— Description of the Lampstand

Core texts: Ex. 25:31-40 & Ex. 37:17-24

Most of the objects of the holy tabernacle which are described in two places within Exodus: the Ark of the covenant, the showbread table, the golden lampstand, the tabernacle itself, the bronze altar, the court of the tabernacle, and the priest’s garments. Inbetween the two descriptive chapters is the incident of the golden calf. In chapter 37 the text identifies Bezelal as responsible for creating the objects. His name means in the shadow (protection) of God. This is reminiscent of Psalm 91: He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. For there is safety dwelling under the shadow of the Allmighty.

I felt led to cover the golden lampstand first. Let us read about this in Exodus 25:

Ex. 25:32:: there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it;

The lampstand is called a menorah in hebrew. Technically the whole seven lamps are part of the menorah but the center candlestick is called menorah. The seven lamps represent God’s spirit.

Ex. 25:33:: three cups made like almond blossoms, each with bulb (calyx =kap̄tôr) and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with bulb (calyx =kap̄tôr) and flower (peraḥ), on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.

So on each of the branches are three cups which are like almond blossoms. Each cup has a calyx and a flower. These are the living parts depicted here which normally die before the fruit (almond) ripens.

We shall come back to the idea that each cup is also shaped like a goblet or chalice. Sufficient to say here that death must come before new life is formed.

• Bud (Blossoming Bud) – this is the part that we see as the flower which falls off before the fruit develops
• Calyx (Knob/Cup) – this is the green knob or cup that remains after the flower falls off and surrounds the developing nut
  https://www.jjtravelinisrael.com/wp-content/uploads/Almond-blossom-annotated.jpg

Now listen to what happened to Aaron’s rod overnight.

Num. 17:8:: it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds (peraḥ), had produced blossoms (ṣîṣ) and yielded ripe almonds (šāqēḏ).

From my understanding of almonds, they do not grow instantly when we have a bud or blossoms. It takes time. The bud yields a flower and that once pollinated grows the fruit (in this case an almond) inside the bulb and shell. The calyx, like the blossom, also dries up and falls off. The almonds actually consists of three parts:

1) The Hull (Outer Layer): The green outer shell, which is not edible for humans, dries, turns brown, and splits, often used as cattle feed.
2) The Shell (Middle Layer): The inner, woody part that protects the kernel and is often used for mulch or animal bedding.
3) The Kernel (Inner Part): The edible seed, or almond, that grows inside.

The idea in Numbers is that the almond did not take all season to ripen nor form a hull nor shell. The blossoms must have been on the ground since the verse says it had produced blossoms. It is a miracle of time when what normally takes about six months happened overnight. Never mind you, a staff is not a live tree so almonds don’t grow on staffs. It is also quite interesting from a new covenant perspective, this is a three part structure, all belonging to the seed (almond) at the center.

Now for the calyx or cup that holds the blossom. It also dries up and falls off after the blossom. Yeshua likewise took the cup at the after last supper saying “this cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20).

It is very significant that both the blossom which gets pollinated lest it dries and withers and the cup that originally held the flower both dry up and falls off as the pollinated flower begins to grow. The golden lampstand itself represents the tree of life. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin so the wine in the cup represents to blood of Yeshua. But that is not the end of the story. After death the pollinated stigma begins to grow. It ends up have three parts when ripe: hull, shell, and kernel. This is the three parts in one that represent the father, son, and holy spirit.

The seed itself has to fall to the ground and die before another tree might grow. Almonds are one of the first trees of the season to bud and bring forth flower. This is a firstfruits of sorts just as Yeshua is the firstfruits of them who have fallen asleep.

1 Cor. 15:20-23:: But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

I now suggest to you that the early death of the bud and flower is likened to Yeshua dying young so as to bring new life. There is a maturing of the fruit which needs to happen as that which brings forth life dies. We likewise as followers of Yeshua must die to the flesh. Our seed develops over time. The budding of Aaron’s staff did not follow this process, at least at the same speed as we mature. His staff matured bud and seed overnight!

The golden lampstand is also described by the prophet Zechariah:

Zech. 4:2-3:: I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. There are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.

