Deuteronomy 27:8 - And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this Torah very plainly.
The Hebrew word for stone here is אבן pronounced eh'-ben. What is the significance of that you ask? The word ‘eben (the transliteration) is really a compound word in the Hebrew language. How is that you might ask. Well, let’s take a look.
The word for father in Hebrew is אב and is pronounced ab.
The word for son in Hebrew is בן and is pronounced ben.
So keeping in mind that Hebrew is a language, which is always read from the left to the right, when we combine these two words, we come up with the compound word father-son or in Hebrew אבן.
Ok some might be asking what is the point of pointing that out. Well, here it is.
When we go to the verse of Psalms 118:22, which reads - The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner, we find in the Strong’s Concordance that the word for stone there is also ‘eben – the Hebrew word for father-son. So the father and son relationship of YHWH and Yeshua is that stone, which the church is built on – not Peter.
But then we must go back and reread Deuteronomy 27:8 again and now see what it says - And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this Torah very plainly, because the word for stones there again is 'eben or אֶבֶן.
So we now know that the father-son relationship, which the Messiah built His church on is that headstone, which has all the words of Torah written upon it.
Interesting, huh?
I think so!!
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The Roots of the Hebrew Word Torah - תורה - And Their Different Meanings
The Root Word of Torah and Its Different Meanings
Yeshua = Jesus
YHWH = God
Yeshua is the Living Torah. The root word of Torah is yarah and means to shoot arrows where as Torah means to hit the target. So to keep Torah means like to hit the target with an arrow. Yarah also means to teach or to instruct. And also it is rain. It's all right here:
http://www.blueletterbible
Look at Zechariah 9:14 - And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his Arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.
YHWH calls Yeshua His arrow. Like I said yarah is arrow and yarah is the root of the word Torah. Also like I said - yarah is rain. Yeshua is the former and latter rain. Hosea 6:3 and again yarah is the root word for Torah. There are two circumstances of Yeshua being Torah. He is the living Torah.
Now look at the word imrah. It means Torah.
http://www.blueletterbible
And in the Bible it is translated as the word word. Look at Psalms 119:162 for example - I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. David is saying that he rejoices in the Torah.
Read John 1:1 (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God) again in a new light and doesn't it look different?
Look at Proverbs 6:23 - For the commandment is a lamp; and the Torah is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life. Now look at John 1:4 - In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
The law or Torah is light in Proverbs 6:23, yet in John 1:4 in Jesus is the light of men. See how it goes together and interprets each other? Makes you think doesn't it?
Yeshua = Jesus
YHWH = God
Yeshua is the Living Torah. The root word of Torah is yarah and means to shoot arrows where as Torah means to hit the target. So to keep Torah means like to hit the target with an arrow. Yarah also means to teach or to instruct. And also it is rain. It's all right here:
http://www.blueletterbible
Look at Zechariah 9:14 - And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his Arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.
YHWH calls Yeshua His arrow. Like I said yarah is arrow and yarah is the root of the word Torah. Also like I said - yarah is rain. Yeshua is the former and latter rain. Hosea 6:3 and again yarah is the root word for Torah. There are two circumstances of Yeshua being Torah. He is the living Torah.
Now look at the word imrah. It means Torah.
http://www.blueletterbible
And in the Bible it is translated as the word word. Look at Psalms 119:162 for example - I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. David is saying that he rejoices in the Torah.
Read John 1:1 (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God) again in a new light and doesn't it look different?
Look at Proverbs 6:23 - For the commandment is a lamp; and the Torah is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life. Now look at John 1:4 - In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
The law or Torah is light in Proverbs 6:23, yet in John 1:4 in Jesus is the light of men. See how it goes together and interprets each other? Makes you think doesn't it?
The Moral of the Account of Jacob's Labor with Laban
Has anyone ever noticed that when Jacob left Israel, after he had been blessed by Isaac, his father, but yet was in exile from his brother, Esau, that the sun was going down (Genesis 28:11 - And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep)? Even more intriguing, after he had worked for Laban for 20 years he was heading back to Israel, when he met and wrestled with the Lord, the Bible tells us that the sun was rising (Genesis 32:31- And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh).
So when he left Israel, the Bible is very clear to tell is that the sun set on him, and when he was re-entering Israel 20 years later, it rose upon him. Why is the Bible so specific to do that? It is because it signifies him leaving to go into the darkness and back into the light. Israel is more than a place. It is God's actual church - it is the olive tree, which believers are grafted into and unbelieving Israel was plucked from, but will be grafted in later when their veil is removed. This is understood in Galatians 6:16 - And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. Strong's concordance for Israel here, in the Greek, is number 2474 and describes it as "Christians, the Israel of God, for not all those who draw their bodily descent from Israel are true Israelites, i.e. are those whom God pronounces to be Israelites and has chosen to salvation."
By this we can know that this is a picture of going into darkness and back into the light. Even though Jacob had come out of Israel he had always been in darkness, because he had not followed God's will until he repented, much later after God sent him out of Israel for training. Jacob had a hard time in God's training, laboring those 20 years for Laban, but it was necessary because it is written in Revelation 3:19 - "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." Jacob had to be rebuked and chastened in his life mistakes before he would repent.
It seems the moral of the account is that when we are in church, often times we think we are saved, but many times God must deal with our heart, rebuking, correcting and disciplining us until we can finally see the true light and what it really means to repent and live for Him.
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
So when he left Israel, the Bible is very clear to tell is that the sun set on him, and when he was re-entering Israel 20 years later, it rose upon him. Why is the Bible so specific to do that? It is because it signifies him leaving to go into the darkness and back into the light. Israel is more than a place. It is God's actual church - it is the olive tree, which believers are grafted into and unbelieving Israel was plucked from, but will be grafted in later when their veil is removed. This is understood in Galatians 6:16 - And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. Strong's concordance for Israel here, in the Greek, is number 2474 and describes it as "Christians, the Israel of God, for not all those who draw their bodily descent from Israel are true Israelites, i.e. are those whom God pronounces to be Israelites and has chosen to salvation."
By this we can know that this is a picture of going into darkness and back into the light. Even though Jacob had come out of Israel he had always been in darkness, because he had not followed God's will until he repented, much later after God sent him out of Israel for training. Jacob had a hard time in God's training, laboring those 20 years for Laban, but it was necessary because it is written in Revelation 3:19 - "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." Jacob had to be rebuked and chastened in his life mistakes before he would repent.
It seems the moral of the account is that when we are in church, often times we think we are saved, but many times God must deal with our heart, rebuking, correcting and disciplining us until we can finally see the true light and what it really means to repent and live for Him.
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
What was Yeshua's Favorite Day to Heal?
Yeshua was always accused by the Pharisees for healing on the Sabbath, saying that it was blasphemy against the Most High God. What was the reason, which Yeshua did seem to do most of His healing on the Sabbath?
It was His favorite day, because it demonstrates that when we enter His Sabbath or Rest - eternal life with Him (Hebrews 3 and 4) that there will be no more sickness or pain. :)
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
It was His favorite day, because it demonstrates that when we enter His Sabbath or Rest - eternal life with Him (Hebrews 3 and 4) that there will be no more sickness or pain. :)
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
The Ark of the Covenant is a Type of Human Heart
1.Deuteronomy 31:26 - Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.
2. Jeremiah 31:33 - But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
3. Romans 5:12 - Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.
So, putting this all together, we can see that the Ark of the Covenant was a typology of the human heart, because YHWH had Moses put the Torah in the Ark of the Covenant, compared to He put the Torah in our hearts. The Torah in the Ark of the Covenant was to bear witness against humans, compared to the conscience bearing witness against humans, as a result of the Torah being written in their hearts. In addition:
4. Leviticus 16:2 - And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
5. Ephesians 3:16-17 - That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love; May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height.
So, also in common, the Ark of the Covenant and the human heart both provide a place of residency for YHWH.
And,
6. Hebrews 9:4 - Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant.
Aaron's rod stood for the Messiah. Both the Greek (rhabdos) and the Hebrew word (matteh) describe a rod as a branch, and Jesus (Yeshua) is THE BRANCH. Jeremiah 31:15 - In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
The manna stood for THE BREAD OF LIFE, which is Messiah. John 6:33 - For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. John 6:48 - I am that bread of life.
And being that the Torah was placed in the Ark of the Covenant, we know that Yeshua is also the Living Torah, as He is the Word. John 1:14 - And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
So, in conclusion, the Ark of the Covenant is a picture of the human heart. The Ark of the Covenant contained manna, a rod and the Torah. Man's heart also contains the same, in that each represent the Messiah.
Amazing huh?
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
2. Jeremiah 31:33 - But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
3. Romans 5:12 - Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.
So, putting this all together, we can see that the Ark of the Covenant was a typology of the human heart, because YHWH had Moses put the Torah in the Ark of the Covenant, compared to He put the Torah in our hearts. The Torah in the Ark of the Covenant was to bear witness against humans, compared to the conscience bearing witness against humans, as a result of the Torah being written in their hearts. In addition:
4. Leviticus 16:2 - And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
5. Ephesians 3:16-17 - That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love; May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height.
So, also in common, the Ark of the Covenant and the human heart both provide a place of residency for YHWH.
And,
6. Hebrews 9:4 - Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant.
Aaron's rod stood for the Messiah. Both the Greek (rhabdos) and the Hebrew word (matteh) describe a rod as a branch, and Jesus (Yeshua) is THE BRANCH. Jeremiah 31:15 - In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
The manna stood for THE BREAD OF LIFE, which is Messiah. John 6:33 - For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. John 6:48 - I am that bread of life.
And being that the Torah was placed in the Ark of the Covenant, we know that Yeshua is also the Living Torah, as He is the Word. John 1:14 - And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
So, in conclusion, the Ark of the Covenant is a picture of the human heart. The Ark of the Covenant contained manna, a rod and the Torah. Man's heart also contains the same, in that each represent the Messiah.
Amazing huh?
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
Why is Satan Often Portrayed as a Goat?
When one deceives it is by an underhanded account. Underhanded also means hidden, because the truth is under the hand and the lie/deception is face up.
There are two accounts of people using a goat to deceive in the Bible.
1. Genesis 38:14- 20 - And she (Tamar) put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, I will send thee a kid (young male goat) from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.
2. Genesis 27:9 - 14 - Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them. And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
So the goat becomes a symbol of deception in the Bible. Revelation 12:9 says, "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
There are two accounts of people using a goat to deceive in the Bible.
1. Genesis 38:14- 20 - And she (Tamar) put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, I will send thee a kid (young male goat) from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.
2. Genesis 27:9 - 14 - Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them. And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
So the goat becomes a symbol of deception in the Bible. Revelation 12:9 says, "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
Why the Missing Vav in Generations?
The Vav, Messiah, and New Creation
When God first created the “generations” of the heavens and the earth, the word toldot (תולדות) is used (Gen. 2:4). This refers to created order before the sin and fall of Adam and Eve. After the fall of Adam, however, the word is spelled differently in the Hebrew text, with a missing letter Vav (i.e., as תלדות). Thereafter, each time the phrase, “these are the generations of” occurs in the Scriptures (a formulaic way of enumerating the generations of the heads of families), the word is spelled “defectively,” with the missing Vav (ו). The Vav was “lost.” However, when we come to Ruth 4:18 the phrase: 'These are the generations of Perez' is spelled with the missing Vav restored (i.e., as תולדות). In all of Scripture, the only two places where we see the restored spelling is in Genesis 2:4 and Ruth 4:18, which leads to the question as to what connection there might be between the creation of the heavens and the earth, the fall of mankind, and the creation of the family line of Perez?
The name “Perez” (פרץ) means “breach” (from paratz, meaning “to break through”). God was going to “break through” the families of mankind in order to restore creation back to its original intent. The letter Vav represents man, and the very first Vav in the Torah is associated with the “first and last man” as seen in Genesis 1:1:
The Restored Vav is a picture of the Mashiach who would would descend from the “generations” of the line of Perez. The genealogy of the descendants of Perez indicated that the promised abolition of death through the work of his descendant the Messiah was drawing near. Just as the original Vav was lost through the first Adam and his sin, so the Vav is restored the obedience of the “Second Adam,” the Mashiach Yeshua.
