Avoiding the Strong Delusion--The Way That Seems Right

James 3


We are walking in today:  Weekend Meditation--Avoiding the Strong Delusion--The Way That Seems Right

Witness falsehood throughout the Bible:  H8267 sheqer--lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood; deception (what deceives or disappoints or betrays one); deceit, fraud, wrong; in vain

2 Sa 18:13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood H8267 against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.

The Torah testifies...............
*****

The prophets proclaim..................
 Isa 59:13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. H8267

The writings bear witness...........................
 Psa 144:8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. H8267


Jer 51:17 Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, H8267 and there is no breath in them.


Avoiding the Strong Delusion--The Way That Seems Right

As we saw in our previous teaching, “Enduring As Seeing Him Who Is Invisible,” Moses gives us a two indicators of walking by faith:

By faith he [Moses] forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible. (Hebrews 11:27)

We discussed the first indicator of faithfulness, now we will look at the second indicator of faithfulness that Moses gives us — forsaking Egypt!
The Worldly Wisdom of ‘Egypt’

In Scripture, ‘Egypt’ is a term that speaks of the spiritually dark wisdom of this world, and its false values, false practices, and false gods. This is what Moses forsook and abandoned!

If we desire to walk by faith with The Most High Elohim, then we will follow Moses’ example by forsaking the worldly wisdom of this world — forsaking the world’s false values, false practices, false religions, and false gods!

As we grow in our faith, we will encounter many things that would try to hinder our walk of faith with the heavenly Abba. One of the greatest hindrances to our faith is to feed upon Spiritual Mixtures. Spiritual Mixtures combine truth with counterfeit. Spiritual mixtures are the deceptive, worldly wisdom systems of ‘Egypt.’ Spiritual mixtures mix Truth from The Most High’s written WORD [the Bible], with the dark wisdom of this world.

Spiritual mixtures cause us to put our confidence in man-made twistings of The Most High’s Word. Spiritual mixtures cause us to trust in the false gods of false religious systems. This is the ‘spirit of Egypt’ (Isaiah 19:1-17). It brings about divisions in the Body of Messiah because it promotes and idolizes the dark wisdom of this world rather than honouring and respecting the pure Word of The Most High.

The frightening thing about spiritual mixtures is that they appear to be right:

There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).

This verse is given twice in Proverbs, and it should be a double warning for us!! The many pathways and practices of the so-called ‘wisdom’ of this world appear to be good, right, and wise. But in reality, they are deceptive pathways, and result in curses and death!

The apostle Paul expressed a clear warning regarding the nature of counterfeit, spiritual pathways:

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled [deceived] Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)

This verse describes for us what these spiritual counterfeits do. These subtle, beguiling teachings from Satan corrupt us, and rob us of the simple truth of The Most High’s written Word! These spiritual mixtures contain the corrupt widsom of this world, and they lead downward to death. They are earthly, soulish (sensual), demonic (James 3:15).

Satan is capable of transforming himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), so his deceptions can allure anyone who desires spiritual insight. Have we ourselves become beguiled — captivated and deceived, and led away from the simplicity that is in Messiah? We should never underestimate the ability of Satan to duplicate religious truth or experience. We must avoid the notion that sincerity equates truth!!

It is crucial that we learn The Most High’s written Word for ourselves, because it is the source of authority and truth for all our beliefs and actions. When we know and obey The Most High’s Word, then we will know the truth, and thereby, we will not be led down into the destructive bondage of a ‘spiritual mixture!’ What may SEEM to be right, what may be popular; what “everyone-else-is-doing!” is often a ‘way’ that appeals to our carnal nature, appeals to our own soulish, human wisdom and desires.

What may ‘seem‘ to be right is appealing to many! The Scriptures confirm this: “Broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are which go into destruction in this way” (Matthew 7:13).
Counterfeit Wisdom

Many Born-again Thirsty Souls do not realize the dangers of embracing a spiritual mixture, and are therefore following other ‘gods.’

Instead of following the true, Almighty--The Most High, and His wisdom [The Most High’s written WORD], many are searching for eternal wisdom, but are looking in the wrong places! They are doing what seems to be right, what feels right to them. But they are falling prey to popular, counterfeit, spiritually dark wisdom —the wisdom of ‘Egypt’ — the wisdom of this world.

Sadly, many Thirsty Souls have not forsaken Egypt! They are feeding on one or more of the myriads of Spiritual Mixtures — the corrupted teachings of ‘worldly wisdom’ — the twisted thinking and false gods of religious systems.

Spiritual mixtures do two things: either they take away from, or they add to, the Scriptures. This is a direct and dangerous violation of the written Scriptures (see Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Revelation 22:18-19)

What does Abba have to say about spiritual mixtures?

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21)

These verses are a very good description of spiritual mixtures —

• mixing good with evil,
• mixing light with darkness,
• mixing sweet with bitter,
• mixing a little bit of the false with the true.

What does The Most High say about those who accept and embrace such mixtures? — “Woe unto them!!” Woe to them because they have rejected the pure truth of The Most High’s written Word, leaning on their own human understanding, trusting in their own imaginations.

It is complete foolishness to insist that our own human wisdom and understanding is greater than The Most High’s pure Word.

Those who refuse the superior authority of The Most High’s Word place themselves in dangerous territory. To rely solely on human understanding and man’s twisted teachings of The Most High’s Word makes our ‘own’ human understanding into our own fabricated ‘god.’ Such thinking is idolatrous! How could any one of us, as mere human beings, say, “I know better than my Creator!”?
King Saul’s Example

Consider what happened to King Saul when he refused to obey the Word of The Most High:
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the The Most High thy The Most High, which he commanded thee: for now would the The Most High have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the The Most High hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the The Most High hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the The Most High commanded thee. (1 Samuel 13:13-14)

The prophet Samuel warned Saul, saying “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of The Most High.” King Saul had acted on his own wisdom and initiative, refusing to wait patiently to fulfill the Word of The Most High. From that moment onward, Saul was on a downward spiral.

King Saul never recovered from his lofty way of thinking about himself; he never truly repented for following his own carnal wisdom and desires. As a result, King Saul gradually became more troubled, more unpredictable, more angry and hateful. His understanding eventually became so dark that he sought for wisdom from a witch — a woman with a familiar spirit, a spiritist (1 Samuel 28:7-25).

Saul’s example is a warning for us today!
Rejecting the Word of The Most High is a very serious thing (1 Samuel 15:23). The dark and deceptive pathway that Saul chose led him further downward. Saul eventually violated The Most High’s instruction, by consulting a spiritist [a witch] (Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Leviticus 19:31). This was a grievous violation of the Word of The Most High, and illustrates the eventual outcome of those who embrace the worldly wisdom of Egypt!
Be Alert!

It is good to yearn for understanding of the things of Messiah’s eternal kingdom (see 2 Corinthians 4). Yet we must be vigilant to learn for ourselves, the true, undefiled wisdom that comes from The Most High’s written Scriptures! And then we must be willing to follow the simplicity of what The Most High’s written WORD actually says.

The wrong pathways are those that appeal to our natural, human understanding, pathways that ‘seem’ to be wise and right, but contradict the written Scriptures.

We need to be very guarded against accepting any spiritual ‘awakening’ or spiritual ‘fire’ or spiritual ‘wisdom’ that is a mixture of darkness and light. Receiving false spiritual enticements will cause us to stumble spiritually, bring curses into our lives, and prevent us from walking with Messiah, who is the true ‘Light of Life.’

