Sorry
about that!
Back to the books? Which ones? The Torah? Great choice! I would
suggest Leviticus...
When
we understand Leviticus, Hebrews really comes alive. I had a big "DUH" moment
(several actually) when we went back and studied Hebrews along with Leviticus.
When we really understand the sacrificial system, we really understand exactly
what Jesus did for us in becoming the Passover lamb. I understood "why" better.
There's a couple of other verses that causes one to wonder...forgive me while I
jump around and hopefully tie it all together...(a preacher I am
not)...
John
19:19 We see a problem here with the leadership (v. 21) with what had been
written on the notice above Yeshua's head "Yeshua from Natzeret Melech
haYehudim". Hebrew has pictures and the pictures tell a story. It's my
understanding that these "pictures" literally meant....salvation through
the nailed hands of God. So, when we understand the sacrifices, know what Jesus
did for us, then see why the leadership freaked out over the notice above His
head, it puts things into more perspective for us.
Continue on to a future point in time....Revelation 12:17...the dragon
was infuriated over the woman and went off to fight the rest of her children,
those who obey God's commands and bear witness to Yeshua.
Who is
the dragon going to fight? Those who obey God's commands AND
bear witness (or have faith in depending on your translation preference) to
Yeshua. Is it ONLY those who obey the commands AND have faith? What about
those who have faith but don't obey? We see this yet AGAIN...Revelation
14:12....v11..and the smoke from their tormenting goes up forever and ever. They
have no rest, day or night, those who worship the beast and its image and those
who receive the mark of its name. This is when perseverance is needed on the
part of God's people, those who observe His commands and exercise Yeshua's
faithfulness.
What??
Perseverance is needed. Why? I guess it's gonna really suck. Who needs this?
God's people. Who again? Those who observe God's commands AND exercise His
faithfulness.
Jump
back in time again...Matthew 5:17-20 Don't think that I have come to abolish the
Torah or the Prophets. I come not to abolish, but to complete. Yes indeed! I
tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke
will pass from the Torah--not until everything that must happen has happened. So
whoever disobeys the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys them and so
teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that
unless your righteousness is far greater than that of the Torah-teachers and
Pharisees, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom!
OUCH!
We always forget those Prophets, don't we? We've got a bunch of people running
around today claiming to BE Prophets, too. I think we're in trouble....Not so
much as a yud....wow, that's the smallest Hebrew letter there is. Not until
everything has happened that must happen. Methinks this must continue on, even
after this wonderful sacrificial gift we're given through Jesus. Why else would
we still be here and still be struggling if it was just so he could give His
life (blood) for us? Let's see....disobeys the commands and teaches others
to be disobedient, you are called least in the Kingdom. Obey and so teach,
you're called great. I don't know the difference between being called "least"
and "great" in the Kingdom, but I would think I'd want to be called great rather
than least. Then the kicker....uh-oh, here are those baaaaaad Pharisees
again...righteousness far greater than...than those nasty Pharisees? You've got
to be kidding! Those are the dudes we pick on all the time...but yet God (Jesus)
calls them RIGHTEOUS??? And I won't enter the Kingdom unless MY righteousness is
far greater than THEIRS?
Houston, we've got a problem!
Fast
forward again, please...to the future again. Revelation
20:11-15
Next I
saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. Earth and heaven fled form
His presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, both great
and small, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened; and another book
was opened, the Book of Life; and the dead were judged from what was written in
the books, according to what they had done. The sea gave up the dead in it; and
Death and She'ol gave up the dead in them; and they were judged, each according
to what he had done. Then Death and Sh'ol were hurled into the lake of fire.
This is the second death--the lake of fire. Anyone whose name was not found
written in the book of Life was hurled into the lake of
fire.
I
think we know Who the One sitting on the throne is. There's no place to hide
from Him anywhere. We're all going to be standing in front of the throne. Books
were opened, and the book of Life. Well, we all know what the Book of Life is, I
hope. Pretty self-explanatory. But, wait a minute....what are the bookS? How
many bookS? We are judged from what is written in those bookS. Uh-oh. Well, I
know of several books that tell us how to live holy lives. They tell about God,
who He is, how He expects His people to live. They teach us to know Him, honor
Him, obey Him, what we should do and what we shouldn't do. Are they the same
books spoken of here? Sounds like it's possible, since we're judged according to
what we DO (or don't do?) None of us are going to escape this. Maybe that's why
if we continue on to chapter 21, we're told He will wipe away every tear from
their eyes. In chapter 22 we hear the words of Yeshua...v12 Pay attention! I AM
coming soon, and my rewards are with me to give to each person according to what
he has done. I am the A and the Z, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the
End.
Wow.
I'm trying to pay attention. I guess I should go back to the
Beginning....Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The apostles
didn't have the New Testament. But they certainly had the Beginning. They taught
from the Beginning. People were saved from the Beginning. I think I'd rather
have the whole picture, rather than a piece. I think I'll start the book from
the Beginning, not the middle, or two-thirds of the way through. I better have a
good foundation before I get to the end, lest I wind up totally confused,
or......lost. Fire isn't really my bag. And a whole lake of it? No thanks. I
don't think God would set me up to fail, just to get thrown in the lake. I don't
think He would let me drown and burn all at the same time. I think He would give
me the tools, the resources I need to avoid it. I think he did. All the way back
at the Beginning....
I'll
shut up now. I have no idea why I wrote this.
Kay
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Sunday, 26 December, 2004 21.46
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Deliberate sin
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Sunday, 26 December, 2004 21.46
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Deliberate sin
In a message dated 12/26/2004 6:18:36 PM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Ya gotta keep on going there, John....to hebrews 10:28...Someone who disregards the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the word of two or three witnesses.
That puts your verse into perspective....if we go on sinning willfully...well, what IS sin? We know what sin is from the Torah.
Kay
Now you've gone and done it ! Back to the books.
Geeeez
John
