August 10, 2007
"Here goes another message…" you are thinking… "about the church replacing the Jews, or the House of Judah (Jews) replacing the House of Joseph/Israel…" No, not this time! The issue at hand is altogether different - it is one that is even more serious, incurring dire consequences. It has to do with replacing YHVH's commandments, especially the first one: "You shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6: 5; Matthew 22:37).
Why did Yeshua teach us that of all the commandments, this one is the most important? In fact, He even indicated that all the others are contingent upon this one. Thus, if we do not keep this command, the others are rendered as of no effect. Have we unwittingly replaced this commandment with perhaps hundreds of others? Have we added to or taken away from this most important Torah ruling?
YHVH warned Israel: "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of YHVH your Elohim which I command you… whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32). Adding to or taking away from the Word of Elohim also constitutes a form of replacement theology. In any language, if letters are removed from words; added or replaced (especially the consonants), the meaning will be changed and in many cases lost altogether. Yeshua, speaking to his disciples said that "until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Torah, until all is accomplished" (Matthew 5:18). Yeshua did not come to do away with the Torah, but rather to fulfill and bring clarity to it as seen, for example, in what is called the "Sermon on the Mount".
YHVH warned Israel what would happen to them if they did not walk according to His instructions: "Your eyes have seen what YHVH has done in the case of Baal-peor, for all the men who followed Baal-peor, YHVH your Elohim has destroyed them from among you. But you who held fast to YHVH your Elohim are alive today, every one of you" (Deuteronomy 4: 3-40).
In the wisdom of the Proverbs we get a glimpse at how dangerous it is to add to YHVH's word: "Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar" (Proverbs 30:6). Revelation 21:8 reveals to us that "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8).
The positive side, however, is that there is a wonderful promise to those who do obey YHVH's instruction: "My son, forget not my Torah; but let your heart keep my commandments: For length of days and years of life, and peace they will add to you" (Proverbs 3:1-2 emphases added). If you are like me, I really struggle with loving my Heavenly Father with all my heart, soul and strength. It seems that the battle rages inside me to keep this from being my primary goal. Each and every day I become occupied with so many other thoughts, words and actions. And as I reflect back on the day, just thinking about that commandment may have only been a momentary or fleeting experience. It is obvious that this does not come naturally to us and it takes effort to embrace and cling to this most important injunction.
The Torah instructions disclose to us that YHVH our Elohim tests us to see if we will love Him. One such acid test, which proves whether there is a heart to love YHVH or not, is the enticement by a prophet or dreamer of dreams who performs signs and wonders in order to draw us (Israel) to follow (love) other gods and serve them (ref. Deuteronomy 13:3). When our forefathers were taken through the desert, Elohim confided in them His reason for having led them that way: "And you shall remember all the way which YHVH your Elohim has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not" (Deuteronomy 8:2).
It seems that YHVH gives us wilderness experiences each and every day, for this same reason. Are we making excuses during these times, complaining about the circumstances or people that He has placed in our path, or do we see them as opportunities to love Him with all our heart, soul and strength?
The most important aspect of our Heavenly Father's relationship with us is the intimacy through a heart of love. I pray that we have not replaced this first and most important commandment for another. Perhaps one of the reasons that our Creator gave us the Shabbat is so that we would have at least one day out of the week to practice loving Him. But if we have not known His love for us, and we do not express with all our hearts love towards Him, it will be very difficult to find that inner peace that brings the rest and a true Shabbat experience.
Ephraim
"Here goes another message…" you are thinking… "about the church replacing the Jews, or the House of Judah (Jews) replacing the House of Joseph/Israel…" No, not this time! The issue at hand is altogether different - it is one that is even more serious, incurring dire consequences. It has to do with replacing YHVH's commandments, especially the first one: "You shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6: 5; Matthew 22:37).
Why did Yeshua teach us that of all the commandments, this one is the most important? In fact, He even indicated that all the others are contingent upon this one. Thus, if we do not keep this command, the others are rendered as of no effect. Have we unwittingly replaced this commandment with perhaps hundreds of others? Have we added to or taken away from this most important Torah ruling?
YHVH warned Israel: "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of YHVH your Elohim which I command you… whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32). Adding to or taking away from the Word of Elohim also constitutes a form of replacement theology. In any language, if letters are removed from words; added or replaced (especially the consonants), the meaning will be changed and in many cases lost altogether. Yeshua, speaking to his disciples said that "until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Torah, until all is accomplished" (Matthew 5:18). Yeshua did not come to do away with the Torah, but rather to fulfill and bring clarity to it as seen, for example, in what is called the "Sermon on the Mount".
YHVH warned Israel what would happen to them if they did not walk according to His instructions: "Your eyes have seen what YHVH has done in the case of Baal-peor, for all the men who followed Baal-peor, YHVH your Elohim has destroyed them from among you. But you who held fast to YHVH your Elohim are alive today, every one of you" (Deuteronomy 4: 3-40).
In the wisdom of the Proverbs we get a glimpse at how dangerous it is to add to YHVH's word: "Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar" (Proverbs 30:6). Revelation 21:8 reveals to us that "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8).
The positive side, however, is that there is a wonderful promise to those who do obey YHVH's instruction: "My son, forget not my Torah; but let your heart keep my commandments: For length of days and years of life, and peace they will add to you" (Proverbs 3:1-2 emphases added). If you are like me, I really struggle with loving my Heavenly Father with all my heart, soul and strength. It seems that the battle rages inside me to keep this from being my primary goal. Each and every day I become occupied with so many other thoughts, words and actions. And as I reflect back on the day, just thinking about that commandment may have only been a momentary or fleeting experience. It is obvious that this does not come naturally to us and it takes effort to embrace and cling to this most important injunction.
The Torah instructions disclose to us that YHVH our Elohim tests us to see if we will love Him. One such acid test, which proves whether there is a heart to love YHVH or not, is the enticement by a prophet or dreamer of dreams who performs signs and wonders in order to draw us (Israel) to follow (love) other gods and serve them (ref. Deuteronomy 13:3). When our forefathers were taken through the desert, Elohim confided in them His reason for having led them that way: "And you shall remember all the way which YHVH your Elohim has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not" (Deuteronomy 8:2).
It seems that YHVH gives us wilderness experiences each and every day, for this same reason. Are we making excuses during these times, complaining about the circumstances or people that He has placed in our path, or do we see them as opportunities to love Him with all our heart, soul and strength?
The most important aspect of our Heavenly Father's relationship with us is the intimacy through a heart of love. I pray that we have not replaced this first and most important commandment for another. Perhaps one of the reasons that our Creator gave us the Shabbat is so that we would have at least one day out of the week to practice loving Him. But if we have not known His love for us, and we do not express with all our hearts love towards Him, it will be very difficult to find that inner peace that brings the rest and a true Shabbat experience.
Ephraim
No comments:
Post a Comment