[This summary is for a project we are working on, and is a very first draft; but, it is a good summary, concise and clear, “plain”.  I covet your thoughts]

[for transliterated terms, reference: https://battzion.org/resources/glossary/ ]

Elohim, the Creator and King of the Universe, chose Avram, changed his name to Avraham, and entered into covenant with him, preaching the B’sorah to him, and declaring him a Tzadik because he trusted in  יהוה .  He then also obeyed the Torah.

The genetic, chosen children of Avraham are the descendants of his son Yitz’khak, through his son Ya’akov.  There are only twelve tribes, descended from the twelve sons of Yisra’el.  They formed a nation in Eretz Yisra’el.

The nation split in two, and the northern tribes were scattered and forgotten [Hoshe’ah 4:6] because of their spiritual harlotry, mixing the worship of  יהוה with the worship of Ba’al and Ishtar. 

The southern Kingdom was called “Yehudah”, and from there we get our moniker for this people, the “Jews”.  The Jewish people today are all of genetic Israel.  The remnant of the ten northern tribes already returned and rejoined the southern Kingdom, as plainly seen in scripture [2 Chron 30], and all twelve tribes were scattered, together, in 150 AD, and will again be brought back into the land, together, as the Nevi’im declared.  The ‘two sticks’ are already united, and the descendants of Yisra’el are ONE: the Jewish people.

This is earthly, genetic Israel, and no other. 

[We are certain that there are descendants of the northern tribes in other areas, but no one can ascertain where or who they are, with any certainty.  It is all mere speculation, and some of the proponents of genetic identity make up word associations, such as “Brit Am” must mean that “Britains” are the ten tribes, “Covenant People suddenly means “Britain”; they ignore etymology and real linguistics to dupe people.  They make up genetic mumbo jumbo, asserting they know whose DNA is whose.  They forget the 12 sons had five different mothers, and that Efrayim and Menashe had an Egyptian mother.  There is no “Israel DNA”, as there is NO KNOWN base for it.  It is deceit.  The ones that were scattered are forgotten.  Some of their very distant offspring today may indeed be believers in Yeshua, but if so, they are saved because of and by their trust ALONE, and are become the Yisra’el of G-d, along with Jews AND Gentiles.  Consider this: the ten northern tribes were scattered, according to scripture, into parts that are now exclusively Islamic, oddly enough.]

“Charge certain ones not to teach diverse doctrines, and not to give heed to fables and stories of endless genealogies, which cause dispute, rather than build up HaEmunah of Elohim.”

Two-house doctrine does NOTHING to build trust in Yah.  It only divides, just as our Jewish people divide the Body at times.  “Is Mashi’akh divided?” No!

The Israel of Elohim [Gal 6:16] , the CHOSEN BY PROMISE THROUGH TRUST, is any JEW who TRUSTS IN the risen Yeshua as the son of Elohim, AND, any Goy that has joined himself to Yeshua, the King of the Jews, in like manner. [Rom 2:29, 11:17-21, Gal 3:9, 6:16]

Read more:

The Malakh  יהוה  appeared unto Avraham, Yitz’khak, and Ya’akov, and Moshe, and was a manifestation of “HaDavar”, the Word, which later manifests in the man Yeshua, as it is today. [Ivrim 1:1-4]

Elohim, through His Malakh, chose the son of promise, also a Tzadik, the one named Yitz’khak.  And His son, Ya’akov, inherited the covenant and the promise.  Ya’akov’s name was changed to Yisra’el.  His sons and their descendants are the people of Yisra’el.

The nation of Yisra’el was established through covenant with  יהוה  at the mouth of Moshe at Mount Sinai.  All twelve tribes were present.  Elohim delivered them from bondage and brought them into the land of promise.  Eventually, they became a Kingdom.  That Kingdom was divided in two because the northern kingdom rebelled against the southern kingdom, and His appointed king.  The northern kingdom was called “The Kingdom of the House of Yisra’el”.  The Southern Kingdom was called “The Kingdom of the House of Yehudah”. 

The Kingdom of the House of Yisra’el went into mixed paganism, creating two houses, one in Dan and one in Efrayim.  In each of those houses was a golden calf.  The golden calf represents gods made by man. [doctrines of harlotry]  The northern tribes called each calf  by His Name,  יהוה , just as did their fathers in the desert.  As such, יהוה said that He would forget northern Israel [Hoshe’ah 1:4, 4:6], but would save a remnant [Is 1:9, 10:20-23, Jer 37:31] and unite them again with Yehudah [Rom 11:7].  This already happened. [2 Chron 30:5]   

Yeshua is the ROOT of the tree of Yisra’el.  The B’sorah was OFFERED to the JEW first, which was to all Yisra’el.  The Brit Khadashah was ratified at the Pesakh Table, when Yeshua offered the Cup of Redemption, to TWELVE JEWISH MEN, who represented Yisra’el, Yehudah [Jer 31:30-33].  Yisra’el and Yehudah were BOTH present at the Seder, as ONE people.

NOT all of Yisra’el accepted that cup, however.  And they are CUT OFF, just like the northern Kingdom had been cut off.  The “Yisra’el of Elohim” is made up of Jews who are genetic Yisra’el, who are saved because of the promise and BY TRUST ALONE, such as Avraham, Yitz’khak, Ya’akov, Moshe, David, Khizki-Yahu, Yeshua, Yoknanan, Kefa, Matti [from Levi], Sha’ul [from Binyamin], Shimon and Khana [Luka 2:25-36, NOT of the tribe of Yehudah but Asher, 2 Chron 30, Luka 2], because it was offered to them FIRST, and it is also made up of GOYIM from the OTHER nations NOT descended at all from Avraham.  The Goyim, NOT of Yisra’el, were offered the B’sorah after Yisra’el in large part rejected it.  A remnant, the Talmidim, were Jews, Israelis, who received it.