1 Corinthians 14:5 - And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
http://www.hebrew4christia
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
To Whom Is the Seventh Day Sabbath For and When Actually Is It?
Exodus 20:10 - But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Isaiah 56:4 - 7 - For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
First, let's establish when the Sabbath is.
Leviticus 23:32 states, "It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath."
So the Sabbath is the seventh day from evening to evening. In Genesis 1:5 God YHWH establishes when the day starts - "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day."
So the Sabbath is Friday evening to Saturday evening.
God says that all of Israel (the Jews) are to observe it and all of the strangers, but how do we know that verse is for today and not specifically for the time, which Moses wrote it? Let's see what the recompense is for observing it. "Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer."
What does God's Holy Mountain refer to? Zechariah Chapter 8 refers to the millennial reign. Verse 3 states, "Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain."
Where is the Holy Mountain now? Ezekiel 28:14 states, "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire." So we know that Satan, before He fell, was the cherub, which stood always by the Lord's throne. Therefore, YHWH's Holy Mountain is in Heaven. It is within the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 21:2 - And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
That tabernacle of YHWH is the one which Jews and strangers (Gentiles, who have joined themselves to the Lord) is the House of Prayer for all people! All the other tabernacles/temples in the past were only for the Jews and small number of strangers which resided in their midst. Only the tabernacle from Heaven, within the New Jerusalem will be for all people, because the Gentiles had not yet been preached to.
Therefore, we may deduct that Isaiah 57:4 - 7 is for ALL PEOPLE.
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A Religion
Isaiah 56:4 - 7 - For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
First, let's establish when the Sabbath is.
Leviticus 23:32 states, "It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath."
So the Sabbath is the seventh day from evening to evening. In Genesis 1:5 God YHWH establishes when the day starts - "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day."
So the Sabbath is Friday evening to Saturday evening.
God says that all of Israel (the Jews) are to observe it and all of the strangers, but how do we know that verse is for today and not specifically for the time, which Moses wrote it? Let's see what the recompense is for observing it. "Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer."
What does God's Holy Mountain refer to? Zechariah Chapter 8 refers to the millennial reign. Verse 3 states, "Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain."
Where is the Holy Mountain now? Ezekiel 28:14 states, "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire." So we know that Satan, before He fell, was the cherub, which stood always by the Lord's throne. Therefore, YHWH's Holy Mountain is in Heaven. It is within the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 21:2 - And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
That tabernacle of YHWH is the one which Jews and strangers (Gentiles, who have joined themselves to the Lord) is the House of Prayer for all people! All the other tabernacles/temples in the past were only for the Jews and small number of strangers which resided in their midst. Only the tabernacle from Heaven, within the New Jerusalem will be for all people, because the Gentiles had not yet been preached to.
Therefore, we may deduct that Isaiah 57:4 - 7 is for ALL PEOPLE.
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A Religion
Do Walking in the Spirit and Retaining Addictions Agree?
I am excited! The Lord has given me so much to say tonight! HalleluYah!!
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that art bound.
Do you have a sin, which you cannot escape, such as smoking, cursing, drinking or any other activity? Yeshua has said that He has come to free us from those things, which have us in bondage. Satan is the one, which binds us to our sins, yet we are told to resist him and he will flee.
How do we know what are sins aside of the ones, which Torah specifically lists? Galatians 5:19 - 21says this, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Drunkenness is expressly mentioned, but also other works of the flesh will not enter the kingdom of Heaven. Galatians 5:16 - 17 also say this, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
So, anything which is an addiction to you - that would be qualified as a lust of the flesh, and if we are of the Spirit and walk in the Spirit, then Yeshua should have already set us free. If you have an addiction or lust, then don't hesitate to ask Him to work in your heart so that you might enter the kingdom of YHWH. If you don't then I fear you have taken Yeshua in vain, because the above verse (17) states that if we walk of the Spirit then we will not be able to do the lusts, which we did before. Being able to let go of lustful addictions, through the power of Yeshua, is evidence that you are now walking in the Spirit.
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that art bound.
Do you have a sin, which you cannot escape, such as smoking, cursing, drinking or any other activity? Yeshua has said that He has come to free us from those things, which have us in bondage. Satan is the one, which binds us to our sins, yet we are told to resist him and he will flee.
How do we know what are sins aside of the ones, which Torah specifically lists? Galatians 5:19 - 21says this, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Drunkenness is expressly mentioned, but also other works of the flesh will not enter the kingdom of Heaven. Galatians 5:16 - 17 also say this, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
So, anything which is an addiction to you - that would be qualified as a lust of the flesh, and if we are of the Spirit and walk in the Spirit, then Yeshua should have already set us free. If you have an addiction or lust, then don't hesitate to ask Him to work in your heart so that you might enter the kingdom of YHWH. If you don't then I fear you have taken Yeshua in vain, because the above verse (17) states that if we walk of the Spirit then we will not be able to do the lusts, which we did before. Being able to let go of lustful addictions, through the power of Yeshua, is evidence that you are now walking in the Spirit.
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
What Were the Bells and Pomegranates, Which the Priests Were Required to Wear?
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religion
A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about. - Exodus 28:34
The priests were commanded to wear a bell and a pomegranate on the hems of their robes. They were sewn in alternatively. Why do you suppose that is? What do you suppose they were symbols for and why were they to keep them so close on their attire? Let's examine!
It seems that the reason for the bells was simply so that the priest could be heard. Some say that the visitors to the tabernacle knew that when they heard no bells that the priest had done something wrong in the eyes of YHWH and had been struck dead.
But let's see what the pomegranate symbolized. I have never counted the seeds in one, nor will I probably ever, so this fact will probably go unverified by me, but it is Jewish tradition that a pomegranate holds 613 seeds. Why is this significant? There are 613 commandments in the Torah (Law of God).
We know that the Torah stands for the Messiah. He is the Living Torah. And the pomegranates, it seems, were a representation of Torah. So when the priests wore the pomegranates around the hem of their garments, it symbolizes that Yeshua was with them. It signifies the fruit of the Spirit, which we have from following Yeshua and giving Him a place in our hearts.
A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about. - Exodus 28:34
The priests were commanded to wear a bell and a pomegranate on the hems of their robes. They were sewn in alternatively. Why do you suppose that is? What do you suppose they were symbols for and why were they to keep them so close on their attire? Let's examine!
It seems that the reason for the bells was simply so that the priest could be heard. Some say that the visitors to the tabernacle knew that when they heard no bells that the priest had done something wrong in the eyes of YHWH and had been struck dead.
But let's see what the pomegranate symbolized. I have never counted the seeds in one, nor will I probably ever, so this fact will probably go unverified by me, but it is Jewish tradition that a pomegranate holds 613 seeds. Why is this significant? There are 613 commandments in the Torah (Law of God).
We know that the Torah stands for the Messiah. He is the Living Torah. And the pomegranates, it seems, were a representation of Torah. So when the priests wore the pomegranates around the hem of their garments, it symbolizes that Yeshua was with them. It signifies the fruit of the Spirit, which we have from following Yeshua and giving Him a place in our hearts.
Why Is It So Difficult to Shama (Hear and Obey)?
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A Religion
We know YHWH's (God) commandments. Not only the Ten do we know, but also all 613 of them, or else we should.
We are commanded to hear and obey (shama), but do we? So many of the times believers fall into weakness and only complete half of the command to shama, which is the hear part.
But Paul commands us to do all - Romans 2:13 "(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. " James actually confirms this in James 1:22 - "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
So why do our weaknesses allow us to fail with these commandments and fall into temptation, afterward sinning?
Deuteronomy 30:10-14 says this, "If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest 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 thou shouldest 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 nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. "
What he is saying is that the commandments, are in our heart so that we can do and follow them. They are with us always, not in Heaven, where we cannot reach or across the sea, that we cannot fetch them. The Apostle Paul confirmed this in Romans, though many misunderstand him. He said in Romans 10:5-8, "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is,the word of faith, which we preach."
He says that they preach the same thing as Moses. Many misunderstand that. They quote the next verse, which states, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved," but fail to recognize the next verse has two parts:
1. Believe unto righteousness.
2. Confess with the mouth.
The Greek word for righteousness here is dikaiosynē, and the best definition for it is: the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God. But let's let Scripture define it. Righteousness is defined in Romans 10:5 "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law." Does that mean the Torah brings about righteousness? Nope.
Look at verses 1-4 and I am going to explain them in a whole new light.
1. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
First of all - in (1.) Paul states He wishes for the Jews to become saved.
In (2.) he states that they have an earnest desire to please YHWH but no knowledge of how to do so.
In (3.) he states that because of their not understanding the righteousness of YHWH they followed what they believed was their own righteousness - what they believed made them righteous - which is the Torah (and it doesn't.)
In (4.) He states (let me put this again), "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. " So is Paul saying that to follow Christ Yeshua that means we are to stop following Torah? God forbid he said in Romans 3:31 "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Does he contradict himself? Let's see!
The Greek word for end in verse 4 is telos and actually means the end of a goal oriented process, so lets read it as Paul meant. "For Christ is the aim of the goal oriented process of the Torah for righteousness to every one that believeth." So what he is saying is that believing in and obeying the Torah leads us to Christ.
But now, back to my original point... why do we have trouble hearing and obeying YHWH's word?
Yeshua tells us in Matthew 26:41 - "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Certainly, that is great advice, from the Lord himself, but I think there is more than just prayer to it. Let's see.
1 Timothy 4:7-8 says this, "But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."
So Paul compares obeying YHWH to exercise. Of course, it is a good idea to exercise our bodies physically, as being healthy always glorifies YHWH, but Paul is saying what good is it to exercise our bodies if we have no godliness, piety towards YHWH. So how do we get that godliness?
It is called spiritual muscle, and we acquire it by facing temptations and obeying what James said, which is to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Each time we stand up to temptation, it strengthens our spirit, and with each strengthening of the spirit, which we experience, the bigger our spiritual muscles become, and then it is easier to shama, so start building and flexing those muscles for YHWH!
© Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religious Studies
August 16, 2009
We know YHWH's (God) commandments. Not only the Ten do we know, but also all 613 of them, or else we should.
We are commanded to hear and obey (shama), but do we? So many of the times believers fall into weakness and only complete half of the command to shama, which is the hear part.
But Paul commands us to do all - Romans 2:13 "(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. " James actually confirms this in James 1:22 - "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
So why do our weaknesses allow us to fail with these commandments and fall into temptation, afterward sinning?
Deuteronomy 30:10-14 says this, "If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest 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 thou shouldest 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 nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. "
What he is saying is that the commandments, are in our heart so that we can do and follow them. They are with us always, not in Heaven, where we cannot reach or across the sea, that we cannot fetch them. The Apostle Paul confirmed this in Romans, though many misunderstand him. He said in Romans 10:5-8, "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is,the word of faith, which we preach."
He says that they preach the same thing as Moses. Many misunderstand that. They quote the next verse, which states, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved," but fail to recognize the next verse has two parts:
1. Believe unto righteousness.
2. Confess with the mouth.
The Greek word for righteousness here is dikaiosynē, and the best definition for it is: the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God. But let's let Scripture define it. Righteousness is defined in Romans 10:5 "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law." Does that mean the Torah brings about righteousness? Nope.
Look at verses 1-4 and I am going to explain them in a whole new light.
1. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
First of all - in (1.) Paul states He wishes for the Jews to become saved.
In (2.) he states that they have an earnest desire to please YHWH but no knowledge of how to do so.
In (3.) he states that because of their not understanding the righteousness of YHWH they followed what they believed was their own righteousness - what they believed made them righteous - which is the Torah (and it doesn't.)
