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Revelations 20:4-6
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Yeshua and for the word of Hashem, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Mashiach for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of Hashem and of Mashiach, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. About this time of future restoration and reorganization of the world, Paul, our Master’s apostle also specified, Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life (1 Corinthians 6:3)! We are not given too many details about this judging of angels (and the secret things belong to God (Deuteronomy 29:29)); we are simply told in that and other passages that at the time when Messiah will physically reign on earth the faithful will share in His exaltation and judging of the universe which therefore implies judging angels. This idea of mankind judging angels birthed from the Book of Enoch, as Enoch, the first scribe was established over the judgment of the disobedient fallen angels (Genesis 6:1-5). The narrative of Enoch was a widespread Jewish writing from the 1st century C.E. the early believers seem to have been familiar with (Jude 1.14). What is revealed to us though, (and the things that are revealed belong to us and our children forever Moses also said (Deuteronomy 29:29)), is that if we are to judge angels in the future, we should also today be able to righteously judge in earthly disputes between ourselves (Isaiah 11:3-5 on how to judge righteously). In essence, our training for judging angels tomorrow starts today with learning to maturely take care of our own issues between ourselves. The problem is that today, as with many other things, we are not encouraged to manage our own issues and disagreements. We are told to go to the police, to get a lawyer, or worst: a psychologist! As far as I can understand from his epistles, to Paul the fact that those who called themselves by the name of Yeshua could not manage their own problems by themselves was a disgrace and a bad representation of Messiah’s congregation in front of the non-believers. He said that it would be more valuable to be defrauded by others than to allow such a poor testimony in front of others (1 Corinthians 6:7). It is high time that we take control of our lives; that we take responsibility of our affairs. We, as Messianic congregations, must organize ourselves into a coherent movement that is self sufficient in every way, self-legislated just as the Hebrew nation was taught to be by Moses in ancient times. Then and only then, we will ever be able to fulfill our destiny of entering the Promised Land of His divine will, and be an example to all nations of life under the rulership of Mashiach.
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Matthew 18:35
“So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." Because of an erroneous stubbornly recurring theology that requires to make differences between the Hebrew and the Apostolic Writings, people automatically assume that the Master overthrew the Mosaic legal code of retribution of, ‘an eye for an eye’ and replaced it with a new law based on love and forgiveness (Exodus 21:24; Matthew 5:38-41). Let’s examine the issues a little closer. The expressions, ‘eye for an eye’ and, ‘turning the other cheek’ are not to be taken literally. These are Hebrew idioms; legal terms invoking damage restitution by a liable parties. For damage restitution not to be demanded by God’s court of law would be unjust, and God cannot be unjust. Actually, for a liable party not to ‘beg’ for an opportunity to demonstrate his true repentance for his foolish actions, would show callousness and a total lack of the fear of God. When reading the Master’s recommended application of the Torah legal code all throughout His teachings, we must realize that Yeshua could not have been changing the Torah. That would automatically make Him a false prophet to be shunned. It is because of that erroneous teaching that until today Jews will not consider Yeshua as the Messiah. What Yeshua did in His teachings was absolutely in line with Rabbinic Judaism. He took the Torah and gave His personal opinion on how to apply It’s wise instructions. Most of the Master’s recommended Torah application can be found within Judaism itself. He promoted much of Rabbi Hillel’s teachings (Rabbi Hillel was Gamaliel’s (Paul’s mentor and teacher) Grand-father)). Of course, since Yeshua is the Mashiach, His chosen applications are the right ones. The mistake people make when they read the Master’s teachings is the failure to distinguish between obligations pertaining to Torah courts of Law, and imperatives given to individuals. Because of this, people often want to take the ‘law’ in their own hands and appl iti in a vigilante style desiring wanting to kill the adulteress, the idolater and the criminals, when actually nothing could be done outside of a legal Sanhedrin ruling. What the Master teaches us here is greater than requiring the due course of justice. There is no commandment to litigate, and what Yeshua offers is the idea to not litigate, but rather to forgive a debt (a sin or an offense) from the heart, to not hold grudges, but to rely upon the God of the Universe for justice. This principle is the one found in the parables of the unjust servant (Matthew 18:21-35).To forgive in the legal code of Torah was not an emotional mental exercise, it was simply not to require retribution. Could anyone of us be required the full mandate of the Torah for our trespasses against God? Hebrews 12:15
