{"id":19456,"date":"2021-08-27T06:17:08","date_gmt":"2021-08-27T13:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/?p=19456"},"modified":"2021-08-27T06:17:15","modified_gmt":"2021-08-27T13:17:15","slug":"natans-notes-on-deuteronomy-28-what-is-torahs-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/2021\/08\/27\/natans-notes-on-deuteronomy-28-what-is-torahs-purpose\/","title":{"rendered":"Natan’s Notes on Deuteronomy 28\u2014What Is Torah’s Purpose?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Deuteronomy 28<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deuteronomy 28:1\u201368, Blessings and curses for Torah obedience. <\/strong>Are the curses for Torah disobedience and the blessings for obedience still applicable in the life of the redeemed believer today, or because \u201cwe\u2019re now under grace\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deuteronomy 28:1, Commandments<\/em><\/strong>. 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\u2019s 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 \u201cthe law,\u201d it might be helpful to keep the following truths in mind; they help to \u201cblow the lid\u201d off of people\u2019s theological boxes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is the Purpose of the Torah?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Excerpted from a larger work by Ya\u2019acov Natan Lawrence entitled, YHVH\u2019s <\/em>Instructions In Righteousness\u2014A Messianic Believer\u2019s Introduction to the Torah <\/em><\/strong>available online at http:\/\/www.hoshanarabbah.org\/pdfs\/torahprimer.pdf<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of the Torah is to show man <\/strong>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<\/em><\/strong>,<\/em> available at http:\/\/www.hoshanarabbah.org\/pdfs\/abracov.pdf<\/a>.), 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\u2019s Torah-commandments, 1\u2009John 3:4), which is walking contrary to YHVH\u2019s instructions in righteousness that are for our blessing and benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Torah does not<\/em> 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\u201314:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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, \u201cWho shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?\u201d Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, \u201cWho shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?\u201d But the word is very near unto you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul quotes this very passage in Romans 10:6\u20138 where he relates the written Torah to Yeshua, the Living Torah or Word of Elohim incarnate (in the flesh, see John 1:1,\u200914). 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\u201310) 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/em> lists both some of the \u201cnegative\u201d and some of the positive functions of the Torah. On the \u201cnegative\u201d side:<\/p>\n\n\n\n