Category Archives: Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Justice / Judgment

The Laws of Jehovah Are Not Obsolete… They Are Foundational

For those of us in the United States, or other countries where we still have a lot of freedom and protection for some basic rights, we do well to remember that much of our civilized society is based on the laws of Jehovah. I certainly appreciate having protection for my right to have personal property. Let’s explore an example of how God laid out the foundation in scripture for the rights we enjoy today.

Exodus 22:1-15

Property Rights

      1“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

      2“If the thief is caught while breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account. 3“But if the sun has risen on him, there will be bloodguiltiness on his account. He shall surely make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4“If what he stole is actually found alive in his possession, whether an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.

      5“If a man lets a field or vineyard be grazed bare and lets his animal loose so that it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.

      6“If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, so that stacked grain or the standing grain or the field itself is consumed, he who started the fire shall surely make restitution.

      7“If a man gives his neighbor money or goods to keep for him and it is stolen from the man’s house, if the thief is caught, he shall pay double. 8“If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house shall appear before the judges, to determine whether he laid his hands on his neighbor’s property. 9“For every breach of trust, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any lost thing about which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before the judges; he whom the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.

      10“If a man gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep for him, and it dies or is hurt or is driven away while no one is looking, 11an oath before the LORD shall be made by the two of them that he has not laid hands on his neighbor’s property; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution. 12“But if it is actually stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. 13“If it is all torn to pieces, let him bring it as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what has been torn to pieces.

      14“If a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not with it, he shall make full restitution. 15“If its owner is with it, he shall not make restitution; if it is hired, it came for its hire.

Property rights are foundational for a thriving society where people strive to take good care of things and work hard to invest and grow what they have and what they can provide to others. In societies where there are low or no personal property rights, people are far less motivated to take care of things in their possession. They did not work to earn it and they can not keep it even if they take great care of it. Take time to consider the significance of personal property rights and how it affects your life. Another great example of how God’s law is not obsolete or irrelevant, but rather foundational to the best parts of our society today. Give thanks to God today for establishing this foundation.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Discipline / Correction, Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Justice / Judgment, Love, Loving / Kind, Sin

We Are To Be Judged For Our Actions And Intent

Jehovah knows that even His people will continue to sin. That does not mean he endorses or approves of it, but He does prepare for it. Jehovah established ordinances for His people to help govern them. Much of legal system in the United States can trace its heritage back to Judeo Christian values. Our Father provided thoughtful guidance for us to govern by, knowing that people would sin.

Exodus 21:12-36

Personal Injuries

      12“He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13“But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee. 14“If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.

      15“He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

      16“He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death.

      17“He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

      18“If men have a quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but remains in bed, 19if he gets up and walks around outside on his staff, then he who struck him shall go unpunished; he shall only pay for his loss of time, and shall take care of him until he is completely healed.

      20“If a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies at his hand, he shall be punished. 21“If, however, he survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for he is his property.

      22“If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet there is no injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide. 23“But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

      26“If a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave, and destroys it, he shall let him go free on account of his eye. 27“And if he knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let him go free on account of his tooth.

      28“If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall surely be stoned and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall go unpunished. 29“If, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. 30“If a ransom is demanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is demanded of him. 31“Whether it gores a son or a daughter, it shall be done to him according to the same rule. 32“If the ox gores a male or female slave, the owner shall give his or her master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

      33“If a man opens a pit, or digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall become his.

      35“If one man’s ox hurts another’s so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide its price equally; and also they shall divide the dead ox. 36“Or if it is known that the ox was previously in the habit of goring, yet its owner has not confined it, he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal shall become his.

One of the things that stands out to me as I read is that Jehovah puts emphasis on “intent”. Look at the difference between verse 13 and 14. Jehovah judges both actions and intent and measures out justice based on both.

     12“He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13“But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee. 14“If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.

So, too, with reference to the ox. If the owner was negligent, knowing the ox had a tendency to gore things… the punishment is different and more harsh.

It is simple and straightforward to summarize that both our actions and our intentions matter to Jehovah and we are to be held accountable for both.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Compassionate, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Love, Loving / Kind

Law of God Is Based on Love For God and Others; It Is Not Bondage

Many look for ways to interpret God’s laws as harsh or irrelevant. Let us be careful not to begin with a biased opinion based on what is taught by man about God’s law. Instead, let us read God’s word to understand what He shows us about His law. The law and commands of God are based on loving God and loving others.