In (4.) He states (let me put this again), "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. " So is Paul saying that to follow Christ Yeshua that means we are to stop following Torah? God forbid he said in Romans 3:31 "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Does he contradict himself? Let's see!
The Greek word for end in verse 4 is telos and actually means the end of a goal oriented process, so lets read it as Paul meant. "For Christ is the aim of the goal oriented process of the Torah for righteousness to every one that believeth." So what he is saying is that believing in and obeying the Torah leads us to Christ.
But now, back to my original point... why do we have trouble hearing and obeying YHWH's word?
Yeshua tells us in Matthew 26:41 - "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Certainly, that is great advice, from the Lord himself, but I think there is more than just prayer to it. Let's see.
1 Timothy 4:7-8 says this, "But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."
So Paul compares obeying YHWH to exercise. Of course, it is a good idea to exercise our bodies physically, as being healthy always glorifies YHWH, but Paul is saying what good is it to exercise our bodies if we have no godliness, piety towards YHWH. So how do we get that godliness?
It is called spiritual muscle, and we acquire it by facing temptations and obeying what James said, which is to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Each time we stand up to temptation, it strengthens our spirit, and with each strengthening of the spirit, which we experience, the bigger our spiritual muscles become, and then it is easier to shama, so start building and flexing those muscles for YHWH!
© Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religious Studies
August 16, 2009
Are Christians Chosen by Predestination Individually or Within Israel? - An Eye Opener for Those Who Believe in Replacement Theology
In a sense they are. YHWH reveals to those, whom He chooses the things, which He chooses. But is it His predestining us, individually, while we were only in His mind, the reason for our being Christians as many think? Is our freewill negated in choosing to follow Him because He has made His mind up?
Let's see what the definition of predestination is. In the Greek, the word for predestinated is proorizō, and it means to predetermine, decide beforehand, God decreeing from eternity, to foreordain or appoint beforehand.
We must remember that YHWH has one plan, and that is to reconcile humans back to Him through His Son. The Hebrew people weren't part of a plan, which was failed, and which YHWH chalked up and threw away, beginning a new plan with Gentiles, as replacement theologians teach. No; YHWH had His plan from the beginning of the time, which He created the world, as it is written, "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" - 1 Peter 1:19-20. Abraham believed in that plan, because it was said by Yeshua, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad" - John 8:56.
Many replacement theologians say that because Israel failed at recognizing the Messiah, YHWH finished with the Hebrew people and created a new people for Himself for the Gentiles. But what does the Holy Bible say about that?
Romans 11:16- - For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?"
So Israel has not been done away with. Israel is the original tree. Granted, the branches, which cannot see that Yeshua is the Messiah have been removed from the tree, but when the vail is removed (2 Corinthians 3:16 - Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away) unbelieving Israel shall be again placed within the covenant, as promised in Jeremiah 31:33 - But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Luke wrote in the book of Acts, chapter 13 and verse 17, "The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it." Then in verse 23 he goes on to say, "Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus." In verses 38 and 39 he declares, "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Then he says in verses 42 - 44, "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. "
So Israel had a great many who believed. Just look at Acts 2:41 - Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Those were Jews who were added to the church that day, and verse 47 says that more were added to the church daily.
Therefore, we can deduct that YHWH had one plan - to call all people to repentance through the blood of the Messiah, with the Jews being a light unto the Gentiles, as Isaiah 49:6 promises, "And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."
We can also deduct, when Paul said, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved" - Ephesians 1:4-7, he was talking about the whole of Israel. This is referenced to and confirmed in Isaiah 45:44 - For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me; verse 17 - But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
Therefore, it is the entity, Israel, as a whole, which He has elected, and not every single person. We each all have our own freewill to choose the things, which we wish.
Interesting enough, the definition for Israel is YHWH prevails. To throw out Israel and to replace it with the church is the same as calling YHWH a failure. We are reminded that in Numbers 14:12 YHWH threatens to put an end to Israel (I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.) But Moses reminds Him in verses 13-16, "Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;) And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness. "
So to explain it, YHWH is fed up with the Hebrew people, because of their unbelief and wants to strike them all down, yet Moses pleads with Him and tells Him that if He does this thing, then those in Egypt, who were lead to believe He was with the Hebrews, would say that He was not able to do the thing which He had planned, and YHWH hears Moses and decides to remain with the people for His glory (verse 21 - But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.)
When we say that YHWH was not able to lead Israel into His rest, that He threw them out and began a new church, then we are opposing YHWH's ability, as well.
This is something for replacement theologians to think about.
© Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religious Studies
17 August 2009
Let's see what the definition of predestination is. In the Greek, the word for predestinated is proorizō, and it means to predetermine, decide beforehand, God decreeing from eternity, to foreordain or appoint beforehand.
We must remember that YHWH has one plan, and that is to reconcile humans back to Him through His Son. The Hebrew people weren't part of a plan, which was failed, and which YHWH chalked up and threw away, beginning a new plan with Gentiles, as replacement theologians teach. No; YHWH had His plan from the beginning of the time, which He created the world, as it is written, "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" - 1 Peter 1:19-20. Abraham believed in that plan, because it was said by Yeshua, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad" - John 8:56.
Many replacement theologians say that because Israel failed at recognizing the Messiah, YHWH finished with the Hebrew people and created a new people for Himself for the Gentiles. But what does the Holy Bible say about that?
Romans 11:16- - For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?"
So Israel has not been done away with. Israel is the original tree. Granted, the branches, which cannot see that Yeshua is the Messiah have been removed from the tree, but when the vail is removed (2 Corinthians 3:16 - Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away) unbelieving Israel shall be again placed within the covenant, as promised in Jeremiah 31:33 - But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Luke wrote in the book of Acts, chapter 13 and verse 17, "The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it." Then in verse 23 he goes on to say, "Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus." In verses 38 and 39 he declares, "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Then he says in verses 42 - 44, "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. "
So Israel had a great many who believed. Just look at Acts 2:41 - Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Those were Jews who were added to the church that day, and verse 47 says that more were added to the church daily.
Therefore, we can deduct that YHWH had one plan - to call all people to repentance through the blood of the Messiah, with the Jews being a light unto the Gentiles, as Isaiah 49:6 promises, "And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."
We can also deduct, when Paul said, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved" - Ephesians 1:4-7, he was talking about the whole of Israel. This is referenced to and confirmed in Isaiah 45:44 - For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me; verse 17 - But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
Therefore, it is the entity, Israel, as a whole, which He has elected, and not every single person. We each all have our own freewill to choose the things, which we wish.
Interesting enough, the definition for Israel is YHWH prevails. To throw out Israel and to replace it with the church is the same as calling YHWH a failure. We are reminded that in Numbers 14:12 YHWH threatens to put an end to Israel (I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.) But Moses reminds Him in verses 13-16, "Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;) And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness. "
So to explain it, YHWH is fed up with the Hebrew people, because of their unbelief and wants to strike them all down, yet Moses pleads with Him and tells Him that if He does this thing, then those in Egypt, who were lead to believe He was with the Hebrews, would say that He was not able to do the thing which He had planned, and YHWH hears Moses and decides to remain with the people for His glory (verse 21 - But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.)
When we say that YHWH was not able to lead Israel into His rest, that He threw them out and began a new church, then we are opposing YHWH's ability, as well.
This is something for replacement theologians to think about.
© Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religious Studies
17 August 2009
Did YHWH Really Harden Pharaoh's Heart and Take Away His Freewill?
One word for hardened in Hebrew is Strong's 2388 chazaq, and means to strengthen.
Another word in Hebrew for hardened is Strong's 3513 kabad and means to be oppressive.
Lets see how these definitions apply before the Hebrew becomes completely translated.
Exodus 9:12 - And the LORD hardened (chazaq - strengthened) the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.
Exodus 10:20 - But the LORD hardened (chazaq - strengthened) Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.
Exodus 9:34 - And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart (kabad - made it oppresive), he and his servants.
Exodus 8:32 - And Pharaoh hardened (kabad - made oppresive) his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
YHWH never takes away anyone's freewill - but always allows them to make their own choices. Here, YHWH actually encouraged Pharaoh, yet Pharaoh still resisted.
If you notice Exodus 10:20 says, "But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go." So it makes it appear that YHWH strengthened/hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he would resist and keep the Hebrews captive. Yet, when you look at the Hebrew interlinear version, it actually says:
What the Hebrew Interlinear Version says is that YHWH strengthened Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh would not let the children go - not that YHWH strengthened it SO THAT Pharaoh would not let the children go.
It Strong's Concordance, Exodus 10:20 looks like this:
Exd 10:20 - But the LORD 3068 hardened 2388 Pharaoh's 6547 heart 3820, so that he would not let the children 1121 of Israel 3478 go 7971 .
Notice that the phrase so that he would not let the children all falls under the concordance number 1121? The Hebrew word for that number is ben, and ben means son or children. So if it was translated just as it was written in Hebrew, according to the Strong's Concordance - it would say something like this, "YHWH strengthened Pharaoh's heart, children of Israel go."
The translators had to make it fit as best as they could to make sense, and they found "would not let the children go" to be the best way, but YHWH never forced Pharaoh to do anything.
Another word in Hebrew for hardened is Strong's 3513 kabad and means to be oppressive.
Lets see how these definitions apply before the Hebrew becomes completely translated.
Exodus 9:12 - And the LORD hardened (chazaq - strengthened) the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.
Exodus 10:20 - But the LORD hardened (chazaq - strengthened) Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.
Exodus 9:34 - And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart (kabad - made it oppresive), he and his servants.
Exodus 8:32 - And Pharaoh hardened (kabad - made oppresive) his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
YHWH never takes away anyone's freewill - but always allows them to make their own choices. Here, YHWH actually encouraged Pharaoh, yet Pharaoh still resisted.
If you notice Exodus 10:20 says, "But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go." So it makes it appear that YHWH strengthened/hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he would resist and keep the Hebrews captive. Yet, when you look at the Hebrew interlinear version, it actually says:
What the Hebrew Interlinear Version says is that YHWH strengthened Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh would not let the children go - not that YHWH strengthened it SO THAT Pharaoh would not let the children go.
It Strong's Concordance, Exodus 10:20 looks like this:
Exd 10:20 - But the LORD 3068 hardened 2388 Pharaoh's 6547 heart 3820, so that he would not let the children 1121 of Israel 3478 go 7971 .
Notice that the phrase so that he would not let the children all falls under the concordance number 1121? The Hebrew word for that number is ben, and ben means son or children. So if it was translated just as it was written in Hebrew, according to the Strong's Concordance - it would say something like this, "YHWH strengthened Pharaoh's heart, children of Israel go."
The translators had to make it fit as best as they could to make sense, and they found "would not let the children go" to be the best way, but YHWH never forced Pharaoh to do anything.
God's Name - The Tetragrammaton
God's name in Hebrew is referred to as the Tetragrammaton and consists of the Hebrew letters Yod Hey Vav Hey. It is pronounced Yahweh and when spelled out it actually looks like this in English YHWH. Here is what it looks like in Hebrew:
Most people have probably seen it, even if they didn't know what it was, but what most people don't know is that when it is written out vertically rather than horizontally, it actually turns into a very important picture. (Hebrew is always read from the right to the left rather than the English way of reading, from the left to the right.) Vertically the Hebrew characters look like this:
Now when looking at it vertically it becomes a man with a heart in his chest, thus the name of God takes on a new meaning - the heart of man and further expounds the verse of Hebrews 10:16 - This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them. Therefore we know that Yeshua and YHWH are one in the same, because it is written in John 14:9 - he that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Yeshua is the living Law or Torah and He is the Hey or heart in the Tetragrammaton.
The Hey is actually a Dalet and an Aleph joined together. The Aleph symbolizes God and the Dalet symbolizes broken humanity. When joined together to form the Hey they represent God within the human heart. When Abram and Sarai were renamed the Hey were added - thus showing they then had God in their hearts.
