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  • About Us
    • Core Values
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    • Meet the Council
  • Get Involved
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    • Passover
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    • YAD Merch
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HEAVEN ON EARTH; WHY NOT NOW?

9/21/2012

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 MATTHEW 5:21-22
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.

Paul, Yeshua’s apostle teaches us that the reward of sin is death (Romans 3:23). Furthermore John, another apostle teaches that sin is the breaking of the Commandment (1 John 3:4). Yeshua Himself was against even the relaxing of the commandments (Matthew 5:19), and challenged us to be even more righteous than His very conservative brothers (Matthew 5:20), but is it feasible?

Because the breaking of the Torah was so dangerous, the teachers of Israel decided to make fences around Its Commandments.  The idea was to proclaim the interdict in a way that it was impossible to break it. It’s like having an important meeting at six thirty, but aware of people’s procrastinating nature, you declare it at six o’clock. There is nothing wrong with that. It’s called wisdom and knowing human nature; we do it all the time; we tell children, “Don’t go in the kitchen” when all we don’t want them to do is touch the knives.

After their return from Babylon, the sages of Israel understood that they had gone to exile because of their breaking of the commandments. They realized that it wasn’t very fun to go to exile, so they adopted the principle of ‘fences’ around the commandments in order to make it more difficult to break them. We must remember that the responsibility of the elders of the Hebrew nation was very great. People did not have Scripture scrolls around their homes in these days. The teachers were the only means by which people could even know what the commandment is. They were like the parents of the people.

God allowed Cain the first murderer to live. As a result, when Lamech (Cain’s great-grand-son) also committed murder he thought that he should get away with it (Genesis 4:23-24). Eventually, after the Great Flood, the Father made it a universal law that murder warranted the death penalty (Genesis 9:6). The idea was that to kill a man was to kill something made in the image of the almighty. It’s like killing your son: you will want revenge for his shed blood. Through Moses, the Father reiterated His position about murder (Numbers 35:30-31) and Yeshua taught us that the ‘fence’ for the sin of murder was anger in the heart (Matthew 5:21-22). When we kill unlawfully, we actually commit murder against ourselves. If the law doesn’t catch us, the true Avenger of blood does. God is a God of justice and mercy: justice for the offender and mercy for the offended. 

I told my students one time: how would you feel if you lived in a world where you never had to worry about people lying, killing, stealing, hating and all the likes? They said, “It would be like Heaven!”, to which I responded, “we can have it, by just deciding to obey the Ten Statements written on stone by the finger of God Himself at Mt Sinai. 



By the way; why don’t we? 
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A CLEAR CONSCIENCE WITH GOD AND MAN

9/20/2012

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TISHREI 4                                                                                                            ד תשרי
Acts 24:14-16
But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.

These are words spoken by Yeshua’s apostle, Paul, several years after his encounter with the Master. He syas, "I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Torah (my edition) and written in the Prophets." In other words, Paul’s defense against the High-Priest’s accusations of sedition and profanation was that he never swayed from practicing Judaism; that he believed and practiced the commandments written in the Pentateuch, as well as the teachings of the prophets. 

Judaism is not a creed; it is a way of life. It is not something that can be practiced while not showing on the outside. The High-Priest knew it and couldn’t refute Paul’s confession so he added false accusations of seditions to the package of 'evidence' against Paul. Ananias knew that the Roman governor couldn’t care less about religious squabbles, but disturbing the peace of the Empire was a very serious offense, especially in Jerusalem.

Paul proclaimed his innocence by insisting that he always took pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. In the mouth of Paul, this meant that he kept his conscience clear of offenses in front of God and man by his sincere efforts to serve God and obey His commandments. By bringing these facts to the fore, Paul hoped to close the mouth of his accusers.