Matthew 22:36-40

36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He [Jesus] said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38“This is the great and foremost commandment. 39“The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

The law of God is not bondage from which we must be set free. May it never be. The law is perfect. It sets us free from sin!

Psalm 19:7

   7The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Psalm 119:44-45

     44So I will keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.

      45And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.

Obeying God’s law leads to blessing; rebelling against it to a curse. The law is provided for our benefit, to guide us in the right ways… not as bondage!

Deuteronomy 11:26-28

     26“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 27the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today; 28and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.

Let us look at an example in Exodus 21. God spoke to His people about slavery. This scripture is often misunderstood. We think of slavery as cruel and forced bondage without hope. The slavery we are familiar with in the United States is different than that from Israel’s past. Without dwelling on that detailed study here… just watch how God’s focus is protecting the rights of those who may be subjected to slavery. God was providing protection and a path to freedom, if desired. God’s law provided amazing consideration for how to treat slaves for their protection.

Exodus 21:1-11

      1“Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them:

      2“If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. 3“If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. 4“If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone. 5“But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’ 6then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.

      7“If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do. 8“If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people because of his unfairness to her. 9“If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. 10“If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights. 11“If he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.

God’s law was not telling people to have slaves, but protecting and caring for those individuals who may find themselves in that situation. Providing hope and a path to freedom and care for their families. God’s law showed the Israelites how to love one another in that circumstance.

Let us prayerfully reflect on the love of God and love of others that is the solid foundation of all of God’s laws and commands. Let us not be quick to discard His law, but rather seek to understand it in proper context.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law

There Are Still 10 Commandments… They Did Not Expire

Mainstream Christianity still teaches the ten commandments, but often teaches them as if they no longer are relevant because of the grace of Christ. Many teach “we don’t have to obey the commandments, or at least not all of them, because we are under grace”. The most problematic part of this logic is that to be under grace we must accept Jesus as Lord of our lives. How does one claim to submit to and disciple after Christ and then disregard following all of God’s commands. Jesus was in fact the Word made flesh to dwell among us. He lived obedience to God’s word and taught the same. He rebuked those who changed God’s instructions to suit themselves.

John 1:14

   14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Paul puts it quite plainly and straightforward in Romans 6.

Romans 6:1-2

    1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

People have been trained to focus only on “getting to heaven”. They count heavily on grace and indeed grace is the key. However, one who wholeheartedly seeks after Christ is not just concerned with “getting to heaven” but also with obeying the Lord’s commands and instructions. This is how we show love (and respect) to Jehovah. If we truly believe Jesus is the Messiah, why would we not follow all that He taught, which was completely consistent with all of the Old Testament laws and commands from Jehovah?  Who are we to pick and choose which commands we will follow and which we do not?

Let us read what Jehovah Himself said about the commandments. Read carefully and we will review some key words further below in the article.

Exodus 20

The Ten Commandments

      1Then God spoke all these words, saying,

      2“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

      3“You shall have no other gods before Me.

      4“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5“You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

      7“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

      8“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 11“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

      12“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

      13“You shall not murder.

      14“You shall not commit adultery.

      15“You shall not steal.

      16“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

      17“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

      18All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” 20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.” 21So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.

      22Then the LORD said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. 23‘You shall not make other gods besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves. 24‘You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. 25‘If you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it. 26‘And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’

Reflect on the words below from Jehovah and prayerfully consider them when you consider whether or not to follow His commands.

3“You shall have no other gods before Me.

 5“You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Note how loving God is naturally paired with keeping His commandments. Note that He brings iniquity or lovingkindness depending on our choices to love or hate Him. Do not think of idols only as false religion. Consider as example, any think or activity you place before God in your heart. Measure not by your intentions but by your observable actions of how you spend your time, talent and treasure. One clear example is to observe how much time some invest in watching and following sports compared to how little they invest in relationship with God. It can also be love of money or power or other types of pursuits besides sports.

7“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Yes. It matters. It still matters. It is wrong and upsetting to God to use the name we use to refer to His holy presence as an offhanded expression or even curse word we say in anger. Jehovah said He will not leave that person unpunished. He sounds serious to me. He has not changed His opinion. Show Him the respect He is due.

