standard, according to The TWOT. So in a biblical context, what is the moral and ethical standard by which a righteous person is defined? It is the laws or commandments of YHVH Elohim, who is ultimately the Source of the Truth found in the Bible. So biblically, a righteous person is one who obeys the commandments and instructions of YHVH including his Torah-laws.
My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness. (Ps 119:172)
Your testimonies, which You have commanded, are righteous and very faithful. (Ps 119:138)
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Torah-law is truth. (Ps 119:142)
Wisdom is the Hebrew word chockma and derives from the Hebrew root verb chokam meaning “to be wise or act wisely.” According to The TWOT, the essential idea of chokam represents a manner of thinking and attitude concerning life’s experiences. This includes matters of general interest and morality. These concerns relate to prudence in secular affairs, skills in the arts and moral sensitivity, and experience in the ways of YHVH. Scripture reveals that the beginning of wisdom is the fear and reverential awe of YHVH Elohim. Moreover, wisdom, fearing Elohim and walking in his ways are all synonymous concepts.
The fear of YHVH is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever. (Ps 111:10)
The fear of YHVH is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Prov 9:10)
Love or hatred. Love, perhaps, is the number one thing that people are seeking their entire lives. We are creatures who want, no need, to be accepted, to be appreciated, to be loved. We are social beings; we were not made to be alone. Not only that, to one degree or another, each of us is dependent upon other people.
As evidence of the importance of love and acceptance, the marriage and family unit remains the bedrock basis of the society, and this is where it all starts. After that come the extended family including clans and tribes, villages, towns, cities, counties, states or provinces and, finally, nations. These are all social constructs where humans interact with each other in a somewhat orderly manner based on their need for and dependence on other humans.
Love for one’s fellow man, in fact, is the glue that holds society together. Hatred is what tears it apart resulting in conflicts.
People talk about love, but do they really know what it means? For example, a large percentage of our popular music concerns the subject of “love.” Many if not most movies either have “love” and romance as a main theme or at least as a subtheme woven into the main plot. Dogs are the most popular pet of humans in part because they transmit so much unconditional love. The sad things, though, is that according to the wise Preacher, what the popular culture considers to be love is not love at all. What is even sadder is that as vital to human existence as love is, few have discovered its true definition. This is because the true definition of love cannot even be discovered by looking to the popular culture.
Ecclesiastes 9:2,One events happens. Even though the Preacher has just stated that one the righteous and wise are in the hand of Elohim, death still happens to everyone whether they are righteous or wicked, religious or non-religious, a good person or a sinner and whether one fears Elohim or not.
Ecclesiastes 9:3,This is an evil. In this physical existence, the Preacher views death as the ultimate evil to befall every human. What person can disagree with the fact that death is the ultimate enemy?
Ecclesiastes 9:4,There is hope. As long as one is alive, there is hope. But what is that hope that the Preacher seems to be dangling in front of his reader, but still remains just out of reach?
Ecclesiastes 9:5–10,Enjoy life to the fullest. Even though death comes to all people, and after that, “the dead know nothing” and “the memory of them is forgotten” (v. 5), the Preacher encourages each of us to go and live one’s life to the fullest. “Eat your bread with joy,” “drink your wine with a merry heart,” (v. 7), wear nice clothes and keep yourself looking good (v. 8), enjoy your marriage and family (v. 9), and enjoy your work, for when the grave comes, there is nothing (v. 10).
Ecclesiastes 9:11–12,Time and chance. Life is full of countless unexpected twists and turns. Things that seem that they should be a certain way often are not. No one knows what evil will suddenly befall him or when he will die. So in the face of such stress-causing uncertainties, what is one to do? How does one cope with this?
Ecclesiastes 9:13–18,Wisdom. Wisdom is better than folly, yet even those who are wise and are able to avert many of the evils of life through the employment of wisdom still die and are forgotten. So now where does this live the reader?
Our annual Scripture Reading Schedule for 2020-2021 with daily readings that began on 10/11/20 is available to download and print. The link to the previous 2019-2020’s Scripture Reading Schedule will still be available on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links” into next year. If you are using a mobile device or tablet, the link may be below, meaning you’ll need to scroll down instead.
Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link or the “share your thoughts” box below.
The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day: one each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.
* Verse numbers in parenthesis refer to the verse number in Christian English Bibles when they differ from Hebrew Bibles or the Tanakh.
Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 8/22 through 8/28/2021.
Hebrews 1:2, He made the worlds. Yeshua was the agency through which YHVH the Father created all things. (Also see v. 10.)
