Let's Start Praying More (Part 4)

ENTERING THE HOLY OF HOLIES

“Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place (literally the Holy of Holies) by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies wash with pure water.” (Heb 10:19-22, NASB)

The writer of Hebrews makes an amazing analogy in the ninth chapter between the “holy place” (Heb 9:2) and the “Holy of Holies” (Heb 9:3). The full impact of this analogy between the present world and the world to come is lost on the reader because of inconsistencies in the English translation. At least four times in the ninth chapter and once in the tenth chapter (Heb 9:8, 9:12, 9:24, 9:25 and 10:19), the dual Greek words “hagios hagios,” translated as “Holy of Holies” in Hebrews 9:3, is translated as “holy place.”

The holy place included the front of the temple with the menorah, the table, and the sacred bread, (Heb 9:2). The room inside the holy place that contained the the ark of the covenant, (Heb 9:4), was called the “Holy of Holies” since the presence of the LORD God dwelled there about the ark between the cherubim. When believers pray we enter into the “Holy of Holies”, as it is written, “We have confidence to enter the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus.” Jesus even alluded to the Holy of Holies when He told His disciples,

“When you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (Matt 6:6)

The Holy of Holies is the “inner room” in the temple behind the “door,” which is the veil of the temple. This same veil was torn at the time of the crucifixion opening the way for the believer to stand before the presence of the LORD in the Holy of Holies.

The significance of the Hebrew writer’s words is difficult to overstate. The Holy of Holies was the most sacred place on earth from the time the tabernacle was constructed in the wilderness until the destruction of the second temple. Only one person could enter the Holy of Holies and then only one time a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Judgment. Believers have that opportunity ever day, at any hour, in any place, for any length of time. As opposed to the High Priest who could not delay for any longer than required to perform the service in the Holy of Holies, believers can remain for whatever time is necessary to empty our hearts before the LORD.

In Hebrew thinking, we should see ourselves as standing before the Divine Presence when we petition the LORD God. This is consistent with the view of the Hebrew writer since the presence of the LORD God and His throne resided above the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies as seen by Ezekiel, (Ezek 10:1-4). Maimonides, the middle-age codifier of Jewish law, wrote that the one who prays should, “regard himself as if he were standing before the Divine Presence.” (Encyclopaedia Judaica, 2nd Edition, Vol 16, page 459)  Although the LORD is Omnipresent residing in all places in this world, it is His “Shechinah” Presence that we stand before when we pray.

The understanding that we enter the “Holy of Holies” is consistent with the words of Paul who said believers have been “raised up with Him, and seated…with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” (Eph 2:6). In the same letter to the Ephesians Paul used as a proof text, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men,” (Eph 4:8).  Like the original "host of captives", believers “have confidence to enter the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus.”

(Scott - From Austin)

Let's Start Praying More (Part 3)

DRAW NEAR TO GOD THROUGH PRAYER

“The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.” (Psa 145:18-19)

James wrote in his epistle for believers to, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you,” (James 4:8). The primary way given in scripture for a believer to draw near to God today is through prayer, as David said, “The LORD is near to all who call upon Him”. When we pray we set aside the world and focus on the One who made us and Who desires a relationship with us.

The phrase “draw near” reflects the actions of the Levitical priests who “draw near” to the LORD God to minister, (Ezek 43:19). The Levitical priests were able to “come near” to the altar through the presentation of “offerings”, as it is written,

“Moses then said to Aaron, ‘Come near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burn offering…So Aaron came near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering which was for him.” (Lev 9:7-8)

The Hebrew word for “offerings” is “korban”, which comes from a root word “karab” meaning, “to come near,” sometimes reflected in scripture as “draw near”. Offerings and sacrifices allowed the priests and people of Israel “to come near” to God after the glory of the LORD filled the temple at its completion and dedication by Moses, (Ex 40:33-38).

The phrase “draw near” occurs five times in Book of Hebrews and alludes to the offerings at the temple. The Book of Hebrews was written (62-66 AD) to Hebrew believers living in Jerusalem who no longer had access to the temple during the persecution that followed the death of James, the brother of Jesus (AD 62). The writer of Hebrews encouraged these believers that they could still “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace” (Heb 4:16), “in a better hope” (Heb 7:19), “with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb 10:22), “through Him, since He always lives to make intercession” (Heb 7:25).