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; In their wonderings from Egypt to Canaan, our fathers learned to become a new nation. Birthed in a worldwide culture of idolatry they learned to become a people with a sense of morality and humanity: Hashem’s people,. They learned that both good and evil has consequences and retribution not only in the sight of man, but in the sight of God, and that He is the One who establishes what is justice and righteousness. One of Moses main point as he readies the people to enter the Promised Land is that being God’s people does not absolve us from the punishment of sin; that to the contrary, adoption into God’s Kingdom legally binds us to His rulings. Moses especially warns against the rationalization of sin. He says, Beware lest there be among you a man or woman … whose heart is turning away today from the LORD our God … Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, … saying, 'I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.' … The LORD will not be willing to forgive him, … (Deuteronomy 29:18-20). Many years later, the apostle uses the same imagery to warn the Israeli Messianic community of believers about the dangers of disobedience and sin (Hebrews 12:15-16). Many seem to have an erroneous idea of ‘grace’. They see God’s abundant grace as some sort of divine unswerving ability to forgive our sins and wickedness. Any would be deity who absolves iniquity, sin and injustice without proper recompense and retribution is certainly not the God of Israel (Deuteronomy 29:20), and neither is he the god that Yeshua claims to be one in spirit and principle with (John 17:11). The Corinthians’ congregations had a difficult time pulling out of their Hellenistic sensual culture. They often argued with Paul trying to rationalize sin and disobedience, especially along the lines of sexual immorality. They had a hard time to obey so to them Paul explained the purpose of God’s grace. He said that, 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). The expression ‘good works’ is not solely referring to charity and good deeds. It is the Hebrew word ‘mitzvah’ which refers to the commandments. It refers to charity, but only in the context that charity and good deeds are commandments from the Torah. The ‘grace’ given to us is like an extra ‘boost’ from the Holy Spirit to help us obey God’s commands such as charity and good deeds, but also the other ones. Grace therefore has nothing to do with forgiveness and absolution, but everything to do with the ability to obey God’s commandments. In fact, if we claim to have the grace of God, we even take away our excuse for disobedience. May Hashem help us in properly evaluating our lives. May He deliver us from the evils caused by the rationalization of sin. May He give us His abundant grace that we may please Him through our obedience towards His will and commandments. Revelation 19:11
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. Moses foresaw that the establishment of Judges was not enough for the governance of the emerging country of Israel. A king would also be needed to enforce Torah and the ruling of the judges. There is nothing wrong with authority as long as that authority rules by the Torah. Under the inspiration of the Almighty, Moses commanded the people that any king appointed to rule over them should be a descendant from Jacob (Deuteronomy 17:14-15). It was later understood that the king of Judea should even be a descendant of Judah, maybe because of the prophetic blessing Jacob uttered upon His son Judah (Genesis 49:10). These form a background that is essential if we wish to properly understand the religious politics behind the life, death and resurrection of Yeshua, the true King of the Jews from the lineage of Judah. The king, though the legislative authority of the country, was not above the Torah. He himself had to be obedient to the rulings established by the Great One over whose people he ruled. To remind him of his responsibilities towards God, Moses commands, "… he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, … (Deuteronomy 17: 18-20). Along with being a legislator and a soldier, this king of Israel was to be an expert on Torah matters; he was to live and rule by it. None of the kings of Israel or Judah have attained this level of obedience. The closest one would be David who as a soldier was also a legislator, a prophet, and a priest. The Father led him to build a new Tabernacle on Mt Zion, to revamp the priesthood and create liturgy. This was known as the ‘Tabernacle of David’ (Acts 15:16). But even king David broke the Torah, as we all do. Yeshua is the only One true King of the Jews who is sinless and is the Torah written in flesh. He is the One who did not come to His will but solely the will of the Father. When He comes to judge the world, he will do it according to torah law and He will not take bribes (Deuteronomy 16:19). Even the devil tried it and it didn’t work (Luke 4). Behold, the only true and legitimate King of Israel is coming and He will judge the world in the righteousness and justice of God’s Torah. May it be soon Abba, even in our days. "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega (The Aleph and the Tav), the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (Revelations 22:12-13). |
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