The phrase “the lost sheep of the house of Yisra’el” was spoken to the Kingdom of Yehudah, in both the Tanak and Brit Khadasha:

Yirme-Yahu [the prophet to the SOUTHERN KINGDOM, as the northern kingdom had already been destroyed, and the disobedient scattered and forgotten] 50:1-17 [go and studiously read this passage!  See to whom it was addressed, and when, and why]

This is spoken concerning the destruction of Bavel, because it was prophesied that ALL YISRAEL, in the Kingdom of Yehudah, in the restored/reunified SOUTHERN KINGDOM, would go into captivity to Bavel TOGETHER, and then RETURN, BOTH HOUSES TOGETHER.  The people of Yisra’el were LOST DOCTRINALLY because of the DISOBEDIENCE of SHEPHERDS [pastors, supposed teachers of His Word], and that is why they would soon go into captivity, TOGETHER, [seen in Yirme-Yahu and Lamentations] and return TOGETHER to the land [seen in Ezrah and Nekhem-Yah].  They were also TOGETHER in the time of Yeshua.

In Yeshua’s day, ALL TWELVE TRIBES were LOST DOCTRINALLY, because their teachers [Pharisees] were teaching salvation by GENETICS AND WORKS [be a Jew, be circumcised, keep MAN’s mitzvot].  Yeshua sent the twelve to Yisra’el’s lost sheep, explicitly telling them NOT to go into Shomron, the nearest GENTILE community, descended from the 10 northern tribes! [Matti 10:5-6].  Yeshua came to minister to Yisra’el, the land of Yehudah at that time, the small, reunified kingdom of Yisra’el.

Sha’ul repeatedly refers to the Jewish people of his day as “Yisra’el”.  He called himself a JEW, though he was of the tribe of Binyamin.  He referred to the people who ministered in the Temple as Yisra’el. 

There is ONE Yisra’el of G-d, and ONE NATURAL Yisra’el that is our Jewish people today.  Only a genetic Jew [which are all twelve tribes restored] can be both.  Salvation ‘because’ one is a northern Israelite is ANOTHER GOSPEL [Gal 1:9], and is an utter waste of time and energy.

Shalom,
This is a difficult subject to broach, but necessary.

This was a fb post written six years ago; some of what I asserted has already begun to happen, sadly.  I have another article on this difficult subject brewing.  The fact that this was a memory ‘today’ on fb is timely, as I was approached about the subject moments after I saw this ‘memory’.

====

Today, the subject of same-sex marriage garners way too much attention, and due to Hollywood and politics, many have come to think that we should grant constitutional privilege to this very small group of people who have created a social cast based on behavioral choice, much like biker clubs or football fans, only far more organized and with a political agenda. Before I delve off into the difficulties of the social aspect of this public conundrum, I will first explain my position on the wider issue.

I do not hate any class of people, neither for behavior, nor for race, nor ethnicity, nor religion, nor any other reason for which hate is spewed at a group of people who might be different from me. I loathe the likes of Westboro “Baptist” “Church”, those who spew venom at the homosexual community and treat them as second-rate citizens who are “hated by god”. That is a LIE. So, this is in no way meant to demean anyone for the choices they make, or the beliefs they have. It is only meant to explain what I believe in regard to same sex marriage; so, if there is any backlash for this, before you throw hate at me, consider the hypocrisy of it. I have a right both to believe what I believe, and to express it. My hope is that those who differ will at least try to understand why I believe what I believe, and hear my thoughts on the marriage issue, which is why I pontificate here.

I do believe that same-sex relationships are wrong, but not in the same way some believe. First of all, the word “homosexual” is not in the scriptures, as that word was not even a part of the English language until very late in the game, and not part of any ancient language at all. But, I arrive at what “error” is by seeking the opinion of the Creator on the matter, and I do believe that the Holy Scriptures express HIS opinion clearly: “V’et zahav lo tishkav, mishk’vei isha, to’evah hu”. This is the ONLY thing  יהוה said about this matter by way of direct prohibition: “And with a male you [male] shall not lie as one who lies with a woman; it is perversion.” In the Hebrew, this is a very plain and simple sentence, addressed to the male reader/hearer. So, Elohim has said that a man should not lie with a man as with a woman. It is not how and for what we were designed. [We infer the same prohibition for women, as does Romans 1].

G-d did, in fact, create woman for man, and commanded all men to “be fruitful and multiply”, saying “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave only to his woman.” For what reason? Because that G-d created woman for man, drawing her out of man and placing her by his side.

Now, as a believer in the Creator, and in Messiah, I understand that there are those in our society who do not believe in the Creator, and some who do but who do not believe in the Messiah Yeshua. I wish I could change that, and He knows I try to every day! But, I also understand that it is HIS JOB to do that, all I can do is try to show people that He exists by loving Him, expressing that love by obeying His Voice, the Torah, and by loving people. I do try to do that, and still work on it daily. But, knowing that not everyone does believe, I have to find my place in society. Sadly, that is ever more difficult in our country, as most have gotten to the point where the Word of G-d is outdated, meaningless, marginalized, allegorized, and not taken to mean what it says. So, I must learn to communicate with those people the OTHER reasons why I believe we should not condone same-sex marriage.