Most people have probably seen it, even if they didn't know what it was, but what most people don't know is that when it is written out vertically rather than horizontally, it actually turns into a very important picture. (Hebrew is always read from the right to the left rather than the English way of reading, from the left to the right.) Vertically the Hebrew characters look like this:
Now when looking at it vertically it becomes a man with a heart in his chest, thus the name of God takes on a new meaning - the heart of man and further expounds the verse of Hebrews 10:16 - This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them. Therefore we know that Yeshua and YHWH are one in the same, because it is written in John 14:9 - he that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Yeshua is the living Law or Torah and He is the Hey or heart in the Tetragrammaton.
The Hey is actually a Dalet and an Aleph joined together. The Aleph symbolizes God and the Dalet symbolizes broken humanity. When joined together to form the Hey they represent God within the human heart. When Abram and Sarai were renamed the Hey were added - thus showing they then had God in their hearts.
Structure and Poetic Parallelism of Creation According to the Account in Genesis
The fact that there are obvious problems with taking the order of events depicted in Genesis 1 in literal, chronological fashion (e.g. light is created and days pass before the sun is made) should immediately suggest the possibility that the order and structure have some other purpose than chronology in mind. If we set the days side by side, we immediately see a parallelism between days 1-3 of creation and days 4-6:
Forming-------------------
Day 1: light & dark, day & night------------>Day 4: sun, moon, stars
Day 2: waters above & below-------------->Day 5: birds and fish/sea animals
Day 3: dry land----------------------
Day 7: Sabbath rest
By looking at the structure of this passage and its description of the seven days of creation, we see that the emphasis lies, not on the order of events in which creation took place, but on the completeness of it. God made all places, and all things that dwell in them. This parallelism certainly alerts us to the very real possibility that the order of the days intends to emphasize something other than the chronological order of events.
The Greatest of Everything!
For God--------------Greatest-
So---------------------Gre
Loved-----------------Grea
The World------------Greatest-
That He gave--------Greatest------
His only---------------Greates
Begotten-------------Great
Son--------------------Gre
That whosoever-----Greatest----
Believeth------------- Greatest --------Truth
In Him-----------------Greate
Should not perish----Greatest--------
But have--------------Greatest
Everlasting-----------Grea
Life--------------------Gr
So---------------------Gre
Loved-----------------Grea
The World------------Greatest-
That He gave--------Greatest------
His only---------------Greates
Begotten-------------Great
Son--------------------Gre
That whosoever-----Greatest----
Believeth------------- Greatest --------Truth
In Him-----------------Greate
Should not perish----Greatest--------
But have--------------Greatest
Everlasting-----------Grea
Life--------------------Gr
Nicodemus vs. The Samaritan Lady at the Well
NICODEMUS-----------------
1.Man---------------------
2.Outstanding ruler---------------------
3.Nicodemus---------------
4.Wealthy-----------------
5.He sought Yeshua--------------------
6.Jew---------------------
7.Morally upright-------------------
8.No response------------------
9.Yeshua blunt---------------------
10.Started with spiritual things---------10.Started with secular things
Nicodemus and the lady at the well were totally opposite, yet both were saved. This just goes to show that Yeshua can save anyone!
1.Man---------------------
2.Outstanding ruler---------------------
3.Nicodemus---------------
4.Wealthy-----------------
5.He sought Yeshua--------------------
6.Jew---------------------
7.Morally upright-------------------
8.No response------------------
9.Yeshua blunt---------------------
10.Started with spiritual things---------10.Started with secular things
Nicodemus and the lady at the well were totally opposite, yet both were saved. This just goes to show that Yeshua can save anyone!
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A Religion
Very Important Thing, Which YHWH Showed Me This Morning
This is something, which the Lord showed me this morning, which I believe speaks volumes!
Exodus 23:20-22 -- Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
Angel here is mistranslated, because we know that no angel is able to forgive sins (Luke 5:12).
The Hebrew word for angel here is mal'ak, and may be translated as:
A. messenger
B. angel
C. the theophanic angel, which simply means appearing to man as a god.
In Exodus 23:20-22, we can see that this "angel" was the Lord Jesus Christ or Yeshua, because no angel can forgive transgressions, nor can any have YHWH's name in Him. YHWH's real name is Yahuah, and Yeshua's (Jesus) real name is Yahushua. Clearly, the Son's name hold's the Father's name.
But what would be a good translation for Yeshua here? Angel doesn't seem appropriate. In all His glory, He is higher than the angels since through Him all things were created (Colossians 1:16 - For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.) And in His kenosis (veiling of His glofy) as man incarnate, He was lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:9 - But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.) So taking all this into consideration, angel doesn't look like the best answer.
Theophanic angel doesn't seem appropriate either, as it reduces His deity down to that as a common false god.
Therefore, messenger would be the best answer, but I think we can be more specific and say One who is commissioned by YHWH to carry out a specific action or deed; specifically in this case, Yeshua Ha Messiach.
Now, that we have established this "angel" as the Messiah what can we say about Him?
YHWH tells the Israelites to beware of Him. What does that mean? Usually, when we think of the word beware, we think of a dangerous dog. Does it mean that Yeshua is dangerous and is a threat? Absolutely not! Beware here, in the Hebrew, is shamar, and it means to watch, observe, retain to memory, or to give heed. Another words, YHWH is telling His people to pay attention to Him and to listen.
Next, YHWH tells the Israelites to obey His (Yeshua's) voice, yet He then says, after telling them not to provoke Him, "and do all that I (YHWH) speak."
So since the Israelites are suppose to hear and obey both parties, we can know that they have the same agenda.
What does YHWH speak that He so wants the Israelites to hear? Just 3 chapters prior He had given the Ten Commandments, and in Chapter 23, which we are reading, He had commanded them to observe the feast days.
And so YHWH promised if they followed the Ten Commandments that He would deliver them from their enemies and not only that, but also drive their enemies out of the land, and give it to them as their heritage (Exodus 23:30 - By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.)
But is this all that was required of the Israelites in their journey? No. Let me explain.
Exodus 18:5 - And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God.
Exodus 18:13-15 -- And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
So, to explain it all - while Moses was living in the wilderness, Jethro came and saw Moses judging matters between 600,000 men, and maybe women as well, he asked him what he was doing, and Moses replied that he keeps the peace between them by teaching them YHWH's statutes and laws. YHWH had not given them yet, as a whole to the nation, but as problems arose, He had Moses instruct them, to edify them and to sanctify them in steps.
What? The laws and statutes had already been given? Yes, Abraham kept them perfectly (Genesis 26:5) and Noah must have know them, as well, because he knew what animals were clean and unclean.
So, we can presume that it was all the statutes, laws and commandments, which YHWH was warning the Israelite people to obey in Exodus 23.
It is clear in Leviticus 26 that if the Israelites did not keep these commandments, they would be cursed and their enemies would then overrun them.
Leviticus 26:14-16 -- But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
So, if they keep YHWH's commands then they are blessed and their enemies will leave them alone, and if they don't keep His commands, the opposite happens and they are overtaken by the enemy.
Now, why have I gone through all this and why is it significant? Many of you may say, "That is only history; that is Old Testament Law."
But here is my point. Remember Ecclesiastes 1:9 - The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun? Well, most things, which happen are pictures of things to happen in the future. Look at Antiochus IV and Hitler! But we must know that when we become saved, we are leaving Egypt in our lives. Egypt represents the bondage. Our journey from here on out to eternity, until we enter that glorious promised land, is like their journey through the wilderness.
And so when we become new believers, we are as babies on milk. We must humble ourselves and learn His ways. That is why the first thing we learn is the Ten Commandments. Also, James and Peter saw it fitting that four more rules be enforced, in Acts 15:
1. Abstain from pollutions of idols.
2. Abstain from fornication.
3. Abstain from strangled.
4. Abstain from blood.
But that wasn't all that the early Christians were to do. The Jews were already zealous for the Torah, but the Gentile converts knew nothing about it. If the apostles had chosen to overwhelm them, then they would have become discouraged and lost their faith. Instead, they began their journey through the wilderness with these few burdens, but James said, in verse 21,"For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day."
Now, I don't usually like to leave the KJV or the HRV, but I am here, because I feel that it clarifies this point very much. Read verses 19, 20 and 21 in the NIV.
"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.
So what he is saying is because it is so hard for the Gentile converts to learn to do these things, they were going to take baby steps in the beginning, and through the word of Moses being preached every Sabbath in the Synagogues, the sanctification process would be continued until the conversion process was completed.
It is with us as it was with the Israelites in the wilderness and as it was with the earliest of Gentile believers. When YHWH calls for Himself people, He does not put upon us more than we can withstand. He has promised that. Instead, we are to begin with milk and be built up to meat (the full word of God.)
I see many times Christians who obey and teach such laws as do not consult psychics, do not look for divination and do not steal, but they do away with such laws as do not get tattoos, observe my Sabbath and keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them, yet they are all, everyone, in Leviticus 19. It is time that we stop picking and choosing what laws we think do or do not apply to today, (a farce, known as cultural relativity) and obey YHWH's word in full; or else YHWH's judgment is going to fall upon us, and it's not going to be nice. Remember, I said that most things happened in the Old Testament as a picture of what will happen in the future? We already see many, many signs of Deuteronomy creeping in on us today. We must repent and shama (hear and obey).
And that "angel," Yeshua, whom helped the Israelites to the promised land, is still with us today, also helping us to our promised land, and He is saying the same thing, "But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" - Matthew 19:17.
You may be thinking commandments here are the Ten Commandments, but actually the Greek word is entolē, and it means the commandments in the Mosaic law or Jewish tradition. Entolē is the same word for commandments, which is used in Matthew 5:17-19, wherein Yeshua says, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 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. 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."
Therefore, entolē is the same word, which is the 613 commands of Torah.
©Kimberly Padilla, A.A. in Religion
21 August 2009
Exodus 23:20-22 -- Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
Angel here is mistranslated, because we know that no angel is able to forgive sins (Luke 5:12).
The Hebrew word for angel here is mal'ak, and may be translated as:
A. messenger
B. angel
C. the theophanic angel, which simply means appearing to man as a god.
In Exodus 23:20-22, we can see that this "angel" was the Lord Jesus Christ or Yeshua, because no angel can forgive transgressions, nor can any have YHWH's name in Him. YHWH's real name is Yahuah, and Yeshua's (Jesus) real name is Yahushua. Clearly, the Son's name hold's the Father's name.
But what would be a good translation for Yeshua here? Angel doesn't seem appropriate. In all His glory, He is higher than the angels since through Him all things were created (Colossians 1:16 - For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.) And in His kenosis (veiling of His glofy) as man incarnate, He was lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:9 - But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.) So taking all this into consideration, angel doesn't look like the best answer.
Theophanic angel doesn't seem appropriate either, as it reduces His deity down to that as a common false god.
Therefore, messenger would be the best answer, but I think we can be more specific and say One who is commissioned by YHWH to carry out a specific action or deed; specifically in this case, Yeshua Ha Messiach.
Now, that we have established this "angel" as the Messiah what can we say about Him?
YHWH tells the Israelites to beware of Him. What does that mean? Usually, when we think of the word beware, we think of a dangerous dog. Does it mean that Yeshua is dangerous and is a threat? Absolutely not! Beware here, in the Hebrew, is shamar, and it means to watch, observe, retain to memory, or to give heed. Another words, YHWH is telling His people to pay attention to Him and to listen.
Next, YHWH tells the Israelites to obey His (Yeshua's) voice, yet He then says, after telling them not to provoke Him, "and do all that I (YHWH) speak."
So since the Israelites are suppose to hear and obey both parties, we can know that they have the same agenda.
What does YHWH speak that He so wants the Israelites to hear? Just 3 chapters prior He had given the Ten Commandments, and in Chapter 23, which we are reading, He had commanded them to observe the feast days.
And so YHWH promised if they followed the Ten Commandments that He would deliver them from their enemies and not only that, but also drive their enemies out of the land, and give it to them as their heritage (Exodus 23:30 - By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.)
But is this all that was required of the Israelites in their journey? No. Let me explain.
