We are walking in today: Weekend Meditation: Let Scripture Interpret Scripture!!!! ENCORE
Witness conceal throughout the Bible: H3680 kacah--to cover, conceal, hide, to be covered
Job 27:11 I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.The Torah..................…
Deuteronomy 13:8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine
eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal H3680 him:
The prophets...............…
Jeremiah 50:2 Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and
conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.
The writings.............
Psalms 40:10 I have not hid H3680 thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
Proverbs 12:23 A prudent man concealeth H3680 knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.
Divisions: Old and New
In Scripture, the terms old and new apply to several items, all of which pertain to our necessary provision. We see the old [ancient] paths in Jeremiah 6:16 and 18:15; the old and new covenants in Hebrews 8:13; the old and new wine in Luke 5:37-39; the old and new commandments in 1John 2:7, and others.
Let's look further at our need for both the old and the new, as our necessary provision:
And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. (Leviticus 26:10)
In the above Leviticus passage, we see that 'bringing forth' [giving birth to] the correct understanding of the old, must be preceded by our walking in the new. This passage speaks prophetically of the provision and promises of the two [Earlier and Later] versions of The Most High's Covenant.
Let's see another:
The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates [doors] are all manner of pleasant fruits ['precious things'], new and old, which I have laid up ['hidden'] for thee, O my beloved. (Song of Songs 7:13)
In the above passage, we see that both new and old have been laid up, or hidden for the Bride. These hidden things are called pleasant fruits — 'precious things' — that are hidden in Messiah [who is called the door or gate]! These too speak prophetically of the Earlier and Later versions of The Most High's Covenant.
Now we will see further light on what the old and new consist of:
Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. (Matthew 13:52)
In the above passage, we first note that the 'treasure' of a scribe consists of his writings. If he is instructed unto the Kingdom, those treasures, we are told, consist of both new and old, in that exact, chronological order. Here we learn that the fullness of instruction unto Messiah's kingdom consists of both new and old.
Now notice How Messiah relates the 'old' Testament writings to the New Covenant:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:29)
Thus saith the LORD, Stand [remain; abide] ye in the ways, and see, and ask [seek] for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. (Jeremiah 6:16)
Notice that the above two passages do not contradict one another. These passages reveal to us that 'rest for our souls' can be seen from two different perspectives, yet this rest for our soul comes from only one source:
This rest comes from taking Messiah's yoke, and learning of Him — by learning His Words, and walking in His ways (Matthew 11:29);
This rest comes from abiding in The Way [in Messiah] — by asking for, seeking, and walking in, the 'old paths' (Jeremiah 6:16).
Each of the above speaks the same message — each one explains the details of the other! The difference is that both are New Covenant provisions — one seen in the 'new' Testament writings, and the other in the 'old' Testament writings!
One may ask, "Why do we not see this taught today?" and, "Why are there so many stumbling-blocks in the Way, that must be removed prior to Messiah's return?"
The prophet Jeremiah has already given us the answer to these questions, seen in the above passage (Jeremiah 6:16): "...But they said, We will not walk therein." Today many refuse to read, and to walk in the New Covenant provisions found in the 'old' Testament writings.
Why is this? Many Bible teachers today are teaching the error that the 'Old Covenant' means the 'Old Testament' section of the Bible — and these teachers, and their followers, refuse to walk therein!
But the prophet goes on to give us further details:
Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths in a way not cast up [in a way not established by The Most High]; (Jeremiah 18:15)
What do the old paths, as seen above in Jeremiah 6:16, and the ancient paths, as seen above in Jeremiah 18:15, refer to?
John tells us exactly what these are:
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from 'the beginning' [B'Re'sheit].The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from 'the beginning'. (1 John 2:7)
Notice in the above passage that the phrase 'the beginning' is the Hebrew word B'Re'sheit, which is the very first word in the Book of Genesis. This word is also the Hebrew title of the book of Genesis.
Thus we see that the Word that you have heard from 'the Beginning' speaks of the written Words of Scripture that you have heard, starting from the first word in the Book of Genesis.
John confirms to us what all these other passages tell us: that the 'Good Way' that defines how we are to walk, is found within the Old paths and the Ancient paths of which Jeremiah speaks.
John then tells us this is Old Commandment is the Word which you have heard from 'the beginning.' This speaks of all the written Word, the 'old' testament writings from Genesis onward.
In John's day, the only written Word they had was the 'old' testament writings, the T-N-K ["TaNaK"] — the Torah [Instruction], the Nebiim [Prophets], and the Ketubim [Writings]. Together, John and Jeremiah tell us that walking in the Old paths refers to walking according to Torah!
Let us see briefly why this is true.