In the same passage where we find the command for man not to lie with man, we find other forbidden sexual activities. Regarding children, we are told that they are not even to see our “shameful nakedness”, which actually means sexual activity, and not just our bare bodies. So, if they are not even to ‘see’ it, then they are certainly not to be participators in it, such as is the case with child molestation, which is expressly addressed as forbidden in the New Testament scriptures. Psychologists today, some of them, are now calling child molestation “sexual orientation”. In other words, they are telling the wider human community that child molesters are “geared” that way; in some “christian” circles, they are saying that G-d made them that way, or “oriented” them that way. This was the same conversation we began to have as a society about 100 years ago concerning homosexual behavior. And now, most in America are convinced that this is not a behavioral choice, but is how they are born.

Do we not see the danger here? If we start classifying all of the forbidden sexual BEHAVIORS/choices as built-in “orientation”, and we grant one group of “sexual orientation” so called constitutional rights of marriage, then we will, eventually, be obliged to grant all of those groups those same rights. We will be paying spousal insurance [since we now pay for everyone’s insurance] for horses and dogs, and for children, if we stay on this path, rest assured. Muslims will be free to marry six-year-old girls just as their founder Mohammed did, and just as many in the Middle East STILL do today! Do we really want that here? Those who prefer bestiality will be allowed to marry their animals. It has ALREADY been petitioned for, and with this precedent on the books, it will not be long before we must grant them the same “right”. This will cause our society to spin into utter moral decay, where everything is permissible, if we are not already entirely there. Thieves will claim they were born that way, and we’ll be granting them constitutional rights to our property! Murderers will make the same claim, and we will not be able to prosecute anyone or protect life, because they will have the “right” to take it, because of their genetic bent, or ‘orientation’. Chaos will be our new norm. THAT is why Sodom was destroyed, not because they were homosexual. They had NO rules, no boundaries, and did not care whom they harmed, nor how.

Like it or not, the benchmark for our society and what behaviors were acceptable when the constitution was written was indeed the Judeo-Christian scriptures. Our founders had to have a benchmark, and a “standard” that could be applied. They chose the Bible, somewhat indirectly. While the constitution does not delve into the details, what most people do not realize is that most of the laws of the several states [former colonies] were based on British Common Law, which underwent “received status” and became statutory in the new states. Great Britain was a “christian”, albeit faulty, monarchy, and the common law of Britain evolved over the same time period that the Christianization of Britain occurred. When the early statutes were written into state laws, adding to the received common law, they were based on Judeo-Christian values, ie the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament. This is why, for example, there were many anti-Sodomy laws on the books of most states. Saying that it was not the standard at the beginning of this country’s legal history is just like saying rocket science was not used to design the Apollo spacecraft.

“Alternate” sexuality is a behavior, and it is a learned behavior. There is not just one root cause as to why people choose a particular sexual behavior, and I am not here to speculate about that, although I do have a solid theory about it. Neither am I here to try to stop those who choose this lifestyle from choosing it, apart from giving them Messiah and allowing them to make that choice through His guidance. But, to declare this behavioral choice as a genetically inherited bent, and then to force those of us who disagree with it to support that through our tax dollars, is hypocritical. The same people who are pushing this agenda, some of them, would very much love to rob me of my right to worship as I do, and to rob me of the right to speak about my beliefs, both of which ARE constitutionally guaranteed! And they will not allow ANY tax dollars to support our worship [rightfully so!]. So how is it not hypocrisy to declare that I must support this behavior with my tax dollars?

As to whether they are “born that way”, how can this be? Some have claimed that it is an evolutionary development! Evolution flies in the face of logic, as it states that we are “advancing”, becoming “more complex” and “better”, whereas the evidence shows that we are “devolving”, “winding down”, in a state of decay, and heading for destruction. And if this “choice” is actually “orientation” resulting from our “advancement”, how will the human race perpetuate?  Procreation becomes obsolete.  How does it add to our ability to survive? How will the race go into its evolutionary future, if men choose men and women choose women? We will die off. And if it is an inherited behavior, how will it be passed on to the next generation, when no one is being born?

I do believe they have the “right” to behave behind their doors as they choose, since they are consenting adults. [I do not believe child molesters have this right]. I do not hate them for choosing this behavior. If so, I would have to hate all those who chose their sexual partner[s] before being married, or all those who are unfaithful to their spouse, and anyone who commits any sin; I’d be without anyone to love if that were the case. But, I do not believe they have the right to force their belief about it on me, to flaunt it before my children, any more than they would have me force my belief on them or flaunt my belief before them. I am willing to have honest and courteous dialogue, and have had conversations with some about their choice. And yes, one time I did offer the Truth of Messiah to a gay man, and he received His forgiveness, and did come out of that lifestyle, and was given the power to turn away from the behavior. His name is Scott, and I witnessed that myself, as did thirty other men with whom I worked, so I do know that it is a changeable behavior. But with many who profess this lifestyle, having civil dialogue is near impossible, because their hatred and vitriol is just as venomous as some on the other side, if not more so.

This behavior is indeed “perversion”, meaning only that it violates the design. Eating shrimp, crawfish, catfish, pork, snake, and other foods are “perversion” as well! Look it up! G-d thinks the same about those as he does about men lying with men. The punishment, however, for this behavior, in the time of Moshe, WAS [but is no longer], “the two [men] shall be put to death”.