8“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 11“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

Very clear. Very specific. It still applies. Only man has decided to ignore it because of his desires. On a more detailed point, Sabbath as observed by Jesus was actually Friday night to Saturday night by the way we currently observe our calendar. Man moved it to Sunday and changed the way in which the calendar is observed so that the “24 hour period we call a day” no longer starts with sunset.

The others are fairly straight forward and still generally accepted, though often not practiced. The whole concept we see where people spend way more than they can afford just for status or to “keep up with the Jones'” is actually basic culture of coveting what others have instead of finding joy and contentment with what God has provided us. There is a powerful transformation that we can each experience personally if we commit to fully obey the word of God in our lives. I have found it to be difficult at times but completely rewarding in my life to change directions from the false doctrine that is often taught in many churches and pursue truly understanding and living according to God’s instructions.

Come and be a true disciple of Christ. Live in obedience to the full revelation of God’s word from front to back… Old Testament through New Testament.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God, Through Prophets

Yes… Jehovah Was Serious About The Sabbath

Jehovah has been consistent since the beginning. He set the example for us to follow to honor the Sabbath from the time of creation itself. He rested on the seventh day from the work He had completed. Then He blessed and sanctified it.

Genesis 2:2-3

2By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Throughout scripture, Jehovah reinforces His purpose for Sabbath and His command for man to rest on the Sabbath. He did not create or command Sabbath for His benefit, but for ours. Those who refuse to obey Him do so to their own loss.

Mark 2:27

” 27Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Jehovah even made special effort to lead and teach His people to honor the Sabbath while they left Egypt and traveled through the wilderness to the promised land.

Exodus 16:22-36

The Sabbath Observed

      22Now on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23then he said to them, “This is what the LORD meant: Tomorrow is a sabbath observance, a holy sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.” 24So they put it aside until morning, as Moses had ordered, and it did not become foul nor was there any worm in it. 25Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. 26“Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the sabbath, there will be none.”

      27It came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions? 29“See, the LORD has given you the sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30So the people rested on the seventh day.

      31The house of Israel named it manna, and it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey. 32Then Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded, ‘Let an omerful of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread that I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” 33Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omerful of manna in it, and place it before the LORD to be kept throughout your generations.” 34As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the Testimony, to be kept. 35The sons of Israel ate the manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate the manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36(Now an omer is a tenth of an ephah.)

Some claim the Sabbath is no longer relevant… but Jesus and His disciples honored the Sabbath, as did Paul. The disciples of Christ obeyed Sabbath even after Jesus rose from the dead and then went back to heaven. Sabbath has not become obsolete.

Luke 4:14-16

 14And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. 15And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all. 16And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.

For those who still have trouble believing that Sabbath is still relevant as a day of rest and worship… you have a homework assignment. Find a verse where Jesus, His disciples, or Paul teach not to observe the Sabbath. Now observe their behavior. Even after Jesus died and rose again, there are something like 85 references to disciples or Paul observing Sabbath as significant in Acts alone!

The simple truth is that Sabbath is still relevant… and it really is fairly easy to observe. We just rest and worship. Do we really feel that we are too busy and that everything we do is so valuable we can’t possibly stop one day a week to rest and spend time with our family and with Jehovah? I used to make excuses about not observing Sabbath as well, but ultimately there is no valid reason in scripture to ignore Sabbath… just a bunch of worldly customs to stay busy doing stuff all the time. It has been a wonderful and transformative experience for me and for my family and my relationship with Jehovah to honor the Sabbath. I encourage you to prayerfully ask our Father to help you to embrace His commands. He created Sabbath for us and for our benefit!

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Love, Obeying God, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

What Does God Require From Me?

Have you ever wondered what God (Jehovah) requires of you? There is much debate among even believers about what God requires of His people. We should look to His word for the answer. God has provided in scripture several summaries to help us get our minds around it. However, in order to properly follow it we must study and pray for God’s help and choose to change our ways and follow His. It is a journey of a lifetime and it is a joy and not a burden to those who love God.