Exodus 18:5 - And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God.
Exodus 18:13-15 -- And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
So, to explain it all - while Moses was living in the wilderness, Jethro came and saw Moses judging matters between 600,000 men, and maybe women as well, he asked him what he was doing, and Moses replied that he keeps the peace between them by teaching them YHWH's statutes and laws. YHWH had not given them yet, as a whole to the nation, but as problems arose, He had Moses instruct them, to edify them and to sanctify them in steps.
What? The laws and statutes had already been given? Yes, Abraham kept them perfectly (Genesis 26:5) and Noah must have know them, as well, because he knew what animals were clean and unclean.
So, we can presume that it was all the statutes, laws and commandments, which YHWH was warning the Israelite people to obey in Exodus 23.
It is clear in Leviticus 26 that if the Israelites did not keep these commandments, they would be cursed and their enemies would then overrun them.
Leviticus 26:14-16 -- But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
So, if they keep YHWH's commands then they are blessed and their enemies will leave them alone, and if they don't keep His commands, the opposite happens and they are overtaken by the enemy.
Now, why have I gone through all this and why is it significant? Many of you may say, "That is only history; that is Old Testament Law."
But here is my point. Remember Ecclesiastes 1:9 - The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun? Well, most things, which happen are pictures of things to happen in the future. Look at Antiochus IV and Hitler! But we must know that when we become saved, we are leaving Egypt in our lives. Egypt represents the bondage. Our journey from here on out to eternity, until we enter that glorious promised land, is like their journey through the wilderness.
And so when we become new believers, we are as babies on milk. We must humble ourselves and learn His ways. That is why the first thing we learn is the Ten Commandments. Also, James and Peter saw it fitting that four more rules be enforced, in Acts 15:
1. Abstain from pollutions of idols.
2. Abstain from fornication.
3. Abstain from strangled.
4. Abstain from blood.
But that wasn't all that the early Christians were to do. The Jews were already zealous for the Torah, but the Gentile converts knew nothing about it. If the apostles had chosen to overwhelm them, then they would have become discouraged and lost their faith. Instead, they began their journey through the wilderness with these few burdens, but James said, in verse 21,"For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day."
Now, I don't usually like to leave the KJV or the HRV, but I am here, because I feel that it clarifies this point very much. Read verses 19, 20 and 21 in the NIV.
"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.
So what he is saying is because it is so hard for the Gentile converts to learn to do these things, they were going to take baby steps in the beginning, and through the word of Moses being preached every Sabbath in the Synagogues, the sanctification process would be continued until the conversion process was completed.
It is with us as it was with the Israelites in the wilderness and as it was with the earliest of Gentile believers. When YHWH calls for Himself people, He does not put upon us more than we can withstand. He has promised that. Instead, we are to begin with milk and be built up to meat (the full word of God.)
I see many times Christians who obey and teach such laws as do not consult psychics, do not look for divination and do not steal, but they do away with such laws as do not get tattoos, observe my Sabbath and keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them, yet they are all, everyone, in Leviticus 19. It is time that we stop picking and choosing what laws we think do or do not apply to today, (a farce, known as cultural relativity) and obey YHWH's word in full; or else YHWH's judgment is going to fall upon us, and it's not going to be nice. Remember, I said that most things happened in the Old Testament as a picture of what will happen in the future? We already see many, many signs of Deuteronomy creeping in on us today. We must repent and shama (hear and obey).
And that "angel," Yeshua, whom helped the Israelites to the promised land, is still with us today, also helping us to our promised land, and He is saying the same thing, "But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" - Matthew 19:17.
You may be thinking commandments here are the Ten Commandments, but actually the Greek word is entolē, and it means the commandments in the Mosaic law or Jewish tradition. Entolē is the same word for commandments, which is used in Matthew 5:17-19, wherein Yeshua says, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 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. 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."
Therefore, entolē is the same word, which is the 613 commands of Torah.
©Kimberly Padilla, A.A. in Religion
21 August 2009
The Right Hand and the Left Hand
I just finished a discussion board assignment, in which I had to use the Bible, our textbook and one other source to answer these three questions.
1.What is the significance of Jesus’ resurrection for Christians?
2.What are your thoughts on who Theophilus was? Was he a real person?
3.What does it mean that Jesus is “sitting at God’s ‘right hand’?”
I won't bore you with the actual document, because frankly, I haven't felt very good today and it isn't my best work, but I did want to share a thought with you regarding the third question. It is something that I heard a few years ago, and thought maybe not everyone is aware of it. It isn't inspired, but just knowledge of an etymological venue.
Jesus sits at the right hand of God. (I am not using my Hebrew terms tonight - YHWH, Yeshua, because I have been writing for an evangelical school, which does not understand the terms, and am in that mode, but definitely prefer to call the Godhead by their real names.) The right hand symbolizes righteousness, power, and authority, but why does God specifically call Jesus to His right side rather than His left side?
The word for right in Hebrew is yashar and actually means pleasing, esteemed or to make straight. But did you know that the word left in Latin is sinestra and means sinister. That is why it is always seen as inappropriate to shake hand using the left hand and why parents often make children, who start life using the left hand change and use the right hand. Satanists have been said to take the left hand path and eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism are also said to use a lefthand path in the activity of Tantra.
Just a little trivia.............
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A Religion
1.What is the significance of Jesus’ resurrection for Christians?
2.What are your thoughts on who Theophilus was? Was he a real person?
3.What does it mean that Jesus is “sitting at God’s ‘right hand’?”
I won't bore you with the actual document, because frankly, I haven't felt very good today and it isn't my best work, but I did want to share a thought with you regarding the third question. It is something that I heard a few years ago, and thought maybe not everyone is aware of it. It isn't inspired, but just knowledge of an etymological venue.
Jesus sits at the right hand of God. (I am not using my Hebrew terms tonight - YHWH, Yeshua, because I have been writing for an evangelical school, which does not understand the terms, and am in that mode, but definitely prefer to call the Godhead by their real names.) The right hand symbolizes righteousness, power, and authority, but why does God specifically call Jesus to His right side rather than His left side?
The word for right in Hebrew is yashar and actually means pleasing, esteemed or to make straight. But did you know that the word left in Latin is sinestra and means sinister. That is why it is always seen as inappropriate to shake hand using the left hand and why parents often make children, who start life using the left hand change and use the right hand. Satanists have been said to take the left hand path and eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism are also said to use a lefthand path in the activity of Tantra.
Just a little trivia.............
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A Religion
Amazing stuff in the Hebrew language, specifically about the tribes mentioned in Revelation!
As I take the Shabbat to leave my own desires to rest and study the word of YHWH, He is always faithful to show me many wonderful things, and so has He this Shabbat. I want to share with you the MOST AMAZING thing, which I learned this day. I wish I could write down all the things, which He has increased my knowledge in, but as I have begun school once more, my time is limited and so I fear that I am not able to write as I have been. Most of you know, however, that the Hebrew language amazes me! Not only does every single sentence put together make sense, but also every single word and EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER also have a distinct meaning, and so by spelling out a word, you often already have an important revelation. For instance, sign in the Hebrew language is 'owth, אות, and the letters converted to the Paleo Hebrew language or Hebrew picture language, actually mean “LEADER NAILED ON THE CROSS.” So we know that in Isaiah’s day, because he wrote in Paleo Hebrew, that when he wrote Isaiah 7:14 (Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel) that the sign, which he wrote actually said “LEADER NAILED ON THE CROSS.”
Paleo Hebrew used a bull to signify strength or leader, and of course, you can make out the nail and the cross.
Amazing huh? That is why I believe that YHWH has done nothing by accident or by coindicence. I think that everything He has done, has been done with deliberation and purpose, and that the whole Bible is written with that same deliberational thought process. So, with all that being said, here is what I learned today.
Revelations 7:3-8 – [Revelation 7:2 Another angel cried:]
Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them, which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Napthali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Notice the arrangement of the tribes. They are (with definition, according to the Hebrew language, and coordinating Scripture):
Judah – Praise the Lord (Genesis 29:35 - And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.)
Reuben – Behold a son (Genesis 29:32 - And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.)
Gad – Good fortune (Genesis 30:11 - And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.)
Asher – Blessed (Genesis 30:13 - And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.)
Napthali – Wrestling (Genesis 30:8 - And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.)
Manasses – Forgetting (Genesis 41:51 - And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.)
Simeon – Heard (Genesis 29:33 - And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.)
Levi – Joined to (Genesis 29:34 - And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.)
Issachar – There is recompense (Genesis 30:18 - And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.)
Zabulon – A Habitation (Genesis 30:20 - And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.)
Joseph – YHWH was added (Genesis 30:24 - And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.)
Benjamin – Son of the right hand (Genesis 35:18 - And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.)
So, when taking all this into consideration, we have a story according to the arrangement of the tribes, which YHWH so thoughtfully placed, and that story is:
Now I will praise the Lord, Behold the Son, Good fortune and happiness comes! With great wrestlings I have wrestled, but YHWH has made me forget all my toil! Because the Lord has heard, at this time will my husband be joined unto me. YHWH has given me my reward, now will my husband dwell with me. The Lord has added to me another son, the Son at the right hand of the Father.
Revelation 19:7 - 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.
Paleo Hebrew used a bull to signify strength or leader, and of course, you can make out the nail and the cross.
Amazing huh? That is why I believe that YHWH has done nothing by accident or by coindicence. I think that everything He has done, has been done with deliberation and purpose, and that the whole Bible is written with that same deliberational thought process. So, with all that being said, here is what I learned today.
Revelations 7:3-8 – [Revelation 7:2 Another angel cried:]
Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them, which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Napthali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Notice the arrangement of the tribes. They are (with definition, according to the Hebrew language, and coordinating Scripture):
Judah – Praise the Lord (Genesis 29:35 - And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.)
Reuben – Behold a son (Genesis 29:32 - And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.)
Gad – Good fortune (Genesis 30:11 - And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.)
Asher – Blessed (Genesis 30:13 - And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.)
Napthali – Wrestling (Genesis 30:8 - And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.)
Manasses – Forgetting (Genesis 41:51 - And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.)
Simeon – Heard (Genesis 29:33 - And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.)
Levi – Joined to (Genesis 29:34 - And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.)
Issachar – There is recompense (Genesis 30:18 - And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.)
Zabulon – A Habitation (Genesis 30:20 - And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.)
Joseph – YHWH was added (Genesis 30:24 - And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.)
Benjamin – Son of the right hand (Genesis 35:18 - And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.)
So, when taking all this into consideration, we have a story according to the arrangement of the tribes, which YHWH so thoughtfully placed, and that story is:
Now I will praise the Lord, Behold the Son, Good fortune and happiness comes! With great wrestlings I have wrestled, but YHWH has made me forget all my toil! Because the Lord has heard, at this time will my husband be joined unto me. YHWH has given me my reward, now will my husband dwell with me. The Lord has added to me another son, the Son at the right hand of the Father.
Revelation 19:7 - 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.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
In what ways does Yeshua fulfill the symbolism underlying the Feast of Tabernacles? - Research project I did for school
This is an assignment, which I was required to do for school, as a discussion board assignment. I am not posting all my assignments, but since, several on my friend's list are Christians, I decided to post it, because I think that Hebraic Roots are very important for all Christians to know. Albeit, my school definitely is not a Hebraic Root school, this definitely has it's directions there.
Also, I do usually like to use the name Yeshua, rather than Jesus, but my school uses the name Jesus, and so I have to comply. Otherwise, my use would be Yeshua, which means salvation in Hebrew.
The last thing is that as I copied and pasted from the word document to this note here, the footnote numbering did not copy, but all the sources are at the end. I actually only used two sources, besides the KJV Bible. It's all pretty in the document, with quotes in italics, but that didn't copy either.
And it hasn't been looked over for mistakes yet, so if you find any, please just overlook them.
That's it, and I hope it edifies some!
Kimberly
--------------------------
In what ways does Jesus fulfill the symbolism underlying the Feast of Tabernacles? Consult resources and discuss this.