We must love the Truth of the written Word of The Most High, so that we will avoid the strong delusions of spiritual mixtures (see 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12)!
Walking in Darkness

Yahushua Messiah tells us:
If a man walk in the night, he stumbles, because there is no light in him. (John 11:10)

Yahushua is telling us that if we are walking, or living our lives, in ‘the night,’ or in spiritual darkness, then we will stumble, because there is no light [no Truth] in us! Living in spiritual darkness causes stumbling!

Only by studying the Words of Messiah for ourselves [all the written Words of Scripture], with the enlightenment from the Holy Spirit — only by a firm commitment to obey The Most High’s WORDS, and none other — can we then begin to be alert to dangerous spiritual mixtures. This is key to avoid stumbling!

Yahushua tells us how to avoid walking in darkness:
Then spake Yahushua … saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)

Those who follow [obey] Yahushua, and His Words, will NOT walk in darkness! They will have the LIGHT of Life!

To follow Yahushua Messiah, is to walk in His path. To follow Messiah is to do what He did, and avoid what He avoided.

Spiritual Darkness is Very Dangerous! Spiritual darkness prevents us from seeing the incorruptible LIGHT and truth of Yahushua’s message! Spiritual darkness prevents us from recognizing the great importance of what King David said: “I have kept [guarded] the ways of The Most High, and have not wickedly departed from my Elohim!” (Psalms 18:21)

The Prophets: Isaiah, Hosea, Jeremiah
The prophet Isaiah gives us an important standard for Believers in Yahushua Messiah:
To the law [the Torah] and to the testimony [the words and life-witness of Yahushua and His Disciples]: if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no Light in them. (Isaiah 8:20)

This verse teaches us that if we embrace a spiritual ‘wisdom’ from those who do not speak according to the complete Word of The Most High – both the Torah (the Old Testament), and the Testimony of Yahushua Messiah (The New Testament) – then it is a worldly ‘wisdom’ having NO light, thus NO truth! Those who reject the validity of the Torah and its importance to the New Testament have forsaken ‘the patience of the saints’: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of The Most High, and the faith of Yahushua” (Revelation 14:12; see also Revelation 12:17).

To have ‘No Light’ is to be in the darkness of ignorance, deception, and bondage! Receiving spiritual guidance that is not in agreement with the full counsel of The Most High’s written Word, is feeding on a spiritual mixture.

The Most High warns us further through the prophet Hosea, telling us that it is The Most High’s people who are ‘destroyed‘ because they lack the knowledge of Abba’s written WORD, and because they have rejected The Most High’s law [the Torah] (Hosea 4:6)!

The prophet Jeremiah gives us another warning, telling us that those who refuse to hear The Most High’s Words are those who walk in the imagination of their heart, and are actually walking after other gods — such people are ‘good for nothing!‘ (Jeremiah 13:10)

These are sobering warnings! We need to earnestly consider the seriousness of Abba’s warnings! (See also these warnings: Leviticus 18:3; 20:23; Deuteronomy 12:30-31; Isaiah 47:12-14; Jeremiah 10:2; Ezekiel 20:32.)

To avoid darkness and bondage, we must pursue spiritual guidance that is in complete agreement with all the Words of the Bible, because “ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of The Most High, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). The Most High’s written WORD is the only en-LIGHT-en-ment that is true and undefiled!

Shema Selah time to awake from the dreams that deception and inherited lies have wrapped you in!!  https://youtu.be/4YPDYRStwaQ

He Is The True Light!!

Isaiah 8

We are walking in today: He Is The True Light!!

Witness light throughout the Bible:  H216 'owr--light; light of day; light of prosperity; light of instruction; The Most High as Israel's light

Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: H216 and there was light. H216

The Torah testifies...............
 Exo 10:23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light H216 in their dwellings.

The prophets proclaim..................
 Isa 2:5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light H216 of the LORD.

The writings bear witness...........................
 Psa 27:1 [[A Psalm of David.]] The LORD is my light H216 and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Isa 51:4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light H216 of the people.

As we are learning to endure by seeing Him who is invisible; as we are forsaking the wisdom of this world and its myriad of enticements, then we will begin to learn for ourselves the promises that Father has for us in His Word. And, we will begin to understand more and more the Light of The Most High’s WORD, and we will not be taken in by counterfeits.

To have the true Light and true understanding for our path, then we must pursue spiritual guidance that is in complete agreement with all the Words of the Bible — both the Torah [the Old Testament], and the Testimony of Yahushua Messiah (see Isaiah 8:20).

Our commitment to obey The Most High’s written Word ONLY, is the necessary step to receiving Father’s GRACE to learn endurance and courage, and for maintaining our personal relationship with Father. The WORD of The Most High must be first place in our life, in our heart, and in our standard of behaviour in every area of life!
Our Motto: Enduring as seeing Him, The Most High Elohim, who is invisible!

Moses endured as seeing Him, The Most High Elohim, who is invisible! As Thirsty Souls, let this be our motto too!

Enduring as seeing Him, The Most High Elohim, who is invisible … is to keep our eyes and our heart focused on the eternal [out-of-time], un-defiled things of The Most High’s Kingdom, and His Word.

Enduring as seeing Him, The Most High Elohim, who is invisible … is to maintain our focus on our Saviour — Messiah Yahushua, the Light of Life, who died on the cross, shedding His blood for the remission of our sins, and rising from the dead, and is now seated at Father’s right hand, and is praying for each one of us. (Hebrews 7:25; 8:1)

Enduring as seeing Him, The Most High Elohim, who is invisible … is to recognize that the Light of The Most High’s written Word is as a shining Light for our path, shining brighter and brighter as we approach the day of His return. (Proverbs 4:18)

Enduring as seeing Him, The Most High Elohim, who is invisible … is to patiently persist in living our lives according to His commandments, walking in His ways, and thus becoming established in Father’s truth with confidence. Our commitment to His WORD is vital to receiving Father’s grace to enable us to walk according to His Ways! (Deuteronomy 5:33; 28:9)

May it be that each one of us would always remember that even though we can not see Him, even though we may not understand the difficulties and the sufferings:

• we will keep our spiritual eyes upon the WORD of The Most High, our beloved Saviour, and
• we will not give up our hope, we will not give up our faith, and
• we will keep our behaviour in agreement with His written WORD regardless of the trials, and
• we will obey His unchanging WORD, so that we may receive the GOAL of our faith — the salvation of our souls!!! (1 Peter 1:6-9)

With our spiritual eyes and heart focused and firmly committed to the One, True, Eternal The Most High Elohim, then He will bless us, and He will give us the endurance we need! (see Psalms 34)

BLESSED are they that have not seen, and yet have believed [hearken to and obeyed]! (John 20:29)

Shema Selah what is the light that you are living your life according to?? https://youtu.be/cHF96E_H6yQ

Enduring As Seeing Him Who Is Invisible

Hebrews 11

We are walking in today: Enduring As Seeing Him Who Is Invisible


Witness endure throughout the Bible: H5975 'amad--to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand; to appoint, ordain, establish

Psa 111:3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth H5975 for ever.

The Torah testifies...............
 Exo 18:23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, H5975 and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

The prophets proclaim..................
 Eze 22:14 Can thine heart endure, H5975 or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it.

The writings bear witness...........................
 Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth H5975 for ever.

2 Ch 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed H5975 singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.



Endurance is a major key to our spiritual growth and maturity.

As Believers, we are expected to grow spiritually, and come to maturity.

We are to grow in our faith, and in our knowledge of our Master and Saviour Yahushua (2 Peter 3:18; 2 Thess. 1:3).

All this growth calls for endurance!

Learning to endure is a great work! Learning endurance requires great love, patience, and humility. In the Scriptures, we can see that those who learned endurance became mighty in faith.