• mûṣāqâ (moo-tsaw-kaw’) means lips, a piping, or casting. Whatever the true interpretation, they are for delivering oil to the lamps.
• gullâ (gool-law’) means a bowl or basin. This is not the same hebrew word used in Exodus 25 translated as bowl but I think it is a related term. The idea I have is there is one bowl here.

The two olive trees I consider being the two houses of Israel and in modern day Jew and Gentile. This is the one new man concept Apostle Paul spoke about in Ephesians 2:15. Zech. 4:14 describes these two olive trees as the two anointed ones (i.e., sons of the new oil).
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/zechariah-4-olive-trees-bowl-golden-lampstand–104568022582951020/

So the lampstand of Zechariah is a bit different than that in Exodus 25. Another lampstand is describe in the book of Revelation.

Rev. 1:11-13: Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea. Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man

In verse 20 we are told that the seven golden lampstands are the seven churches.

Chances are very high that the description means one lampstand consisting of three branches on each side and a center candlestick just as described in Exodus 25 and Zechariah 4. This agrees more with the idea of the seven churches being of one in unity and the sevenfold spirit of God being one spirit but with seven names as described in Isaiah 11:2. The center of the lampstand is the spirt of the LORD which we might now call the Spirit of Christ. In Revelation the depiction of the LORD is one like the son of man, describing the humanity of Yeshua. The greek word for lampstand is lychnia (look-nea) which can be translated simply as candlestick.
https://hehasyou.org/2018/12/16/the-seven-spirits-of-the-lord/

The description of Son of Man being described as at the center of the lampstand makes it clear now we are talking about Yeshua, having been raised as a life giving spirit (1 Cor. 15:45). He is at the center where both Jew and Gentile receive oil for their lamps. This makes it difficult to say the three branches on either side are Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is compouned worse in suggesting there are two sets of trinitarian description. Another explanation can be found in 1 John:

1 John 5:7-8: there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one and there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

Notice it is the Word in heaven, not Jesus or Yeshua, but some manuscripts omit much fof this text entirely.

[NU-Text and M-Text] rendering:
there are three that bear witness the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

The water symbolizes Jesus’ baptism, initiating His public ministry. He was baptised to fulfill all righteousness. Baptism is a later concept depicted in the time of Christ by the Mikveh. One gets cleansed when ready for service at the temple. Yeshua did not sin in the sense of wrongdoing but very well may have touched a diseased or dead person or done something that made his flesh ritually impure. We are likewise baptised into the Body of Christ and must purify the flesh for service.

The blood refers to His crucifixion, fulfilling His purpose as the perfect sacrifice for sin. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin (Heb. 9:22). We are, however, destined to be living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1).

The Spirit signifies the ongoing witness of the Holy Spirit confirming the truth about Christ. We read that Christ proceeded out of the bosom of the father (John 1:18). Our spirit must also be born again, from above.

Remember also it is the water and blood which came out of the side of Christ upon the cross. These bear witness upon Earth as to his divinity.

The two branches represent both Jew and Gentile. I think this is more logical that trying to fit this picture into a 2-fold trinitarian design with the Son of Man at the center.

Sources:
https://www.jjtravelinisrael.com/blog/2015/02/24/almond-blossom-and-the-golden-lampstand/
http://www.messianicgoodnews.org/part-2-the-seven-branched-golden-lampstand/

Many people think that Yeshua removed the law by being our perfect sacrifice. In actuality he redefined the law so that we might become a law under ourselves. Matthew is clear that the law has not disappeared, not one jot nor tittel, the smallest marks of hebrew vocabulary. For those wishing to review it is in the Introduction teaching on Law vs. Grace.

Romans 2:14-15:: when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them

Paul does not say in the letter that the Gentiles accomplish everything according to the law. What he is saying is our conscienceness should alert us to what we are not following, especially the more weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matt. 23:23-24). For if our consciousness seems to miss those points then we should examine ourselves to ensure we don’t have a seared consciousness speaking lies in hypocrisy (1 Tim. 4:2).

