joelstrumpet

Does one need to follow the Torah?


SHABBAT SHALOM!!!

Deuteronomy 16:18 - 21:9

“Shoftim” translated from the Hebrew means “judges” or “deliverers”. This Torah Portion

is an excellent guideline for setting up government, and for appointing qualified leaders.

As believers, it is more important than ever that we be living a Godly lifestyle – His

Kingdom lifestyle. While the teachings of the New Testament reveal the identity of

Messiah, they are not a sufficient foundation, by themselves, for instruction in a Kingdom

lifestyle. God’s Kingdom lifestyle was established in the Torah. These Scriptures were

not abolished, but enhanced by Yeshua, Jesus Christ. To walk in the lifestyle God

intended for us, we need to look also to the writings of Moses.

“For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.”

(John 5:46 NKJV)

Yeshua intentionally points us to Moses because the instructions for a redeemed

lifestyle were given through Moses. In order to identify what God’s Kingdom Lifestyle is,

we must turn back to the instructions He gave to His established leaders:

· Abraham, the father (and teacher) of many nations

· Isaac and Jacob the continued carriers and leaders of God’s promise

· Moses the deliverer of God’s people and His instructions (the Torah)

Today we are in need of deliverance from a Hellenistic mindset. Because the majority of

those in the nations have never been exposed to the Torah, they have been in a state of

assimilation into the Hellenistic, Greco/Roman culture. The preparation for this

assimilation can be seen even since the division of the Kingdom of Israel in 721 BC.

The Greek/Roman culture in the nations has pervaded and overshadowed our ability to

see Scripture from a Hebraic Biblical viewpoint. Hellenistic assimilation is a major reason

for the spiritual decline in America. Our forefather’s assimilation into the nations and our

own subsequent assimilation to Hellenism, brought a spiritual exile within Israel as a

people. Jesus came as our deliverer, from death, and today from a Hellenistic mindset.

When we obey His Torah, we are delivered. Yeshua tells us that those who teach others

to uphold His teachings (the Torah) will be considered greatest in the Kingdom.

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy

but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one

tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one

of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the

kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the

kingdom of heaven.

(Matthew 5:17-19 NKJV)

From the earliest times, God gave His people “Shoftim – Judges; Deliverers”, to bring

them back to Him. As He did for His people then, God brings you back today to Himself.

He comes to deliver you through His words. His method was and still is to send Hebrew

messengers to teach, and thereby, deliver His people. You are part of His people. All

those who worship Him are part of Israel, His people. God speaks to His people through

His Word. He speaks of His deliverance as the Deliverer – Yeshua, Jesus Christ. He

speaks by the “still, small voice” of His Spirit within us. And He speaks to His disciples,

His messengers, His prophets, His “Shoftim – Judges and Delivers”:

"Comfort, yes, comfort My people!" says your God. "Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and

cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned…The voice of one

crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a

highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought

low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; The glory

of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the

Lord has spoken."

(Isaiah 40:1-5 NKJV)

Copyright © 2009 Simchat Torah Beit Midrash®



Ellen Cary, Prophetic Minister
Daystar Healing Ministries
P.O. Box 736
Keller, TX 76244
682-225-2733
www.orgsites.com/tx/dhm
http://freegroups.net/groups/daystar

It is not the knowledge of the theory that the Lord will Judge us all by but it is our practical application of the theory that will be used to judge our righteousiness.

Shalom

Jay

In my opinion, "keeping the commandments of God" simply means, do what ever He says, no questions asked. If He says "don't eat pork", don't eat it, if He says "forgive your enemies", then do so, if He says "jump in the fire", again do so. IOW God says "jump" and you (should) say "how high". This is what obedience is, to submit without question or excuse, this of course is a choice (out of love) to submit to His will (even if it's incovenient or sounds like utter nonsense), and often requires sacrificing your pride, it's putting faith in His infinite wisdom instead of your feeble intellect. In short if God says "do it" then just DO IT, it's that simple!