Learning to endure builds our faith, and our courage! Through difficulties and stormy situations, endurance is key to growing up! However, if we do not learn to practice endurance, we will remain selfish and immature, and lacking in faith.

Moses’ example gives us a key to learning endurance:

By faith he [Moses] forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible. (Hebrews 11:27)

Moses endured by keeping his eyes on the true, eternal, ever-living, and yet invisible, The Most High — The Most High Elohim [the LORD The Most High], the Holy One of Israel.

The Eternal Things

We are encouraged in the Bible to look at, or to focus on, the things that are unseen, or invisible, because these things are eternal:

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal [temporary]; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

As the above verse tells us, the things that are unseen are eternal, outside of time! It is these eternal things that ‘thirsty souls’ are searching for!

Thirsty Souls have an inborn spiritual awareness of the deeper, unseen realm. Thirsty Souls are looking for the eternal, incorruptible Light of the heavenly Father’s wisdom to enlighten their pathway.

Thirsty Souls know that when they find the eternal, the truly “Living Waters,” then their thirst will be genuinely satisfied. They will know that, at last, they are in the pathway of righteousness!

Much of the Bible’s message cannot be understood unless we focus on the things that are unseen or invisible. It is the below-the-surface, the unseen realm, that The Most High desires that we understand.

But we must be very cautious in our quest to understand the invisible realm! The Scriptures warn us of the many spiritual counterfeits. We need to guard against the traps of the evil one!

Despite the dangers, The Most High desires that we would diligently seek for the Ways of His Kingdom, and focus on His unseen Truths because they are eternal, and will bring us into His Kingdom!

Eternal and Ever-Lasting

We all know that eternal means ever-lasting, forever, no ending, outside of time.

The Most High Elohim, the living The Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, claims to BE eternal! He alone is the eternal, immortal, ever-lasting The Most High. There are many Scriptures that reveal this truth:

But The Most High is the true The Most High, He is the living The Most High, an everlasting king. (Jeremiah 10:10; see also Genesis 21:33; Psalms 90:2; John 17:3; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 John 5:11)

There is no The Most High else beside me [The Most High]; a just The Most High and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am The Most High, and There Is None Else. (Isaiah 45:21, 22)

This may seem very basic, but being reminded of the eternal nature of the ONE, true The Most High Elohim is part of learning endurance. We learn endurance by looking to the One who is eternal, the One who is outside of time! And though He is the supreme authority and power in all the universe, and He is the Holy One who is higher than the heavens, yet He greatly desires to have a personal relationship with His crowning creation — human beings!

To truly know the ONE, eternal The Most High — to know Him as our personal salvation and rescue, then we must ‘look’ to Him alone, and begin to focus our spiritual eyes on Him — just as Moses did.

Born-again Believers in Yahushua Messiah have a strong desire to learn everything about Abba and His Word [the Bible]. They sincerely desire to honour and obey The Most High faithfully. And, their heart’s desire is to learn endurance and self-control, to learn patience and humility.

The first step to learning these things is to keep our thoughts, and our heart, focused on Messiah and on His Word, just as Moses did. This needs to be a conscious decision — that everyday, we will acknowledge The Most High, seek Him in prayer and in His Word, and trust in Him who is invisible, to strengthen us to endure, to persevere, in His Ways!

We will remain focused by seeking The Most High diligently in the written Scriptures — and by obeying His Word. It is when we obey His written Word, that we are looking [as Moses did] to the invisible things of The Most High’s Kingdom.

Part of our growth in endurance, is to begin practicing the principle of First the Natural, Then the Spiritual. Learning, and obeying, The Most High’s Word in the natural realm is essential to growing up spiritually in our faith, and in knowing Him personally.
Avoiding Hindrances

As we grow in our faith, we will encounter many things that would try to hinder our focus, things that hinder our growth in faith and endurance. One of the greatest hindrances is to ‘look to’ and feed upon spiritual matter, or mixtures, that are counterfeit, and do not originate in The Most High.

In the above passage in Isaiah, notice again that The Most High Elohim says, “There is no other The Most High besides Me!” This statement is significant! This is essential! This is all-important!

Many Thirsty Souls today do not realize they are looking to other ‘gods,’ by embracing false, demonic teachings. Instead of looking to the true, eternal The Most High Elohim, and His written WORD, such Thirsty Souls are seeking for the eternal wisdom in the wrong places! They are falling prey to the worldly wisdom of ‘Egypt’ — which is the wisdom of this world.

If we would avoid the counterfeits — the false gods of this world, and grow in our faith and endurance, then we must follow Moses’ example! (Hebrews 11:27)

What did Moses DO? He forsook Egypt!

This is the example for us.

Egypt is a prophetic word that represents the wisdom of this world, and its false values, false practices, and false gods! This is what Moses abandoned! And we need to follow Moses’ example — to forsake this world and its false values, false practices, and false gods! This is an important part of our looking to Him who is invisible, and our endurance training!

If we are to learn endurance, we must forsake Egypt! We must forsake the wisdom of this world!

We forsake Egypt by maintaining our focus on the invisible, living The Most High, The Most High, by obeying Father’s Word, and by clinging to His promises in the written Scriptures — regardless of opposition and suffering. Enduring our trials, focusing on Him who is invisible, and forsaking the worldly wisdom of this world — these actions are pleasing to our heavenly Father because it is by these actions that we are truly ‘walking by faith!‘ (Hebrews 11:6)
The Wisdom of The Wise

The invisible ‘wisdom of this world’ is a wisdom that is very subtle and crafty, and captivating. We have all been taken in by this wisdom at various times in our lives. There are many facets to this ever-changing, ever-appealing wisdom of this world.

However, the wisdom of this world is a dangerous and dark deception! The wisdom of this world is a deceiving mixture. It cannot understand the Light of the written WORD of The Most High! The wisdom of this world is a dark mixture that is earthly, sensual, demonic (James 3:15).

We must maintain our alertness, and guard against any spiritual ‘awakening’ or spiritual ‘fire’ that is a mixture of darkness and light. We must guard against taking in spiritual ‘wisdom’ that departs from the written Word of The Most High.

Spiritual mixtures are defiled!! Sadly, many have fallen prey to, and are feeding on, one or more of the hundreds of defiled spiritual mixtures that are lurking about, seeking the ignorant.

Father warns us that it is HIS people who are ‘destroyed’ because they lack the knowledge of Father’s written WORD (Hosea 4:6)!
More Clues to Moses’ Endurance

Forsaking the deceptive ‘wisdom’ of Egypt energized Moses to identify with the people of The Most High. Forsaking Egypt helped him choose to endure and suffer afflictions rather than indulging in the pleasures of sins. Forsaking Egypt gave him courage to steadfastly endure, and not give up his faith. Moses refused to seek any help from Egypt!

Moses endured a great fight of afflictions! What Moses went through was difficult, painful, frightening, and agonizing. He endured through many trials and stormy difficulties.

His endurance and courage was strengthen because

1.) he forsook Egypt, and because
2.) he kept His spiritual eyes on The Most High Elohim!

Moses endured by obeying The Most High in the small things and in the great things. Moses adjusted his behaviour as he grew in faith, and he maintained his patience, obedience, and his humility. Though Moses was not perfect, for he did fail at times, but He Did Not Give Up his commitment to The Most High! He continued to endure by focusing on Him Who is invisible — the living The Most High, Creator of heaven and earth!