Leviticus 23:39-43 -- Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a Sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
God tells us, through the prophet Moses, that the purpose, which the Feast of Sukkoth or Tabernacles was celebrated was for the future generations to know that the Israelites were caused to dwell in booths or tents, as He took them out of Egypt and into the wilderness.
But aside from the visible purpose, there lies a symbolism or significance behind the Feasts. All of God’s Moeds or Feasts represent something in His divine plan.
According to Meredith, the Feast stands for the temporary situations of our life here on planet Earth. In fulfillment of this symbolism, Jesus taught that we are not to keep our minds focused on the situation at hand, but rather on the things of Heaven, when He taught, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” – Matthew 6:19-20. Also, He said that anyone who put up valuables here in the temporary world was a fool in Luke 12:20, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided.” Through accepting Jesus, His death and resurrection, however, one is provided a way for God’s love to emanate into the world in abundant grace. And by this kindness, the Spirit of God has been sent out among mankind, and now man is blessed with the habitation of God. Revelation 21:3 says, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.” This dwelling with man, through their hearts, can only mean eternally, and so Christ has fulfilled the temporal spatial of time and the things, which were important to men, with His eternal life. That is where man should not have their hearts and lay up treasures.
The Feast of Tabernacles represent Jesus, who tabernacles with mankind upon Earth, and this was fulfilled in John 1:14, wherein it reads, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Meredith says that in Jewish tradition, the Jewish people would recite a prayer on the first day of the Feast, which says, “Glory to God in the Heavens and on Earth peace and good will towards the earths.” He then says that when Jesus was born, in Luke 2:14 it is recorded an angel cried, “Glory to God in the highest, and in earth peace, good will toward men,” and he states that the similarity proves that Jesus is a fulfillment of the Feast because of this. Ridout seems to think this peace and good will toward men is acquired through these truths:
· A people sheltered by the blood of the Lamb.
· A people purchased by the same precious blood.
· A people delivered from the power of sin though the death and resurrection of Christ.
· A people nourished and sustained through their entire wilderness journey. (I believe he means, since he is talking post resurrection, that he is referring to our trip through the wilderness to the promised land of eternal life. – KP)
· A people sanctified unto obedience though the blood of Christ.
· A people restored from the sin and folly departure from God.
· A people who have entered into the thoughts of God’s rest.
Ridout says that, “If our souls have in some measure been laid hold of by these truths, we shall be in a moral condition to enjoy what God has revealed in connection with His dwelling-place among His people, and be more fully established in His grace.
The Feast of Tabernacles represents the birth of Jesus, according to Meredith, as he says we know according to historical, scriptural and astronomical documentation that He was born on Succoth or the Feast of Tabernacles. He claims that there are three principle testimonies, which confirm this, and they are:
· The timing of duties of the duties of the priest Zacharia, the father of John the Baptist confirms that Jesus was conceived shortly after the term he served as priest in the Temple, the date of his duties is known to Bible scholars.
· The Scripture confirms that there was no room anywhere in Israel for Mary and Joseph to stay because of this feast, as it is said in Luke 2:7, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for then in the inn.”
· The Scripture confirms that a great star was seen in the heavens in Matthew 2:1-2, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’” Astronomers have determined that a conjunction of three stars occurred during this period in the years 5 B.C. to 7 B.C. at the time of this Feast.
Meredith also claims that the Feast of Tabernacles is alternately called the Feast of Lights, and represents Jesus as the Light of the World, because Jesus did say in John 9:5, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” And it is threw Him that we are able to be also called lights of the world, as Matthew 5:14 claims, “You are the light of the world,” as well as does Philippians 2:15, in that it says, “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of the God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
We can then see Mr. Ridout’s comparison of Jesus and the menorah or candlestick in the tabernacle. The menorah was beaten out of pure gold, and Ridout claims that gold stands for divine glory. It is also noted that it contained no acacia wood, which is known to symbolize human corruption. These two particulars seem to be a symbol of his deity. The almond buds, flower and fruit hint at His resurrection. The oil seems to indicate His anointing, or rather that He is the anointed One. Also, Psalms 132:17 reads, “There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed,” and so this seems to be an indication of both the almond buds and the oil/lamp combination. We can also see that the oil was a symbol for the Holy Spirit, in by the verse 1 Kings 11:36, “…David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem…” and so the light is a symbol of the Holy Spirit guiding the servant David. Regarding the almond buds, we must remember that in Numbers 17:8, wherein it says, “And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacles of witness; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.” We also know that Jesus was the branch, which indicates He is the rod, because Isaiah 11:1-2 tells us, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out His roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” This also agrees with Revelation 4:5, where it says, “And out of the throne proceeded lightenings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” This also shows Jesus to be the menorah of the Temple, thus fulfilling the title as Light of the World. The last thing of the lamp, which he compares to Jesus was the trimming. He says that the job of trimming the wick in the lamp was only to be done by the priest, enabling it to burn brighter, and at the same time, Jesus is the only one that can cause the light of His people to burn clearly and brightly.
Returning to Meredith, he speaks about the priestly custom of collecting water to dispense over the altar at this Feast, and how it is a representative of Christ. He reminds us that “In the last day, that great day of the Feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water,’” as recorded in John 7:37-38. This indicates that Jesus is that water, which was poured out on the altar. It is also a tradition among the Jewish people that on the seventh day of the Feast that Psalm 118:25 be read, which states, “Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.” This is read as a cry for mercy, and is called “Hoshannah Rabbah” or “The Great Hosanna” which is why Jesus revealed Himself at this time as the water of life.
Mr. Ridout has some things to add to this. He begins with the significance of water, in that John 3:5 says, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God,” and so he goes on to explain that being born of water indicates a water baptism, and such indicates regeneration through Christ, thus being made a member of Christ and an inheritor of the kingdom of Heaven. He also adds that Titus 3:4-5 says, “But after that the kindness and love of God our savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Water then is a medium of fresh birth. Ridout also reminds us of 1 Corinthians 6:11, wherein it reminds us that water cleanses us, “…But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” The water also testifies to the laver in the Tabernacle, as the Lord Jesus Christ is the purifier of His community through His Word, employed by His Spirit.
Finally, Mr. Meredith testifies that the Feast of Tabernacles, all together, about the final harvest and Millennium reign of Jesus, because the Feast occurred at the very last and largest reaping of the year. He says this foretells the great garnering of souls that will occur preceding and throughout the tribulation. This, he says, is pictured in Revelation 7:9-10, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” Also, he inserts that the prophet of Joel saw a multitude of people, which were to be harvested at this time, as Joel 3:14 reads, “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.” And Meredith concludes with Matthew 24:31, which states, “And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” This is the millennial reign of Christ, which begins with the tribulation harvest, as foreseen in the Feast of Tabernacles.
And with this, Mr. Ridout concludes that we may enter into God’s rest, and at that time we may remember Isaiah 4:5-6, which testifies, “And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.”
And so, with all that being said, I submit to you that Jesus did fulfill the Feast of Tabernacles in every way, and that the Tabernacle, which was in the wilderness with the Israelites, which housed the glory of God, by means of a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire, was the prototype of the Tabernacle, which will be in Mount Zion in the time of the Millennial reign, wherein Jesus will be tabernacling with us once again, only not in the heart at that time, but face to face, because Isaiah 2:3 instructs us, “And many people shall go and say, ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach is of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.’”
Leviticus 23:39-43 KJV.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 51.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ridout, S. “Lectures on the Tabernacle.” (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1973), 33.
Ibid 34.
Ibid 21.
Ibid.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 51.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ridout, S. “Lectures on the Tabernacle.” (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1973), 21.
Ibid 22.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 52.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 51.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ridout, S. “Lectures on the Tabernacle.” (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1973), 322.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid 323.
Ibid 325.
Ibid.
Ibid 327.
Ibid 335-336.
Ibid 326.
Ibid 348.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 52.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ridout, S. “Lectures on the Tabernacle.” (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1973), 458.
Ibid 459.
Ibid.
Ibid 460.
Ibid 461.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 52.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ridout, S. “Lectures on the Tabernacle.” (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1973), 21.
Isaiah 2:3 KJV.
Also, I do usually like to use the name Yeshua, rather than Jesus, but my school uses the name Jesus, and so I have to comply. Otherwise, my use would be Yeshua, which means salvation in Hebrew.
The last thing is that as I copied and pasted from the word document to this note here, the footnote numbering did not copy, but all the sources are at the end. I actually only used two sources, besides the KJV Bible. It's all pretty in the document, with quotes in italics, but that didn't copy either.
And it hasn't been looked over for mistakes yet, so if you find any, please just overlook them.
That's it, and I hope it edifies some!
Kimberly
--------------------------
In what ways does Jesus fulfill the symbolism underlying the Feast of Tabernacles? Consult resources and discuss this.
Leviticus 23:39-43 -- Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a Sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
God tells us, through the prophet Moses, that the purpose, which the Feast of Sukkoth or Tabernacles was celebrated was for the future generations to know that the Israelites were caused to dwell in booths or tents, as He took them out of Egypt and into the wilderness.
But aside from the visible purpose, there lies a symbolism or significance behind the Feasts. All of God’s Moeds or Feasts represent something in His divine plan.
According to Meredith, the Feast stands for the temporary situations of our life here on planet Earth. In fulfillment of this symbolism, Jesus taught that we are not to keep our minds focused on the situation at hand, but rather on the things of Heaven, when He taught, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” – Matthew 6:19-20. Also, He said that anyone who put up valuables here in the temporary world was a fool in Luke 12:20, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided.” Through accepting Jesus, His death and resurrection, however, one is provided a way for God’s love to emanate into the world in abundant grace. And by this kindness, the Spirit of God has been sent out among mankind, and now man is blessed with the habitation of God. Revelation 21:3 says, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.” This dwelling with man, through their hearts, can only mean eternally, and so Christ has fulfilled the temporal spatial of time and the things, which were important to men, with His eternal life. That is where man should not have their hearts and lay up treasures.
The Feast of Tabernacles represent Jesus, who tabernacles with mankind upon Earth, and this was fulfilled in John 1:14, wherein it reads, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Meredith says that in Jewish tradition, the Jewish people would recite a prayer on the first day of the Feast, which says, “Glory to God in the Heavens and on Earth peace and good will towards the earths.” He then says that when Jesus was born, in Luke 2:14 it is recorded an angel cried, “Glory to God in the highest, and in earth peace, good will toward men,” and he states that the similarity proves that Jesus is a fulfillment of the Feast because of this. Ridout seems to think this peace and good will toward men is acquired through these truths:
· A people sheltered by the blood of the Lamb.
· A people purchased by the same precious blood.
· A people delivered from the power of sin though the death and resurrection of Christ.
· A people nourished and sustained through their entire wilderness journey. (I believe he means, since he is talking post resurrection, that he is referring to our trip through the wilderness to the promised land of eternal life. – KP)
· A people sanctified unto obedience though the blood of Christ.
· A people restored from the sin and folly departure from God.
· A people who have entered into the thoughts of God’s rest.
Ridout says that, “If our souls have in some measure been laid hold of by these truths, we shall be in a moral condition to enjoy what God has revealed in connection with His dwelling-place among His people, and be more fully established in His grace.
The Feast of Tabernacles represents the birth of Jesus, according to Meredith, as he says we know according to historical, scriptural and astronomical documentation that He was born on Succoth or the Feast of Tabernacles. He claims that there are three principle testimonies, which confirm this, and they are:
· The timing of duties of the duties of the priest Zacharia, the father of John the Baptist confirms that Jesus was conceived shortly after the term he served as priest in the Temple, the date of his duties is known to Bible scholars.
· The Scripture confirms that there was no room anywhere in Israel for Mary and Joseph to stay because of this feast, as it is said in Luke 2:7, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for then in the inn.”
· The Scripture confirms that a great star was seen in the heavens in Matthew 2:1-2, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’” Astronomers have determined that a conjunction of three stars occurred during this period in the years 5 B.C. to 7 B.C. at the time of this Feast.