We must remember, that the Old 'Covenant,' as an agreement, is not the same as the Old Testament 'writings,' as a section of the Bible! This truth becomes evident, when we see that almost all of the New Covenant provisions and promises are found within the Old Testament section of the Bible! We will further discuss this below.
We have seen a brief glimpse, a mere hint, of the necessary [New Covenant] provisions that have been laid up [treasured] for the Beloved, in both the 'old' Testament writings and the 'new' Testament writings.
But Beloved, there is much more to see!
Divisions: The Torah and The Testimony
Notice the following Scripture passage:
To the law [Torah] and to the testimony [witness] if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20)
The Bible itself claims two main sections, called in Scripture the Torah and the Testimony (Isaiah 8:20). These are not 'divisions' as such, but functional descriptions that we might designate as sections of Scripture. It is important that we understand the meaning of these two sections, as they will help us to correctly understand the overall Bible message.
Let's see what the Torah and the Testimony are.
What is the Torah?
The Bible itself tells us that the Torah is the Truth (Psalms 119:142). We are told further that the Torah is upright, complete, and perfect (Psalms 19:7), and that it is holy (Romans 7:12).
But what is the Torah?
The word Torah is the Hebrew word translated as 'Law' throughout Scripture, and means 'instruction.' In its narrowest sense, the Torah consists of the first 5 books of Moses, and these make up the first part of the 'old' testament writings.
The apostle Paul, however, in referring to the Prophet's words in Isaiah 28:11, said, "In the Law it is written...." Paul is thus telling us that the 'Law' [the Torah — God's 'instruction' for His people] includes the words of the Prophets.
From this usage and others within the new Testament writings, we see that the early Believers understood that the 'Law' [God's 'instruction'] is not confined to only the first 5 Books of Moses. Instead, the 'Law' includes not only the Torah, but the Neviim [Prophets] and the Ketubim [writings] as well. Together these are known as the 'old' testament writings.
Throughout the Scriptures, the Hebrew word Torah has been translated into English as the word 'Law.' A closer meaning of the word Torah, however, is the word 'instruction.' This word more accurately defines Torah as "Father's Instructions for the members of his household," or what we might call Father's "House Rules" for His family.
We recall that Paul tells Timothy (2 Tim 3:16) that 'all Scripture' is profitable for instruction. This tells us that from a Scriptural standpoint, the word Torah is, in its widest sense, all of Father's instructions to His children. This instruction includes both the written instructions of the Bible, and the living instructions taught by Messiah's testimony, His life example as seen in Scripture.
We can also understand why the apostle Paul's writings were considered to be a part of the Commandments of Scripture (1 Co 14:37; 2 Pet 3:16). Paul's writings were not 'new' doctrines, but were Paul's prophetic insights to many of Everlasting [New] Covenant Scriptures that had been hidden throughout the Torah, the Writings, and the Prophets, all within the Old Testament writings.
So we see that the Torah consists of all Scripture is in its widest sense of instruction, but only the first five books of Moses in its narrowest. For the purpose of identifying sections of Scripture, the Torah is all the written Scripture in what is popularly called the 'old' Testament writings, as separate from what is called the Testimony or 'new' Testament writings.
Let's see what the Testimony is.
What is the Testimony?
The Hebrew word eduwth is commonly translated as testimony or witness. In its most common usage, the testimony refers to the witness or testifying of a particular truth, and sometimes refers to a written record of that truth.
In the Isaiah 8:20 passage seen above, the Hebrew word used is eduwth, meaning the confirming or attesting witness or testimony of a truth. This witness or testimony of the Truth [i.e. of Messiah] is one of the Covenant responsibilities of the Holy Spirit!
The Testimony of Yahushua Messiah is what we seek, in all that we do — but the Testimony of Yahushua comes only by the Holy Spirit, who bears witness according to the written Words of Scripture.
The Word and the Spirit Agree
Now notice the following passages:
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify ['bear witness'] of me. (John 5:39)
"And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." (Acts 5:32)
"...the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city..." (Acts 20:23b)
"...the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us..." (Hebrews 10:15b)
As we see in the above passages, it is the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit together, that bear witness of the Truth, bearing witness of Messiah living in and through the lives of His people. The witness of the Scriptures, and the witness of the Holy Spirit in the life of Messiah and His Disciples, are our primary witnesses and examples of New Covenant life today.
In order to understand the unity of these two witnesses, of the Word and of the Holy Spirit, we must look closely at Messiah, as our example.
Messiah's mission to earth had many Scriptural goals. His all-encompassing goal was to implement the promised Everlasting [New] Covenant with His people (Gen 17:7-19; Jer 31:31-33; Eze 36:26-27; Heb 13:20), which necessitated the shedding of His blood, and also required His death, burial, and resurrection (Isaiah 53:1-12; Deut 18:15-19).