The Accuser is always in front of us. He accuses us not to the Roman emperor, but to the King Creator of the universe. It is one thing to be accused of an evil that we have done, and we all have done plenty, but this we can do to close the mouth of the Adversary: we can strive to take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man: before God by our obedience to Torah, and before men by submitting to the ordinances of earthly authority, doing both to the best of our capacity; also to strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

There are times when we may feel that man’s command goes against God’s command, and it may be so at times, but I have observed that it is very often our personal tangential application of both which creates the conflict..

Let’s take the stand today to close the mouth of He who stands in front of God accusing us of evil. Let us have the conviction that despite the sin of our human nature which we cannot avoid, we follow in the footsteps of the apostle: striving for peace, and taking pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man
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RETURNING TO JERUSALEM

9/20/2012

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TISHREI 3                                                                                                                                               ג בתשרי
Luke 24:31-33
And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. … "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?"  …  that same hour and returned to Jerusalem.

On the third day after the crucifixion, on the first day of the week, women came to the tomb to embalm the Master. To their great surprise Yeshua's body had ‘disappeared’. Though incredulous, upon hearing the women’s accounts Peter and John ran to the tomb only to be faced with the same conclusions. Yeshua soon comforted the disciple’s worries appearing to them on several occasions. While all this transpired in Jerusalem, two disciples who had come to Judea for the pilgrimage festival of Passover left for Emmaus (Luke 24).

As Cleopas and his travelling companion still grieved the death of their Master, a ‘stranger’ joined them on their journey. As their new co-journeyer wondered at the disciples’ conversation, they asked, ‘Don’t you know what happened three days ago in Jerusalem? We thought that the famous Galilean prophet, Yeshua of Nazareth, was the Messiah. We thought He would be the one gathering back the Children of Israel from the four corners of the earth and re-establish us as a sovereign country but alas, the religious authorities did not approve of Him; they turned Him in to the Romans to be crucified as traitor and a criminal. To top it all, some our friends went to the tomb this morning and found it empty. We are still shocked at the whole thing, and also confused.”

Upon hearing this account, starting with Moses and the prophets, the ‘stranger’ demonstrated to the disciples that all had happened according to Scripture and that they should not worry. Hearing the Scriptures in their Messianic perspective filled the discouraged disciples with hope again. As they arrived in Emmaus, they invited the ‘stranger to dine with them. As they sat at the table, the ‘stranger’ opened the meal with a blessing and it is at that time that He opened their eyes. They then realized that their travelling companion was the resurrected Master. Right away they decided to return to Jerusalem.

This story is everyone’s story. In confusion and discouragement, we often leave ‘Jerusalem’ to return to the same old ways. As with the other disciples, no empty tomb or amount of convincing preaching could have changed these Jewish disciples mind. They needed to see the resurrected Master and He needed to open their eyes. It is also the only way that Israel as a nation will eventually see and recognize it’s Messiah: not by preaching, but when He comes in the cloud in the end of time (Zechariah12:10; Acts 1:11). When they recognized their beloved Master, they repented and returned to Jerusalem.

Meeting the resurrected Master should create in us a spirit of repentance bringing us back to the origins of our faith, to the place where we belong, to 'Jerusalem'. After three days of Yeshua being absent, the disciples were already straying from the faith, but the Master ran after them. He met them at the tomb, and in their house where He spoke with Thomas (John 20:27). He even met them on the road to Emmaus, just in order to bring them back to ‘Jerusalem’ where they were to remain until the next pilgrimage festival: Shavuot/Pentecost (Acts 1:4).

In these days of preparation for the awesome day of Yom Kippur, may our meditations grant us the presence of the Master that causes us to repent and return, repent from our straying and back to the ‘Jerusalem’ where we belong. May we be found doing His will on the Day of His coming.  

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THE DAY AT HAND

9/18/2012

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TISHREI 2                                                                                                                                      ב בתשרי                                                          
Matthew 24:45-47
"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.” 

Since the days of John the Immerser we are told, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’ “At hand’, means easily reachable. Isn’t it strange that more than 2,000 years have passed and this 'at hand' Kingdom of God has not yet been established on the earth?