Building on the words of the prophet Hosea and the traditions that followed the destruction of the first temple, the writer of Hebrews offered believers a substitute for temple sacrifices to draw near to God,

“Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is please,” (Heb 13:15-16).

The original Hebrew passage from Hosea literally reads, “We will pay with bulls the vows of our lips,” (Hosea 14:2, ESV). By equating prayer to sacrifice, the prophet Hosea and the Hebrew writer offered an alternative to sacrifice for every believer to draw near to God. When a believer offers to the LORD God the praise of his lips, his prayer is received through Jesus Christ as if the believer had offered a bull at the temple. The Jewish sages acknowledged the importance of prayer writing,

“Greater is prayer than sacrifices. Greater is prayer than good deeds; for you have no one greater in good deeds than our teach Moses; nevertheless he was only answered through prayer, as it is said, ‘Speak no more unto Me of this matter’ (Deut 3:26), which is followed by ‘Get thee up into the top of Pisgah’ (Deut 3:27) (Ber. 32b). The inference is that Moses’ prayer secured for him permission to view the land of promise before his death.” (Everyman's Talmud, Abraham Cohen, page 82)

In his prayer of repentance, David spoke of the true sacrifices that the LORD desires, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise,” (Psa 51:17). As Jesus said, “To love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices,” (Mark 12:33). In prayer, believers “draw near” to God and call upon His name, “for Whoever will call on the name of the LORD will be saved,” (Rom 10:13).

Just as acts of charity reflect a belief that all material possessions flow from God, so also does prayer reflects a belief that the LORD God is both

(1) Capable of answering a believer’s prayer and

(2) He desires to bestow lovingkindness on believers in response to their petitions.

Scott 

Let's Start Praying More (Part 2)

PRAYER FOR PROVIDENCE


“Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.’” (Matt 9:37-38)

How important is prayer? Even the providence of the LORD’S eternal plan is manifested through the prayer of the saints, as Jesus said, “beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” If God is all-powerful so that the providence of His plan will be manifested in the proper measure at the appointed time, why is it necessary to pray for the fulfillment of God’s plan? We can only conclude that God not only affords, but He greatly desires His creation to be active participants in the redemption of the world.

When establishing His covenant with Abraham, the LORD foretold Abraham “your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years,” (Gen 15:13). From these words, we understand that God had predetermined the duration that the descendents of Abraham would be oppressed in the land of Egypt independent of man’s freewill. Prior to the expiration of this time,

“God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.” (Ex 2:24-25).

Lost in the Exodus story is the praying of Abraham’s descendants for salvation from the oppression of Egypt. Although the LORD had fixed the duration of their bondage, it was the invisible force of prayer that set in motion the Exodus from Egypt, as the prophet Samuel recounted the sequence of events, “Your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron who brought your fathers out of Egypt,” (1 Sam 12:8). Somehow, the providence of God’s plan still depended on the prayers of the saints. As stated by Rabbi Heshy Klienman,

“The arrival of the preordained time was not enough by itself to set the redemption in motion, the Ramban explains. It was when ‘Hashem heard their moaning’ that He remembered His covenant. ‘They were not…redeemed, except for the fact that their prayers were accepted with pity and mercy.’” (Praying With Fire, page 50)

For this reason, even in our generation the coming fullness of the kingdom must be prayed for, as Jesus instructed believers to pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done,” (Matt 6:9).

At the exact time determined by God for the redemption of the Jewish nation, “And at the end of four hundred and thirty years, to the very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.” (Ex 12:41).  Believers might notice the apparent discrepancy between the 400 years of enslavement foretold to Abraham (Gen 15:13), and the 430 years spoken by Moses and referred to by Paul, (Gal 3:17).

 Paul, and the Hebrew sages, understood the beginning of the timeframe to coincide with the “covenant previously ratified by God” (Gal 3:17), when Abraham was seventy years old. Thirty years later, when Abraham was one hundred years old, Isaac the first descendant of the promised line was born. Although Isaac was not enslaved, the Jewish sages understood that he represented the beginning of the line of descendants that would ultimately be enslaved, and thus, the beginning of the four hundred years. The actual duration of Israel in Egypt was closer 210 years.