There are several Scriptures that reveal the kind of character and endurance that Moses had (see Exodus 33:11; Numbers 11:2; 12:3, 7-8, 13; 14:5; 16:4, 22, 45; 20:6; Deuteronomy 9:18-20; 1 Peter 3:4). Overall, we can know that Moses maintained his faithful endurance by:

• Seeing (focusing on) Him who is invisible,
• Forsaking Egypt,
• Clinging to The Most High’s Word,
• Faithfully serving Abba,
• Humbling himself over and over again,
• Learning patience, mercy, and forgiveness in the midst of trials and difficulties.

Because of Moses’ endurance, character, and patience, he earned an amazing distinction:

Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. (Numbers 12:3)

Meekness is a very distinctive and necessary quality for walking with The Most High! Meekness is a somewhat difficult quality to describe. It is more than humility. It is a disposition to be patient and long suffering, along with a submissive humbleness. Meekness is patience under injuries. It is a quality that makes a person teachable.

Without this necessary characteristic, we are disqualified from entering the kingdom of heaven! (see Matthew 18:2-3; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17) Without meekness, we can not learn endurance. Without meekness, we can not learn to follow the example of our Saviour.

Shema Selah are you focused in faith on the invisible over the visible?

The Renewed Covenant Of The Most High--The Conclusion!!!!!!

Romans 6

We are walking in today:  Weekend Meditation--The Renewed Covenant Of The Most High--The Conclusion!!!!!!

Witness difference throughout the Bible:  H914 badal--to make a distinction, difference

Lev 10:10 And that ye may put difference H914 between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

The Torah testifies...............
 Lev 11:47 To make a difference H914 between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.

The prophets proclaim..................
 Eze 22:26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference H914 between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

The writings bear witness...........................
****

Lev 20:25
Ye shall therefore put difference H914 between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated H914 from you as unclean.

So we see that under the Everlasting [New] Covenant, when we identify with the death of Messiah, we become set free from the ‘old’ yoke [of bondage to Sin and the Law]. Messiah then invites us to choose to take upon ourselves a ‘new’ yoke [a yoke of bondage of a marriage covenant with Yahushua].

We might say that Messiah sets us free from the old yoke of bondage to the old master, with the hope that we might voluntarily choose to enter into a new yoke of bondage [marriage] with the New Master. It is in this way that we will find rest, and we learn of the mystery of true delight!

Before we look at the last highlight, we must first state a few observations seen in the Scriptures, in which the ‘Old’ Covenant is contrasted with the ‘New’ Covenant.

Old vs New: A Contrast
Here we will mention a few statements in the Scriptures, in which the ‘Old’ Covenant is contrasted with the ‘New’ Covenant.
First, we must remember that we are not dealing with two separate covenants, but only one — which The Most High calls the Everlasting Covenant. This truth can be seen clearly in (Psalms 89:27-33), when in referring to Messiah, we see the covenant promised to Judah and Israel is called an Everlasting Covenant, but is called a New Covenant in (Jeremiah 31:31-33). We see the same parallels in (Hebrews 13:20), where the Covenant in Yahushua’s Blood is called the Everlasting covenant, but which Yahushua calls a New Covenant in His Blood in (Matt 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20).

The changes or contrasts between the ‘Old’ and ‘New’ versions of the Everlasting Covenant are seen in Scripture as enhancements or upgrades, as it were, to the Everlasting Covenant, whereby all the ‘fine print’ of the Terms and Conditions stated throughout the ‘Old’ Testament writings [the Tanak, also called the Law or Torah] remain intact even today — as they are said to be eternal, and will never be ‘done away.’

Thus we see throughout the Scriptures that the eternal Torah requirements for The Most High’s Covenant People have not changed. They are the same for us, as they were for the Israelites, and for Yahushua, except for the specific changes, or ‘upgrades’ mentioned in Scripture. These New Covenant ‘upgrades’ are summarized in Jeremiah Chapter 31, and are further listed in the book of Hebrews, where these changes are called ‘Better Things.’

As a summary of New Covenant promises in Scripture passages mentioned above (Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36), we saw that The Most High will give His people a new heart, and a new Spirit, and will cause His people to walk in His Torah (Ezekiel 36:26-27). This promise is only part of the Torah revelation that His people will become ‘Born-Again,’ as Messiah becomes ‘birthed’ within them; and they will be filled with the Holy Spirit to enable and empower them.

We then saw that as part of the New Covenant, The Most High promised to put His Law in their inward parts, and write it [internally] in their hearts, rather than [externally] on stone, so that they will have the heart or willingness, as well as the grace or enablement, to obey the Torah (Jeremiah 31:31-33).

Further New Covenant changes are listed in the book of Hebrews. These changes include a change in the Priesthood, wherein Yahushua has become the High Priest, after an eternal order; and a change in the Sacrifice system, wherein the Blood of Yahushua has an active and ongoing role for us today, as His Blood completely removes the consciousness of past sins, and is better than the blood of bulls and goats, which merely covered the sins. As part of the change of the Sacrifices, we are told (in Hebrews 10:8-10) that the ‘not my will’ as spoken in Psalms 40:7, is established as the new sacrifice, which has taken away the old sacrifice.

We have also seen many changes in the Everlasting Covenant that promised to enhance the Believers’ daily walk with Messiah. As a part of these ‘New’ Covenant changes, we see a heightened awareness of the significance of those provisions of the Everlasting Covenant that remain intact.

As one example, Yahushua revealed to us the importance of our participation in Passover, when He revealed to us the ‘New’ Covenant significance of Passover in (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:15-20; John 6:53-56). As another example, we can now see the importance of our participation in Messiah’s Sabbaths, after Messiah revealed to us one of the reasons the Israelites were refused entry into the Promised Land was that they “despised His Judgments” [His mishpatim, His eternal ‘House Rules’] and “polluted His Sabbaths” (Eze 20:13,16,20,21,24).

As another example, Messiah has told us in advance that He will reject the Foolish Virgins for two reasons: 1) because they are considered workers of iniquity (Mt 7:23), which tells us they were in disobedience to the law of Moses; and 2) He did not know them [they avoided the Everlasting Covenant provision that allows His Born-again people to know Him (Ex 31:13; Eze 20:12,20): by keeping His Sabbaths].

He has also told us [in advance] by His prophets that His final judgment against the earth’s inhabitants is for the same reason — because they have broken His Everlasting Covenant (Isaiah 24:5), which in context, appears to be soon-coming.

We have seen a few contrasts between the ‘Old’ and ‘New’ versions of The Most High’s Everlasting Covenant.

We have noted that the Torah remains intact for Believers today in the New Covenant. We must now state, however, that according to the Torah, the ‘New’ Covenant — and the ‘new’ yoke — is not one of ‘required’ obedience, or compulsion.

The New Covenant: No Compulsion
Perhaps the most surprising feature of the ‘New’ Covenant is that it remains as The Most High’s Everlasting Covenant, but it is now a Covenant in which obedience is no longer required. Under the ‘Old’ Covenant, obedience was required, under threat of death. Under the ‘New’ Covenant however, there is no compulsion to come under a ‘yoke’ [of bondage] of obedience to the Covenant. This difference can be understood in light of The Most High’s purposes.

Among the ‘New’ Covenant changes is the removal of the obligation to obey the Law [Torah]. In its place is the opportunity for the Believer to voluntarily choose to obey the Law [Torah]. As we saw above under the heading, ‘Yokes of Bondage,’ this last change is according to Torah, and reveals some of Fathers purposes in these last days.

One of Father’s purposes today is to find a Bride suitable for His Son. Father is looking for those who love His Son — that is, He is looking for those who keep His Commandments (John 14:15). He is looking for those who know His Son — who know that Messiah is the one who gave the Commandments to Moses. Thus Father is looking for those who are Born-Again (who have Messiah ‘birthed’ within them), and who demonstrate that they know the identity of His Son, by their obedience to Messiah’s Commandments written in the Law [the Torah].