I MUST first qualify this statement. The death penalty was enacted for far more than just this one “sin”/error in behavior: BREAKING THE SABBATH incurred the death penalty as well! And unfortunately, many who believe in G-d and in His Son as their atonement still break the Sabbath. So, before ANYONE thinks that we need to be violent against homosexuals or Sabbath breakers, or that this is what I am trying to assert, STOP. No. Messiah Yeshua incurred the death penalty in the place of EVERY PERSON ON EARTH, for every infraction against His Torah, and that forgiveness is affected as soon as one “turns” from the error and stops it. He then gives them the power not to commit that error again. That is why He has not again destroyed the earth, nor any locale, for any sin committed by groups of people: that is why He has not punished believers for breaking His Sabbath yet, because the blood of Messiah has made the way to forgiveness for all available to everyone. The death penalty was measured out on Messiah Yeshua in our place: “Messiah died NOT ONLY for our sins, but for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD”. But, simply because He offered that forgiveness does not mean that he no longer regards these things as erroneous and perversion. These things bring on us the “decay” of error, and it spreads into the rest of our lives, and we eventually allow any behavior, simply because we don’t want to address these behaviors as displeasing to G-d or detrimental to society, lest we offend someone.

So, I do not in any way advocate physically harming anyone for any error. But, it was necessary to point this out, because it shows us how serious about the matter the Creator is. He is just as serious about adultery [which also incurred the death penalty], fornication, breaking the 7th Day Sabbath, murder, theft, lying, coveting [greed], and idolatry. And, just as I try to avoid those behaviors, though not being perfect, I try to show others the benefit of avoiding all of them, and the joy of being obedient to our Father. This is how we love Him, and how we love others. He shows us His love by loving us in spite of our error, and giving us the ability to change.  Rom 12:2

So, I offer this into the public dialogue not to engender anger, nor to pick a fight, nor to hurt or offend anyone. But to say that this debate about same-sex marriage needs another look. I wish I could offer to everyone who feels trapped in this particular error the truth about the matter, that it is wrong because it violates the design, in spite of how right it might feel, and that there is a greater happiness in obeying the Father, the Creator. But, that is not the goal here. The goal is to assert that this one behavior should not be granted constitutional status in regard to marriage, because we open the door to granting that same status to other behavioral groups, and we remove even the concept of having societal boundaries or a concept or standard of morality. We must allow people to err, but at the same time encourage them not to. We must all have the freedom to err, and the freedom not to. But, there are things that we must, as a society, regard as harmful to society. A law that changes a behavior to a “right” is exactly that. It will open a door we do not need to open, and ten, fifty, a hundred years from now we will have removed all protections from our society, reasoning them away as infringements on the rights of others. The next step is implosion. Selah.

So, I was reading this morning in that famed book that everyone thinks tells us not to keep the Torah.

I’ve written at length about it before, and people have said I write a bit like Sha’ul, and things are not so easily understood.  I am compelled to simplify today, as much as I can, the arguments in that book.

Check history.  I wish I could cite references today, but alas, I cannot.  Nevertheless, the issue was that there were “Judaizers” trying to force ONE doctrine on new, Gentile believers in Messiah.  The history is that this was a faction of Pharisees, from the “House of Shammai,” the sect within a sect of Judaism that believed, for about 150 years before Messiah, that all Gentiles must convert, become a Jew, with the FINAL SIGN/ACT of conversion being physical circumcision.  [Acts 15:1, Gal 5:2-6] They further taught that they could not be ‘saved’ if they did not fully convert to Judaism, and could therefore not worship in the Synagogue with Jews any longer, for rejecting the doctrine.  This is documented history.  Moreover, the ones bringing this manmade, foul doctrine into the Messianic community were NOT believers in Messiah Yeshua, but were false brothers,  pretending to be ‘saved’, and perhaps pretending to be Messianic! [Gal 2:4]  This was ‘another gospel’, which did not exist!  It was manmade.  The “B’sorah” that Sha’ul preached is clearly seen in Acts 13 and 14.  But, these Jews were NOT even “Messianic Jews” who trusted Messiah, but PRETENDED to believe in Yeshua, to take control of the Gentile community!  In truth, their ‘faith’ in G-d itself was false! [Gal 4:17] Not all Jews believed in salvation for Gentiles by circumcision.  Only half of the community of Pharisees did.  But Shammai was the ruling house among the Pharisees.  The “House of Hillel” opposed them, calling Shammai the “Synagogue of Satan,” and they believed that the Gentiles who came into the Synagogue could be saved by doing a minimum number of mitzvot [commandments].  Obviously, both ‘houses’ were trying to earn their salvation, and no true believer in Yeshua has ever taught that!  And thus, they were ‘false believers’!  No true follower of Yeshua has ever taught that salvation is finalized by circumcision. [Gal 2:15-16] Including us!

[ some today believe that the Hillel doctrine on Gentiles was what is today called the “Noakhide Laws” of B’reshit [Gen] 9.  These are indeed very similar to the mitzvot given by Ya’akov [James] as compulsory for worshipping in the Synagogue to the Gentile believers in Yeshua!  But, we do not follow Rabbis anyway, as they rejected the One Shepherd and Rabbi]

Ya’akov’s mandate for Gentiles to follow a certain small set of mitzvot [more than four, in fact several chapters of Torah] [Acts 15:20, 29] was NOT directed as a proof of salvation, but a matter of ‘order’ and ‘right’ in worshipping, IN THE SYNAGOGUE ! ON SHABBAT! [Acts 15:21].  Acts chapters 13 and 14 are the record of Sha’ul [Paul] preaching to the Galatian Gentiles, IN THE SYNAGOGUE, ON SHABBAT.  They continued to worship there on Shabbat.  Nowhere did they shift to ‘sun-day’.  The mandate not to undergo circumcision FOR SALVATION did NOT go so far as to tell them to stop worshipping on Shabbat!  If this was the ‘turning point,’ why did Shabbat observance not cease then also, instead of in 320 A.D. when Constantine mandated it, and less than 100 years later when Rome began killing BELIEVERS who would not STOP keeping Shabbat?