What do we need to pray for in the future, probably everything.

Scott

Let's Start Praying More (Part 1)

 
If the faith of a believer can be measured, the criteria would be


(1) Study of scripture,
(2) Acts of lovingkindness, and
(3) Prayer.

All three must be in a believer’s life so they can testify jointly of a believer’s faith. Of these three, faith finds its truest expression in prayer “as it stands as the intimate communion between the believer and the Creator…It is even said that ‘the Holy One, blessed be He, longs for the prayers of the righteous.’ (Jeb 64a)”.

Prayer is fundamental to “seeking” God (2 Chron 7:14), which is a necessary component of faith in God, as it is written, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him," (Heb 11:6).

“It is the highest activity of the human soul, and therefore it is at the same time the ultimate test of a man’s spiritual condition. There is nothing that tells the truth about us as Christian people so much as our prayer life.” (Alone With God by John MacArthur, Jr.)

Prayer and faith are closely linked in the parable of “The Widow and the Unrighteous Judge,” (Luke 18:1-8). The parable was spoken by Jesus to His disciples “to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.” The parable concludes with the question, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” When reading this statement in the context of the parable, we understand that the prayer life of a believer is strongly reflective of a believer’s faith.

We need to pray more often, with more conviction, and with more Kavannah.  The more I study prayer, the more I feel inadequate to pray.  Yet, if all we can say is "God, be merciful to me the sinner!" (Luke 18:14), the LORD desires to hear our voice.

(Scott)

Spiritual Growth Through The Deeds of Our Forefathers

"Spiritual greatness is inborn within each of us, and therefore, the goal of bringing it to the surface is within our grasp...When one aspires to the deeds of our Forefathers, he finds himself propelled along the path of spiritual growth because the opportunity truly exist to reach the loftiest level." (Praying With Fire, Rabbi Heshy Kleinman, page xxxiii)

Obedience to the commandments has a very tangible benefit that is almost never appreciated by the believer.  To the degree we perform the same obligations as Jesus and the prophets, we come to understand that we can achieve a similar level of spiritual growth.  As it is written,

"Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.  Then he prayed again and the sky poured rain and the earth produce its fruit." (James 5:17-18)

As you can see from the original quotation, I am just beginning the book Praying With Fire.  It is already convicting me that my approach to prayer is grossly inadequate.  Prayer is the principal way that the believer "draws near" to the LORD God, (Psa 145:18-19)(James 4:8).

"The Gemara says that prayer stands at the very heights of the world, yet it is ‘looked down upon and degraded by man.’"  While study of the scripture can bring us into the world to come, "prayer can provide all the necessities of this world, such as good health, a livelihood, peace of mind and spiritual growth."

I will let you know how the book turns out.  Have a blessed day and season during this time of family fellowship.  - Scott

 

 

 

   

How Many Eyes Does the LORD Have?

“For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” (2 Chron 16:9)

The Bible assigns human attributes to God including hands (Psa 110:1), feet (Psa 99:5), and eyes in the passage above.  Most believers would assume that the LORD has two eyes, but scripture actually provide a definitive quantity that is more than two.

 

“But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel – these are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth.” (Zech 4:10)

 

The answer is “seven…eyes of the LORD,” which some understand as complete and perfect viewing of the creation by the Creator.  The prophecies of Zechariah began in “the second year of Darius” (Zech 1:1), at a time when construction of the second temple had been stopped, (Ezra 5:1). The words of Zechariah and Haggai were given to encourage the faithful to continue the work on the temple despite the edict of the local authorities.  To this end, Zechariah saw “a plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel”, a sign to restart the construction, which would be completed “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit’ says the LORD of hosts,” (Zech 4:6).   Just a few verses earlier, Zechariah's prophecy is filled with a number of Messianic allusions.

 

“‘I am going to bring in My servant the Branch. For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree.’” (Zech 3:8-10)

 

“The Branch” is a reference to Jesus, as Matthew recorded, “He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matt 2:23), which means shoot or branch.  The suffering of Jesus at the cross removed iniquity in one day, “once for all when He offered up Himself,” (Heb 7:27). The future reign of Jesus on the earth is reflected in scripture as a time of peace and prosperity when “each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree,” (Micah 4:4).

 

Zechariah’s vision also includes one stone that contained seven eyes. This is also a reference to Jesus as the apostle John wrote, 

 

“And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.” (Rev 5:6)

 

John witnessed seven eyes associated with the Lamb who was slain. These seven eyes are said to be  “seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” The words of John mirror the words of Zechariah, “On one stone are seven eyes…eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth,” (Zech 3:9 & 4:10), and the original words of Hanani the seer, “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth,.” (2 Chron 16:9).

 

Most believers have always appreciated that Jesus has His eyes on us, we just did not realize that there were a total of seven eyes. Now take the background of what you have just read and apply this understanding to a story from the gospel of John.

 

“Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!’ 48 Nathanael said to Him, ‘How do You know me?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.’ 49 Nathanael answered Him, ‘Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Because I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.’” (John 1:47-49)

 

The response of Nathanael, “You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel,” has always been surprising, even to Jesus if that is possible, “Because I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe?” We wonder why Nathanael responded in this manner? 

 

We understand that Nathanael was well versed in the Law and the Prophets (John 1:45), so he probably made a connection between the words of Jesus and prophecy, but which one?  Only a handful of verses in the Hebrew text talk about a person sitting under the fig tree. Further still, the only passage (that I know) that places sight ("seven eyes" (Zech 3:8) and "I saw you" (John 1:48) and the Kingdom phrase, "under the fig tree" (Zech 3:10)(John 1:48), in close proximity is contained in Zechariah.   If Nathanael was thinking about this passage in Zechariah, then the context of the passage would lead him to conclude that Jesus was the Branch, who believers know at the "King of Israel". 

 

Scott

Why the Law (Part 3 of ???)

THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW

No believer can dismiss the continuing relevance of the Law without first establishing the original purpose for God giving the Law. We are compelled to ask and answer the question posed by Paul to the Galatians, “Why the Law?” (Gal 3:19). Among the many benefits, the Law:

 

1) Reveals the nature of the Creator to the creation,

2) Teaches the creation the proper response to the grace given, and

3) Preserves the world until the coming of the Messiah.

 

The Law Reveals the Nature of the Creator: Since “God is spirit,” (John 4:24), “No one has ever seen God,” (John 1:18)(1 John 4:12). Therefore, the creation only comes to know God by the election of the Creator to reveal Himself to the creation; “the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever,” (Deut 29:29). God reveals Himself to the mankind in three ways.

 

1) God reveals Himself through the creation, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psa 19:1), and “Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Rom 1:20),

2) God reveals Himself through His word, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path,” (Psa 119:105), and

3) God reveals Himself through obedience to His commandments, “He (the king) shall write for himself a copy of the law on a scroll…that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statues,” (Deut 17:18-20).

 

In the words of Abraham Joshua Heschel, there are “three starting points of contemplation about God; three trails that lead to Him. The first is the way of sensing the presence of God in the world, in things; the second is the way of sensing His presence in the Bible; the third is the way of sensing His presence in sacred deeds…These three are one, and we must go all three ways to reach the one destination.” (God in Search of Man, page 31) 

 

The Law is a fundamental component of God’s revelation; one said to contain “the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,” (Rom 2:20). We learn about the Creator both from the words of the Law and through acts of obedience to the commandments. The Law was present at creation, “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old,” (Prov 8:19). In the Law, the LORD speaks of His Own nature to the creation saying,

 

“The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keep lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of father on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” (Ex 34:6-7)

 

From the Law, mankind came to understand that the LORD is holy, righteous, and good because “the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteousness and good,” (Rom 7:12). In scripture, God is shown as being faithful, merciful, and just because these are the “weightier provisions of the Law,” (Matt 23:23). The Law remains “a shadow of the good things to come” (Heb 10:4). Although the Law has many commandments, it is consistent with the unity of God that the word “Law” is singular because “God is one,” (Jam 2:19) (Deut 6:4) (Zech 14:9) (1 Cor 8:4-6) (Gal 3:20) (Eph 4:4-6) (Rom 3:29-30). In short, “the law of the LORD is perfect,” (Psa 19:7) since the “heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48), and the Son Who walked in obedience to the commandments was made perfect, (Heb 2:10). In turn, “through recognizing Hashem’s goodness a person comes to serve God.” (The Power of Teshuvah, Rabbi Hershey Klieman, page 197)