— Sermon on the Mount: High Cost of Following

In this great sermon Yeshua said may things like blessings. He also said “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17)

“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:18-19)

Then he says a very difficult passage which leads to requirements well beyond the law:
“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:20)

The scribes and Pharisees were very meticulous to follow the law so we might be in trouble if we strictly follow this requirement. Then he goes into six things they have heard said:

1) Matt. 5:21-22:: You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,[Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17] and whoever murders will be in danger of judgement. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.

Anger in itself is not a sin because Ephesians 4:26 says ‘be angry and sin not’. We shall see in the 2nd greatest command of Yeshua there are stipulations about how we treat our neighbor. There is righteous anger but Yeshua is not referring to that. This teaching is directly from the 10 commandments. Murder here can be intentional or unintentional. The definition includes the slayer of men (which is a vengeful act itself).

2) Matt. 5:27-28:: You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’[Ex. 20:14; Deut. 5:18] But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This is one of Yeshua’s hard sayings that goes beyond the Law to get at the thoughts and intents of the heart.

3) Matt. 5:31-32:: Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality [adultery,homosexuality,animal sex] causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

This is the commandment that deals directly with non illicit sex divorcement. To put away a spouse for other reasons like incompatibility or pride or differences of opinion causes adultery in her life and any she comes into contact with in the future. In the eyes of God and Yeshua, one has committed adultery in those situations.

4) Matt. 5:33-35:: Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

This is related to the 9th commandment which speaks of bearing a false witness against our neighbor. It is also spoken of in the judgements: You shall not circulate a false report (Ex. 23:1). This includes testifying falsely in a court of law. Just a note here. Some christians think we should follow the 10 commandments and ignore any other moral judgments in the law because we are under grace, not law. I tell you that any moral requirments of the law were strengthened, not annulled, by Yeshua, for he looks at the thoughts and intents of our hearts.

5) Matt. 5:38-42:: You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’[Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21] But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

6) Matt. 5:43-45:: You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor[Lev. 19:18] and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven

To get context here let’s look at Lev. 19:18:: You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself:

This is part of the statutes of the Law. I just do not see how christians seperate the 10 commandments from judgements and statutes to justify sin and lawlessness. Again, God looks at our hearts, not just our actions. This is how our righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 5:20).

I was reminded this week of the words of Job after he lost his family and property and all he could say is ‘blessed be the name of the LORD’. Yet more testing was on the way despite the back story here using poor old Job as a testing ground for genuine faith and devotion. So from here we go to the greatest commandments.

— The Greatest Commands

Matt. 22:35-40:: One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[Deut 6:5] This is the first and great commandment. The second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

What Yeshua said about loving God is pretty much an exact quote from Deuteronomy:
Deut. 6:5:: You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength

The part about loving your neighber as yourself is a bit more entailed:
Lev. 19:17-18:: You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

As you see, there are provisions in Leviticus of not bearing sin because of your neighbor, not taking vengeance, and not bearing grudges. So I get out of that if your neighbor commits sin we don’t have to cover for them. We also don’t take vengence nor bear grudges. This is what we would not do unto ourselves.

I hope by now you might see that instead of teaching us to ignore law, Yeshua actually taught it. So where do we go from here?

— The Great Commission

The ‘great commission’ is rather explicit. It says:
Matthew 28:19-20:: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

The key part of this verse is to make disciples, not just baptising them or declaring them christian. So the idea of sprinkling or baptising a new convert is not sufficient. For instance, jews are not christians now because they got sprinkled or even because they made a specific confession. Discipleship is a process. It also says to teach all things I have commanded. It can take much or little time. It all depends upon conviction and acceptance.

Some say the so-called great commission was a later addition. It does not matter here whether early or late, it bacame part of the gospel. But what is the gospel itself? Is it just the four accounts we have in our bible? It is all sayings of Yeshua? Does it contain parts of the old testament? Gospel itself means ‘good news’ or ‘good tidings’.

the angel said to the shephards in the field, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

For sure the good news was first brought to the jews before the gentiles. The split comes much later on in the church. I submit to you that this split is more man-made than that of God. The righteous works of Yeshua are there for redemption, for our salvation and justification. Not for willful ignorance and neglect of living right.