Matthew 22:36-40

36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He [Jesus] said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38“This is the great and foremost commandment. 39“The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Loving God and loving people. Simple sounding summary but it is often misunderstood because what our society today defines as love is different than what God defines as love. The world tells us that to love someone is to accept them unconditionally as they are… this is not loving God or loving people. Do I show love to my children by letting them do or believe whatever they want? or do I show love to them by instructing and guiding them in truth? I tell my children not to touch a hot stove… I rebuke them and set guidelines for them to steer them in the right way. I show my love for them by guiding and instructing them. They show their love for me by obeying, not by disregarding what I say and doing what they think is right… even when they do not fully understand why I give certain boundaries.

God clearly, and repeatedly, emphasizes obedience to His ways as the answer to “how to love God”. Our motivation is love of God and love of people, but how we demonstrate this through our actions and attitudes is by obeying God’s word.

John 14:15

  15“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 14:23-24

23Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. 24“He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.

God provides another summary of what He requires of us in Deuteronomy 10.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13

   12“Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?

Again we see similar instruction from God. Fear (e.g. respect, revere) God. Walk in His ways and love Him. Do not walk in your own ways or the ways of the world. Serve God with all your heart and soul… not just part of it. Keep His commandments and statutes… for your own good!

Many try to avoid acknowledging the need to obey all God’s commands and statutes as how they should be showing love to God. Instead they want to just call on His name and “have positive thoughts and feelings about Him”. God is displeased by this approach. God wants us to show love by obeying what He has instructed us to do. The first step to doing that is to humbly admit we do not have it all figured out… our society around us and even our church does not have it all figured out. We must pray for His help and study scripture consistently to better understand and apply His instructions to our lives to truly show our love for Him.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God

Look To God Rather Than Traditions Of Men

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There are many different holidays across many different nations around the world. Some of them are good, some are bad, and some are just not very meaningful. All of them started based on an idea to help honor or remember someone or something… ok, some were started so they could sell things to people.

Too often we as followers of Christ do not use discernment in terms of identifying which holidays are ok to celebrate, which should be avoided, and which God commands us to celebrate. We just celebrate whatever the local community celebrates. Yes, God commands us to celebrate several “feasts” during the year. No, the command was not just for the “old times” before Christ.

As we read about the Feast of Unleavened Bread, let us compare how God commands us to celebrate this feast in remembrance of His freeing His people from bondage to the traditions you grew up with from your Christian family heritage, Christian church, or local community. Not many Christians celebrate Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, yet God commanded us to do so “throughout [our] generations” as a “permanent ordinance”.

Exodus 12:13-32

Feast of Unleavened Bread

      14‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance. 15‘Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 16‘On the first day you shall have a holy assembly, and another holy assembly on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them, except what must be eaten by every person, that alone may be prepared by you. 17‘You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance. 18‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19‘Seven days there shall be no leaven found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is an alien or a native of the land. 20‘You shall not eat anything leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’”

      21Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb. 22“You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning.

A Memorial of Redemption

      23“For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you. 24“And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever. 25“When you enter the land which the LORD will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite. 26“And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’ 27you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’” And the people bowed low and worshiped.

      28Then the sons of Israel went and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

      29Now it came about at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle. 30Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead. 31Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the LORD, as you have said. 32“Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go, and bless me also.”

Do you know that much of the traditions celebrated as part of Easter and Christmas are elements of pagan worship of false gods and offensive to Jehovah? Why is it we have so much enthusiasm to embrace lies and pagan traditions like “Easter Bunny” and “Santa Clause” but we take not the time to celebrate as our Lord God commanded us?  For those of us who genuinely want to follow Him, it is typically because we have been taught incorrectly by our church and our family traditions and it is hard to change. If this is where you are, you should study God’s word more on this subject and obey it, praying for His help. (For more information on Christmas and Easter as a next step, view the Sunburned Part 1 video teaching at 119Ministries.com.)

My family truly finds joy in celebrating according to God’s instruction rather than man’s tradition. Yes it was hard to change but it was worth it to obey God. My wife and I went through some difficult change and now our children are better grounded in truth of God’s word as a foundation for their lives and future generations.

When considering whether or not to celebrate a holiday, look to God rather than the traditions of men… even the traditions of family for generations or Christian churches are usually wrong and influenced by local culture rather than God’s word. Based on God’s instruction, celebrate the holidays He commands in the way He commands. Evaluate both the “what” and the “how” associated with other holidays and traditions based on God’s word to determine whether or not they acceptable or offensive to Him.