 

Believers are correct in asserting that Jesus revealed the Father to the creation, because “He who has seen Me has seen the Father,” (John 14:9). Jesus did reveal the Father, to the fullest measure, as the living word by living in obedience to the Law (Gal 4:4), and performing the works of the Father, (John 14:10). In Jesus, “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us,” (John 1:14) and the Word John referred to is Jesus Who walked in obedience to the Law. Only once in scripture did Jesus say, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you,” (John 13:34). This “new commandment” actually builds on the existing commandment, “love your neighbor as yourself,” (Lev 19:18). The newness comes in the demonstration of loving one another, “even as I have loved you.”

 

By living in complete obedience to the commandments, Jesus demonstrated the original intent of each commandment and revealed the nature and character of the Father to the creation. By “fulfilling” the commandments (Matt 5:17), Jesus become the perfect offering bringing salvation to all who believe.

 

The Law Teaches the Proper Response to the Grace of the Creator: “The word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it,” (Deut 30:14).

 

In addition to displaying the attributes of God, the Law teaches the proper and appropriate response of each person to the grace shown by the Creator. Obedience “to keep the commandments” enables the believer “to walk in His (the LORD’S) ways,” (Deut 30:15, 13:5). The principle of “walking in His ways” runs throughout scripture, as John wrote, “the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked,” (1 John 2:4). The translated words “to walk” are derived from the Hebrew word “halakaha,” meaning “the way to go,” and is seen as the practical application of the commandments to an individual’s life.

 

Obedience to the commandments leads a believer to a greater understanding of scripture enabling a person to hear from the LORD. This understanding is derived, in part, from the response the people gave in the wilderness to the words of the LORD, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!" (Ex 24:7, NASB)

 

The word translated as “obedient” comes for the Hebrew word “shema.” Shema literally means “hear” and is more frequently translated as “hear” throughout the Hebrew text. The more accurate rendering of this passage would be “we will do, and we will hear.” Although this translation appears backwards to our reasoning and that of the NASB, the rabbis saw significance in this word order.

 

The rabbis believed that performing the commandments reviled the deeper truths that God was conveying to His creation and would lead to understanding and obedience.

 

“A man should always occupy himself with Torah and the commandments, even if not for their own sake, for even if he does them with an ulterior motive, he will eventually come to do them for their own sake.” (Babylonian Talmud)

 

For this reason, each king of Israel was required to write a copy of the Law so “that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statues,” (Deut 17:18-20). “Learn by doing” might be our present day vernacular. The rabbis understood that obedience developed the believer’s ability to hear the LORD, just as practice gives the believer the ability to “discern good and evil,” (Heb 5:14).

 

While most believers understand the legal implications of the Law, few appreciate that the “Law is spiritual,” (Rom 7:14), instructing the obedient man to “not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit,” (Rom 8:4). The Law was delivered through Moses “by the finger of God” (Deut 9:10), which is identified as the “the Spirit of God,” (Matt 12:28)(Luke 11:20). Therefore, walking in obedience to the commandments is seen in scripture as walking by the Spirit, (Rom 8:4)(Gal 5:16). The close relationship between the Law and the Spirit is reinforced by the fact that both were given by God on the same day of Pentecost (Shavuot in Hebrew).

 

Scripture tells us that the Law is capable of teaching man how to walk in the ways of the LORD, (Deut 28:9). The Law is capable of increasing the longevity of life (Deut 6:2), bringing prosperity (Deut 6:24), and making men “holy to…God,” (Num 15:40). The Law can instill “righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all…the LORD our God…has commanded us,” (Deut 6:25, ESV). The Law exists as the primary component of “All Scripture,” that is… “God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16).