Meredith also claims that the Feast of Tabernacles is alternately called the Feast of Lights, and represents Jesus as the Light of the World, because Jesus did say in John 9:5, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” And it is threw Him that we are able to be also called lights of the world, as Matthew 5:14 claims, “You are the light of the world,” as well as does Philippians 2:15, in that it says, “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of the God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
We can then see Mr. Ridout’s comparison of Jesus and the menorah or candlestick in the tabernacle. The menorah was beaten out of pure gold, and Ridout claims that gold stands for divine glory. It is also noted that it contained no acacia wood, which is known to symbolize human corruption. These two particulars seem to be a symbol of his deity. The almond buds, flower and fruit hint at His resurrection. The oil seems to indicate His anointing, or rather that He is the anointed One. Also, Psalms 132:17 reads, “There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed,” and so this seems to be an indication of both the almond buds and the oil/lamp combination. We can also see that the oil was a symbol for the Holy Spirit, in by the verse 1 Kings 11:36, “…David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem…” and so the light is a symbol of the Holy Spirit guiding the servant David. Regarding the almond buds, we must remember that in Numbers 17:8, wherein it says, “And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacles of witness; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.” We also know that Jesus was the branch, which indicates He is the rod, because Isaiah 11:1-2 tells us, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out His roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” This also agrees with Revelation 4:5, where it says, “And out of the throne proceeded lightenings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” This also shows Jesus to be the menorah of the Temple, thus fulfilling the title as Light of the World. The last thing of the lamp, which he compares to Jesus was the trimming. He says that the job of trimming the wick in the lamp was only to be done by the priest, enabling it to burn brighter, and at the same time, Jesus is the only one that can cause the light of His people to burn clearly and brightly.
Returning to Meredith, he speaks about the priestly custom of collecting water to dispense over the altar at this Feast, and how it is a representative of Christ. He reminds us that “In the last day, that great day of the Feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water,’” as recorded in John 7:37-38. This indicates that Jesus is that water, which was poured out on the altar. It is also a tradition among the Jewish people that on the seventh day of the Feast that Psalm 118:25 be read, which states, “Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.” This is read as a cry for mercy, and is called “Hoshannah Rabbah” or “The Great Hosanna” which is why Jesus revealed Himself at this time as the water of life.
Mr. Ridout has some things to add to this. He begins with the significance of water, in that John 3:5 says, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God,” and so he goes on to explain that being born of water indicates a water baptism, and such indicates regeneration through Christ, thus being made a member of Christ and an inheritor of the kingdom of Heaven. He also adds that Titus 3:4-5 says, “But after that the kindness and love of God our savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Water then is a medium of fresh birth. Ridout also reminds us of 1 Corinthians 6:11, wherein it reminds us that water cleanses us, “…But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” The water also testifies to the laver in the Tabernacle, as the Lord Jesus Christ is the purifier of His community through His Word, employed by His Spirit.
Finally, Mr. Meredith testifies that the Feast of Tabernacles, all together, about the final harvest and Millennium reign of Jesus, because the Feast occurred at the very last and largest reaping of the year. He says this foretells the great garnering of souls that will occur preceding and throughout the tribulation. This, he says, is pictured in Revelation 7:9-10, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” Also, he inserts that the prophet of Joel saw a multitude of people, which were to be harvested at this time, as Joel 3:14 reads, “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.” And Meredith concludes with Matthew 24:31, which states, “And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” This is the millennial reign of Christ, which begins with the tribulation harvest, as foreseen in the Feast of Tabernacles.
And with this, Mr. Ridout concludes that we may enter into God’s rest, and at that time we may remember Isaiah 4:5-6, which testifies, “And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.”
And so, with all that being said, I submit to you that Jesus did fulfill the Feast of Tabernacles in every way, and that the Tabernacle, which was in the wilderness with the Israelites, which housed the glory of God, by means of a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire, was the prototype of the Tabernacle, which will be in Mount Zion in the time of the Millennial reign, wherein Jesus will be tabernacling with us once again, only not in the heart at that time, but face to face, because Isaiah 2:3 instructs us, “And many people shall go and say, ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach is of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.’”
Leviticus 23:39-43 KJV.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 51.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ridout, S. “Lectures on the Tabernacle.” (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1973), 33.
Ibid 34.
Ibid 21.
Ibid.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 51.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ridout, S. “Lectures on the Tabernacle.” (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1973), 21.
Ibid 22.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 52.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 51.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ridout, S. “Lectures on the Tabernacle.” (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1973), 322.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid 323.
Ibid 325.
Ibid.
Ibid 327.
Ibid 335-336.
Ibid 326.
Ibid 348.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 52.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ridout, S. “Lectures on the Tabernacle.” (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1973), 458.
Ibid 459.
Ibid.
Ibid 460.
Ibid 461.
Meredith, Theodore R. “The Moedim of Yahweh.” (Aukland: No Mans Zone, 2009), 52.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ridout, S. “Lectures on the Tabernacle.” (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1973), 21.
Isaiah 2:3 KJV.
©2010 Kimberly Padilla, A.A Religion
Reason why it is so important to keep the Sabbath (From Friday evening - Saturday evening )
Reason why it is so important to keep the Sabbath -- There will be a Sabbath in the millennial Kingdom, and to ignore the Sabbath, here or there, profanes YHWH's name.
Exodus 20:8 - "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
Ezekiel 22 (speaking of Israel, and remember Gentiles are grafted in with Israel) - vs. 26: "Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them."
Ezekiel 44 (speaking of Israel during the millennial reign) - vs. 23-24: "And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my Sabbaths."
Many say the Sabbath was changed to Sunday, but look who changed it:
First Sunday Law enacted by Emperor Constantine -
March, 321 A.D.
On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost. (Given the 7th day of March, Crispus and Constantine being consuls each of them for the second time [A.D. 321].)
Many say let everyday be the Sabbath, but consider the meaning of the word holy. Holy means set apart of things, set apart from all other days. If one were to consider all days as holy before the Lord, no day would be holy, for there would be none set apart from any other.
There is only one Sabbath, and that is from Friday evening until Saturday evening, and if we say that we are followers of the Almighty, then we must follow His fourth commandment, as it is written in John 14:15, If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Exodus 20:8 - "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
Ezekiel 22 (speaking of Israel, and remember Gentiles are grafted in with Israel) - vs. 26: "Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them."
Ezekiel 44 (speaking of Israel during the millennial reign) - vs. 23-24: "And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my Sabbaths."
Many say the Sabbath was changed to Sunday, but look who changed it:
First Sunday Law enacted by Emperor Constantine -
March, 321 A.D.
On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost. (Given the 7th day of March, Crispus and Constantine being consuls each of them for the second time [A.D. 321].)
Many say let everyday be the Sabbath, but consider the meaning of the word holy. Holy means set apart of things, set apart from all other days. If one were to consider all days as holy before the Lord, no day would be holy, for there would be none set apart from any other.
There is only one Sabbath, and that is from Friday evening until Saturday evening, and if we say that we are followers of the Almighty, then we must follow His fourth commandment, as it is written in John 14:15, If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Answering verses, which are often confused to support freedom of the Law/Torah
I explained the following verses, from a Messianic view to a friend, and thought I might as well post them here, as well. My answers are in the bold.
Romans 10:4 - For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. End here is telos in the Greek, and telos more accurately is translated, the end to which all things relate, the aim, purpose. So Christ is what the law points to. He is the fulfilment of the law, and the most accurate term for fulfilment is to carry into effect, bring to realisation, realise; to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment.
Galatians 3:23-25 - But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. Think of this example: If a king were to hire a tutor for his son, the prince, to teach him how to rule the kingdom, when he is threw with his lessons, does the prince kill the tutor and reject everything, which he has been taught, and then proclaim that his actions are in accordance with the king's will? The tutor is to make the rules a natural part of the thought process. One no longer needs to be controlled by the outside, but now control of the heart is done from the inside. Hebrews 10:16 says, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them." Through our heats being guided by Jesus, our consciences lead us from the inside, as Romans 2:15 says, "Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness."
Ephesians 2:15 - Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace. It is actually written like this in Bibles: Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace. This is from BlueLetterBible.org, but most Bibles have the words, which are in brackets here, in italics. This means that the words were not originally there in the ancient texts, but the translaters added them, to try to make more sense. but look at it if it were written this way: (Let me first put it in context).
Ephesians 2:15 - For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us]; 16 -Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace; 17 - And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity.
This is a more fitting interpretation: For He is our peace,who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity. The law of commandments, contained in the Law of Moses, terminates the two, so that He might make in Him one new man making peace, reconciling both into one body of God, through the cross killing the enmity.
There are two things, which He abolished though His death.
1. Isaiah 44:22 - I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. (our sins)
2. Galatians 3:13 - Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. The curse is not the law, but the curse is what occurs, when one doesn't obey the law. Look at Daniel 9:11 - Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. So, it is not the law that is a curse and has been abolished, but it is the curse, which occurs from not obeying the Law. In fact, Paul goes on to say, in Romans 3:31, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
Galatians 6:2 - Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. This is nothing against Torah, because the commandments in the Torah were to bear one another's burdens. Look at this:
Love and Brotherhood
To love all human beings who are of the covenant (Lev. 19:18)
Not to stand by idly when a human life is in danger (Lev. 19:16)
Not to wrong any one in speech (Lev. 25:17)
Not to carry tales (Lev. 19:16)
Not to cherish hatred in one's heart (Lev. 19:17)
Not to take revenge (Lev. 19:18)
Not to bear a grudge (Lev. 19:18)
Not to put any Jew to shame (Lev. 19:17)
Not to curse any other Israelite (Lev. 19:14)
Not to give occasion to the simple-minded to stumble on the road (Lev. 19:14)
To relieve a neighbor of his burden and help to unload his beast (Ex. 23:5)
To assist in replacing the load upon a neighbor's beast (Deut. 22:4)
Not to leave a beast, that has fallen down beneath its burden, unaided (Deut. 22:4)
The Poor and Unfortunate
Not to afflict an orphan or a widow (Ex. 22:21)
Not to reap the entire field (Lev. 19:9; Lev. 23:22)
To leave the unreaped corner of the field or orchard for the poor (Lev. 19:9)
Not to gather gleanings (the ears that have fallen to the ground while reaping) (Lev. 19:9)
To leave the gleanings for the poor (Lev. 19:9)
Not to gather ol'loth (the imperfect clusters) of the vineyard (Lev. 19:10)
To leave ol'loth (the imperfect clusters) of the vineyard for the poor (Lev. 19:10; Deut. 24:21)
Not to gather the peret (grapes) that have fallen to the ground (Lev. 19:10)
To leave peret (the single grapes) of the vineyard for the poor (Lev. 19:10)
Not to return to take a forgotten sheaf (Deut. 24:19) This applies to all fruit trees (Deut. 24:20)
To leave the forgotten sheaves for the poor (Deut. 24:19-20)
Not to refrain from maintaining a poor man and giving him what he needs (Deut. 15:7)
To give charity according to one's means (Deut. 15:11)
So this verse is just an affirmation to follow Torah and show goodwill to the poor and to any neighbor/friend.
Matthew 22:37-39 - Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. This is nothing more than reitterating the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 6:5 - And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. The part about loving thy neighbor as thyself is exampled in the list of verses above.