When a Believer becomes ‘Born-Again,’ he is at that time set free from the old yoke of bondage, as discussed above under the heading, ‘Yokes of Bondage.’ Messiah then invites that one to come under a ‘New’ yoke of bondage, to become a bond servant of the Master. Notice however, that Yahushua does not compel anyone to become a bond servant. He does, however, compel people to come to Him to be set free, and to repent, and then compels them to come in to dine with Him.

He then desires that those that come to Him, would voluntarily enter into the bond of the ‘New’ Covenant with Him; and that because of their love for their Master, they would become yoked as bondservants to obedience to Him, and to His Word.

Love, by its very nature, can not be made compulsory; it must be of the free will, and of the heart. Yahushua sets us free, so that we are then truly free to choose whom we will serve. We may then choose to serve Him, and to please Him, and delight to do His will, or we may choose not to do so. Whatever choice we make, reveals whether we love Him, or not. However, let us also remember that He has told us:

“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Luke 16:13)

Here Yahushua warns us, that after we have been set free from the old master [sin, and the obligation to obey the Law, under threat of death], we now have a choice of whom we will serve. The Most High sees to it that everyone must serve one master or another. Let us recall this passage:

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:16)

After being set free, many choose not to be in bondage, thinking they are free. There is no compulsion whatsoever. However, the above passage reveals that unless we voluntarily choose to serve [in obedience to the eternal Scriptures], which leads to the fruit of righteousness, we will end up serving sin, which results in death.

It is our choice of whom we will obey.

Many spiritual Leaders today have understood one side of the coin of Paul’s writings, but have failed to see the other side of the coin. They understand that as Believers we have ‘died to’ the bondage of the Law, and to sin. They are in grave error, however, to think the eternal Law [Torah] has been ‘done away’ or replaced.

According to the Scriptures, if the Law [the Torah] were ‘done away, we would not be forgiven by the Blood of Yahushua — because it is the Torah that prescribes forgiveness by an acceptable Blood sacrifice — and so it is only by the Torah that we are redeemed by Yahushua’s Blood, and forgiven of our sins (Hebrews 9:22).

Conclusion
We have seen that under the ‘New’ Covenant, the Believers are promised a new heart, and a new spirit, prefiguring the experiences of being ‘Born-Again’ and being filled with the Holy Spirit;

We have seen that under the ‘New’ Covenant, the eternal Commandments of Torah are no longer external, written on tables of stone, but are now internal, written on the heart, prefiguring obedience to the same, eternal Torah.

We have seen that the ‘New’ Covenant provides everything for us that the ‘Old’ Covenant could not provide, but most importantly, the Grace Messiah gives us, as He lives within us by His Spirit, to enable us, and to empower us to be obedient.

We have seen that under the ‘New’ Covenant, instead of trying to obey the Commandments by our own strength, our own ability, it is now ‘Messiah-in-us’ who gives us the ‘Grace’ — the delight, and the ability, to keep His Commandments!

We have seen that under the ‘New’ Covenant, we too will delight in the Law in the inward man, just as did the apostle Paul (Romans 7:22), when we, as Paul, begin to walk in obedience to Messiah’s eternal and Everlasting New Covenant — According to the Scriptures.

Although we have touched on a few highlights of the New Covenant, there is much yet to discuss. We must yet look at Father’s Everlasting Covenant, to see further details of how the ‘Old’ is related to the ‘New,’ and how we are to ‘connect the dots’ in our understanding.

We must look further at Passover, to see how the Blood of the New Covenant is to be sprinkled physically within the Holy place [our inner man] of our Tabernacle or Temple [our bodies].

We must look further at some of the Difficult Words of Paul, and see how these all confirm the many sublime features of Father’s Everlasting Covenant

Shema Selah we are to choose the Most High in all things but what have you chosen?? https://youtu.be/9GD1K9KRruU

The Renewed Covenant Has Provision From The Most High!!!

1 John 3

We are walking in today:  The Renewed Covenant Has Provision From The Most High!!!

Witness prepared throughout the Bible:  H3559 kuwn--to prepare, be ready to be prepared, be arranged, be settled; to establish, set up, accomplish, do, make firm

Eze 38:7 Be thou prepared, H3559 and prepare H3559 for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

The Torah testifies...............
 Exo 23:20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. H3559

The prophets proclaim..................
 Ezr 7:10 For Ezra had prepared H3559 his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

The writings bear witness...........................
 Psa 9:7 But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared H3559 his throne for judgment.

2 Ch 35:10 So the service was prepared, H3559 and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's commandment.

The New Covenant: Its Provisions

As we look into the identity of those who are partakers of The Most High’s Covenant, we see another covenant problem coming into view, which we must address. Let’s recall a Scripture from above:

“Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:” (Jeremiah 31:32)

Israel was redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, and then was ‘water Baptised.’ They were brought out of Bondage of Egypt, all by The Most High’s Grace. However, in the above passage, we see that Israel broke The Most High’s Marriage Covenant, due to their disobedience, which we saw previously.

So we see by Israel’s example, that the first New Covenant provision of Blood has been made to bring out The Most High’s people, out of Bondage to Sin. But what New Covenant provisions are there that can bring in The Most High’s people, by obedience, in our day? Again, we saw the answer, in part, in the above Jeremiah 31 passage:

“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

The first part of this provision is seen above, where The Most High will change where He writes His Law [Torah]. In Israel’s case, it was external, on tables of stone. In our case today, it is internal, on tables of the heart. But does The Most High write His Laws within everyone who simply claims to be a partaker of His Covenant? Let’s look at another passage to get further light:

“Bind up the testimony, seal the law<08451> [Torah] among my disciples.” (Isaiah 8:16)

Here we see that The Most High’s testimony, which is being a ‘DO-er’ of the Law (James 1:23, 25). It is the performing of the Law [Torah] by Messiah living within you, just as Messiah did 2,000 years ago when He lived within His own body, that is His seal; and this seal is only to be found among Yahushua’s Disciples.

Now, let’s notice Yahushua’s own requirements for anyone who would be called His Disciple:

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26)

“And whosoever doth not bear his stake, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27)

“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33)

“If ye continue<3306> in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed…” (John 8:31)

The above requirements will exclude those with mere claims, or even those with a half-hearted commitment to follow Messiah — so we are hereby warned against becoming nominal churchgoers.

Notice in the John 8:31 passage above, that the Greek word <3306> is the same word translated elsewhere as abide. We are told in the above passage that only those who continue, who abide, are Yahushua’s Disciples. So let’s look at a some of the many conditions that describe those who abide:

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide<3306> [abide; dwell; continue; remain] in my love…” (John 15:10)

“And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth<3306> [abide; dwell; continue; remain] in him…” (1 John 3:24)

“He that saith he abideth <3306> [abide; dwell; continue; remain] in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:6)

“Whosoever abideth<3306> [abide; dwell; continue; remain] in him sinneth not…” (1 John 3:6)

“…sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4)

By the above passages, we see the New Testament provisions for obedience. When a Believer becomes Born-Again, the spirit of Messiah becomes ‘birthed’ within. As Messiah grows, and matures within the Believer, it is Messiah-in-you who desires to be obedient. He desires that the Believer would choose to be obedient to His Father.

As the Believer learns to walk in Righteousness, and becomes obedient, Messiah writes Father’s Law [Torah], His statutes, commandments, precepts, and judgments on the hearts of those who are His Disciples. He also provides the Grace — His enablement from within — to keep His commandments. Thus we see the final result of the Redeemed Saints, when all is said and done, as we saw above:

“Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” (Psalms 50:5)

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Yeshua.” (Revelation 14:12)

Again, we will state that The Most High’s saints are those who are part of The Most High’s Covenant, because Yahushua has become their Sacrifice. We then see these same overcoming saints as “they that keep the commandments of The Most High, [even; which is] the Faith of Yahushua.”

Let’s again notice why the doing of the Commandments describes these saints:

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Revelation 22:14)

Beloved, this is a warning given to all who desire to enter in.

Throughout the New Testament we are given many warnings. Some of these warnings tell us exactly why Israel failed to enter in, and how their failure is an example for our admonition and our warning. These warnings are given so that we might be properly instructed, and that we might choose wisely to keep Messiah’s Commandments [all of Torah] — so that we might have right to the Tree of Life, and might ‘enter in’ through the gates into the City.

We will now turn our attention to a few examples of the New Covenant, as contrasted to the Old.

Two Covenants: The Bondwoman and the Free

Much of our misunderstanding of the New Covenant stems from twisting of Scripture, concerning the New Covenant Truths of the Law, as discussed in The Law: According to Scripture. We saw that much of today’s understanding of what Paul wrote of the Law is seen in Peter’s words:

“As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest [twist; pervert], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16)

Without getting too far into details of the Law, we will on occasion refer to what Scripture calls lawful and unlawful uses of the Law in the New Covenant. Misunderstanding of legitimate New Covenant purposes of the Law carries over into misunderstanding of the New Covenant itself.

The Allegory of the two Covenants, written by Paul, is no exception. This is an allegory of the two covenants, seen as two mountains, which in turn represent two women, who bring forth two offspring.

Keep in mind that the main focus of Paul’s teaching here is on the two kinds of offspring, and on the source that brings forth each kind of offspring. We will begin a few verses prior to where most teachings on this allegory begin, for here is where the main point of the Allegory can be seen:

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until HaMaschiach be formed in you…” (Galatians 4:19)

In this Galatians 4:19 passage above, we see the main focus of the allegory is the offspring about which The Most High is concerned, and which He desires — it is that Messiah is to become ‘formed’ within the Believer. This means not only is the baby to be conceived and born, but that it should grow and mature, and not remain an immature ‘baby’ all its life. Not only should the Life of Messiah become birthed within us, but we should allow His Life living in us to mature, and begin to walk in obedience, and eventually become just like the Father. There is only one offspring that can achieve this goal, but the other is unable to do so — and it is this contrast that is the focus of Paul’s allegory.

All of the subsequent verses in Paul’s allegory show how the intended offspring falls far short, if it is not engendered [brought forth] by the proper woman. We now continue in the next verse:

I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? (Galatians 4:20-21)

Here we see Paul addressing those Galatians who understand neither the Old Covenant nor the New. It is here that Paul begins to reveal both Covenants, as each being a Husband having dominion over a wife. Paul is addressing those who consider it important to be under the constraint of the Law [Torah] but who are not able to obey it.

Now let us proceed with Paul’s example:

22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after [according to] the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to[brings forth] bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is [physical or natural city], and is in bondage with her children. (Galatians 4:22-25)

Up to this point in the narrative, Paul has pictured the ‘Old’ Covenant as the bondwoman, as a woman who gives birth to that which is according to the flesh, in attempting to bring forth obedience by self-effort — just as we see in Hagar, who brought forth Ishmael as a result of Abraham’s unbelief.

Here also, in verse 24 we see the ‘Old’ Covenant is pictured as Mount Sinai, representing the stone tablets, and the self-effort to obey the Law, reminding us of the Israelites who failed to enter in, and who illustrate the children or offspring of that ‘Old’ Covenant.

As New Covenant Believers, we now understand that the Law [Torah] is like a looking-glass, or mirror. The mirror can show us the imperfections, but it lacks the power to cleanse. The Israelites in that day were under the constraint of the Law, but they lacked the heart, and more importantly, lacked the Grace and faith necessary to obey the Law.

The offspring are further described in verse 25 as the “Jerusalem that now is,” which corresponds to its inhabitants referred to as the ‘Circumcision’ elsewhere in the New Testament. These represent all those who would try to be justified by self-effort to keep or obey the works of the Law, but who have not been Born-again, and justified by the Blood of Yahushua.

Now let us notice now the contrast of the two different offspring:

26 But Jerusalem which is above [the New Jerusalem] is free [not in bondage], which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh [physical, natural descendants] persecuted him that was born after the Spirit [spiritual descendants], even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. (Galatians 4:26-31)

In the above passages, we see the result of the ‘Old’ Covenant which [in this allegory] pictures self-effort, simply because there is the absence of the New Covenant provisions — Redemption by Blood, Righteousness by Faith, and the Holy Spirit living within, to supply Grace to empower and enable.

Here we see also in verse 28 and 29, that there is no inheritance to those offspring engendered by the flesh, by self-effort, but only to children of the free woman — the children of Promise, just as Isaac was a child of Promise. Paul tells us (Romans 4:14; Galatians 3:29) that it is not through our effort of being obedient to the Law, but only through Messiah that we become heirs according to the promise.

We must caution, however, that many years of tradition based on misunderstanding of Paul’s writings still clings to us as baggage. Because of this tradition, we can miss many important truths of how the various parts of the Law [the Torah, or Father’s House Rules] are to be considered, and how they are to be obeyed by His redeemed children. We will now look at one major highlight of the New Covenant — the concept of Bondage.

The New Covenant and Yokes of Bondage

As New Covenant Believers, much of our understanding of the ‘Yoke’ of Bondage has been from Paul’s epistles. In all of Scripture, the word yoke speaks of bondage. But have we realized there are two ‘Yokes’ of Bondage, one as part of the ‘Old’ Covenant, and one as part of the ‘New’ Covenant? One of these yokes leads to death; the other leads to Life.

One of our main tasks as Believers, then, is to understand them both, so that we might come out from, and avoid, the one that leads to death, and enter in to the one that leads to Life. Let us notice the following passages:

“I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.” (Hosea 11:4)

Here we see that the yoke is taken off, and removed by The Most High. As the context shows, this removing of the yoke is how The Most High describes Israel’s coming out from Egypt, elsewhere called the Bondage of Egypt. This bondage is the bondage of sin, and is explained by Paul partly in Romans 7:2-3, in which the obligation to obey the Law [Torah] is likened to a wife who is bound to a husband by the covenant of marriage, for as long as that husband is alive.

As Paul goes on to explain in Romans 7:3-6, if the Believer [as the wife] has become ‘dead’ to the Law [no longer under its dominion of sin] by identifying with the death of Messiah, then the Believer is said to be ‘dead to the Law by the body of Messiah.’ According to the Law [Torah], the wife is no longer in a covenant with [in bondage to] the [dead] husband, but is now free to marry [enter into a new marriage covenant with] Messiah.

That is, once a person is set free from bondage, that one is now free to choose a new Master, and a new marriage Covenant [a new yoke], which we will further discuss below. Let us first notice the contrast to the above passage in Hosea 11:4, as we look at the following passages:

“And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant…” (Ezekiel 20:37)

“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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light…” (Matthew 11:29-30)

In the Ezekiel 20:37 passage above, we see that The Most High promised to bring Israel into the bond of the Covenant, the bondage or prison of the Covenant, as the Hebrew reads — which is describing the ‘yoke’ of bondage of the New Covenant, as the context further reveals.