Sha’ul did not dismiss Torah altogether in the book of Galatians.  In fact, he shows us its purpose: “For through the Torah I am dead to the Torah, that I might live to Elohim.”  [2:19] And he declares emphatically that Torah is NOT contrary to the promise of the B’sorah [good new/gospel] : “Is the Torah then against the promises of Elohim? What profanity!”  Sha’ul also told them, “But if, while we seek to be justified by Mashi’akh, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Adoneinu Yeshua HaMashi’akh a minister of sin? What profanity!” [ch 2]  “Sin IS breaking Torah.”  [1 Jo 3:4]  What most people do not realize when reading this is that the sin he’s addressing is trying to become righteous on one’s own, which is an infraction against Torah!  TRUST has ALWAYS been the mechanism of salvation!  “If we are found sinners” to Sha’ul, and all the Talmidim of Yeshua, is to be found ‘breaking Torah’.  Again, the sin of trying to save oneself by obeying Torah is in fact an infraction against TORAH!  But, just like Avraham, who because of his “Emunah”, or firm trust/faith, was given “Tzedaka” by Elohim, and the PROOF of it was that he THEN kept ALL the decrees, statutes, and laws of G-d [Torah, Gen 24], so too we who trust in Messiah [As Avraham did, Yeshua said, “Avraham saw My day”, the resurrection, on his way to bind and offer his own son], prove our Emunah by obeying Torah: Torah defines sin, it tells us what it is, and it tells us what ‘good deeds’ to G-d are.  We do both: observe [do] things G-d tells us to do, and keep/guard ourselves from doing things He said NOT to do.  All believers practice this in some form or fashion, and to some measure.  WE who are Messianic simply TRUST that G-d is PLEASED further when we keep His Sabbath and His other Appointed Times, as Yeshua did, and as Sha’ul and all the Apostles did.

Avraham is the father of our faith: “So then, it is those who trust who are blessed through Avraham the trusting one.”  Sha’ul is telling us that our Jewishness or Gentile flesh [circumcised or uncircumcised] has NOTHING to do with our Salvation, whatsoever, but that ALL are ‘saved’ because of TRUST.

Most readers of Galatians come away with the conclusion that the Torah is a curse.  This is lack of basic reading comprehension, not because people cannot read, but because they read the text with that foreknowledge/presumption, and they cannot ‘un-see’ that INTERPRETATION.

“For those who rely on the works of the Torah are still under the curse; for as it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not practice everything which is written in the book of the Torah.”  This in NO WAY declares that the Torah IS a curse: but, it says that anyone who does not do EVERYTHING Torah says is cursed.  It is indeed true that no one has ever lived his life perfectly according to Torah, aside from Yeshua, the perfect Torah keeper.  So, Abba, in His compassion, redeemed those who trust in Yeshua out from under the curse OF the Torah:  “Mashi’akh has redeemed us from the curse in the Torah by becoming accursed for our sakes; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,” that the blessing of Avraham might come on the nations through Yeshua HaMashi’akh, that we might receive the promise of HaRu’akh through absolute trust.”  The curse in/of the Torah is very explicit, in VaYikra there are whole chapters describing what the curses are for those who break it!  But, that does not in ANY WAY negate the righteous life described in Torah!  And every REAL believer knows that.  They just do not yet see that G-d STILL loves HIS Sabbath, all His ‘sabbaths’, the seven other appointed times that He made for all mankind perpetually.

“But then, when you did not know Elohim, you served those things which from their nature were not gods. But now, after you have known Elohim, and, above all, are known of Elohim, you turn again to those weak and poor principles, and you wish again to come under their bondage. You still observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid that perhaps I have labored among you in vain.”

There are several things to look at concerning the scripture above [4:8-11], which is another ‘proof text’ for many that the Torah is invalid, especially His Sabbath and the appointed times.  First, the “you” in the first clause is explicitly GENTILES, GALATIANS, people who did not know G-d, but served IDOLS.  They were NOT gods!  The “weak and poor principles” he cites most assume to be the Mitzvot of the Torah.  Really, we’re going to call the Mitzvot, the Commandments of G-d, like the “Ten Commandments”, weak and poor principles?  REALLY?  WHAT PROFANITY! [see that phrase’s many uses also in the book of Romans, and pay attention there]  The Galatians could not possibly RETURN to Torah commands from being pagan!  The BONDAGE of paganism was observance of ‘laws’ or ‘commands’ that did NOT come from G-d!  So, EVEN IF he were addressing Jewish believers, this would STILL apply to them, as the command to be circumcised to be saved did NOT come from G-d!  Circumcision was given to Avraham AFTER he was declared ‘righteous’.  Circumcision of the heart is given to US after we are declared righteous, and we, Jew OR Gentile, become TRUE JEWS when our hearts are circumcised, [Rom 2:29], and circumcision of the heart is OBEDIENCE to His mitzvot! [Deut 10]  The keeping of ‘days, months, times, and years’ was NOT exclusive to Judaism.  The pagan rites of Greece and Rome had days of observance: Friday was their day of not eating meat; they had many days of fasting, and many other observances.  Sha’ul doesn’t tell the reader what their ‘days’ and times they were worried about were, because THEY KNEW.  But, he never once said, ‘do not observe the Sabbath’, which these Galatians did observe, even as he wrote them [Acts 13, 14, and 15:21].