 

Paul called the Law, “a law of righteousness” (Rom 9:31), because there is “the righteousness…that comes from the Law,” (Phil 3:9). Personal righteousness came from “walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the LORD,” (Luke 1:6). “For it is not those who hear the Law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the Law who will be declared righteous,” (Rom 2:13, NIV). Zechariah and Elizabeth are given as New Testament examples of individuals who were declared “righteous” through personal obedience to the Law prior to the cross. Other examples include Mary, Joseph, and Simeon, who was “righteous and devout…and the Holy Spirit was upon him,” (Luke 2:25). Paul quoting the Hebrew text said this,

 

“Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the Law: ‘The man who does these things will live by them,’” (Rom 10:5)(Lev 18:5).

 

The phrase “live by them” is understood to mean that the Law is capable of giving eternal life, as it is written, “listen to the statues and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you may live,” (Deut 4:1). In the gospel of Luke, Jesus also relates eternal life to obedience of the commandments. “On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 26 ‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’ 27 He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 28 ‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’ (Luke 10:25-28)

 

“Do this and you will live,” is a quotation of the original passage from Moses (Lev 18:5), and a response to the question of the lawyer, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” The story in Luke frames the lawyer as a person who already possessed faith in God since his faith led him to seek out Jesus. Jesus then reinforced the principle of obedience to the commandments to make the man’s faith complete. Jesus’ obedience to the commandments is seen by John as the standard to which believers are called to walk. “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, " I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he bides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” (1 John 2:3-6)

 

Righteous Acts of the Law Preserve the World Until the Coming of the Messiah: “Why the Law? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to who the promises had been made.” (Gal 3:19).  According to Maimonides,

 

“The purpose of the laws of Torah…is to bring mercy, loving-kindness and peace upon the world” (Moses Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of the Sabbath 2:3)

 

From the beginning of creation, the LORD sought to dwell among His people. Before the fall, we are told that God was “walking in the garden in the cool of the day,” (Gen 3:8). After the fall, the sin of Adam created a barrier between God and His creation since God cannot dwell in the presence of sin. Although scripture provides examples of individuals who walked with God, such as Enoch (Gen 5:23), increasing sin in the world caused God to distance Himself from His creation. In the days immediately preceding the flood, “the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually,” (Gen 6:5). At that time, only Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

 

By the tenth generation after creation, the world became exceedingly wicked.  In addition to scripture telling us the world was wicked, the increasing age of the fathers at the birth of their righteous sons infers the progression of the world toward wickedness:  Adam (130 year old when Seth born), Seth (105), Enosh (90), Kenan (70), Mahalalel (65), Jared (162), Enoch (65), Methuselah (187), Lamech (182), Noah (500).  If the LORD had not brought the flood, the descendants of Noah would not have lived long enough to have righteous sons and the world would have become completely wicked. 

 

After the flood, we again see the progression toward wickedness repeated as the age of the fathers increased before the righteous son was born: Shem (100), Arphaxad (35), Shelah (30), Eber (34), Peleg (30), Reu (32), Serug (30), Nahor (29), Terah (70), Abram (100).  If the LORD had not interceded in the days of Abraham after the flood, God would have been obligated to destroy the world because of its wickedness, just as He had destroyed the world in the days of Noah, and about every ten generations thereafter. The world would have been destroyed before “the fullness of time” (Gal 4:4), designated by God as the time when He would send His Messiah into the world.

 

The flood removed the wicked from the world, but it did not solve the “evil inclination,” frequently referred to in the New Testament as “the flesh” (Matt 14:38)(1 Pet 3:18), that remained in the hearts of Noah’s descendants. “The flesh” is seen in scripture as the corrupt component of mankind (Gal 6:8), that constantly “sets its desire against the Spirit,” (Gal 5:17). The Spirit is seen in scripture as the Godly component that gives life (John 6:63), and is capable of overcoming the flesh, (Gal 5:16)(Rom 8:13). Without the Spirit, the world would rapidly descend toward judgment, (2 Thes 2:5). The Spirit was integral in the creation process and remains essential to preserving the creation.

