President Trump at today’s US cabinet meeting asked that a prayer be made before the meeting commenced. Listen to this prayer where Father God, Jesus, Yah and the Bible is mentioned, and where Elohim’s guidance is asked for. MAKE AMERICA HOLY/RIGHTEOUS AGAIN! This is a small step, but, at the same time, a giant step in the right directions in light of the recent past. Pray for President Trump and our leaders! What are YOU doing to help make America Holy/Righteous Again? We all have a part to play in this no matter how small or large or our role may be. Combined, our efforts can and will make a difference for the kingdom of Elohim! Who can despise the day of small beginnings (Zech 4:10).

The Bible is a book based on covenants, not theology. YHVH Elohim, the God of the Bible, relates to his creation including humans through covenantal and not theological relationships. In his sovereignty, he has chosen to bind himself to the legal arrangement of covenantal or contractual agreements. When we view the Bible, the Word of Elohim, through this paradigmatic lens, many disjointed and seemingly incongruent aspects of man’s theological philosophies realign themselves and fall neatly into place. This is never truer than with the Abrahamic, Mosaic and New Covenants, which are neither opposed to each other in any way nor does one progressively supplant the other. Rather, they are a continuous and ever expanding flow of heaven’s grace toward man resulting in man’s potential adoption into the family of Elohim as YHVH’s resurrected, glorified and immortal sons and daughters.

As with any covenant or agreement, all is predicated not on the capricious whims or the vicissitudes of one party or the other, but on law. For YHVH Elohim, the Creator of everything, his covenantal agreements are founded on his Torah-law, which is a reflection of his holy and righteous character. Because he is the Creator, the Greater Power, the Initiator and Source of all life, power and knowledge, it is he who sets the terms of the covenants, not men. Because he is good and all love, these terms are always to men’s favor and benefit. He makes the covenant and then gives humans the free choice to enter into a covenantal relationship with him or not. These covenants set in motion the eternal law of cause and effect. The consequences for men are either blessings or curses, life or death depending on how humans collectively and individually respond to the Creator’s covenants and legal terms thereof. The covenants that YHVH made starting with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in the Book of Genesis forward to the New Covenant at the other end of the Bible follow a similar theme: accept the Creator’s covenantal arrangements and be blessed with life, disobey and be cursed with death. This is the recurring theme of the Bible. It is that simple!

YHVH made his first covenant with the Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This covenant was conditional: if they followed a few simple rules, they would be blessed with immortal life. If not, they would be cursed by being cut off from YHVH resulting in death. Next, YHVH made a covenant with Noah promising never again to destroy humanity by a flood, while at the same time giving humans several basic commandments to follow. This covenant would ensure the preservation of life on earth until he was ready to choose a people through which he could redeem humanity back to himself after the first humans broke relations with him in the Garden of Eden. After Noah, YHVH chose Abraham to birth a nation from which would be born a Savior who would redeem man from the penalty of death thus offering humans a path of reconciliation back to YHVH. The covenant that YHVH made with Abraham provided the basic framework for man’s salvation. Man was simply required to have faith in and obey YHVH. The descendants of Abraham became the nation of Israel, which after having been set free from enslavement in Egypt gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai where they entered into a special, covenantal relationship with YHVH Elohim. This was the next step in YHVH Elohim’s progressive process in redeeming humanity back to him after man was cut off from him at the Garden of Eden because of sin.

Marriage and family are always at the center of YHVH’s covenantal arrangements with people. Redemption from death, the consequences of sin, starts with marriage and family and radiates out like the spokes of a wheel and outward. The consequences—negative or positive—of familial relationships and the influences these have on its surroundings are also like the ripples made when a pebble is dropped into the middle of a lake. The bigger the “rock” or family, the bigger the waves that will touch further shores. The first family failed in its mission to be fruitful and multiply into a larger family that would become the immortal, glorified children and family of Elohim. So YHVH started over with Abraham and his pebble-sized family. Ultimately, his descendants—the nation of Israel—became a huge rock that shook and then overturned Egypt, the most powerful nation of its day, with the resulting waves shaking all of the land Canaan and the Near East and ultimately the whole world. 

Because marriage and family is the model that YHVH follows to redeem the world back to himself, and because marriage is based on covenantal agreements, YHVH chose this model as an allegorical prototype in his relationship with Israel. He would bind himself to Israel in a spiritual, covenantal “marital” relationship, then geographically place Israel strategically in the center of the world where the trade routes of three continents cross, and then commission them to be his kingdom of priests spreading the message of a man’s redemption far and wide.