The next passage of issue is: “Now these things are a symbol of the two covenants, the one from Har Sinai giving birth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Har Sinai in Arav, and surrenders to Yerushalayim which now is, and is in bondage with her children.”  Because this does indeed refer to Har [Mt] Sinai, and to the Jewish people, readers ‘think’ that this bondage is The Torah.  NO!  WHAT PROFANITY!  The bondage is SIN!  Israel TODAY, just as then, is lost, and under SIN!  And that sin is TRYING TO BE SAVED BY DOING TORAH, and NOT TRUSTING in Yeshua!  THAT is what the “Judaizers” were teaching in Galatia.  The Torah TELLS US what sin is, and points us to Yeshua!  And we find excuses NOT to do what G-d says.  Just as the Galatians were being told. “Trust is not enough, be circumcised and become Jewish.”  NO!  The Torah tells us not to do that!  But MAN fails.  That is the ‘weakness of the Torah’.  It tells us what sin is, but does not cure us from sin.  It gives us no power over sin.  But Messiah DOES.  Trust in Messiah IS the cure!  But, through that trust, we are given the Ru’akh, so that we can OBEY GOD!  Suddenly, keeping the Torah is not frightful, because we KNOW we have a propitiation for our failures!

The last thing we will look at is this: “For the flesh craves that which is harmful to HaRu’akh, and HaRu’akh opposes the things of the flesh; and the two are contrary to one another, so that you are unable to do whatever you please. But if you are led by HaRu’akh, you are not under the Torah. For the works of the flesh are well known, which are these: adultery, impurity, and lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, stubbornness, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and all such things; those who practice these things, as I have told you before and I say to you now, shall not inherit Malkhut HaElohim.”

People see the phrase ‘under the Torah’ and THINK it means to be doing the commandments.  But, look closely.  Being ‘under the Torah’ means to be BREAKING it.  The ‘works’ he lists as deeds of the flesh are NOT “Remember the Sabbath” or “Observe Passover” or  “Observe Matzot” or “Observe Yom HaKippurim”, etc.  but the ‘works’ of the FLESH are adultery, idolatry, witchcraft, and a host of OTHER things the Torah says NOT TO DO!  When one is practicing those things, ONE IS UNDER TORAH!  One might say ‘how does the circumcision issue fall in this category?’  Well, Yeshua and the Nevi’im tell us that our doctrines are idolatry.  MEN made up the notion that one must be circumcised to be saved.  THAT was the Galatian issue.  THAT is a manmade mitzvah, and that is idolatry, the worship of self.  Putting trust in oneself and in his flesh to be saved by it.  Sha’ul is showing us that the Torah is in line with the Ru’akh!  In another book, he actually says that the Torah IS Spirit!  [Rom 7:14]  Any doctrine that does not agree with the Torah spoken on Har Sinai is NOT from G-d.  His Breath spoke the Mitzvot.  Yeshua spoke the Mitzvot to Moshe.  Yeshua spoke the Mitzvot to Yisra’el, and expounded them, and expressly said that He did NOT come to abolish the Torah, but to confirm it.  And he spends the next 2 & 1/2 chapters confirming the Torah [Matti 5-7].

Sha’ul overturned a manmade law in Galatia, and supported the Torah.  Any other conclusion defies the Creator Himself.

I hope this is brief enough for someone…. Shalom!

Lamah?

The earliest believers in Yeshua first quoted Tehillah 2 [Ps 2] back to the creator as part of the first recorded ‘corporate’ prayer.  This occurred after Yokhanan and Kefa had been arrested for declaring the resurrection of Yeshua.  They said to the religious Jews, “Whether it be right before Elohim to listen to you more than to Elohim, you judge…”  This verse went through my mind this morning during meditations.  And I thought of many facets of our ‘struggle’ as believers in Yeshua, and of the confidence we need.  And that led to further contemplation of this chain of events.  After Kefa and Yokhanan were released, they returned to the brothers and recounted the events, and then they all prayed:

“O  יהוה  , You are Elohim who has made heaven and earth, and the seas, and all that is in them; You are the One who spoke through The Ru’akh HaKodesh by the mouth of Your servant David when he said, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings and the rulers of the earth have revolted, and have taken counsel together against  יהוה  , and against His Mashi’akh.’ For truly, they assembled in this very city, together with both Herodus and Pilatos and with the Goyim and with the people of Yisra’el, against your Ben Kadosh, Yeshua, to execute whatever Your hand and Your will had previously decreed to take place. And even now, O  יהוה  , look and see their threats; and grant to Your servants that they may freely declare Your D’var, just as Your hand is freely stretched out for healing and wonders, and Your miracles which are done in the Name of Your Ben Kadosh, Yeshua.”

Their ”Emunah”, their ‘firm trust, faith’, was great that day.  They knew they were doing right.  They knew factually that Yeshua was a man risen from the dead.  And they knew their mandate to declare that fact before even kings.  And before the religious order of Jews, who were opposing that Truth.  They were so convinced, that after their prayer was completed, we read, “And when they had petitioned and made their supplications, the place in which they were assembled together was shaken, and they were all filled with The Ru’akh HaKodesh, and they spoke D’var HaElohim boldly.”

I ruminated over that prayer some two + years ago, and a ‘war hymn’ was birthed in me, and we call it “Lamah?”  “Why?”  It is not a plea of ‘oy veh,’ but one of ‘O my,’ of ‘How foolish are the leaders of this world!’  to fight against the truth of the Resurrection of the Salvation of the World, Yeshua the Messiah!  That song has apparently become a favorite in our congregation. 

