9.18.26 – Your Hit List
It is here! Yom Teruah has arrived. It is time to celebrate with anticipation the resurrection day that is initiated with a shout and the blowing of the shofar (1 Thess. 4:16–17), and the day when we remember the commitment we made when we entered into His covenant (Deut. 29:14–15).
Today, we find ourselves halfway between Yom Teruah and Yom HaKippurim. These Ten Days of Awe are significant and super practical for the year ahead—as we put into practice being doers of the word (James 1:19–27). At the same time, we do not want to over-spiritualize these days by leaving out the actions of what Yahweh really wants us to live for mankind to see (Matt. 5:14–16). These days are still about repentance. They are about turning from our faithless actions (Rom. 10:17) that are not pleasing in His sight (Heb. 11:6) and doing the behaviors that are pleasing (Heb. 11:6; Rom. 10:17).
How do I know what actions are pleasing and what actions are not? Ah, that is the million-dollar question, is it not!?
The Ten Days of Awe will provide us with an opportunity to rehearse His character in preparation for the final verdict of who enters through the "open doors" to the marriage of the Lamb or who experiences the "closed doors"—as in the parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1–13).
There is a Greek mindset that has infiltrated the Scriptural way of life. It revolves around accepting "positional truth" without living the "visible truth." In our spiritual culture, we love to claim our "position in Messiah," but so often we fail to recognize that without the physical, visible action that makes the position true, it is worthless—and we are not being salt or light to the world that needs it desperately. Consequently, we find ourselves saying things about ourselves that do not match up with our actions, and the world continues to repel our lifestyles.
Let me give you an example that may hit home closer than we would like to admit, from the words of Yeshua. In Matthew's gospel, we have recorded Yeshua's words from His sermon on the mount (Matt. 5–7). These words are given to a group of individuals on how to manifest the holy character of our Father who is in heaven—actions that run contrary to the system of this world and, unfortunately, the religious system of our day.
Yeshua said in Matthew 5:43–45: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you. That you may be the sons of your Father which is in heaven: for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
Six times in this section of Matthew's gospel we find Yeshua recorded saying, "You have heard that it was said." The days of Yeshua were no different from our days. Denominations are built on "hearsay" or "so-and-so said." Yeshua, however, came to set the record straight (Matt. 5:19–20).
It was a common understanding of that day, especially through a group called the Essenes, who lived completely separate lives from the rest of the community. Their modality was to live by showing love toward their neighbors and despising their enemies. It was their way of maintaining separation and modeling holiness. Yeshua, however, goes on to tell us, "But I tell you…"
What is He saying? Go back and look at the verses again. Do you see His emphasis? Hebraically speaking, Yeshua tells us that if we are going to be called "sons of our Father," then we should act like our Father. How did He act? How does He act? Personally, I can testify that when I was His enemy, Yahweh Elohim loved me and reconciled me through the death of His Son (Rom. 5:8–10), not holding my past against me (2 Cor. 5:19–21). Yeshua tells us that we should treat our enemy as He treated us (2 Cor. 1:1–4; Eph. 5:1–2). Generally speaking, He treats His neighbor and His enemy the same. He makes the sun to rise and the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. He provides life-giving sustenance to all, regardless of who they are… hmmmm.
It is this type of behavior that causes individuals to be "perfect," even as our Father in heaven is perfect (Matt. 5:48). Uh oh—be careful. Our Bible tells us to be "perfect," and we know how difficult it is to be without flaw or error; but is that what He means by "perfect" (telios)? So, what does He mean? Yeshua is actually quoting from Leviticus 19:2, where we are told to be "holy" even as our Father is holy. In other words, be set apart. Make decisions toward His character every day, and you will receive the title "perfect" (telios)—just as those in Corinth were called (1 Cor. 2:6–7)—because you are moving toward a goal. Model what Yahweh does, and you will be holy, and He will call you perfect.
Model His character for the world to see! Even to your enemies? Yes, even to our enemies. Keep His commandments! Model His Word for the world to see. Live by faith, and He will be pleased (Heb. 11:6).
For too long we have thought repentance revolves around the overt taboo issues of society—"adultery, drunkenness, drugs, cheating, divorce, etc." And as true as these areas of repentance are (Gal. 5:19–21), we often overlook the most fundamental issues of the faith… how do we love both our neighbor and our enemy!
Who is on your "hit list"? Are you heeding Yeshua's words to "love your enemy"? Are you holding their past actions toward you against them? Are you following the philosophy of our "Essene" system, showing holiness/separateness by hating our enemies? Or are you treating your enemies like Yahweh treated you?
Let the Yom Teruah celebration continue! And let us take a serious inventory of our lives… We are getting closer to the books being closed. For some who have not taken care of the issues in their lives this past month, they could get locked into a prison of their own making for a long time, until the debt is paid in full (Matt. 18:28–35).
Shalom!
Alan
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