— Teaching and Preaching the Gospel

Mark 1:15 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.

Since he taught the gospel from the time John was put into prison it predates the gospels we have. Was it the same thing or some other version tailored for the Jews in that area?

To Simon and Andrew he said ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ (Mark 1:17).

Certainly following Yeshua must have been part of the gospel message. We imitate our teachers.

Matthew 4:19:: He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Fishing is one aspect of the gospel. It sounds an awful much like evangelism. There are at least two ways to fish. We need bait, a good cast, reeling in, and receiving into our boat. Another ways is a net and involving pulling in and loading our boat. Either way, it is a learned process.

Baiting people sounds deceptive so maybe he was referring more to nets which is the way most on the Sea of Galilee fished. For sure food or financial help can be considered bait and there is nothing wrong with that so long as it is not deceiptful. A net could also be bad in that it catches people where they live and ensnares them. With whatever method we use, it should be with good intentions and much love. Remember, this is good news, not something repulsive.

Teaching the gospel is more about teaching the kingdom of God than a list of do’s and don’ts. The law is very cut and dry and leaves little room for improvision or re-interpretation. I do believe some things are absolute and others teachings for how to live righteously. That is why Apostle Paul told the Philippeans to work out their salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:13). Without holiness no man or woman shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). Let us therefore strive to do what pleases the Lord and enter into his rest.

Finding Balance in Law vs. Grace (Virtues of Torah)

— The Romans dilemma

Let’s pick up this story in chapter 7 where Apostle Paul equates freedom from the law akin to one being freed when a husband (spouse) dies. This is a good analagy. Women are bound to their husbands until death when one is now free to remarry. Likewise one is free from the confines of the law once we die to the flesh.

Romans 7:5-6
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Dying to the flesh is not always easy. Some backslide and take up the fleshly nature anew. It is the Sprit of God that shows us how to live right.

Romans 7:8-13 speaks about law bringing death. Is that what he really meant? On the surface that seems to disagree with the Torah and Writing (which we shall cover in the next section)

The more immediate problem seems to be a conflict in Romans where Paul says ‘the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death’ (Rom. 7:10). His argument is that sin produces in us evil desire. This is evident from the beginning of Genesis.

‘I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died’. (Rom. 7:9)

This is in apparent conflict with his earlier statement in Romans 5:14 which says ‘death reigned from the time of Adam until Moses’. If before the Law death reigned then why even argue that the commandment brings death. Is there something else being stated here?

The clarity is in Romans 5:13 ‘For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law’. So death was there before the law and according to Paul death remained after the law due to sin creating in us evil desire. The law pretty much just codified sin, it condemns us. So one might concluded here whether law existed or not death still exists. Quite literally, Paul argues that law or no law we are still eternally lost. The law just made available the possibility of eternal life. Yet we are weak and often fleshly.

Romans 8:3-4:: For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Praise God he condemned sin in the flesh! The criteria is to live by the Spirt for Galations 5:16 says ‘Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh’ and verse 18 says ‘if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law’.

— Choose Life, Not Death

Paul’s arguments in Romans are not exactly what we see in the Law and in Prophets. Many times the old testament speaks of natural consequences not spiritual ones. Ultimately we shall live again so there is no distinction in reality. For there is a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15).

Romans 7:7:: What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet”.

It is a kind of argument that the law itself is sin in the sense it is not good. The greek word harmatia is used in the Septuigint and can mean iniquity, great sin, even faults.”

The letter of James speans again tersely concerning the law when we pass judgement on each other.

Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. (James 4:11)

We should be doers of the law not a judge. Here James equates speaking evil of a brother the same as speaking evil of the law. We should do neither. Do not speak evil of a brother and do not speak evil of the law. Rather Paul speaks of the law this way:

Romans 7:12:: the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good

and again in the Torah:
See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil (Deut. 30:15)

Deut. 30:16:: in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments (misva), His statutes (ḥuqqâ), and His judgments (mišpāṭ), that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.

These verses take me back to chapter 28 where the Hebrews were instructed to either choose blessings or curses. It is a choice to live righteously. Curses ultimately bring death.