The people of this world have still all taken counsel together, they have collectively DECIDED NOT to believe in Yeshua, the Son of G-d, and in His resurrection.  It is NOT that they do not ‘see’ that the evidence is there, and overwhelming!  It is NOT that they do not know that their world view is wrong!  It is that they do not like the Biblical world view, they do not like the ‘counsel’ of the Almighty, nor anyone who truly follows the King of Israel, Yeshua Ben Yosef.  The end of that Tehillah warns the world, “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when suddenly His wrath is kindled. Happy are all they that take refuge in Him.” 

The thought processes of MOST people today are against the simple instructions of G-d.  Because of the abundance of iniquity, which is the lack of, or being outside of, the Torah, the love of most people has turned cold; their hearts have hardened.  They are jaded; bitter.  And this causes mankind to turn on itself.  The result?  All the things G-d tells us NOT to do become “honorable” and ‘tolerated’: tyranny, murder, gluttony, adultery, uncleanness, abortion, homosexuality, transgenderism, drunkenness, lewdness, and all manner of sin.  And anyone who dares to point to the righteousness of G-d in any way, but especially in regard to the Torah observant Jew, Yeshua the Messiah, is marked a criminal against mankind.  In places where truth has already been snuffed, believers are indeed criminals.  In our country, we are being painted as criminals, and if ALL who SAY they believe in the Son of G-d do not REPENT, and turn from these evils, we will soon not only be painted with the brush of condemnation, but imprisoned for trusting in Him.  Too many believers are putting their hope in Trump, and not G-d.  Don’t get me wrong, I do think, in small part, Trump has been a reprieve, a bit like Jonah was to Nineveh.  But, Nineveh was later destroyed for not remaining faithful.  Many are happy to revel in the financial benefit Trump has been to our country, but are yet not willing to ‘turn’ from their sins. 

The ’power’ of Yeshua is NOT so much in shaken buildings.  That was a manifestation of His approval of THEIR TRUST in His Word.  The power of Yeshua is in a heart turned to repentance.  Turned to following the WAY of Messiah.  In spite of what the religious class thinks.  In spite of what the kings and rulers of the earth think.  And it hinges on the resurrection of a man once dead.  A man who is now alive and seated at the right hand of the Creator of the universe.

The Jewish religious leaders KNEW that Messiah would be declared the “Son of G-d.”  Apart from what has already been quoted from Tehillah 2, we also read there: “I will tell of the decree: יהוה  said unto me, “You are My son, this day have I begotten you.”  And in Mishlim 30:4, familiar to those ancient Rabbis, we read: “Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His Name, and what is His Son’s name, for you will know it.”  That is ONE Name!  That name is יהוה , the Name given to Yeshua.  Kefa had just declared in Yerushalayim, “Therefore let all Beit Yisra’el know assuredly that Elohim has made this very Yeshua, whom you have executed, both  יהוה  and Mashi’akh.”  And Sha’ul tells us: “and every tongue shall confess that He, Yeshua HaMashi’akh, is יהוה , to the glory of Elohim His Father.”

It is on THAT declaration that we stand, after having TURNED to His Ways.  And in THAT confidence, we stand against all powers.  We fight the sins described above, to keep ourselves pure in His Way, the SAME way Yeshua did: by declaring His Word, D’varim! 

If we know the mitzvot, as Yeshua surely did, and our enemy comes at us with ‘temptation,’ of any kind, we simply declare to our enemy His Mitzvah.  Yeshua was tempted to perform miracles for show, by miraculous provision, and resisted, declaring D’varim 8:3 [deut].  Yeshua was tempted to ‘see’ if G-d really loved Him by testing Him, and He declared instead D’varim 6:16. Yeshua was tempted to become wealthy and powerful beyond his lot in life, and he quoted D’varim 6:13. 

No matter at all what the temptation is, if it goes against a mitzvah, declare that Mitzvah!  And TRUST in His Truth, in SPITE of what our flesh says, or what our friends say, or what the kings and rulers say, or what the false religious leaders say!  HIS TRUTH is POWER.  And it is POWER over sin!

The hard part for us as humans is to believe that what He says is right is right!  Because our flesh wants otherwise.  And most people are unwilling to leave the flesh and its passions behind.  It is an epic struggle.  Yeshua put it this way:

“And this is the judgment: that light [Torah declared by Yeshua] has come into the world, and yet men have loved darkness more than light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does abominable things [Lev 11, 17-22] hates the light, and he does not come to the light, because his works cannot be covered. But he who does HaEmet [The Truth/Torah] comes to the light [Yeshua’s teaching of Torah], so that his works may be known, that they are done through Elohim.”

We just declared in our Synagogues around the world, “Khazak V’Ematz!”  Be strong and resolute.  I pray that for every reader who has already repented of his sins.  Do it again, if you have faltered, no matter how many times.  He is full of compassion!  For those who have not, I implore you, turn from the ways of this world.  Trust in the Son of G-d, whom G-d raised from the dead, and whose blood was shed to purify all of us from our sins.  Desire to be pure.  And then become so by His blood, and remain so by your confession.  No matter how hard the fight is.  Fight.

Happy is the man that has not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the Torah of יהוה   ; and in His Torah does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does he shall prosper. Not so the wicked; but they are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the Tzadikim. For יהוה   knows the way of the Tzadikim; but the way of the wicked shall perish.

I have been very, very busy of late!  So I haven’t had much time to write!