 

To preserve the world, it was necessary for God to elevate righteousness in the world to oppose the wickedness that resided in the hearts of men. The source of this righteousness came through the Law. Although given to the Jewish people through Moses at Mount Sinai, the Bible implies that Abraham received a form of the Torah from the LORD, as is written, “Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statues and My laws,” (Gen 26:4-5). The phrase “My commandments, My statues, and My laws” is synonymous with the totality of the Law. As we have read in the Torah Club, 

 

“Traditional Jewish interpretation took this passage to mean that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob kept the whole Torah, despite the fact that the Torah had not yet been given.” (Torah Club 5, page 164) 

 

The Jewish sages identified three activities that preserve the world all originating from the Law. “The world endures because of three activities: Torah study, worship of God, and deeds of loving-kindness.” (Ethics of the Fathers 1:2) The study of the Law leads to the worship of the Creator and acts that mirror the character of the Creator, loving-kindness. As previously discussed, there is “the righteousness…that comes from the Law,” (Phil 3:9).

 

The Law was authored by the Spirit, fosters righteousness in the believer, and creates an environment for the Spirit to come upon individuals such as Moses and the seventy elders. The Spirit was subsequently passed on through the prophets and righteous individuals onward to the first century. The New Testament examples of Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, Anna, Joseph, and Mary testify to this truth. Although not as widespread as is possible through the righteousness that comes from Jesus, the Spirit was active and essential in preserving the world prior to the cross.

 

So “Why the Law?” The Law was given to elevate the righteousness and holiness of the Hebrew people. Through the Law, the LORD made a distinction separating the Hebrew people from the other nations in the world. “I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples. 25' You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean… 26'Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.” (Lev 20:24-26)

 

By separating the Hebrew people from the other nations, the LORD protected the nation from the unrighteous and idol worshiping practices of the pagan world. Not just the dietary laws, but the entire Law of Moses was essential in protecting and preserving the nation. Without the Law, the nation would have quickly assimilated into the world.  The nation, which was essential to God’s plan for the coming of the Messiah, would have ceased to exist. Through the Law, individuals within the nation of Israel could walk with the Spirit in ways pleasing to the LORD as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” (Ex 19:9).

 

To the degree the nation was obedient to the Law and taught Gentiles in the ways of the LORD, the nation reflected the nature of the Creator and preserved the world until the appointed time when the Messiah was to come. Without the Law, the world would need to be judged and destroyed about every 10 generations before the coming of Jesus Christ to the earth.

 

The phrase “salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22), has numerous connotations and reaches its greatest fulfillment in the appearing and offering of Jesus on the cross. The phrase can also be understood as the faithful obedience of the Hebrew nation to the commandments that enabled God to place His Spirit on individuals within the nation, (Num 11:17). The Spirit then opposed the deeds of the flesh (Gal 5:16-17), to preserve the world. It was the faithful walk of the Hebrew people demonstrating the word of the LORD that elevated and preserved the world for 1500 years from the time of Moses, “until the seed would come to who the promises had been made,” (Gal 3:19).

 

At the appointed time, Jesus came and walked in complete obedience to the commandments demonstrating a perfect understanding and application of the Law, (Matt 5:17-18). Through his obedience and suffering, Jesus “fulfilled all righteousness” (Matt 3:15), was “made perfect” (Heb 5:8-9), and “perfected for all time those who are sanctified,” (Heb 10:14). Believers have access to the Spirit not because of our obedience to the commandments, but “apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe,” (Rom 3:21-22). As it is written of Jesus atoning work, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him,” (2 Cor 5:21).

 

Does the righteousness that comes from Jesus and the giving of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost mean the Law no longer has value? On the contrary, receiving the Spirit does not remove the obligation of the believer to be obedient to the commandments of God. The Spirit is not given as a substitute for the commandments, but as a helper (John 14:16), to enable believers to walk in obedience to the commandments, as it is written,

 

“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh,” (Gal 5:16). Ezekiel prophesized of the Spirit Who was to be poured out on mankind by saying, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statues, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances,” (Ezek 36:27)(Ezek 11:19-20).

 

Prior to the offering of Jesus, obedience to the commandments elevated the righteousness of an individual and the nation allowing the people to receive the Spirit. The Spirit in turn preserved the world until the coming of the Messiah.  Although Jesus has come, the world must still be preserved until the return of Jesus.  This is accomplished through Spirit filled believers "who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit,” (Rom 8:4).

 

(See you soon - Scott)