This is a difficult topic for many, but for those who wish to submit to and follow God, the burden is light and worthwhile. We trust Him to guide our steps. Pray for His help.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

All Powerful / King of All, Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Speaking, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Do Not Negotiate With God, But Rather Obey

Be careful in your life that when Jehovah speaks clearly to you, you do not negotiate with Him but rather obey. He is our Lord and all powerful Creator of everything. His wisdom and His plans are beyond our understanding. We have not position or power or wisdom with which to negotiate with Him. We either obey or disobey, and then receive the consequences of our choice.

By the time we read the history through to Exodus 10, Pharaoh has been through a lot. He started by trusting in his magicians to replicate the signs and wonders God provided. This helped him rationalize that God is not very powerful or special and thus could be ignored or dismissed. Then, when his magicians could no longer replicate the signs, Pharaoh would relent under pressure and agree to let the Israelites go, but then change his mind as soon as the threat was no longer in front of him. It was as if he was rationalizing that it never happened or could not be repeated once it had passed. Now in Exodus 10, Pharaoh first tries to negotiate or compromise with God by allowing only the men to go worship, when God demanded all the people and their livestock to go. It must have been difficult for Pharaoh, a mighty king, to submit humbly to Jehovah. Pharaoh had already decided the people must return, so was trying to keep the children and now, in Exodus 10:21-29, the livestock from going away with the people.

Pharaoh’s hard hearted attempts to bargain or negotiate with God fail. God has already stated His demands and will not change His mind for the likes of Pharaoh.

Exodus 10:20-29

 20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.

Darkness over the Land

      21Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.” 22So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. 23They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings. 24Then Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, “Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you.” 25But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice them to the LORD our God. 26“Therefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we shall take some of them to serve the LORD our God. And until we arrive there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve the LORD.” 27But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 28Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Beware, do not see my face again, for in the day you see my face you shall die!” 29Moses said, “You are right; I shall never see your face again!”

Be careful that you do not dismiss Pharaoh to easily. We can all be vulnerable to similar patterns of behavior and rationalization. What God tells us to do, we should do and not debate or negotiate. This can apply to His specific will for our lives that He may choose to reveal to us each through prayer or scripture or through other means. It can also apply to His general will, documented so clearly in the Bible. God gave us many instructions to follow to help us know right from wrong and to be set apart from the world clearly to be His people. How many of us though, grow up with a compromised version of which of His rules we are taught we should obey and which we are wrongly taught no longer apply.

Who are we to choose what commandments or instructions we will follow and which we will not? How often I notice that people who claim to follow Him may agree they should not use the Lord’s name in vain, they should honor their parents, not kill, not commit adultery, not steal, not lie, and not covet… but they ignore the Sabbath day, include statues (idols) even in their church and worship, and place many things in priority in their life before God. These things may range from money, lust, sports, job, power, or accepting other false beliefs associated with make believe gods.

God is not pleased when we choose to obey some of what He tells us any more than human parents are pleased when their children obey some of the instructions they are given, but disobey many more. Is a business owner pleased when employees obey half the rules he gives them? Doubtful… he will probably fire those employees. Why then do we expect that we can please God by negotiating or compromising with Him?

Prayerfully examine your own life and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any areas where you are not fully submitted to God. Also, as you study scripture make note of the instructions God gives His people and test whether or not it still applies and you should be following it today. Pay special attention to the Old Testament passages as many churches today teach wrongly that most of the instruction God gave His people in that time are now obsolete, despite Jesus clearly stating and showing by His life that God’s instruction in the Old Testament is still valid.

To learn more, read Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean For Us Today?

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, All Powerful / King of All, Consequences of Sin, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God, Speaking, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

God Demands Obedience, Not Compromise

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When God speaks and speaks clearly to us… take heed and obey fully. Do not be so arrogant as to debate or compromise with God. He wants obedience rather than compromise.

Pharaoh discovered this in a memorable way when he again refused to listen to what God demanded. God called for all of the Israelites to go to the wilderness to worship and serve Him and Pharaoh was not willing to obey. He had experienced enough by Exodus 10 to finally agree again to let the men go worship in the wilderness, but would not let all the people go, as God demanded. Pharaoh was not obeying, but rather attempting to compromise with God. It did not work out well for him and for Egypt.

