Monday, May 12, 2008

DIVINE LAW

July 9, 1999


There are many aspects, or facets, in our day and age to the "restoration of all things that have been spoken by the mouths of the prophets of old" (Acts 3:21). In these letters I have been mainly concentrating on the restoration of the Kingdom of God to Israel. But as in any restoration, much has to be torn down and a great deal of debris and useless material, which has been brought in over the years, has to be removed. It also appears that restoration many times spurs the enemy, who sets out to oppose the work and the workers in every possible way.

In YHVH's government there is an executive order, a judicial order and a legislative order. However, unlike earthly governments, in this one all the bills have already been passed, all the laws have been signed by the executive's signature, and were written down in a Book that we call the "set apart (holy) Scriptures". This document is complete, requiring nothing to be added to it, or removed from it. There is only one major work that remains to be accomplished, and that is discipling the subjects of the Kingdom in the Divine instructions and encouraging them to live by them. If adhered to obediently, these instructions will bring life and blessings to these subjects and to the entire planet. Ignorance, blindness and disobedience, however, will have the opposite effect.

Let us wake up, therefore, and check around the camp we are in, "lifting up our eyes": Is the glory cloud (the pillar by day and the fire by night) still in our midst, or has it moved on? Such an examination is necessary because if the rest of the tribes are moving on and following the cloud, it will not be long before the sands of the desert will cover the path of their footprints. Time is not on our side, but grace is, as long as we don't insult the grace of YHVH. How much worse of a punishment, do you suppose, will be meted to him who tramples underfoot the Son of God and who counts the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insults the Spirit of grace? (ref. Heb. 10:29). The Spirit of grace does not bring us into a lawless, Torah-less kingdom living. On the contrary, it is this very Spirit that inscribes the Torah on our hearts.

Today's restoration is much like the restoration in the days of Ezra, when a remnant returned to the land after the Babylonian captivity. Ezra records the following word: "And now for a little while grace has been shown from YHVH our Mighty One, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a stake in His holy place, that our Mighty One may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage" (Ezra 9:8).

The fact is that we are no longer of the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of lawlessness, but we have been transferred to the Kingdom of YHVH's Beloved Son Yeshua. Why is it essential that we become aware of this reality? Is it because we need to be able to discern the difference between the profane and the holy, wickedness and Godliness, truth and lie? With the knowledge of YHVH's Divine legal system, of His judicial system and living in obedience to His every word, we will experience what liberty really means. In the kingdoms of this world life is lived UNDER civil and religious laws, laws that are added to day by day, until that day comes in which no buying or selling will be possible for those living in YHVH's kingdom, according to His Divine law. That separation is happening even now by the hour, and is hastening towards the day of YHVH's judgements. We, who are already living in His Kingdom are governed by a Divine and Supreme Law, by never changing laws. Study to show yourselves approved! Learn the laws that are governing His kingdom! These Divine laws are inherent in the nature of the new creation life. Thus, to know Him, Yeshua the Messiah, is to know the Law of Liberty.

In last week's letter we began to take a look at the laws of redemption. Redemption is a very important aspect of the restoration, because without it restoration would not be possible.

The scroll in YHVH's hand (Rev.5:1) is a legal document, which was already written before the foundations of the world. It is a document specifying the requirements incumbent upon a redeemer. It is for this reason that Peter, when speaking about our redemption, exhorts us to conduct ourselves throughout the time of our stay (on earth) in fear; cognizant of the fact that we were not redeemed with corruptible things, silver or gold, or by our own aimless conduct, through performing the traditions of men, or that of our fathers' traditions. But, rather, that we were redeemed with the precious blood of Messiah, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for us (ref. 1 Pet.1:17-20).

Yeshua faced these legal requirements head on. He knew that He was a lamb for the sacrifice, who was to be without blemish and without spot, and that He had to be obedient in all things pertaining to His Father's will, in order to qualify to be that sacrifice. In Revelation 5 we see John falling on his knees and weeping bitterly, because in that moment he understood what was required for the redemption of the inheritance. Even king David wrote: "None can by any means redeem a brother, nor give to God a ransom for him, for the redemption of their souls is costly" (Ps. 49:7-8). How costly? Look at the scroll: the shedding of the blood (life) of a firstborn son (the shedding of blood was not just a few drops trickling down the face, it was the complete draining or separating of the blood from the body); and a sacrifice that is without spot or blemish. In other words, it must be a sacrifice that is not defiled by sin. Yeshua, therefore, had to meet and fulfill every requirement of the Supreme Law, both in heart and deed.

Yeshua was not ignorant of the Torah, He knew what was written there. That scroll was not called the "Lamb's scroll" (or "Book of Life") for nothing! Since our names are inscribed on that scroll, we also need to know what is written in that legal document. There are requirements written there for us as well, but if we do not know or understand the reason for those instructions we may find ourselves falling short of the calling that is upon our lives because of ignorance. We are His inheritance, bought with a price. YHVH says that the nations are our inheritance. What do you think it will cost us to redeem our inheritance, "the nations"? This is why Peter writes: "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest, hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Yahoshua the Messiah; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'be holy, for I am holy'"(1 Pet 1:13-16). "For to this [suffering] you were called, because Messiah also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps: who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Pet. 2:21-23). Remember there is still a creation that is groaning, waiting for the appearance of the sons of Elohim! (ref. Rom. 8:19).

Ephraim

"Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell (shevet achim) together in unity…for in this YHVH commands the blessing "life eternal" (Ps.133).

No comments: