3 20 26 – The Light of Salt

All week long we have been building on the idea that every offering must contain salt (Lev. 2:13). What does that really look like? Without a doubt, being salt and light has its challenges! Especially when the question keeps coming up: "What does that look like?" Once again we have the million-dollar question. Many have turned our "walk" into a "thought," or the word "do" into a "positional truth" without doing the "do," and "His commandments" into "convenient suggestions." Politeness and cultural norms of expectation have become the true spirituality of our day. Yet in reality, it is hard to tell the difference between a polite businessman and a Scriptural believer today. How do we know who is salt and light? Consequently, anyone who is polite, upright in the public eye, involved in community activities, does not beat up their spouse, etc., is considered a good person.

Everything that Yeshua has taught us so far in the Sermon on the Mount is about having the right frame of mind that leads to an action (Matt. 5:3–14). That is where happiness comes from. That is where persecution comes from. That is where reward comes from (Matt. 5:1–12).

The human body emits light on its own. It gives off frequencies that can be detected. Is that what Yeshua meant when He said you are the light of the world? If we are to get a better grasp on the meaning of what we are, we should define what Scripture says "light" is.

Let us start with the absolute: Yeshua is the Light of the World (John 8:12). We know that if we are followers of Yeshua, we are to imitate His lifestyle (1 John 2:3–7; Eph. 5:1–2). We know that He is the Word that was made flesh (John 1:14). We know that the Word is the Seed (Luke 8:11). We know that the seed, in the right environment, will always reproduce after its kind (Gen. 1:11–12; day 3). We know that when Yahweh Elohim spoke His Word, there was light manifested (Gen. 1:2–3; day 1). We know that it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34). We know that His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Ps. 119:105). We know that the lamp is the commandment and the Torah is the light (Prov. 6:23). We know that Yeshua, the Light of the World, came only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel—a people who sat in darkness—to seek and save that which was lost (Matt. 4:16). We know that light dispels darkness (Gen. 1:2–3), and the darkness cannot comprehend it (John 1:5). We know that Yeshua is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). We know that His ways are everlasting and His Torah is truth (Ps. 119:142). We know that all His commandments are truth (Ps. 119:151). We know that His Word has been from the beginning (Ps. 119:160). We know that from the sin in the garden there has been a Promised Seed (Gen. 3:15). We know that the Seed comes through Abraham (Gal. 3:16). We know that Messiah Yeshua is the reality of that Seed (Gal. 3:16). We know that if we are in Messiah Yeshua, then we are Abraham's seed (Gal. 3:27–28). We know that if we are Abraham's seed, then we should do as Abraham did (John 8:39). Yes, we know, we know, we know. Enough already, Mr. Obvious :-).

As we continue to read in Matthew 5, we are going to see that Yeshua will tie all of these thoughts together in one statement. We will not look at that statement because you have had enough already :-). However, it is very apparent that if we are to be doers of the Word and not just hearers (James 1:22), and if we want to hear, "Well done, thy good and faithful servant" (Matt. 25:21, 23), and if we, as those justified by the work of Messiah, live by faith, we will live by the Word (Rom. 10:17), and if we live by the Word, we will use His instructions as the guidelines for our lives and not our own sight (2 Cor. 5:7)...

In conclusion of what you already know, and in preparation for Mrs. Lot on tonight's Zoom at 8:00 p.m. EST, 699 858 9149: we can see that to be the light of the world is to visibly, tangibly display the Word of Elohim, the Torah, the life of Messiah, and reproduce it so that those who sit in darkness can see that great light manifest in your actions and glorify our Heavenly Father (Matt. 5:16):

"In the same way, let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Isa. 42:6–7; Matt. 5:16)!

May our lives be more than a salt shaker filled with salt or just a battery-powered flashlight that never turns on.

Tonight's Zoom call: "Remember Mrs. Lot: A Pillar of Salt and the Passover Lamb, the Thanksgiving Offering" (korban shelamim) (Lev. 3; Gen. 19; John 1:29). See you at 8:00 p.m. EST, 699 858 9149.

Shalom,
Alan

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