A Defense of the Law of Yahweh
Table of Contents
This is part one of an Ebook written by me. It’s available on Amazon, however I wasn’t able to figure out how to make it available for free there. I’m editing and reproducing it here so anyone can read it free, and Yah willing when I can make a PDF download it will be available here so you can take it with you.
This book is my understanding of the Torah, the Law of Moses, and how I regard it. This is my understanding and what I try to do in my own life, and I will not entertain arguments. Anyone is welcome to critique this work, however I’m not going to defend it or waste energy arguing with you.
In Matthew 5:19, in the context of speaking about the Law and the Prophets Yeshua states simply and clearly that anyone who relaxes the commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom. Whomever does and teaches those commandments will be called great in the Kingdom.
The words of Paul are oftentimes confusing and people can argue until Yeshua returns over what Paul meant. I’ll take the warning about Paul’s letters from 2 Peter:3 and Yeshua’s words at face value. I teach, in what little I do teach, that the Law is doable and not very hard. No one except Yeshua can do it perfectly, however, so we need a Savior. While salvation may not be at stake no Kingdom is without laws. Not even a Kingdom which is not of this world.
This book is my defense of that proposition.
Law for Christians?
If a person says that Yahweh’s Torah, or Law, is too hard and can’t be done, or is somehow sinful, evil or heretical, then that person can only be doing one of two things. He is probably unintentionally calling Yahweh a liar (Deut 30:11-14), or he is misunderstanding the Apostle Paul, which Peter essentially prophesied would happen (2Pet 3:15-17). There really aren’t any other options.
The blank page between the “Old” and “New” Testaments should not be in the Bible. The Scriptures are one big book made up of many smaller books. Hopefully this article will resolve some issues regarding Torah, or Law, and lawlessness, and how Yahweh did not make any mistakes or need to reverse His positions. His Word is good, throughout.
I once read a comprehensive list of every instance in the Book of Romans where the apostle Paul mentions the word “law.” A cursory reading of these verses without context could potentially lead nearly anyone to believe that Paul was an inconsistent liar, or perhaps even a madman.
At first glance Paul seems to think you can have it both ways. Law. No law. Maybe Law. Both Law. He mentioned 7 different sets of laws, all by different names, in the book of Romans alone. Paul’s writings will be discussed later in this series.
I’m going to try my best to argue from the so called New Testament as much as possible, though from necessity I will to cite Old Testament passages. This first section may seem disjointed, but all these examples are connected and will eventually be tied together. This is simply an introduction to several ideas which will all be fleshed out later in the paper.
The Torah: A Blessing and A Curse
The Torah is good. The “Law” is not a curse nailed to the cross, only a part of it was. The curse. Yes, there is a curse for not keeping the Torah. However there is a blessing as well, for keeping it.
Deu 11:26-28 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of Yahweh your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of Yahweh your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.” This is the great maxim of Aleister Crowley, big time occultist and self proclaimed wickedest man in the world.
First Things First. What is the Torah?
What is the Torah? In Hebrew the word means “instructions.” Normally when someone speaks of the Torah the mean the Pentateuch, or the first five books of the Scriptures, which are attributed to Moses.
In the Torah there are narrative stories and there are also what we would consider laws, statutes and judgements. Sin is defined throughout the Scriptures by what those laws dictate. To sin basically means to miss the mark, as in archery. To shoot but not hit the target. So in referring to Torah I am referring to all of the first five books of Moses and all that they contain.
These laws are meant to be a guide by which citizens of the Kingdom are to live. The legal precedents and real world world examples of how the Torah should be carried out, what to do and what not to do, are contained in the remainder of the Scriptures.
What is Sin?
If I were to ask you what sin is what would you say? Most Christians speak of repentance, but what exactly are they repenting from? What are they turning to, exactly? Why are they repenting of those particular behaviors? I’ll give you a hint as to what sin really is, the term is defined specifically in the New Testament.
Before that, though, I’d like to share a quick illustration.
The only simple definition of the word “truth” in Scripture is from the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119.
Psa 119:160 The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.
When I ask about sin, what I mean by definition is a phrase like “this IS that.” Your Word IS Truth.
The word truth is only defined in this way one time in Scripture, and sin is defined the same way, once.
Biblical apologists use interpretive techniques like the law of first mention and other methods to categorize the importance of certain passages and concepts.
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. There were no chapters or verses when the Scriptures were written, but we know this chapter is cohesive because it is written along the Alef Bet, or the Hebrew Alphabet. The stanzas correspond to the letters Alef through Tav. In this way, as the longest chapter in the Scriptures researchers would say that it deserves special attention, as it stands out from all the rest.
The entire chapter is about how wonderful Yahweh’s law is, and that His Law is perfect. 176 verses of Torah love. There is not a single word of Torah-phobia in it, and it is in this chapter that the one instance of the simple definition of truth sits.
