Little Pearls & Random Tidbits
Good Scholarship
We cultivate good scholarship (as well as good understanding) when we look for the Torah basis for everything we read in the New Testament!
The Living Way
The Scriptures reveal some amazing truths:
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
“…To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:79)
The Way to the Father, and to the Promised Land, is not a set of instructions or rules to be followed; but is the living person of Messiah, living within His redeemed people.
It is in this way that He desires to ‘guide our feet’ in our daily walk, in the road of obedience, that leads to peace.
The Latter Rain Is Now Falling!
Scriptures tell us a story of the coming “Latter Rain” in which He will ‘come down as rain’ upon His people. There is much in Scripture telling us how we may prepare ourselves to be among the recipients of the Latter Rain. Here are three simple statements that outline our preparation:
- We are to ask for the Rain, in the time of the Latter Rain (Zec 10:1);
- One must have the ‘Fear of Yahuweh‘ in order to receive the Latter Rain (Jer 5:24-25);
- Having a “harlot’s forehead” prevents the Latter Rain from falling on some (Jer 2:8; 3:3; 6:19). The forehead speaks of stubbornness; the harlot speaks of false religious systems. We might ask ourselves, “Am I stubbornly remaining within a harlot religious system?”
The continuing lack of the Latter Rain will certainly result in the coming “famine” of one’s ability to hear (hearken to, and obey) the Word of Yahuweh (Amos 8:11)!
Who Will Enter the City of the King?
First, we must understand who will enter the Kingdom:
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:19).
Here we are told the Least (those who do NOT keep His commandments), as well as the Great (those who DO keep His commandments), will both be in the Kingdom. However, entering the “City of the King” is NOT the same as entering the Kingdom. So who can enter the City?
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie (Revelation 22:14-15).
Here we are told those who do NOT keep His commandments will NOT be allowed into the City. Only those who DO keep His commandments may enter in to the City. Perhaps the reason for this can be seen in the following verse:
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)
Here we see that the Bride IS the City of the King — and only those who keep His Commandments will be a part of the Bride!
Light is Withheld from the Wicked
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. (Psalms 119:130)
And from the wicked their light is withheld… (Job 38:15a)
Notice in the above passages that Light speaks of understanding, but this light is withheld from those who walk in a way that is ‘wicked’ (wick’d — twisted like a candle-wick), and whose actions are ‘crooked’ (crook’d — have a crook in them — Prov 2:14-15).
This speaks of a way (our actions) that are not parallel or upright when measured against Scripture.
Let us therefore bring our actions of Righteousness in line with our legal state of Righteousness. If we have the Light living within — let us also walk in the Light!
After we turn (repent), and return to being a “DO-er” of Scripture, our understanding (Light) returns!
Hallelu — Yah! — for His mercies are new every morning!
False Witnesses — Then and Now
“…And set up false witnesses, which said, “This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.” (Acts 6:13-14)
Notice it was the False Witnesses of that day who said Yahushua would destroy, and change the Law of Moses!
Yahushua did not change any customs of Moses, nor did He “do away” with the Law. He simply chose a different set of tablets on which to write the Law — the tablets of the heart of Man! (Jer 31:31-33)
Today’s False Witnesses have not changed — they continue to say that Yahushua, and the apostle Paul destroyed or did away with the Law.
Folks, we must read the Scriptures for ourselves!
Biblical Example of Grace
Our Redemption is only by the Blood of the Lamb, and is not related in any way to keeping the Law (Torah).
If Yahuweh had intended the keeping of the the Law (Torah) to be a part of our Redemption, then Mt. Sinai would have been in Egypt, where the Lamb was sacrificed, rather than in Arabia. The only requirement of the Israelites in Egypt was that they place the Blood of the Lamb over their door posts. Only the Blood of the Lamb was required to deliver the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt.
It was only later that the Torah was given at Mt. Sinai, revealing to us that our walk of obedience to Torah can come only after our Passover experience of being Born-Again by the Blood, and after our Red-Sea experience of being immersed (baptised) in water. Our initial Grace of Blood-Redemption is the pre-requisite for the on-going Grace, supplied by ‘Messiah-in-you,’ that enables us to walk in Torah.
Wilderness Preparation for the Wise
Whoso keeps the Torah is a Wise son. (Prov 28:7)
Our Source of Understanding
Understanding of Truth comes to us after we ‘turn from our iniquities‘ ['our violation of Torah'] (Dan 9:13; 1Jo 3:4).
The source of all understanding is Yahuweh Himself, who gives to us as we turn to Him in obedience (Ps 111:10; Prov 13:15; 1Jo 5:20).