Matthew 22:40 - On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. This is not saying that the Law is abolished, but that in order for us to keep these two commandments (Love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might and love thy neighbor as yourself) then we must follow Torah, which teaches us how. If we do not have Torah, how do we know what offends our brother, and what we must do to love them. This question mirrors Paul's statement, in Romans 3:20, "by the law is the knowledge of sin." Law is the knowledge of all things - whether to know sin or whether to know how to love God and treat our neighbors. Consider Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." Forgetting the Law is connected with lack of knowledge. Those who forget the law are destroyed, it says. Now look at 2 Peter 3:15-16 - Our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. So, many people are going to forget the Law, because they misunderstand Paul's teachings, and this will lead to their own destruction. And then, consider Isaiah 5:24 - Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 5 is pertaining to the Great and Terrible day of the Lord, because verse 30 speaks of the darkened heavens and the whole chapter speaks of the grapes being pressed, which is symbolism as judgment of the wicked. Also the stubble and chaff being consumed also speak of the last day, as compared to Luke 3:17 - Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable and Malichi 4:1 - For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
James 2:10 - For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. This is saying nothing about the law being finished. He is just saying that we are all guily of breaking the whole law, and by the mercy we meet out to others, so will we be judged by that mercy. And then he goes on to say that works need to accompany faith, so even though we are justified by faith alone, works are important to impute love and mercy on our fellow men. To do that goes back up to the list of Torah commandments, which I listed above, pertaining to brotherhood and the poor.
1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. This is actually reitterating two places in the Bible - one by Paul, and one by Moses, wherein the one by Paul was referring to Moses.
Here lies the original by Moses:
Deuteronomy 30:10-14
If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest 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 thou shouldest 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 nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Here lies Paul's reference to Moses: (Let me put the whole thing into context.)
Romans 10:1-10
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
So what Paul is saying here is he prays that Israel might be saved, because they have a zeal for God, but not according to the appropriate knowledge. They do not know what righteousness is according to the God, and so they do what they think is righteousness in their own hearts. Christ is the target of the Law, and that is righteousness, to all who will believe in Him. Because Moses had spoken of Him saying who will go to heaven or to the depths where the dead are kept to get the commandments, which Moses preached in Deuteronomy 30. He is saying no one has to go anywhere because the word is already with us, it is near to us so that we may already do them. (Paul only adds that it is Christ, who makes it possible to do them and believing in Him imputes righteousness onto us, but he is not saying that the Jews are wrong to keep Torah, only that they need to add Christ to what they are doing by works. Righteousness doesn't come by works, but by faith, but again, faith without works are dead (James 2:20) and the demons even believe and tremble (James 2:19). So with all this being said, both Moses and Paul agreed that the commandments are not too grievious to keep.
Romans 7:7-9 - What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. First of all notice that he is not saying that the law is sin, but that, as above, the law showed him what sin is. When he says that sin wrought in him all kinds of concupiscence, he is saying that it brought all kinds of lustful desires in him. (Lustful desires aren't necessarily a sexual nature - it could be lust of food, and in today's world would be such things as drugs, cigarettes, alchohol or any matter of cravings to do with the flesh. - I just wanted to make that clear, because Paul did say that there was no need for him to marry, but it says here that he was actually coveting something.) The he says that when he didn't know the law he was alive, but when it revived he died. Now, we know that transgressions of the law is sin (1 John 3:4) and so if there is no law, then we can say there is no sin. So, I think, as all of Isreal had become lost from the law, so had he. When he came to know Christ - then the law was revived in him. He goes on in the rest of the chapter (Romans 7) to say that the sin is killing him, because now he has an awareness of what sin is. And it is because of the law that he knows. But, like all of us, he struggles with sin, because he does live in the flesh, but look at verse 7:22 - For I delight in the law of God after the inward man, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, verse 7:25 - so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin and verse 7:12 - Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. So the law of God is just and holy, and Paul loves it but he struggles with it, because his mind wants to go in one direction and his heart wants to go in another, but then continuing in Romans 8, he says that with our being in Christ, we are able to do what is right, according to the will of God, because we are of the Spirit (Romans 8:4). He then says that those of the flesh mind things of the flesh, but those of the Spirit mind things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5). But then we are reminded that the Law is Spiritual in Romans 7:14, "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin." And so for us to be spiritual, we must mind the Law.
Romans 10:4 - For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. End here is telos in the Greek, and telos more accurately is translated, the end to which all things relate, the aim, purpose. So Christ is what the law points to. He is the fulfilment of the law, and the most accurate term for fulfilment is to carry into effect, bring to realisation, realise; to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment.
Galatians 3:23-25 - But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. Think of this example: If a king were to hire a tutor for his son, the prince, to teach him how to rule the kingdom, when he is threw with his lessons, does the prince kill the tutor and reject everything, which he has been taught, and then proclaim that his actions are in accordance with the king's will? The tutor is to make the rules a natural part of the thought process. One no longer needs to be controlled by the outside, but now control of the heart is done from the inside. Hebrews 10:16 says, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them." Through our heats being guided by Jesus, our consciences lead us from the inside, as Romans 2:15 says, "Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness."
Ephesians 2:15 - Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace. It is actually written like this in Bibles: Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace. This is from BlueLetterBible.org, but most Bibles have the words, which are in brackets here, in italics. This means that the words were not originally there in the ancient texts, but the translaters added them, to try to make more sense. but look at it if it were written this way: (Let me first put it in context).
Ephesians 2:15 - For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us]; 16 -Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace; 17 - And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity.
This is a more fitting interpretation: For He is our peace,who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity. The law of commandments, contained in the Law of Moses, terminates the two, so that He might make in Him one new man making peace, reconciling both into one body of God, through the cross killing the enmity.
There are two things, which He abolished though His death.
1. Isaiah 44:22 - I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. (our sins)
2. Galatians 3:13 - Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. The curse is not the law, but the curse is what occurs, when one doesn't obey the law. Look at Daniel 9:11 - Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. So, it is not the law that is a curse and has been abolished, but it is the curse, which occurs from not obeying the Law. In fact, Paul goes on to say, in Romans 3:31, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
Galatians 6:2 - Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. This is nothing against Torah, because the commandments in the Torah were to bear one another's burdens. Look at this:
Love and Brotherhood
To love all human beings who are of the covenant (Lev. 19:18)
Not to stand by idly when a human life is in danger (Lev. 19:16)
Not to wrong any one in speech (Lev. 25:17)
Not to carry tales (Lev. 19:16)
Not to cherish hatred in one's heart (Lev. 19:17)
Not to take revenge (Lev. 19:18)
Not to bear a grudge (Lev. 19:18)
Not to put any Jew to shame (Lev. 19:17)
Not to curse any other Israelite (Lev. 19:14)
Not to give occasion to the simple-minded to stumble on the road (Lev. 19:14)
To relieve a neighbor of his burden and help to unload his beast (Ex. 23:5)
To assist in replacing the load upon a neighbor's beast (Deut. 22:4)
Not to leave a beast, that has fallen down beneath its burden, unaided (Deut. 22:4)
The Poor and Unfortunate
Not to afflict an orphan or a widow (Ex. 22:21)
Not to reap the entire field (Lev. 19:9; Lev. 23:22)
To leave the unreaped corner of the field or orchard for the poor (Lev. 19:9)
Not to gather gleanings (the ears that have fallen to the ground while reaping) (Lev. 19:9)
To leave the gleanings for the poor (Lev. 19:9)
Not to gather ol'loth (the imperfect clusters) of the vineyard (Lev. 19:10)
To leave ol'loth (the imperfect clusters) of the vineyard for the poor (Lev. 19:10; Deut. 24:21)
Not to gather the peret (grapes) that have fallen to the ground (Lev. 19:10)
To leave peret (the single grapes) of the vineyard for the poor (Lev. 19:10)
Not to return to take a forgotten sheaf (Deut. 24:19) This applies to all fruit trees (Deut. 24:20)
To leave the forgotten sheaves for the poor (Deut. 24:19-20)
Not to refrain from maintaining a poor man and giving him what he needs (Deut. 15:7)
To give charity according to one's means (Deut. 15:11)
So this verse is just an affirmation to follow Torah and show goodwill to the poor and to any neighbor/friend.
Matthew 22:37-39 - Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. This is nothing more than reitterating the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 6:5 - And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. The part about loving thy neighbor as thyself is exampled in the list of verses above.
Matthew 22:40 - On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. This is not saying that the Law is abolished, but that in order for us to keep these two commandments (Love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might and love thy neighbor as yourself) then we must follow Torah, which teaches us how. If we do not have Torah, how do we know what offends our brother, and what we must do to love them. This question mirrors Paul's statement, in Romans 3:20, "by the law is the knowledge of sin." Law is the knowledge of all things - whether to know sin or whether to know how to love God and treat our neighbors. Consider Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." Forgetting the Law is connected with lack of knowledge. Those who forget the law are destroyed, it says. Now look at 2 Peter 3:15-16 - Our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. So, many people are going to forget the Law, because they misunderstand Paul's teachings, and this will lead to their own destruction. And then, consider Isaiah 5:24 - Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 5 is pertaining to the Great and Terrible day of the Lord, because verse 30 speaks of the darkened heavens and the whole chapter speaks of the grapes being pressed, which is symbolism as judgment of the wicked. Also the stubble and chaff being consumed also speak of the last day, as compared to Luke 3:17 - Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable and Malichi 4:1 - For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
James 2:10 - For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. This is saying nothing about the law being finished. He is just saying that we are all guily of breaking the whole law, and by the mercy we meet out to others, so will we be judged by that mercy. And then he goes on to say that works need to accompany faith, so even though we are justified by faith alone, works are important to impute love and mercy on our fellow men. To do that goes back up to the list of Torah commandments, which I listed above, pertaining to brotherhood and the poor.
1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. This is actually reitterating two places in the Bible - one by Paul, and one by Moses, wherein the one by Paul was referring to Moses.
Here lies the original by Moses:
Deuteronomy 30:10-14
If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest 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 thou shouldest 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 nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Here lies Paul's reference to Moses: (Let me put the whole thing into context.)
Romans 10:1-10
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
So what Paul is saying here is he prays that Israel might be saved, because they have a zeal for God, but not according to the appropriate knowledge. They do not know what righteousness is according to the God, and so they do what they think is righteousness in their own hearts. Christ is the target of the Law, and that is righteousness, to all who will believe in Him. Because Moses had spoken of Him saying who will go to heaven or to the depths where the dead are kept to get the commandments, which Moses preached in Deuteronomy 30. He is saying no one has to go anywhere because the word is already with us, it is near to us so that we may already do them. (Paul only adds that it is Christ, who makes it possible to do them and believing in Him imputes righteousness onto us, but he is not saying that the Jews are wrong to keep Torah, only that they need to add Christ to what they are doing by works. Righteousness doesn't come by works, but by faith, but again, faith without works are dead (James 2:20) and the demons even believe and tremble (James 2:19). So with all this being said, both Moses and Paul agreed that the commandments are not too grievious to keep.
Romans 7:7-9 - What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. First of all notice that he is not saying that the law is sin, but that, as above, the law showed him what sin is. When he says that sin wrought in him all kinds of concupiscence, he is saying that it brought all kinds of lustful desires in him. (Lustful desires aren't necessarily a sexual nature - it could be lust of food, and in today's world would be such things as drugs, cigarettes, alchohol or any matter of cravings to do with the flesh. - I just wanted to make that clear, because Paul did say that there was no need for him to marry, but it says here that he was actually coveting something.) The he says that when he didn't know the law he was alive, but when it revived he died. Now, we know that transgressions of the law is sin (1 John 3:4) and so if there is no law, then we can say there is no sin. So, I think, as all of Isreal had become lost from the law, so had he. When he came to know Christ - then the law was revived in him. He goes on in the rest of the chapter (Romans 7) to say that the sin is killing him, because now he has an awareness of what sin is. And it is because of the law that he knows. But, like all of us, he struggles with sin, because he does live in the flesh, but look at verse 7:22 - For I delight in the law of God after the inward man, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, verse 7:25 - so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin and verse 7:12 - Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. So the law of God is just and holy, and Paul loves it but he struggles with it, because his mind wants to go in one direction and his heart wants to go in another, but then continuing in Romans 8, he says that with our being in Christ, we are able to do what is right, according to the will of God, because we are of the Spirit (Romans 8:4). He then says that those of the flesh mind things of the flesh, but those of the Spirit mind things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5). But then we are reminded that the Law is Spiritual in Romans 7:14, "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin." And so for us to be spiritual, we must mind the Law.
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