Hebrews 1:3, Upholding all things. Yeshua is not only the Creator of all things (v. 10), but he bears or carries all things, that is, he is the Sustainer of all things by his word and miraculous or dumanis power. Without him, everything would fall apart. This is why his death on the cross was such a cosmologically climactic event.
Hebrews 1:9, Loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. To the degree that we love righteousness, we will hate Torahlessness and vice versa. To love righteousness and the laws of Elohim is to love his him, to love his Word and to love Yeshua. To the degree we disdain his Torah is the degree that we disdain him and Yeshua the Messiah, the Word made flesh regardless of our protestations to the contrary, regardless of our religious activities and regardless of how much we throw our emotions at him and call it praise and worship. Obedience to his Torah-Word from Genesis to Revelation is barometer indicating the depth of our love for him.
Hebrews 1:8, 10, To the Son…You, YHVH. These two verses prove beyond a doubt that Yeshua is YHVH and that he is the Creator of the all things physical. (See also John 1:3, 10; Heb 1:2; Col 1:16).
Hebrew 2
Hebrews 2:1-2, Lest we drift away. One can lose one’s salvation (see also 1 Cor 9:27; Heb 6:4–6; 10:26 cp. 1 Tim 1:19; Matt 13:20–22) if one neglects (v. 2) and doesn’t carefully guard and maintain their spiritual relationship with YHVH and his Word.
Hebrews 2:7, A little lower. See notes at Ps 8:5.
Hebrews 2:18, He is able to aid. To receive the aid of Yeshua, our Great High Priest, all we have to do is to humble ourselves and recognize that we are sinners and need help, and then to ask him for help as well as to avail ourselves of the help that he has already give us, namely, the light of his Word, which, if we study and feed on, will guide us and keep us in the straight and narrow path.
Hebrew 3
Hebrews 3:3, He who built the house. Yeshua is the builder of his spiritual house—the church. Interestingly, his earthly father trained him to be a carpenter. Often the physical or natural and spiritual dimensions parallel each other. The idea of Yeshua being the Creator of all things including humanity (Heb 1:10; John 1:3, 10) and being the builder of his spiritual house provides us with an important truth. How is it that the death of Yeshua—one human—could pay for the sins of the whole earth—many humans? Simply this. Yeshua in his pre-incarnate state as the Word of Elohim created all humans. His life is more valuable than the lives of all those he created, since he is the Creator, even as life of the builder of a house has more value than all the houses he builds. This is why Yeshua could pay for the sins of the whole world, and why his life was more valuable than those of all the humans that have ever lived in the history of the world.
Hebrews 3:6, Hold fast…firm to the end. Ultimate salvation—the redemption of our bodies, our glorification and inclusion in the family of Elohim (or theosis) occurs after we have overcome the world, the flesh and the devil and remained firm to the end. The end is either our physical death, or our spiritual transformation or the first resurrection at Yeshua’s second coming.
Hebrew 4
Hebrews 4:2,The gospel was preached. The children of Israel heard the gospel message, even as it was preached in the time of Yeshua, the apostles as well as in our day. They were without excuse for not accepting the gospel message. As the writer goes on to show, they rejected it because of the hardness of their hearts. People still reject the gospel today for the same reason.
Hebrews 4:3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11,Rest. The term rest is also a biblical Hebraic idiom or Hebraism (see Deut 12:9, 10; 25:19; 1 Kgs 8:56; 1 Chron 23:25; Ps 95:121; 1 Thess 1:7) for the rest from one’s enemies and that one obtains once one has come into the promised land of their inheritance that YHVH has prepared for his saints. For the Israelites, this was the physical Promised Land in which they settled after having defeated the Canaanites. For the saint, ultimately, this is the Promised Land of the kingdom of Elohim and the New Jerusalem, which they will obtain in the final sense at the second coming of the Messiah when they receive their glorified bodies at the resurrection during the millennium, of which the seventh day Sabbath is a prophetic picture.
Hebrews 4:9–10, Rest. The Greek word sabbatismos means “a keeping of the Sabbath” and is derived from the Hebrew word sabbaton meaning “the seventh day or Sabbath.” In Hebrew the word for Sabbath is shabbat, which originates from the root verb shabat meaning “to cease, desist, rest.” Those who have entered into the Sabbath rest do so by following the example of YHVH the Creator who not only rested spiritually, but literally rested on the seventh day after the creation. He did not rest because he was tired, rather he did so to set this humans an example to follow, that is, to rest after six days of work.
Some people see this verse in Hebrews only as a mandate to rest from their spiritual works by putting their faith in Yeshua. Such a rest is only a partial rest. We must follow the example of YHVH who literally rested on the seventh day as well.
Yeshua in his preincarnate state was and is YHVH the Creator (Heb 1:2, 8,10; John 1:3, 10; Col 1:16). He kept the Sabbath as YHVH the Creator, and as Yeshua the Messiah as well. (If Yeshua didn’t keep the Sabbath, then he was a sinner in that he violated the law, and is not our perfect, sin-free Savior! If he kept the Sabbath, and the Gospels record that he did do so, we are to imitate him as his obedient disciples and imitators by doing what he did (1 Cor 11:1; 1 John 2:6).
Some deceptive Christian “teachers” will state that Yeshua broke the Sabbath by quoting John 5:18. First, again if Yeshua had broken the fourth commandments, he would have become a sinner (1 John 3:4), but we know that he was sinless (Heb 4:15), so this was not the case. Second, John records that it was the misguided Jews who were accusing Yeshua of sin, even though he had done nothing to break any of the Torah’s laws regarding the Sabbath. Third, the word “break” as used in John 5:18 is the Greek word luo, which in its primary definition means “to loosen literally or figuratively.” Yeshua was “breaking” or “loosening” the man-made, extra-biblical laws or constraints that the Pharisees had put on people with regard to how to keep the Sabbath. Yeshua was brushing aside or “breaking” or “loosening” some of these non-biblical and man-made restrictions to bring people back to a Sabbath observance that was less burdensome and restrictive. He in no way was violating the Torah, which would have made him a sinner.
When we rest both physically and spiritually, we are walking out a higher level of truth by walking out both the letter and the spirit of YHVH’s Torah-law as Yeshua taught us to do in his Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:17–48), and as such, we have positioned ourselves before YHVH to receive more divine revelation from him (as well as blessings for obedience to his commandments).
In other words, the more we obey him faithfully in love, the more truth he can entrust us with for safekeeping, for he knows we won’t take for granted or trample his precious truth nuggets. To those who are faithful in much, YHVH gives more. That is how it works in his spiritual economy.
To this day, many of religious people keep the Sabbath by physically resting on this day (e.g. the Jews and some Christians), but they have missed the revelation of our spiritual rest in Yeshua. Conversely the mainstream Christians have rejected the physical Sabbath rest but they accepted the spiritual rest in the Messiah. Both sides have half the truth. Let’s put the two halves together and walk out the full truth—both the physical and the spiritual side of the Sabbath as Yeshua and his disciples did!
Keeping the seventh day Sabbath with this fuller understanding is another way of connecting the gospel message to its Hebraic, pro-Torah roots.
Hebrews 4:12, Soul and spirit. (See notes at 1 Thess 5:23.) Here the writer attests to the separateness of the soul and the spirit of man. They are not indistinguishable from each other.
Hebrews 4:14,Great high priest. How could Yeshua, a non-priest (non-cohen) be our Great Heavenly High Priest, since he was from the tribe of Judah and not from the tribe of Levi, much less a descendant of Aaron? (See notes at 7:14; Exod 19:2, 4).
Hebrews 4:16, Come boldly. The veil (Heb. porechet) in the Tabernacle of Moses separated the compartments of the holy place and the holy of holies which housed the ark of the covenant and the was where the glory or presence of Elohim resided. The holy of holies pictured the heavenly throne room of Elohim, and only the high priest could enter it once a year on the Day of Atonement (or Yom Kippur). It was forbidden for anyone else to come into the holy of holies (except Moses, who as a prophetic picture of Yeshua the Messiah, who often went there to receive instructions from Elohim). That veil separating Elohim from the people thus preventing the common person from entering into the holy of holies was miraculously ripped in two when Yeshua died on the cross (Luke 23:45), thus symbolizing that now the way was open way for every saint to come boldly through the “veil” of Yeshua’s flesh (i.e. through the atoning blood of and a personal spiritual relationship with Yeshua; Heb 10:20) into the very presence of YHVH Elohim.
Background and Outline of the Epistle to the Hebrews
Photo is from Natan Lawrence’s 1790 KJV Bible
A debate exists among scholars as to when the Epistle to the Hebrews was written. Some believe it was written just before the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, while others maintain that it was written just after 70 AD. This author favors the former position since the author of Hebrews speaks of the sacrificial system in the present tense as if it were still functioning (Heb 10:11; 13:10, 11).
At the same time, the author of Hebrews seems to be addressing the concerns of early believers that without the temple standing and the sacrificial system functioning, there is no longer remission for sins. He assiduously points out how the patterns and prophecies of the Tanakh are pointing to the greater priesthood of Messiah Yeshua in the heavenly tabernacle. As such, the author seems to have in view the destruction of the temple, yet while the temple is still standing. After all, Yeshua predicted the temple’s demise and that its destruction would be so complete that not one stone would be left standing on another (Matt 24:2; Luke 21:20–21).