Every generation learns that ‘the Kingdom of Heaven is 'at hand’. In fact, many generations have been convinced that they were going to see the return of the Master right in their days, but it did not happen. In a way, it is right that it should be so. If it weren't, how would we feel the necessity to ready ourselves for that great and awesome Day? Even more important, how would we feel the urgency to teach our children about it?  If we did not in every generation apprehend the return of Yeshua ‘at hand’, within two generations the whole message would be lost.

Each year during the High Holidays we rehearse, we anticipate this return of our Master; we look forward to His judgment, His vindication, and His final take-over of the kingdoms of this world when He will usher us into 1,000 years of restoration. All wrongs will be then made right and day will conquer the night. The lost will be restored, injustice will be rectified. In the glory of His ruling majesty, as Solomon of old, the great King will listen to our pleas, wipe our tears away, vindicate the souls of those persecuted for righteousness’ sake and challenge all who destroy the earth. May it be soon Abba, even in our days!

PRAYER:
"May it be Your will Abba that we may be ready for that great Day!
May it be Your will that we may be at that time found doing those which pertain to Your commands, not in lip service but from the heart.
May we start today living a life that reflects unswerving love and dedication to Your Commandments.
May we be found worthy of the title of disciple: one who emulates his Master.
Blessed are You O Lord our God King of the universe, who rewards righteousness, punishes iniquity, and most of all, rectifies the disobedient.

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THE MIRROR

9/17/2012

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TISHREI 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        א בתשרי    
Matthew 24:48-51
But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Those of us who acknowledge Yeshua as our Master and Rabbi have been given both assignments and responsibilities over His heritage. We are expected to behave as shepherds and responsible leaders over His flock. He left us in charge while He is gone on a journey, but at the time appointed our Master returns. At that time we will sit down with Him for an audit. He will look at what He left us with and require the increase. If there is no increase He will examine the situation and demand an explanation. This is the time when the priorities that led our lives will be examined and evaluated.

We all mean to do well and I doubt if any person reading this actually beats his fellow servants or drinks with the drunkards. On the other hand, we can all admit to neglecting our responsibilities by just being selfish, self-motivated, negligent, and over-concerned with our personal pleasure, entertainment, comfort, and reputation.     

As we prepare for rehearsing the Day of the Lord through the Festival of Yom Kippur, we may need to do a little self-auditing. There are several questions we can ask ourselves that can help put us back in perspective: What does Yeshua expect of me? Have I been fulfilling His will and wishes for my life? If not, why? Where am I in my relationship with His family, my brothers and sisters? Are there any sour relationships that I need to sweeten? Would I want Him to ask me the question: ‘why is your relationship with so and so in such a state of negativity?’ Are there people in ether my social or biological entourage that I am expected to look after? Am I fulfilling my responsibilities with them? If not, why?

James the apostle exhorts us in this way, For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. James’ 'mirror' is the Torah which defines what is expected of us. It is a bit like the evil witch’s mirror in the fairy tale Snow White. We are meant to look in it and compare our lives with the beauty of His Words. The mirror is meant to point out our blemishes so we can fix them through repentance, prayer , and emulation of the Master. Sad to say though, like in the story, some of us use it to retaliate against anything that challenges our innate self-righteous spirit, so the apostle continues and says, ‘But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (James 1:23-25).

May we look in the 'Mirror', learn, repent, and change, that our names may be written in the Book of Life!

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LET THE CHILDREN GO GO TO HIM!

9/16/2012

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Matthew 19:14
"Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." 

Moses declares to Israel, "I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out and come in (Deuteronomy 31:2). This could be interpreted to mean that because of his age he was decrepit and no longer ambulatory but how could it be when it is also said that, Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated (Deuteronomy 34:7)? Moses simply realized that time had come for him to pass on the baton to Joshua. Wisdom was going from him. He was not able to 'go out and come in' with Words of Torah. He knew that he needed to get out of the way and surrender the leadership of Israel to his faithful and devoted disciple Joshua. Moses had given his life for the cause. He saw all the works of God with Israel. He was the instrument, the 'pedagogue' of God's parenting.

