"Your Torah is in my inmost parts"; by Rabbi Jack (Ya'acob) Farber; CMY

[mevaser]

"Your Torah is in my inmost parts"
http://www.cmy.on.ca/newletters/january2004.htm CMY NEWSLETTER
Congregation Melech Yisrael, Toronto, Canada
Vol. 9 No. 5 January 2004 - Tevet - Shevat 5764
By Messianic Jewish Rabbi Jack (Yaacov) Farber

I would like to share the following commentary with you, my mishpocha. May HaShem richly bless you in Messiah Yeshua!

At least fifteen times from Devarim (Deuteronomy) 7:12 through 11:25 does Moshe remind b’nei Yisrael to follow HaShems commandments, statues and judgments in preparing to enter the promised land. Moshe obviously felt that following HaShems Torah was vital to the Jewish people. It is not just knowing them that is important for many people have a head knowledge of the Scriptures. But when it comes to following them it is an entirely a different story. Yeshua tells us in Mattityahu (Matthew) 7:20-23: Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Teacher, Teacher,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Teacher, Teacher, have we not prophesied in Your Name, cast out demons in Your Name, and done many wonders in Your Name? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’...you whose lifestyle is outside HaShems Torah.

Can keeping HaShems commands really be that important? Since Yeshua came are we not under the Torah any longer? Did He do away with it? After all, Shaul tells us in Romim (Romans) 6:14 that we are “not under law but grace.” Also in Romim 10:4 it says that “Messiah is the end of the Torah.” The major contradiction to this is in Mattityahu 5:17-19: Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah and 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 Torah 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.

Obviously we have misunderstood or misrepresented Shaul. The law we are not under anymore is the law of sin and death... Romim 8:2. Messiah is the goal of Torah not the end.

The modern day Church has rejected its Jewish roots and the Torah out of ignorance to the Scriptures. They will quote the first part of Hoshea (Hosea) 4:6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... and ignore the last sentence that says: Because you have forgotten the Torah of your HaShem, I will also forget your children.

Why does modern Christianity find the Torah contemptible? How could David find such great joy, strength, wisdom, understanding, life, peace and truth in Torah when others, today, reject it? Sadly enough most Jews and non-Jews are not knowledgeable in the Bible.

What are we missing out on by being a believer and not following Torah?

* Mattityahu 5:19...your position in the Kingdom of Heaven
* Devarim 7:12...mercy
* Devarim 8:1...to live and multiply
* Devarim 8:18...power to get wealth
* Devarim 11:8...strength
* Devarim 11:9...prolong your days
* Devarim 11:14...rain in its season
* Devarim 11:25...no man shall be able to stand against you
* Yehoshua (Joshua) 1:8...This Book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

If all this and many more blessings come through Torah why not be obedient to it? HaShem sent the bread from heaven to test the people in the wilderness, as to whether they would follow His Torah or not. Since Yeshua declared that He was the Bread sent from heaven can we conclude that He came to see if we would follow the Torah?

If all this and many more blessings come through Torah why not be obedient to it? HaShem sent the bread from heaven to test the people in the wilderness, as to whether they would follow His Torah or not. Since Yeshua declared that He was the Bread sent from heaven can we conclude that He came to see if we would follow the Torah?

If Messiah is the embodiment of Torah then we must face the supposition that to neglect Torah is to neglect Messiah.

Do you see the point here? We are saying that this great unique HaShem chose Israel to be a witness for Him, in this world, of His existence and His nature. The way Israel is to do this, is simply to follow Torah!

When Israel forsakes the Torah, they are forsaking the tool of testimony which HaShems sovereignty gave them to use. When believers tell people not to follow the Torah, they are contradicting the L-rd’s ways of testifying about Himself in this world! But if anyone would let the Torah be their life, as it was intended to be, by the power of the Ruach, Spirit of HaShem, through the authority of the risen Messiah, then the world would surely see, in real life, what Messiah looks like as we express Him through our lives.

Israel had forsaken the Torah and followed the ways of the world. HaShem reminds them that He has not forsaken them; in fact He has “inscribed them in the palms of His hands.” He tells them that their iniquities are what has brought separation between them. He reminds them that it is they who must turn to Him and of the coming of the promised One to redeem and restore them.

In conclusion we leave you with Devarim 10:12-13...And now, Israel, what does the L-rd your HaShem require of you, but to fear the L-rd your HaShem, to walk in His ways and to love Him, to serve the L-rd your HaShem with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the L-rd and His statutes which I command today for your good?

My thanks to Barry Sherril for this wonderful article. I could not have said it better myself. Baruch HaShem and have a blessed new year!

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Jack (Yaacov) Farber
"Haleluya L'Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabeinu Yeshua Melech HaMashiach L'Olam Vaed"
Hallelujah to our L-rd, our Teacher, our Rabbi, "YESHUA" King Messiah for ever and ever!!!
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