We are in the latter part of the fall Mo’edim, working toward day 4 of Sukkot.

Yom Teru’ah was again a ‘blast,’ Yom Kippur was great, and the easiest fast I’ve had; and the first three nights of Sukkot, along with the day 1 assembly, have been unmatched in regard to the joy my wife and I have been given…

What is striking to me is that all the many ‘little’ things that the Creator has done on our behalf add up to so much ‘proof’ of His affection for us. Several times over the last few months different ones have asked me if I ever doubted our faith, the core of what we believe: That there is a Creator; that man was created in perfection, and sinned, losing the Divine Presence he had in Gan Eden; that the Creator chose Avraham, and his descendants, to bring the B’sorah [Good News/Body of the Lamb, His Son] into the world. That Yeshua Ben Yosef of Natzrat, a Jew, is the Son of G-d, our Messiah, who died on a tree as a final, atoning offering for all of mankind, particularly those who would receive trust in that Truth; and that G-d raised the MAN Yeshua from the dead, and He now stands at His right hand on the throne of Glory; and that He will come and gather the Khasidim [devout ones] to Himself, in our near future.  These are those who TRUST, and OBEY, and are given a deposit, a taste of what Adam had, the Divine Presence, with a promise of even greater than that at the resurrection of the dead, those who trust and are faithful.

I can honestly say that there is not one shred of doubt in me about any of that. But, I do sometimes ‘tremble’ that I might blow it, might wander, might falter and go too far; but EVERY time I ‘feel’ that way, I am reminded by His Word of HIS faithfulness, of His GREAT compassion [which is truly beyond our comprehension, and any measuring stick we use]. And each time that I am reminded of that, my ‘joy’ in Messiah is restored.

I have indeed no trust in mankind. Mankind has proven too often to betray.

But the brothers in Messiah have been redeemed out of mankind, OUT of “Adam”, and have been ‘recreated’ in the New Man, the Second Adam, Messiah Yeshua. I know that a brother, one redeemed by Messiah, who understands the price paid for himself AND for others, will ALWAYS remain ‘faithful’ to his brothers. No matter what. One who is recreated in the New Man is not weighed down by the products of this world, the sins of mankind.

The ‘theme’ that I am seeing in this Sukkot is that of the newness of life. We are at the time of year when life begins to ‘die’, in regard to plant life.  Animals begin to hide, for warmth and safety.  The world is harvesting its food, and creating new wine, and setting up stores for the cold season; the days are growing shorter, and colder, and darker. And it is at this time of abundant harvest that Elohim has us assemble together and CELEBRATE LIFE for EIGHT DAYS. Yeshua was born on the 1^st day of Sukkot; he was circumcised on the 8^th Day, the Great Day of Rejoicing in The Torah; he received His Name, Yeshua, SALVATION, on that day! And Salvation will be COMPLETE at the beginning of the 8^th Millennium, after Messiah has ruled for 1,000 years on earth, and a new heaven and earth are created, with the current ones being ‘rolled up like a scroll’. People who remain in the ‘first adam’ cannot wrap their heads around that; and they scoff. But, it is going to happen. And at the 7^th Millennium, just before it starts [likely within 50 years], the events that bring about His Wrath on earth will begin; and that will happen sooner than any of us want.

America is tumbling fast into the abyss of selfishness and sin. People of faith are going to have to decide soon with whom they will stand. Yeshua said He did not come to bring ‘shalom,’ but a sword, to DIVIDE even families! And that division will be over who HE is! And over what is Tzedaka! And that is happening fast in our country already. The issue is, there are so many false teachers out there who do not know they are false. And so their followers do not know they are false. And they will not be prepared for what is coming on mankind.

However long He leaves His Bride among the wicked, we must be prepared; because there will come a day when He will snatch her out and bring her to Safety in His Mountain. And so few are prepared and ready for the Groom; so few are dressed and ready for the wedding, actually having oil in their lamp. The ‘lamp’ is the Torah, and the oil is The Ru’akh, given by the Second Adam to those who truly trust. And those who do TRUST, will OBEY HIM, and NO other.  That is what ‘trimming the lamp’ is.  That is a simple message that so few ‘hear and understand,’ and it was Yeshua’s message from the beginning to the end of His ministry.

Our ‘appointed times’ with the Creator teach us these things, and remind us year after year, and refine our walk. And I have found that in each season, HE challenges ME, to ‘prove’ to ME that HE is changing me. And this causes me to ‘check myself’ and see IF I truly am in THE Emunah [Firm Faith/trust] as defined by His WORD; the evidence is whether I am changing, becoming more obedient to Him, more like Yeshua. “Blessed are those who do His Mitzvot [commandments of the Torah], that they may have the right to Etz HaKhayim [Tree of Life, a pseudonym for Torah, and for Messiah Yeshua], and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

The ‘gates’ are opened on Yom Teru’ah, the first day of the year. The gates of the New Universe will be opened on the first day of the Eighth millennium, and NEVER CLOSE. Simkhat Torah is a rehearsal of “eternity”/infinity, the eighth millennium that will never end…. And that is how we always feel on Simkhat Torah in our little Synagogue; not wanting it to end.  “Sukkot” is about Messiah being ALWAYS WITH US.

I so look forward to Simkhat Torah this year. I wish that everyone even remotely aware of me as a person and of us as a congregation would consider coming to share in the culmination of the Season of Our Joy. Yeshua entered into the covenant as a human being on this day 2,000 years ago. And we will enter into the PROMISE of that covenant with Him very, very soon; I wish everyone could be there; especially YOU.