But some will undoubtedly point to Acts 15 and Galations 3 to say that the gentiles are not bound by the law. This is true in part. It is our schoolmaster to help us discern right from wrong.

Gal. 3:24-25:: the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. It is really the milk of the word. For we really do not know what is right from wrong. However,

Heb. 5:14:: solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

So discern good from evil we have to use what we are learning. That is how we instinctively become a law unto ourselves (Romans 2:15), it is by use and recognition. Walking in the Spirit frees us from the confines of the law, so much as we are in the Spirit. It is not ignorance or willful neglect. It is the higher direction from God himself. This is what Yeshua followed after. Guidance.

— Proverbs on Law, Commandments, Wisdom, and Understanding (Intelligence & Discernment)

Let’s look at a few proverbs that Soloman wrote which extolls the virtues of the law and commandments.

Prov. 3:1-3:: In the first three veres of this proverb Solomon extols the benefits of following the law and commandments

My son, do not forget my law (torah), but let your heart keep my commands (misva). For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.

So there are definite benefits to following the law and commandments!

Then he covers mercy and truth (vs. 3-4), trusting and acknowledging the LORD (vs. 5-7), Fear of ther LORD (vs. 7-8), and Honoring the LORD (vs. 9-10). Please read those benefits youself. For brevity here lets jump to verse 13.

Starting in vs. 13 Solomon extols the benefits of following after wisdom and understanding

Prov. 3:18:: These verses speak directly about wisdom and understanding
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her and happy are all who retain her.

Verse 13 speaks about finding wisdom (ḥāḵmâ) and understanding (tāḇûn). As such it is those that are a tree of life.

and in verse 20 he extols adds knowledge

Prov. 4:22:: This proverb again extols the benefits of getting wisdom (ḥāḵmâ) and understanding/discernment (bînâ)

vs. 4 says ‘keep my commands (misva), and live’ so the wisdom and understanding are closely tied to following the commands (misvot)

Uses of Hebrew words meaning understand in early chapters of Proverbs:
tabun: 2:2; 2:3; 2:6; 2:11; 3:13; 3:19; 5:1; 5:1; 8:1; 10:23 (undderstanding with intelligence)
bînâ: 1:2; 2:8; 3:5; 4:1; 4:5; 4:7; 7:4; 8:14; 9:6; 9:10; 16:16 (understanding with discernment)

Notice here that the Hebrew word for understanding is different than in Chapter 3. tabun is understanding with intelligence and bînâ us understanding with discernment

Prov. 6:23::
For the commandment (misva) is a lamp, and the law (torah) a light ; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

Prov. 6:20 is rather telling. It anthropromorphises the commandments and law:
My son, keep your father’s command (misva), and do not forsake the law (torah) of your mother.

Prov. 9:10-11::
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (ḥāḵmâ), and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (bînâ).

For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.

Conclusion: With all of the benefits of following God’s holy commandments why would we not want to do what prospers us. We can follow after grace and say that means I do what I want or we can follow after God’s ways and gain much. The opposite of not following Law is lawlessness. We would never want to promote lawlessness, nor teach others this doctrine from hell. We can certainly look to Messiah for eternal salvation because of his perfect blood sacrifice. We need to couple gaining wisdom to that of keeping the Law. This is where the ways of Yeshua are superior to the letter of the law. If we want to proser in THIS life, not just eternal life, then God’s ways are better.

Next week, God willing, we shall looks specifically at the commandments of Yeshua.

Looking into some Prophetic words spoken by Jeremiah on the fate of Elam (Iran). Attached is a recent YouTube video from Joel Rosenburg. I appreciate those who write much and research much. I do have a check in my spirit over pulling out of context prophesies and applying them for today. We need to see this prophesy in context to judgements also done against the Ammonites, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, and Hazor which are mainly around the modern country of Jordan. Pulling out of context can lead to erroneous conclusions. As example, the ‘unwalled villages’ of Israel spoken about in Ezekiel 38:11-14 can lead to wrong conclusions since walls are common in the modern state of Israel.