By accomplishing this one goal, Messiah brought about the Gospel of redemption and reconciliation, the forgiveness of sins, the destruction of the works of the devil, and the sending of the Holy Spirit to dwell within His people. In doing these, He also became the 'door' or entrance into His eternal Kingdom. The announcement of the fulfillment of all these Kingdom goals is called the Gospel — the Good News of the Kingdom.
During the short time in which Messiah lived His life on earth 2000 years ago, He was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1), and He thus lived His life as a confirming or attesting witness, a testimony of the Living Truth of Torah, by the witness of the Holy Spirit.
Thus we see many places in Scripture, that the Messiah can be referred to as the Living Torah [Law]. Proverbs 6:23 tells us that the Commandment is a Lamp, and the Torah [obedience to the Torah] is Light. Messiah revealed His life as the Light that comes from the Lamp — a testimony of what is seen when being obedient to the Commandments of Torah!
Messiah was our living example of how we, too, are to be Light, and that we too, are called to 'walk in the Light' exactly as He did, through our works of obedience to the Scriptures. (John 8:12, Proverbs 6:23; John 1:1-14; Matthew 5:14; Matthew 5:16; Romans 13:12; Ephesians 5:8; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:6).
As we saw above, Messiah implemented the Everlasting [New] Covenant in His Blood (Hebrews 13:20). But as the confirming or attesting witness of the truth of Torah, Messiah accomplished much more than the implementing of the Everlasting [New] Covenant. He also became the example for all Believers to follow, and to emulate (John 8:12; John 13:15; 1 Peter 2:21).
Likewise, Messiah's Disciples, including the apostle Paul, lived their lives as confirming or attesting witness or testimony of the truth of Torah, and of the Gospel. They too became a testimony of Father's mercy and Grace, and of their obedience to Torah, as we shall see below in this writing. Messiah's Disciples also became an example for us to imitate, and to follow in every way (1 Corinthians 4:16, 11:1; Philippians 3:17).
And so the 'new' testament writings include letters that bear 'witness' to the events in the lives of Messiah and His Disciples. These writings include many exhortations for us today, so that we, too, would become witnesses or living testimonies, of these same Gospel truths. It is the witness of the Scriptures and the witness of the Holy Spirit together, that reveal the Everlasting [New] Covenant being lived out in the daily lives of the Believers.
Taken together, the Torah and the Testimony are the written record of Scripture [the Torah], and the living witness of Scripture being lived out [the Testimony] in the life of Messiah.
Together these reveal Father's Everlasting [New] Covenant, being lived out in the daily lives of Messiah and His Disciples, by the leading and enablement [Grace] of the Holy Spirit — as living examples for us to follow, who bear the Testimony of Messiah.
The Testimony of Messiah
It is helpful to recall that one's testimony is composed of two parts — the words they speak, and the life they live. As the WORD of The Most High, Messiah Himself spoke all the Words of Torah, either directly to the Prophets, or indirectly through the Prophets, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. So we see that Messiah's testimony includes all the written Scriptures, including the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings [the T-N-K].
We then understand (John 10:25) that one's life, both his words and his deeds, are a vital part of that witness or testimony. The words Messiah spoke, and the works or deeds He did in His lifetime on earth, both directly and through His Disciples and apostles, are all part of Messiah's testimony. So we see that both the written Scriptures, and the witness of Messiah's words, works, and doings, make up the Testimony of Messiah Yahushua.
To summarize, we can say that the Testimony of Messiah is "the light given off by living in obedience to the Torah in Daily Life, as we see in Yahushua and His Disciples throughout the New Testament writings."
But there is more!
This light or testimony of Messiah can also be seen in our own daily lives, when we allow Yahushua — the "Light of Life" — to live within us, and to manifest Himself through us, through our obedience to the Scriptures!
Notice what we are told in Revelation 12:17:
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17)
Now, notice what we are told in Revelation 19:10:
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:9-10)
The Testimony of Messiah Yahushua is seen when we keep the commandments of Elohim [God] — and we are told that this testimony is the spirit of prophecy! It is Messiah's testimony — His Words, and His deeds of obedience to Torah — that speaks to others, as we allow Him to live in us and work through us today!
And so our goal is to bear the Testimony of Messiah Yahushua, in all that we do. We are cautioned, however, that the Testimony of Messiah is found only where there is exact agreement between the witness of the Holy Spirit, and the written Words of Scripture!
But in order to find the true meaning of Scripture, we must use Biblical Guidelines for Scripture Interpretation.
Shema Selah, now is the time to hear all that Abba is teaching
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