Exodus 10:1-20

The Plague of Locusts

      1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, 2and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.”

      3Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 4‘For if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. 5‘They shall cover the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the land. They will also eat the rest of what has escaped—what is left to you from the hail—and they will eat every tree which sprouts for you out of the field. 6‘Then your houses shall be filled and the houses of all your servants and the houses of all the Egyptians, something which neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day that they came upon the earth until this day.’” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh. 7Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not realize that Egypt is destroyed?” 8So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the LORD your God! Who are the ones that are going?” 9Moses said, “We shall go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we shall go, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.” 10Then he said to them, “Thus may the LORD be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Take heed, for evil is in your mind. 11“Not so! Go now, the men among you, and serve the LORD, for that is what you desire.” So they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

      12Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt and eat every plant of the land, even all that the hail has left.” 13So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD directed an east wind on the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled in all the territory of Egypt; they were very numerous. There had never been so many locusts, nor would there be so many again. 15For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Thus nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt. 16Then Pharaoh hurriedly called for Moses and Aaron, and he said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. 17“Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and make supplication to the LORD your God, that He would only remove this death from me.” 18He went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the LORD. 19So the LORD shifted the wind to a very strong west wind which took up the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea; not one locust was left in all the territory of Egypt. 20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.

Have you ever found yourself negotiating or trying to compromise with God? If God tells you to pack up and move to a land far away, it is a wrong answer to simply say I will obey, God, but only rather than going to the land you told me to, I will go to one nearby that is in my comfort zone instead.

God gives us many instructions for us to follow in His written word, the Bible. He is not pleased if we choose to follow “most” of them, choosing which we refuse to obey because we want to do something else. One cannot simply say “I will obey 8 of the 10 commandments, God, and that is enough” or “I have decided that Sabbath is no longer necessary, but I will follow the other instructions” and expect God to be pleased.

God wants us to fully submit to Him and obey Him. This can be a very difficult journey over the course of a lifetime. It is not comfortable or predictable or aligned with what the world values and it is not always in agreement with what we want… but it is what God wants and He is always right.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Love

Love One Another As Brothers And Sisters In Christ

Many in this world seek to divide people into categories by race, by sex, by nationality, and even at times by the sin they choose to embrace as part of their personal identity. There are many ways for the world to divide itself because of the selfish and sinful nature of those who do the dividing…often for the purpose of their own personal gain. However scripture teaches us that there are only two kinds of people in this world. We are all made in God’s image no matter what the race or nationality or sex.  We are either true followers of Christ or we are not… those are the only categories that matter ultimately.

Galatians 3:28

 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

If we are one in Christ, then the other divisions don’t matter anymore. We should not think of someone first based on nationality, race, or sex but rather look only on them as to understand whether or not they are a true follower of Christ. This requires more than just saying “I am a Christian”, but rather should be evident in the submission of our lives to doing things God’s way rather than our own way or the way of the world.

For those who are our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, we should love one another and help one another in the example of Christ, Himself.  We show ourselves to be friends of Jesus when we do what He commands us.

John 15:12-15

      12“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14“You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

We should be devoted to one another as brothers and sisters in Christ and let not other “divisions” or “categorizations” separate us one against another. Yes there is a need to identify false teaching and rebuke wrong behavior, with gentleness and respect. At the very heart of it we love each other genuinely and without hypocrisy.

Romans 12:9-13

     9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

We show love to God by obeying His commands. There are many commands and instructions that are all worth studying and applying for each of us in our lives. However it is always good to start with the summary Jesus provided when asked about which command is most important.

Matthew 22:34-40

    34But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38“This is the great and foremost commandment. 39“The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

As you interact with people throughout your day, both in passing and in deeper relationships, reflect on how you deal with them. Do you see yourself as one with your brothers and sisters in Christ? or do you allow yourself to be divided based on others things like race, nationality, sex, or financial status? The distinction of one who is not a fellow believer is real and should be respected. How we interact with non believers is different from believers… though we can show love to all in an appropriate way.

The next challenge is to ask yourself as you go through your day… “Am I demonstrating my love for God and for my fellow followers of Christ through my actions and my attitudes?” Approach this challenge with humility and be willing to recognize when you are wrong so that you will more easily admit it and make the right course correction so that you do show love more fully and consistently. Prayerfully ask God to help you.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.