8.23.25 ~ Answer My Question, Please

Good morning!

I got back safely from the KC, MO trip. Thanks for your prayers and loving support!

I was asked a question that is directly connected with this week's Torah portion, Re'eh/to see, and I want to share the answer with you. Since enquiring minds want to know :-)

This person asked, privately, if I'm not keeping Shabbat, not eating biblically clean, and not keeping the feasts, am I sinning against God? I hope you enjoy the thoughts and are able to glean from his willingness to ask.

Before we begin, let me say something concerning the character of God. I believe the Apostle John in 1 John 4 was correct when he stated that God is love. He is not the author of confusion (cf. 1 Cor. 14:33), He does not change (Mal. 3:6), nor would He lead anyone to transgress His Own Words, the Torah. As Yeshua said in Matt. 12, every word that we speak proceeds from the heart and since we are made in the image of God we can deduce that God's Word originated in His heart (the seat of His emotion and character). Personally, I want to be like King David who was a man after God's own heart. I want to pursue His Word and live it for the world to see. I also want to follow James' admonition to be a "doer of the Word" and not just a hearer (James 1:22).

Secondly, I'd like to reiterate that Jesus/Yeshua tells us to be the "light" to the world (Matt. 5:14-16). As we examine that passage, the "light" is referring to keeping the Torah for the world to see (5:17-19). King David tells us in Psa. 119:105 that God's Word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path. Solomon says in Prov. 6:23 that the Commandment is the Lamp and the Torah is the Light. Yeshua Himself said, quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, "that man was not to live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). Personally, I take that as literal as He spoke it and do the best I can with following those instructions. Besides that, I am fully convinced that God's Word, Scripture, is profitable for doctrine, correction, reproof, rebuke, instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work (2 Tim. 3:16,17). Instead of going out to create my own set of righteous standards of living, which would likened to filthy rags in the sight of God, I think I'll just put into practice the ones He already has laid out for us to walk in (Eph. 2:10; Titus 3:8, 14; Deut. 6:24,25; 1 John 3:7) preparing myself to be covered in fine twine linen clean and white, which are the righteous actions of the saints (Rev. 19:7,8).

To determine whether doing or not doing something is sin, we need to define sin. 1 John 3:4 tells us that sin is the transgression of God's Law; His Torah. The term "sin" is an archer's term. It means to miss the mark. When an archer is shooting for the bulls-eye and misses, it's called sin. There are points awarded in competition to the archer even though he missed the mark, but in the spiritual walk there are no points for being close. The question is, "If sin (transgression of the Torah) is to miss the mark, what is the bulls-eye? It's called righteousness: living The Torah; His instructions. The standard that God gave to reveal His character and the vehicle by which we are set apart from all other people of the world to identify us with the One True God of all creation. It's this standard that Yeshua sanctifies us in Truth (John 17:17). What is Truth? David again defines the biblical meaning of words by giving us the meaning of Truth...It's the Torah/God's instructions (Psa. 119:142, 151, 160).

Paul says in Romans 8:3,4 one reason why Christ died was to condemn sin (transgressing the Torah) in the flesh, so that those freed from the law of sin and death that we  might live out the righteousness of the Law/Torah who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Regarding Shabbat. From the beginning of Scripture we see Yahweh puts a huge emphasis on Shabbat, the 7th day. Many think Shabbat is a Jewish thing, but we know that's not where it originated, and though the Jews observe it, it's not Jewish. Genesis 2:1-3 shows Yahweh Elohim instituting the Shabbat and Him observing it Himself. As we'll see a little later when we talk about Israel, the Sabbath (one of Yahweh's moedim) is a perpetual covenant and sign between Yahweh and His covenant people for ever (Ex. 31:13-17).

A good verse to examine using some study tools is Gen. 1:14. Notice that Yahweh put the greater light (sun) and the lesser light (moon) and the stars in the sky for signs (oth) and seasons (moedim) for days and years. He didn't put them in the sky primarily for plant growth, sun tans, moonlit nights, or star gazing, but rather to show us His prophetic calendar, His appointed times that He wants to meet with us. Unfortunately, this is not spelled out too well in Genesis 1:14 in English, but a basic observation in your Strong's Concordance will open your eyes that these belong to the Lord and are given to all men, not only to the Jewish people.

When people call these the feasts of the Jews, that's actually a misnomer. Made obvious by the fact that the sun, moon and stars are not just for the Jewish people. Three times in the NT they are called the feast of the Jews (John 5:1; 6:4; 7:2), but those are not complementary identification statements, but rather derogatory comments since they were not keeping them the way Yahweh intended; as we see all throughout the Prophets (Lam. 1:8; Amos 5:21; Mal. 1:6; etc.).

Commentary from Leviticus 23 lays out in basic detail the "seasons" (moedim/appointed times). The first moedim, appointed time, that is given in the Torah to observe is the weekly Sabbath, followed by Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonements, Tabernacles/Sukkot. What is beautiful about these moedim is they are shadows of things to come (Col. 2:17). They are special times to meet with Yahweh, His appointed times, where He wants to meet with you. We have rejected His appointed times and inserted our own (Golden Calf religion [Ex. 32]; Jer. 10; etc.) and our substitutes don't demonstrate the love He wants to receive.

Lest we forget and think these are for the Jewish people only, remember, these instructions from Gen. 1:14 are for all men to know the times and seasons of God, and in Leviticus 23 they are the commentary revealed to those who have applied the blood of the Lamb, were delivered out of the bondage of Egypt, sanctified, given a comforter to guide them, baptized in the sea, in the cloud, and in Moses, fed on the manna from heaven, drank from the Rock (Christ), defeated Amalek, and came into covenant relationship with Yahweh through their confession to do all that He said (Ex.12-24). These instructions, Torah, were not for the Jewish people only, but for the stranger, the foreigner, and the natural born who were all connected by the blood of the Lamb (Ex. 12:49; Num. 15:16).

The first covenant made with Israel/Judah as well as the stranger & foreigner at Mt. Sinai is the same covenant in instruction that He makes with Israel/Judah in the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34).  The main differences are that the Torah/Instructions is to be written on our hearts and we will never have to worry about teaching our neighbor anymore the Words of God for we will all know them (Heb. 8:8-12).

Collectively, Israel and Judah are known as "Israel". Let's look at a quick logical progression that includes you and me and will help you see why I desire to keep the commandments of God (Deut. 6:23-25; John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-7)? Israel, the recipient of God's covenant, is referred to physically as the "Olive Tree" (Jer. 11:16). Israel is the term applied to those who are the seed of Abraham (Isa. 41:8,9). Israel is the repository for the glory, promises, covenants, giving of the Torah, the services, worship, the patriarchs, and Yeshua (Rom. 9:4,5). Christ is the seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:16). If you are in Christ then you are Abraham's seed (Gal. 3:29). Prior to Messiah's redemptive work in your life you were once strangers and foreigners from the covenants and promises of God, but now through Christ have been included (Eph. 2:12-18). Through the mercy of Messiah Yeshua you have been grafted into the Olive Tree (Rom. 11:11-36) and now receive your nourishment from the roots of the tree in order to bring forth olive fruit, from which the oil comes to shine as the light to the world.

Yeshua made it clear that not one jot or tittle would pass from the law until all was fulfilled. A couple years ago, I did a study to see what still has yet to be fulfilled. I found there are over 500 details in prophecies from the Torah that still haven't been fulfilled. All of them deal with Christ's return and events leading up to that climactic event. If Yeshua's Word is true, and I believe He is and since He is the manifestation of the eternal Word of God (John 1:1-3,14), the Light of the World (John 8:12; 9:5; 1 John 1:1-4), the Living Truth revealed (John 14:6) and He did not complete every prophecy on His first coming (Acts 1:1,2) then I can deduce that the Torah is still relevant for those who are in Christ today. And since, through the Word we learn the path to holiness revealed (Isa. 35:8,9) and we are commanded to be holy (1 Pet. 1:15,16; 2;9) which are quotes from Leviticus 11:44,45; 19:2; 20:7,26 dealing with what can be eaten vs not eaten and other Torah obedience, I think it's important to keep the Torah.

But I think you get the gist of what I believe on these topics that are important. I believe the Instructions of God are the means by which, when our lives are conformed to them (since they are the revealed character and heart of God), that it is the means by which we are conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29); the Living Word of God. And though some of them seem to be 'irrelevant' and not necessary because we are not in the Land, or are other gender related or can't be carried out for various reasons outlined in  Scripture, one thing I do know is the commandments that apply to me I know He will give me the grace to walk in those trusting Him that, while doing them, I will reveal His character, His heart, and will be the light to the world.

Finally let me reiterate some of the Words of Yeshua: "...whoever keeps and teaches others to do them will be greatest in the Kingdom." (Matt. 5:19). We have a choice. You can be least or greatest. Yeshua is giving you the option. I choose the latter.

Shabbat shalom!

Have an amazing 28th day of counting the first fruit of the oil.