Perhaps, the author was writing Hebrews in the four-year time period (between A.D. 67 to A.D. 70) when the Romans besieged Jerusalem, then pulled away for one year, then rebesieged and finally destroyed the city in A.D. 70. The events of A.D. 67 to 69 may have caused the writer to feel that Jerusalem’s fall was imminent in fulfillment of Yeshua’s earlier prophecies.
Main Themes
In his Epistle to the Hebrews, the author emphatically asserts that:
Yeshua is over all.
Yeshua is leading his people to the ultimate higher spiritual reality.
The Tanakh (Old Testament) validates the gospel message.
The Epistle to the Hebrews is about transformation, shifting, growing from a lower level to a higher level spiritually. It is about one coming closer to the reality of heaven in their spiritual walk; about one approaching and growing closer to Elohim.
Though Hebrews doesn’t deal directly with this issue, we have to ask the following question: While in this flesh on the earth, do we abandon the letter of the Torah-law’s types and shadows and live in a spiritual dimension only? We know from Hebrews that through Yeshua’s death and resurrection, we have moved from the higher spiritual level with regard to the tabernacle system, and the Levitical priesthood and sacrificial systems. But does this apply to the rest of the Torah as well (e.g. the Sabbath, feasts, dietary laws, etc.)? Christianity by in large teaches that it does. But this is not what the writer of Hebrews is saying. The transformation of the priesthood and sacrificial systems to the higher level of reality in Yeshua doesn’t invalidate the rest of the Torah. Believers are still required to keep the rest of the letter of the Torah law as best they can. As physical beings living in this earthly dimension, we still have to follow the Torah-Word of Elohim as it applies to our physical walk (e.g. don’t murder, steal, commit adultery, lie, worship idols, etc.). But at the same time, we are to walk, as much as possible, in the heavenly dimension by following spirit of the Torah, being led of the Spirit in our walk and by focusing our attention on Yeshua, our heavenly High Priest. As such, redeemed believers are caught having to walk between the physical and the spiritual dimensions. We are in the process of being transformed from the physical to spiritual. Until this total transformation takes place, we must meld the physical or letter of the law and the spiritual realms, and we must keep progressing toward the ultimate goal of the higher Torah, which is total spiritual existence and oneness as Elohim’s children in his eternal kingdom as characterized by the New Jerusalem.
Outline of Hebrews
Overview: Yeshua is priest, prophet and king
In the Tanakh, the priest, prophet and king were the three principal leaders in ancient Israel. No one except Moses was all three. David was a king and prophet, but not a priest. Samuel was a priest and a prophet, but not a king. Scripture tells that Moses was all three. Yeshua was the only other Person who was all three. Deuteronomy 18 tells us that Moses was a prophetic shadow picture of a greater Moses who would come. The writer of Hebrews validates this and shows that Yeshua was that greater Moses.
Hebrews 11:1 explains this process by defining faith. We live in the physical world, but we hope through faith for the spiritual world to come. Our spiritual forefathers went through this process successfully, though they paid a great price physically, anticipating in faith their heavenly reward. This is the story of Hebrews 11—the faith chapter.
Yeshua is the vehicle that leads us onward and upwards to the higher spiritual dimension. He is the ladder to and gate or door of heaven. He proclaims this in John 1:51 and John 10:7. Jacob dreamed of this ladder or highway to heaven, which was a picture of the Written and Living Torah (literally, a Torah scroll). (See telios: Col 1:28; Eph 4:13; Phil 3:13)
The Superiority of Messiah Yeshua’s Priesthood Over OT Priesthood (4:4–5:10)
Yeshua is superior to Aaron — 4:14–5:10 (Ps 110:4; Mal 3:1–3; Isa 53:12 —Yeshua, the Suffering Servant, to take the role of high priest as an intercessor for transgressors before Elohim)
Yeshua’s priesthood is after the order of Melchizedek — 7:1–8:5 (Ps 110:4)
Yeshua Mediator of a Better Covenant Than the First Covenant (8:6–10:18)
The Renewed Covenant: a better covenant — 8:6–13 (Jer 31:31–33)
The First Covenant’s sanctuary and sacrifices — 9:1–10
Compared with the Renewed Covenant — 9:11–10:18
The Purpose of the Epistle to the Hebrews—Lift YOUR Eyes Upward to Our Heavenly High Priest
Let the Truth of YHVH’s Word ring clearly like a bell in the hearts and minds of Truth-seekers everywhere!
What follows you have probably never heard before. Hopefully the truth of it will ring loudly like a bell in your heart and mind!