Now that I have given a fairly reasonable definition of a biblical definition, what does the New Testament say about what sin is?
1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Sin is transgression of the law. We do not decide what sin is based on what we think is right. Yahweh told us what sin is in specific words.
Do What Thou Wilt?
Satanist, occultist and self proclaimed “wickedest man in the world” Aleister Crowley said “Do what thou wilt will be the whole of the law.” He essentially said to make it up as you go along in the way you yourself think is right for you, regardless of how it affects others. Yahweh’s Scriptures do not work in this way.
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 Yahweh your God which I command you.
Baptists who forbid dancing as a sinful activity are actually breaking the Torah. Ellen G. White of the 7th Day Adventists and Felix Y Manalo of Iglesia ni Christo, who forbid using alcohol are in opposition to the Torah, and by adding to Yah’s commandments are in violation of it. Mormons who do not allow caffeine are adding to and breaking the Torah. None of those things are forbidden in Torah or anywhere else in Scripture.
The Catholic Church requiring penance for salvation or forgiveness and even the idea of a purgatory is in violation of Torah. Changing the 10 Commandments to allow for the worship of images, which the Roman church has done, is certainly against Torah. Neither you, me, the apostle Paul or even Yeshua the Messiah have the authority to change the Torah by even one jot or tittle, and to do so would make us false by default.
Some of these changes may SEEM helpful and are perhaps implemented with good intentions, but making your own rules and laws is expressly forbidden by Yahweh Himself. You’re adding to the Torah.
There is a way which SEEMS right to a man, but the end thereof is death.
In the same way we are not allowed to take away from the Torah. Allowing ourselves to consume bacon and shrimp, as delicious as they may be (I LOVE bacon sandwiches (And bacon wrapped shrimp)), or imposing mandatory Sunday rest and worship are in opposition to the Torah, substituting what Rome wanted for the biblical holy days.
The Papacy and the Roman Church actually did reserve for themselves the right to change Scripture and in fact changed numerous parts of Scripture for their Catholic Bible. The church also changed the Biblical feast days, which were said to be laws forever, unto all generations.
(As a quick aside, the biblical holy days are celebrations. In fact for the fall feast you are required to save money to buy “wine or strong drink,” or “whatever your heart desires.” The only Moed, or appointed time, that is somber is the Day of Atonement, which you reflect and fast.
Each and every one of these festivals is rich with history and foreshadowing of the Messiah Yeshua. Some have been fulfilled, SOME HAVE NOT. They are STILL foreshadowing. They are rehearsals. I strongly believe Yeshua will return on one of His Moedim, His APPOINTED TIMES. Every significant event in His life was on His Moedim. He was our Passover Lamb, not our Christmas ham. He is the Firstfruits of all Creation, raised on Firstfruits, not Ishtar, better known these days as easter.)
Yeshua the King Messiah taught us to:
Mat 5:17-20 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 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.
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. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
This is an old tired argument, but I’m going to make it, and add a something to it as well.
Fulfil G4137
πληρόω
plēroō
play-ro’-o
From G4134; to make replete, that is, (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.: – accomplish, X after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply.
Fulfill could mean to fully preach, or even to perfect. It could mean to satisfy. It could actually mean to finish. It could mean more than one thing, all at the same time.
Did Yeshua fulfill the “Law.” Yes, He kept it perfectly. Did He fulfill the prophets? Yeshua has fulfilled some of them. But if you use the argument that He fulfilled the Law and the prophets and therefore “the Law” is now done away with then to be consistent you have to say that He fulfilled the prophets completely and that He will never return, and that numerous other prophecies will never happen.
If Yeshua has completely fulfilled the Law and the Prophets then there will be no New Heaven and New Earth and He will never reign on earth.
The truth is that He has NOT fulfilled them all yet. There is more to come. He did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. Not one jot or one tittle will pass from the law till ALL be fulfilled.
Even Yeshua didn’t have the authority on earth to change the Torah, and Paul certainly didn’t. (Deut 13)
How Might Yeshua Interpret the Law?
Killing, adultery, divorce. Matthew 5:21-32.
In the same passage Yeshua mentions all of these, all of which are addressed in the Torah. He did not loosen a single one, but instead interpreted them to their correct level, a spiritual level. In truth Yeshua raised the standards significantly.
Do not kill? Yeshua says to not even be mad without cause.
Do not commit adultery? If in your mind you covet or possibly undress a pretty lady and imagine whatever with her, and she isn’t your spouse to do so with, then according to Yeshua you have already committed adultery in your heart.
The physical act follows the mental exercise. Nip thoughts in the bud. Stop them in the mental stage before they can become physical acts. Yeshua didn’t change the Torah, He explained how it is supposed to work by raising it to a mental, spiritual level before the physical can even manifest.