Then in the Matthew 11:29-30 passage above, we see the New Covenant fulfillment of this ‘yoke’ of Bondage. Here we see Yahushua invites His Disciples into the yoke of [bondage] of the marriage covenant. This appeal by Yahushua is a window into the mystery of (Ephesians 5:32) together with (Colossians 1:27), and is the New Covenant Bondservant appeal seen in Exodus:

“And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.” (Exodus 21:5-6)

Shema Selah  we must have the Most High's understanding of His word!!

The Renewed Covenant Given To My People, Says The Most High!!!

1 Peter 1

We are walking in today:  The Renewed Covenant Given To My People, Says The Most High!!!

Witness my people throughout the Bible: H5971 'am--nation, people persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men, kinsman, kindred

Gen 23:11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people H5971 give I it thee: bury thy dead.

The Torah testifies...............
 Exo 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people H5971 the children of Israel out of Egypt.

The prophets proclaim..................
 2 Sa 7:10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people H5971 Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,

The writings bear witness...........................
 Rth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people H5971 shall be my people, H5971 and thy God my God:

Psa 50:7 Hear, O my people, H5971 and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.

The New Covenant: Only for “My People”

We next notice the identities of those with whom The Most High made His Covenant. As we saw in the above passage in Genesis 17, The Most High made a covenant between Himself and Abram, then extended His Covenant to include Abraham’s Seed as an ‘Everlasting’ [eternal] Covenant. Let’s see what Scripture tells us of the identity of these Everlasting Covenant participants:

“…and to thy seed after thee…” (Genesis 17:7)

“…and to Israel for an everlasting covenant…” (Psalms 105:10)

“…a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah…” (Jeremiah 31:31)

“…this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel… and they shall be my people…” (Jeremiah 31:33)

“And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel…” (Matthew 2:6)

Notice carefully the wording in the above passages, that The Most High’s Covenant is not made with any particular religion, or even with the Gentiles; but only with those called ‘thy seed’ and ‘My People,’ whose name of endearment is “Israel.” Let us discover some basic truths, to see who is included in The Most High’s Covenant:

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is HaMaschiach. (Galatians 3:16)

And if ye be HaMaschiach’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29)

In the above passages, the apostle Paul tells us two important bits of information. First, he tells us that the identity of the “Seed” of Abraham is Messiah Himself. Then Paul tells us that those who belong to Messiah [those who are ‘in’ Messiah (Rom 8:1; 2 Cor 5:17)] are included in this identity.

But notice again, that the New Covenant was promised only to the house of Judah, and to the house of Israel. Notice there are no Gentiles in this promise. So how is it that the Gentiles can be included in The Most High’s New [everlasting] Covenant, and in the promises? The apostles Paul and Peter tell us:

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles… 12 That at that time ye were without HaMaschiach, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in HaMaschiach Yeshua ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of HaMaschiach. (Ephesians 2:11, 12-13)

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people… 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9, 10)

In the above (Ephesians 2:12) passage, Paul tells us that previously, as Gentiles apart from Messiah, we were “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise.” Likewise, Peter tells us in the (1 Peter 2:9, 10) passage, that the Gentiles in time past “were not a people, but are now the people of God.” The apostle Paul then tells us how one may become ‘grafted-in’ to the Olive Tree of Israel, through faith in Messiah:

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? 16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Romans 11:13-25)

In the above passage, Paul tells us that the Gentiles in times past had no part in The Most High’s Covenant, because they were not included in the commonwealth of Israel; but can now as Gentiles become a part of the overall commonwealth called ‘My People Israel’ by virtue of becoming grafted in to the natural Olive Tree of The Most High’s people called Israel.

Are all Gentiles grafted in? As we saw in the (Ephesians 2:12) passage above, only those who are ‘apart from Messiah’ are still aliens. Believers who are ‘in Messiah’ have been grafted-in to My People Israel. Those who are grafted-in are now partakers the promises — and are also subject to the conditions of the promises — that the fullness of the promised blessings hold true only for those who abide [‘remain’] in Messiah. This last condition is perhaps the reason that Paul continued to teach and to warn the Believers night and day with tears:

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is HaMaschiach in you, the hope of glory: 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in HaMaschiach Yeshua: (Colossians 1:27-28)

Apparently there were teachers in Paul’s day who were telling the Believers that they need not be obedient to the Commandments of the Law [Torah] in order to remain [abide] ‘in Messiah,’ in direct contradiction of Messiah’s Words, and of the words of the apostles:

Peter, an apostle of Yeshua HaMaschiach, to the strangers [‘Gentiles’]… 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Yeshua HaMaschiach: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:1, 2)

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: (1 Peter 1:22)

If ye love me, keep ‘my’ commandments. (John 14:15)

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. (John 15:10)

And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit [the Holy Spirit, who leads us to obedience] which he hath given us. (1 John 3:24)

These corrupt teachers in Paul’s day were apparently those who did not know Messiah. They did not know that the One who accompanied the Israelites in the Wilderness was none other than Messiah Himself (1 Cor 10:4); that it was Messiah who led them by a pillar of cloud by day, and by a pillar of fire by night. Nor did these corrupt teachers in Paul’s day realize it was Messiah who gave the tables of stone to Moses, and indeed gave all the Commandments to Moses. It did not register with them, that the Commandments of the Law of Moses are part of ‘MY’ Commandments, as Messiah calls them throughout the Scriptures. Thus Messiah continues to cry out, “If ye love me, keep ‘my‘ commandments” (John 14:15).

Beloved, what are your teachers telling you?

Would you not rather read the Scriptures for yourself, to see what they actually say?

Continuing with the identity of The Most High’s Covenant people today, let us notice further what the Scriptures say. Notice the following passage:

“Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” (Psalms 50:5)

Here we see that the saints, the ‘set-apart’ ones of The Most High, are those that have made a covenant with Him by sacrifice. However, covenants are always cut with a Blood [representative] sacrifice involved. The only acceptable Blood sacrifice today is that of Messiah’s Blood. So it follows that these set-apart people of The Most High are those redeemed by the Blood of Yahushua Messiah Himself. But there is one additional identifying mark of the saints.

Just as the Blood identifies initially the parties to the Covenant, so their obedience identifies those who will enter in as a Bride. Recall that the Israelites were partakers of the Blood Covenant in Egypt, but failed to enter in due to their disobedience. Scripture reveals how the saints further identify the Bride:

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Yeshua. (Revelation 14:12)

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14)

In these last two passages above, we are told that the saints are further identified by their obedience to The Most High’s Commandments; and that those who perform His Commandments, are those who will be allowed to enter in to the City of the King, which is the New Jerusalem, the Bride of Messiah.

Let’s now look at some further pictures of the New Covenant.

Jacob or Israel?
Again we confirm that the ‘My People’ that make up Israel consists of all those in Messiah, either natural or wild Branches, that are grafted in. There is, however, one thing we might mention.

Although many have made the covenant by Sacrifice in Yahushua’s Blood, not all view His Covenant in the same way. Recalling the passage in Psalms, note the two different perspectives of the same covenant:

“…And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant…” (Psalms 105:8-10)

Here, The Most High reveals to us who we are, by how we view His Covenant. First we recall that Isaac and Jacob were both called heirs of the same promise, along with Abraham (Heb 11:9). So we see that Jacob is indeed a son of the Promise.

Next we recall that Jacob and Israel are one and the same person. Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, only after he wrestled with The Most High, and prevailed, to receive the Blessing (Genesis 32:28, 30). So we see in the Psalms 105 passage above, that those who have the traits of Israel — those who have wrestled with The Most High, and have prevailed — are those who see The Most High’s Covenant as an Everlasting Covenant.