Grace is not mercy and mercy not grace. Grace has been defined as unmerited favor and mercy not getting our deserved punishments. We sometimes think grace means I get forgiveness for whatever I do. I can get away with almost anything and still have salvation. That is one view but it is not a very good view. It may earn you a ticket to heaven but certainly not one first class.

So what did Yeshua say about the law?
Matthew 5:18-19:: For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

What is the complete fulfillment? The gospels were written after Christ’s resurrection from the dead. If that be the fulfillment then Matthew really missed a prime opportunity here to say that which was just fulfilled. Yet we rather seeing him warning the early christians to not ignore any commandment and to not teach others to do likewise. He does not say people will not get into the kingdom but rather they are least in the kingdom. Maybe like being at the back at the great wedding feast.

So what about grace? Some consider it a license to sin but grace really means favor.

Ephesians 2:8-10:: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

So grace is not a stand-alone item. We get favor but then are expected to do something with it (works!). There are works of the law and also the works that the Lord has for us. They can be the same or different. Yeshua worked on Shabbat healing and delivering.

Galatians 3:1-9:: O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[Gen. 15:6-God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars of the sky] Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”[Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14] So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

Notice the reference to Genesis is before Abraham offering his son up on Mount Moriah. It was before he and Sarah concocting this plan to have Hagar get pregnant and birth Ishmael. Ishmael was technically still Abram’s seed but it was not the plan God had in mind for him. Do you know sometimes we can second guess God’s plans for our lives and royally muck things up. But the good news is that God can still fix up our messes because Ishmael still fathered 12 great nations, the same number as the sons of Jacob. It is interesting that it took another generation for Jacob to father 12 tribes. Isaac fathered Jacob and Esau.

Romans 3:23-25:: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

Redeam means to purchase back. We redeem coupons for a prize. Christ redeemed us so we can be brought back to right relationship with God. The propitiation is a sort of covering. By definition it is used of the cover of the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies, which was sprinkled with the blood of the expiatory victim on the annual day of atonement

Romans 4:1-8:: What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[Gen. 15:6]
Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.”[Ps. 32:1-2]

Ps 32:1-2:: A Psalm of David. A Contemplation.[mascil] Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Let’s go back the covenant promise that God made with Abraham:
Gen. 17:10-11:: This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

This is the sign of the covenant. The faith we find back in Gen. 15:6 related to Abram believing God according the number of his descendants being as many as the stars of the sky. So before Abraham was instructed to circumcise he was already counted as righteous for his belief.

The passage in Romans above shows that faith (belief) is sufficient. The part of Genesis quoted in chapter 15 was after God promised Abram’s descendants to be as numerous as the stars of the sky but well before offering up Isaac as a sacrifice upon the Mountain. Abram faith, however, was not yet perfected because he and Sarah concocted the use of Ismael to create his descendants. Likewise, our faith does not have to be perfect because God is the faithful one thru Christ (Rev. 1:5, 3:14). Abram’s faith did get perfected (completed with testing).

Hebrews 11:17-19:: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”[Gen. 21:12] concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Apostle Paul had to make a stand against the requirement to circumcise Gentile believers. The Judiasers wanted all gentiles circumcised and to follow all of the laws of Moses.

Acts 15:5:: some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

This led to an big debate about accepting uncircumcised Gentiles into the church. The outcome covered a few general rules for the gentiles but was far from requiring them to get circumcised and follow the whole law of Moses. Then there is the arqument that the law is not sin but it points out sin.

Romans 7:8-13:: sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

Law Cannot Save from Sin::
Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.

Titus 3:4-5:: when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Regeneration shows we are a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17). It is not the flesh that is regenerated, it is our spirit for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:50). This is good because we don’t want to keep this fragile, sin, sickly body into enternity. Notice it is the washing of regeration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Regeneration washes us clean, both inside and outside. Renewing gives as a new mind and body. In the greek the regeneration and renewal are pretty much synonyms. Finally, I want to say tonight:

Romans 12:2:: do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Finally, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus … now Christ made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a bondservant, and came in the likeness and appearance of a man.. So let us humble ourselves and be obedient to the point of death, if necessary, and die to our fleshly natures. (Dave’s Paraphrase for use on Phil. 2:6-8).