As he now readied to meet his Maker, Moses knew what was to befall the people he so faithfully led. He knew of their future disobedience and apostasy; he saw their defeat at the hand of their enemies; he saw multiple exiles, but he also knew that in the end, Hashem fulfills His covenant with them.

This can be compared to our own parenting. We tenderly care and nurture our children for let's say twenty years then we send them to their own destinies. We see their first steps towards independence and how badly we want to keep them from falling as we did when they first started walking or riding a bike? We look with apprehension at their future and as we see the gloom and doom of their irresponsible decisions; we instinctively want to grab the steering-wheel of their lives back in our own secure hands. But we have to let go. We have to let God take over the leadership of our children's lives. In fact, the quicker we let go, the better it will be.

What do we see when we let go? We see the same things Moses saw will happen to the Children of Israel. We see that our children will disobey the 'torah' we have taught them and will have to learn obedience through the things that they will suffer … just like we did. We might even wonder at times if God is really at the controls … but He most certainly is!

God probably went through the same thing when He created mankind. He knew that as He turned them loose in the world, they would make the wrong decision. That is why he prepared atonement for us from even before the creation of the foundations of the world (Revelations 13:8). This atonement was available for the Children of Israel of old, and it is available for our children of Israel of today;  so you are, sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Yeshua HaMashiach (Philippians 1:6).

As Moses did, may we with confidence turn over the leadership of our children to the Almighty God, knowing that He cares for them more than we even do. He even gave His own only begotten Son to secure them a place in the World to Come!

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THE BEAUTIFUL INHERITANCE

9/14/2012

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Romans 3:30
Since God … will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

Hashem told Abraham to circumcise his boys: Isaac and Ishmael. Isaac was circumcised at eight days, and Ishmael at thirteen years old. Later Hashem instituted that all the Children of Jacob should be circumcised at eight days; the children of Ishmael who united with the Children of Esau to make the Arab nations still circumcise their children at thirteen years old.

Circumcision is an outward sign of an inward reality. It serves as a branding in the flesh so people know we have a Master, that we belong to a family of people who has been redeemed that we belong to a Redeemer. Whereas this 'branding' is applied to our 'secret parts' allowing us to blend, it also reminds us that we are not our own: that we are responsible to the Law of our Master and not to do these things which are done in 'secret'! Moses spoke of a second circumcision, this time of the heart (also Jeremiah 4:4). It isn't to replace the circumcision of the flesh but rather worked as an addendum.  The heart is the seat of the will. A person with a circumcised heart is one whose 'flesh' has been removed from his will; carnality does not dictate this person anymore. Isaiah also spoke of the circumcision of the ear (

As Paul wrote of circumcision, he did not need to write to the Jewish believers who already had instructions in the matter. He referred mostly to this promised circumcision of the heart to give us a 'heart to know' (Deuteronomy 29:4; 30:6). Physical circumcision was only given to the children of Abraham and particularly imposed on the Children of Israel. Given the fact that when Abraham was still uncircumcised he was made the 'blessor' of all the families of the earth, Paul then spoke to the uncircumcised Colossians (Gentile believers) of the circumcision of the heart (Romans 4:10-11; Colossians 2:11) whereby they would be 'grafted-in' to Israel (Romans 11) though Messiah..

As circumcision in the flesh changes our body showing that we have a Master and rules to abide by, so should the circumcision of the heart. One who claims to belong to Messiah should show the signs of being a different person, one not subject to his evil inclination but subject to the spirit of God.