The prophet Ezekiel, in allegorical symbolism, describes YHVH’s relationship with Israel by likening it to an abandoned child that a man found, adopted, raised and then eventually married.

Thus saith the Adonai Elohim unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Adonai Elohim, and thou becamest mine. Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Adonai Elohim. (Ezek 16:2–14)

Now that we have the overall pictorial outline of YHVH’s relationship with Israel, let’s pick up the story at the point where he is ready to marry his nation-bride. He formulated a marriage covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai as we are about to see. But even before that, while Israel was still enslaved in Egypt, YHVH made his intentions clear about his marrying her.

Then YHVH said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” And Elohim spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am YHVH. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as El Shaddai, but by My name YHVH I was not known to them. I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am YHVH; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your Elohim. Then you shall know that I am YHVH your Elohim who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am YHVH.’ (Exod 6:1–8)

In these several verses, YHVH lays out his plans for his bride-to-be in seven “I will” statements. They are:

1– I will bring you out (v. 6).

2 – I will rescue you (v. 6).

3 – I will redeem you (v. 6).

4 – I will take you as my people (v. 7).

5 – I will be your Elohim (v. 7).

6 – I will bring you into the land (v. 8).

7 – I will give it to you as a heritage (v. 8). 

Laying all of his proverbial cards on the table, YHVH makes known his intentions for his people. When he said, “I will take you as my people” (v. 6), this is poetic Hebraic marriage talk. In other words, “I intend to take you as my lawfully, wedded wife.” Israel’s ultimate destiny is a glorious one—to become like the shine like the stars in heaven among and above the panoply of the nations (Gen 22:17; 26:4; Exod 32:13; Deut 1:10; Dan 12:3)!

Again, marriage and family have always been at the front and center of YHVH’s plan of redemption for humans. Even today, the Bible reveals that redeemed believers are preparing to be the spiritual bride of Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of YHVH Elohim.

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Messiah. (2 Cor 11:2)

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, “Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he saith unto me, “These are the true sayings of Elohim.” (Rev 19:7–9)

What are the prophetic implications of and spiritual parallels between YHVH’s first marriage to ancient Israel at Mount Sinai and YHVH-Yeshua’s upcoming marriage to his bride—the saints who love him and keep his (Torah) commandments and have faith in Yeshua (John 14:15, 21; Rev 12:17; 14:12)? Why is Torah-obedience important in the Yeshua–bride equation? Do not all true Christians automatically become the bride of Christ? This may be a popular mainstream church concept, but it does not equate with the truth of the Bible when it comes to rewards in the kingdom of Elohim. Yes, it is true that all true Christians will receive the gift of eternal life, but beyond there are rewards. The levels of rewards are based on the works of righteousness that a Christian performs during their physical life. This is not a popular truth that is broadly proclaimed in churches on Sunday morning. Why? Because it sounds too much like a works-based salvation. Yes, one’s salvation is not based on works; it is by faith through grace. It always has been from the time of Abraham to this day as Paul clearly states in several places (Gen 15:6 cp. Rom 4:3, 5–6, 16, 22; Eph 2:8–9). But rewards in the in YHVH’s eternal kingdom are based on one’s works as Yeshua clearly reveals, 

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. 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. (Matt 5:19–20)

The Scriptures contain numerous other passages that confirm this eternal truth—that rewards are based on good works, which are, in turn, based on Torah-obedience. No matter how one attempts to slice the Word of Elohim into disjointed pieces by inventing theologies that say otherwise, eternal rewards, beyond the basic gift of salvation and eternal life, are based on works of righteousness!

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. (Matt 16:27)

And, behold, I [Yeshua] come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Rev 22:12)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Cor 5:10)

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. (1 Pet 1:17)

And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (Rev 2:23)

YHVH Elohim as a Righteous Judge has always judged people according to their deeds whether good or bad, and he is not a respecter of persons (Deut 10:17; Job 34:19; Matt 22:16; Acts 10:34; Rom 2:11; Col 3:25; 1 Pet 1:17)!

Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work. (Ps 62:12)

I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jer 17:10)

Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jer 32:19)

Likewise, Yeshua will choose his bride based on her level of righteousness or her righteous deeds.

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ “ And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” (Rev 19:7–9 NKJV, emphasis added)

What are the righteous deeds of Yeshua’s wife-to-be? The Bible defines its own words. Righteousness is based, not on man’s traditions or what a church, denomination or a pastor says, but on YHVH’s Torah-law! YHVH’s Torah-law defines righteousness.

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