"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law (Torah) of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night" Ps 1:1-2
"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes."
Ps 19:7-8
In the Torah G-d set forth the avenue of holiness. It gave HaShem's people guidelines and boundaries in which to live. The lifestyle of Torah set the people apart from every other nation.
"Be ye set apart as I am set apart". Lev. 11:45; 1Pet. 1:16
While every nation under heaven was creating itself a god, HaShem created Himself a nation under heaven. Through this nation, all people would have a witness, a testimony of the One True G-d. At the close of Sabbath, HaShem's people pray:
"Blessed are you O God, King of the universe, who separates between the Holy and the secular, between light and darkness, between the seventh day and the six days of creation, between the Jewish people and the nations."
In The Beginning
Before Sinai, the Torah was.
"In the beginning was the Torah and the Torah was with God and the Torah was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made... In him was life and that life was the light of men... And the Torah became flesh and made his dwelling among us." John 1:1
Listen carefully . The Torah became flesh and dwelt among us. Yeshua is the living Torah. Attempting to understand Messiah and His teachings, without understanding Torah is IMPOSSIBLE.
But The L-rd Did Away With the Law
What scriptures teach is actually very different! Yeshua's death did not end the law / Torah. Think about it. 1 John 3 says:
"Sin is the transgression of the law".
If Yeshua's death ended the law then there is no sin. Therefore, there would also be no need for repentance. How could you repent for something that G-d destroyed and was no longer valid? Let me give you this example. If our country did away with a "speed limit" then no one could receive a ticket for speeding because such a thing would no longer exist. The removal of a speed limit by very definition would cause speeding to cease as a possibility.
Well, if the death of Yeshua but an end to G-d's law, then folks, by definition of scripture, there is no sin.
However, that is not the case. The curse of the law was death that is what Yeshua paid for at the cross. Messiah took the death penalty for breaking the law upon him. The consequences of sin have been paid. The "law" that we are noe longer under, is the law of "sin and death".
The "Fresh" Covenant
I Would also like to point out that if Messiah did away with the law then there is NO NEW COVENANT. What! That's exactly right. Without the law or Torah there can be no NEW COVENANT. Let me show you.
" Behold, the days come, saith the L-rd, that I will make a NEW COVENANT with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with Their fathers.... But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the L-rd, I WILL PUT MY LAW IN THEIR INWARD PARTS, AND WRITE IT IN THEIR HEARTS; and I will be their G-d, and they shall be my people". Jer 31:31-33 This is the same definition of the new covenant given by the writer of Hebrews 8.
"I will put MY LAWS INTO THEIR MIND, AND WRITE THEM IN THEIR HEARTS" So, according to the description given to us by G-d, the New Covenant is when the Torah becomes a living part of our being. If the law has been done away with, then the New Covenant can not be put into effect.
The Aim Of Torah
"For the goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah..." Jewish New Testament
The "bulls eye" of the Torah, is Messiah. Every commandment, statute and judgment, is a reflection of Messiah. Yeshua is the full revelation of Torah and through Him, the Torah is made alive in us.
Through 1800 years of misunderstanding and wrong teaching, we have developed a concept of G-d's laws as "bondage". Just the opposite is true. G-d's law or Torah is freedom. Let me illustrate this point. As parents we give our children guidelines to live by. Training them as they mature, we place in their lives commandments, statutes and judgments...
"No you may not ...."
"Your bedtime is ...."
"I'm sorry but, that will not be tolerated ..."
An immature mind will look at these and say, "bondage". But an individual with wisdom will see "freedom".
The Torah teaches us to distinguish between the clean and unclean, between the holy and unholy. This brings "freedom". The boundaries that HaShem laid forth in His Torah create a dwelling place of intimacy with Him. Did Yeshua walk in constant communion with the Father? Yes. Did He always do that which pleased the Father? Yes. Is He the example of how we are to walk with he Father? Again, Yes! And He lived the Torah.
Removing Deception
Remember the L-rd said that He came to destroy the works of the devil. The enemies devise is deception. Just like in the garden, he will attempt to bring into our lives a lie that will turn us away from G-d and His plan for life.
"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your Torah" Psalm 119:18. Scripture warns us of a man that will embody deception in the last days. He is called "the man of lawlessness". Please take a look at this important description of this deceptive man.
"For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. And then the lawless one will be revealed...." RSV Now examine the same verse in another translation.
"For already this separating from Torah is at work secretly, but it will be secretly only until he who is restraining is out of the way. Then the one, who embodies separation from Torah, will be revealed..." Jewish New Testament 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9 restrains it is removed. And then the lawless one will be revealed...." RSV IF sin is the transgression of the law, then the son of perdition or the lawless one, is one who is without law or Torah. Yeshua is the embodiment of the Torah. The man of lawlessness will be the embodiment of separation from Torah. Messiah told us in Matthew to beware of false messiahs. How do we tell the true from the false? Well, as any good banker would tell you, you know the true by studying the true. So, you will know the true Messiah by learning of Him... and He is the Torah made flesh! Therefore, you can not recognize Him if you do not know the Torah. example of how we are to walk with he Father? Again, Yes! And He lived the Torah.
The Sounding Trumpet
PLEASE LISTEN! G-d's people perish because of lack of "knowledge". Even those calling themselves the people of HaShem have forsaken His boundaries and laws. We must repent. We must return tot he L-rd. We must cling to His commands, His appointed times, His statutes and judgments. We do not define holiness. G-d does. And that must be the definition by which we live.
David, a man after G-d's heart, rejoiced in the law. Read Psalm 119. You will find that David knew the highway of holiness. He knew that the Torah restored the soul from its fallen state of thinking and lifted it up to a higher level of understanding. Joshua was instructed to meditate on the law or Torah and not depart from it. Only then would he have the courage to stand as he was told to and see success.
G-d is restoring His household. I have never been more certain of anything. And that restoration dear friends, is the New Covenant life in those hungry for Messiah.
"In that day, I (the LORD) will restore the fallen tabernacle of David. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins and build it as it used to be...." Amos 9:11
"Many nations will come and say, 'Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.' The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."