On the other hand, those who have not yet wrestled with The Most High — nor have they prevailed, nor overcome — are still as ‘Jacob.’ They are children of Promise through faith in Messiah, but they have yet to wrestle with The Most High. And as a result, they see The Most High’s Covenant not as everlasting, but as merely A Law, perhaps as a temporary decree that is no longer necessary, and is disdainful to them.

There is a time coming soon, however, when the ‘Jacob’ congregation of saints will be put in a corner, and will be forced to wrestle with The Most High. This will be called the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, and that time is almost upon us, as a woman in travail, as a time in which the offspring are revealed.

So, as Sons of the Promise, who are we? Are we Israel — or are we Jacob?

How we view The Most High’s Covenant reveals our identity.

Let us now look at some of the New Covenant provisions.

Shema Selah we have to know who is teaching us....will we read scripture for ourselves??

The Torah Is Our Witness As A Chosen Bride!!!

Exodus 19

We are walking in today:  The Torah Is Our Witness As A Chosen Bride!!!


Witness bride throughout the Bible: H3618 kallah--bride, daughter-in-law, young wife

Isa 49:18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee,
as a bride H3618 doeth.

The Torah testifies...............
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The prophets proclaim..................

Jer 2:32 Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride H3618 her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.



The writings bear witness...........................
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Joel 2:16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride H3618 out of her closet.

Most have heard of the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11 who prophesy or preach for 3½ years before they are killed by the beast from the bottomless pit. But, how many realize that there are two other witnesses mentioned in scripture?


“Heaven and the earth” were called as witnesses to the Covenant The Most High made with His bride, Israel, at the base of Mount Sinai. In a typical Hebrew wedding ceremony, the bridegroom calls two witnesses, friends of the bridegroom, to the marriage. One witness is for the bridegroom and the other is for the bride. The Covenant made at Sinai was, in effect, a marriage proposal. The two witnesses are the heaven and the earth. The witness of heaven is for the bridegroom whereas the witness of the earth is for the bride.


On the 50th day after the children of Israel left Egypt, they came and encamped at the base of Mount Sinai, at which time The Most High sent Moses to them with His proposal of marriage. The first stage of the marriage ceremony is called the betrothal.


Exo 19:2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.


Exo 19:3 And Moses went up unto Elohim, and The Most High called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;


Exo 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.


Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:


Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.


All of the people answered and said “All that The Most High has spoken, we will do”. This was their acceptance of the marriage proposal.


They were then set apart for betrothal, which is called “Kiddushin” or sanctification.


Exo 19:14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.


Exo 19:15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.


Exo 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.


Exo 19:17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with Elohim; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.


Exo 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because The Most High descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.


The people came to the lower most part of the mountain and stood beneath the Chuppah, the marriage canopy, the thick clouds where the bridegroom was waiting. The conditions of the marriage, called the Ketubah, were then read to Israel. In the Ketubah were spelled out the conditions of the marriage proposal. The obligations of both parties were specified. Typically, it is read to the bride before she makes her final decision, and such was the case here.


The Ten Commandments and the judgments (the ketubah) were read to the people. They were promised to become a set apart people unto The Most High. He would bless them and protect them. They would be given the land of Canaan for an eternal possession and He would make them a kingdom of priests unto Him.


However, if they failed to obey, He set before them the consequences of their disobedience. He set before them two courses they could take, they could choose life and go in and possess the land, or they could disobey and be scattered into the world.


The people gave their final consent to the proposal and the covenant was sealed by the sprinkling of blood.


Exo 24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of The Most High, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which The Most High hath said will we do.


Exo 24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of The Most High, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.


Exo 24:5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto The Most High.


Exo 24:6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.


Exo 24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that The Most High hath said will we do, and be obedient.


Exo 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which The Most High hath made with you concerning all these words.


Once the terms were set and agreed to, they could not be altered.


Deu 4:1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which The Most High Elohim of your fathers giveth you.


Deu 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of The Most High your Elohim which I command you.


Now all Israel had to do was to obey and they would be blessed above all nations on earth. But, did Israel obey? No, they began to disobey as soon as Moses went up into the Mount to receive the written wedding contract, the Ketubah. The Most High was livid with the people and wanted to destroy them, but Moses interceded on their behalf and The Most High relented.


However, none of that generation except for Caleb, Joshua and the children that had no knowledge of good or evil in the day of the golden calf, would be allowed to enter into the Promised Land.


Moses cautioned the ones who were to go into the Promised Land, not to make any graven images, or worship the sun, moon or stars and to not forget the Covenant of The Most High. Then Moses called the Two Witnesses to the Covenant, heaven and earth, to witness against the children of Israel that they would be ejected from the land and be scattered among the nations if they disobeyed.


Deu 4:26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.


Deu 4:27 And The Most High shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither The Most High shall lead you.


This was so important that Moses again called the Two Witnesses to record against Israel to keep The Most High’s Commandments, statutes and judgments.


Deu 30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;


Deu 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love The Most High thy Elohim, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and The Most High thy Elohim shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.


Deu 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;


Deu 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.


Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:


However, Moses knew that they would not obey and wanted to make sure they got the message and the gravity of it and let them know what would befall them in the latter days.


Deu 31:28 Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.


Deu 31:29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of The Most High, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.


Moses then had one last shot at warning Israel in what is called Shira Ha’azinu, also known as the Song of Moses. Ha’azinu roughly means listen or give ear.


The Song of Moses opens with the following verse:


Deu 32:1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.


Shira Ha’azinu is a prophecy of the tribulation and the Day of Yahweh!


In essence, what Moses did was to call heaven and earth to witness against Israel what would happen to them if they disobeyed the terms of the wedding covenant they had made with The Most High. They would be egested from the land and scattered into the world and evil would befall them in the latter days.


Were these two witnesses mentioned anywhere in the Renewed Covenant? Yes, they were:


Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.


Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.


Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.


Yahshua Himself reaffirmed that as long as the two witnesses to the Covenant remained, that not one yod or one nekudah would pass from the Torah, the Ketubah, until all be fulfilled. There is still much to be fulfilled today. Heaven and earth are still here, so according to Yahshua, the Torah is still in effect today with its Commandments, Statutes and Judgments.


A Renewed Covenant was to be made with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. The Most High had divorced Israel and could not remarry her since she had lain with another and was condemned to death. He had to shed His blood for her sins and she had to die to sin. She had to become a new creation.


The Renewed Covenant still contains most of the elements of the former covenant. The parties to the covenant are the same, so there was no need to make a completely new covenant. The Renewed Covenant reflects some changes to the Priesthood. Yahshua’s blood and his priesthood made the Renewed Covenant a better Covenant. The blood of bulls and goats could not take away the sins of the world. The Torah would be written upon the hearts of those entering into the Covenant instead of carved upon stony tablets.


We are still in the betrothal stage today. We have an earnest of the Spirit as a token of what we will receive when the marriage is consummated at the marriage supper of the lamb. Our wedding ring is the Sabbath. We have been set apart by the Kiddushin, sanctified by the blood of Yahshua. We look forward to our redemption when our bridegroom returns to take us to be with him and the marriage supper begins. We will be changed from this earthly body to a glorified body like our betrothed redeemer and be adorned in clean fine white linen. We will then drink the cup of redemption with him and receive the fullness of the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh. We will then be priests and kings unto The Most High forever.


Then there will be a new set of witnesses, a new heaven and new earth to forever remain as a testament to the eternal covenant between the bridegroom and his bride, Yahshua and His Israel. Halleluyah!

Shema Selah, we are Israel!!  It is time to wake up and made ready for your Bridegroom Yeshua!!