Hashem has promised that in the time of the end, when He gathers his chosen people from the four corners of the earth he will circumcise their hearts. There is no 'if' in there: this promise is unconditional (Deuteronomy 30: 5-6). One may wonder, "How can it be unconditional?" For millennia before the world ever knew about God and the Messiah the Chosen People have carried the persecution of being chosen and separated. We cherished and preserved the Word that the world today enjoys through the effort of the early Jewish disciples of the Jewish Messiah. I told a young woman who told me that her parents were Jewish but that it meant nothing to her, that to be Jewish is like being the inheritor of a vast wealth of future blessings, and that we should not like Esau throw away our glorious inheritance because of discomfort in this present reality.

May we all, biological Jews and 'grafted-in' Gentiles, remember that this appurtenance to our Messiah means an unconditional Promise in the World to come. As the early Jewish martyrs starting with Moses who considered the riches of Messiah greater than Egypt (Hebrews 11:24-26), may we never let go of that hope. This is the very hope, 'Hatikvah' that kept the Children of Israel for 2,000 years, and it will keep us until that Day comes.

May it be soon Abba, even in our days!

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ISRAEL: THE PARABLE OF THE RETURNING BRIDE

9/13/2012

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Philippians 1:6
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Yeshua HaMashiach.

Moses seems to peer into the future as he warns the Congregation in the desert of their future apostasy and exile. He seems to know that Israel will eventually forget the God that delivered her from Egypt. He knows that she will pervert the beauty of Torah observance, and go after idols according to the willfulness of her own heart (Deuteronomy 2916-29). According to these passages, some people claim that God forsook Israel when it deviated from the straight and narrow path of obedience to Torah and as a result rejected Messiah. I find this strange because God's Oracle through Moses doesn't stop there. It continues. It continues with a prophecy of Israel's repentance and return to the Land (Deuteronomy 30 1-14).

As a new bride who carelessly played the harlot in her husband's house while he was away, Israel has been ravished, raped, used, misused, and abused. The nations kidnapped her and made her house desolate: a result of her own willful choices. I don't know about you, but I believe in the God who inspired Paul with the words, "he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Yeshua HaMashiach (Philippians 1:6)".

After the Holocaust Israel said, "that is enough"! As the Prodigal Son of the Master's parable, she assessed her fate and made a decision to return home where the Father waits for her with open arms and tears of joy (Luke 15:14-24). As with Jacob returning from exile at Laban's, angels wait for her at the entrance of the Land; God also gives her wisdom on how to deal with Esau's evil intentions (Genesis 32 and 33). As with Nehemiah' crew rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, God protects her from the Samaritans who try to intimidate her from rebuilding; she works hard at rebuilding her home, one hand with the work tool and the other holding a weapon (Nehemiah 1-6).

Many look at Israel today and can hardly think of it as a godly nation. The Israel Hashem so carefully nurtured in the desert has returned soiled with the spiritual, moral and idolatrous filth she has collected during her sojourn in the nations. It is like going to jail and live among criminals. One will be affected. God knew that would happen. But her returning to the home God had appointed for her through Abraham and rebuilding herself as a sovereign nation is the mustard seed of faith that precipitates the rest of the prophecy spoken by Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and many others (Isaiah 27:13; 56:8; Ezekiel 37: 21-24; Jeremiah 31:31-40). After this extensive punishment that God claims being 'double for what she's done (Isaiah 40:2; 61:7), like Job Israel is restored twice above her former glory as in the days of Solomon's reign (Job 42:10). She also regains her place as a Light to the nations, and nations even flock to her for the Feasts of Tabernacle that they may hear the "Torah that comes out of Zion" (Zechariah 14; Isaiah 2:3; Micah 4:2). Thus goes the story, a beautiful story that indeed ends well. We must just be patient and not draw a premature ending. All things truly will be restored. May it happen soon Abba, even in our days!

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THE HIDDEN AND THE REVEALED

9/11/2012

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Romans  1:19
For what can be known about God is plain.

Hashem has divided all things into two categories: the hidden, and the revealed. The hidden He says belongs to Him, while the revealed belongs to us that we may observe all the words of His Torah (Deuteronomy 29:29). While many try to define the work of Messiah, Paul seems to categorize it in the hidden, as a mystery.