Notice how according to Yeshua divorce is still allowed. But what Yahweh has put together we are not to separate, and unless your spouse cheats on you there is no excuse for not working it out like Yahweh intended. Marriage IS FOR LIFE. It always has been. Divorce was allowed, and still is, but only for the most grievous of reasons. According to Yeshua’s interpretation of the Torah unless your spouse cheats on you, you are to work it out and keep your marriage whole.
(By way of analyzation in other Scriptures, and not by plain text, I also believe that serious or dangerous abuse is cause for divorce, however that is not the focus of this argument.)
In plain words Yeshua’s interpretation of the Law manifests as a higher level of understanding and practice than commonly understood by those who read Moses.
Love Your Enemy? You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy was not in written Torah. (Matt 5:43-44) That statement is found in something called the oral Torah, later codified in the Mishna and Talmud, a Jewish law contained in numerous books which will be explained later.
All Ten Commandments Are in the New Testament
All biblical scholars agree that nine of the Ten Commandments are reiterated in the New Testament and are therefore binding now, but guess what… all ten are there.
The 4th and longest Commandment, regarding the Sabbath, is not clearly written in most translations of the New Testament. In the most iconic translation, the King James, this commandment is written in the book of Hebrews and is rendered like this.
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of Yahweh.
A rest. That seems simple enough, but let us take a closer look.
G4520
σαββατισμός
sabbatismos
sab-bat-is-mos’
From a derivative of G4521; a “sabbatism”, that is, (figuratively) the repose of Christianity (as a type of heaven): – rest.
In looking further we look at the word G4520 is derived from
G4521
σάββατον
sabbaton
sab’-bat-on
Of Hebrew origin [H7676]; the Sabbath (that is, Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension a se’nnight, that is, the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications: – sabbath (day), week.
If we reinsert the original meaning back into Hebrews 4:9 we get:
There remains therefore a Sabbath Keeping for the people of Yahweh.
Hebrews 4:9 is an example of scribal sleight of hand. The verse describes the Sabbath. Sabbath keeping.
The 7th day was the day Yahweh commanded and ordained for rest, not Sunday as Rome once commanded by pain of death. It isn’t a mystical rest one day a week any time you feel like it. It is the 7th day. Not Saturn-day (Saturday) like we call it now, but Shabbat.
Shabbat is 100 percent my favorite day of the week because you can’t make me do any work.
What Does Yeshua Call Work?
That Sabbath revelation leads to this question. What is work? How would Yeshua interpret work? Here is one example.
Obviously harvesting grain is work. The question is, does walking by a wheat field and taking grain into your hand to eat it, like the apostles did in Yeshua’s presence and for which they were excoriated by the Pharisees, constitute harvesting or work?
Mar 2:23-28 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of Yahweh in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Master also of the sabbath.
Is what the disciples of Yeshua did harvesting grain? Not according to Yeshua. They were grabbing handfuls of grain and eating it. It isn’t a matter of law or semantics, it is a matter of common sense.
This verse demonstrates Yeshua’s mastery of even the Sabbath and that common sense, not rigid, sanctimonious nitpickery, is the rule of the Sabbath. If your ox falls in the ditch you should probably get it out. If something HAS to be done it has to be done. The Sabbath is a blessing and a day for you to rest. While it is a command and is to be taken as a command, in practice Shabbat is rather flexible. Observance depends on circumstances and necessity.
Things happen in life, even on the 7th day. If possible the command is to rest and have a set apart convocation. We are to guard it, but preservation of life is a Torah principle which overrules even the Sabbath and good sense must dictate what is necessary and what is not.
Is Healing Work?
So what kind of work can or should be done on the Sabbath?
What thinking person believes healing someone miraculously on the Sabbath is the same as paying a waitress after church to serve you or going to the grocery store and making someone ring up and carry your groceries? There are six days for both of those things. One day is special and has been since the CREATION OF EARTH. Yahweh Himself rested on the 7th day of Creation as an example for us to follow.
Torah must be interpreted through the lens of Yeshua’s teachings. Those laws and statutes mean exactly what they say, but all ancient texts are open to interpretation. Because we are thousands of years removed both in time and culture, ancient texts demand interpretation. Proper interpretation. In this era we have the benefit of Yeshua’s Torah interpretations to guide us.
In the case of the Scriptures we need to understand the 1st Century context of the New Testament, and that the New Testament cannot exist without the Old Testament, which also must be understood in proper historical context. As we mature in our walk and understanding all of our interpretations must then be focused through the lens of Yeshua.
In other words, based on the specific instances where Yeshua interpreted a Torah passage for us how did He do so? What methods did He use and how might He apply other passages which aren’t specifically mentioned by Him?
This is part one of a series which will follow, Yah willing.