The revealed on the other hand can also be divided into two categories. Even though it is faced with linguistic issues, we have what is revealed to us through a literal surface reading of the text of Torah, and then, we have what is revealed to us through logical deduction, midrash, historical, and cultural knowledge.

The strangest thing though, is that the things that divide us the most are not the revealed but the things which are hidden which by definition, being hidden, we do not know about. Questions about the nature of God, the nature of Messiah, understanding the awesome Day of the Lord and the properties of the World to Come define theological boundaries and divide believers into denominational pigeon-holes each seeing the other as an heretic. Of all the hidden things the Torah also tells us about, it mentions God's deeds, His Greatness, His wisdom, His knowledge, and judgment. Wise King Solomon also tells us about the heart of kings, which would include the riches of the Messiah King (Job 5:9; Psalms 154:3; Proverbs 25:3; Romans 11:33; Ephesians 3:8).

Paul who spent his life as a Torah student and teacher gave us a little clue as to those undefined things of God. He says, For what can be known about God is plain … For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made., they are to be understood by the means of the understanding (Romans 1:18-20). Early narrations of creation agree to that in the idea that God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:27). That's all we're told about Him, so that must be all we need to know, and I don't think that we have yet exhausted what we can discover of God in  'the things which have been made'.

Of all the things that would help us in our research of the things of God, the most important ones may not be so high, so deep, or so far. We are made in His image and as such the sages teach that each person represents a whole universe. By learning therefore to understand each other and work together, we may inadvertently discover the heart of God. Before we fly so high, swim so deep, or travel so far to discover the mysteries of our Maker, may we learn to walk the distance necessary to meet a man half-way, or even to walk in his shoes. We may then understand the hidden things of God in Messiah.

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THE PURPOSE OF 'GRACE'.

9/10/2012

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2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Moses convenes the whole congregation of the children of the Children of Israel who came out Egypt. He calls in the tribes' heads, the elders, the officers, all the men of Israel. Moses also includes the little ones, the wives, the sojourners, or strangers who live with Israel. Each human soul of the Sinaitic congregation is to stand alone before its Maker and be made personally responsible for the terms of the covenant (Deuteronomy (29: 10-12). The people are to understand the resultant blessings for obedience, and the retributions for disobedience. Moses' lecture betrays his insight into the future. It is as if he could predict Israel's apostasy, two exiles, and overall future spiritual condition.

Moses especially warns of the cynic, he who thinks he can ignore the covenant terms and get away with it. He says, Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from Hashem our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, 'I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.' This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike. Hashem will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of Hashem and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and the curses written in this book will settle upon him, and Hashem will blot out his name from under heaven  (Deuteronomy 29: 18-20). The Book of Hebrews alludes to this verse in, See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled (Hebrews 12: 15-16).

This idea flies in the face of those who comfort themselves with an erroneous idea of 'grace', of a 'grace' which through a clever perversion of the enemy becomes the gate for un-retributed licentious living, a 'grace' where a man says to himself, "I need not to fear sin; there is no condemnation for me; I am forgiven". The 'Son' who teaches this is certainly not the 'Son' of the Father who spoke the words in Deuteronomy 29: 10-12 (2 Thessalonians 2:3; John 3:16)!

'Grace' as implied in the Apostolic Scriptures is of a different nature. Paul, the Jewish apostle defines the Hebrew word, 'chesed' translated as 'grace' in English texts. He says, God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8). In other words, Grace is given to us that we may abound in every 'good work' which in the mouth of the apostle refers to 'every mitzvah', which in turn refers to 'every commandment'. Grace therefore is given to us that we may have the love, strength, and power to be obedient, not to be forgiven for being disobedient. There is a place in the Torah for making the proverbial slate clean, but this is not the idea of grace.

May His grace help us abound in those 'mitzvot' (commandments) which we fail the most in, those Messiah claimed to be the weightier matters of Torah such as love, mercy,  humility, temperance, unity, and gratefulness.

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