April 19, 2022

“that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” rom 8:4 nkjv

When we read Ezekiel 36:16-38, we read a synopsis of Yahweh’s “renewal of Israel,” and He gives a short A-Z description of the cause and affect of Israel’s failure, then forgiveness and restoration, that He tells Ezekiel that He is doing “for His Great Namesake,” not for their sake… thus our hope is likewise in the same thinking of our Creator who is doing the same for us, through Yeshua the Messiah… Chapter 37 in Ezekiel is the amazing work of Yahweh having Ezekiel prophesy to the bones of “the whole house of Israel” that are bleached dry in the “Valley of the Dry Bones.” A beautiful picture of resurrection life over death… This being “resurrection week,” following Passover, we rejoice that “He Has Risen!” The ultimate “show and tell” that Yahweh has provided that we may have hope in life eternal through Messiah’s work at Calvary.

In the book of Mark, chapter 7, verses 1-23, we have Yeshua rebuking religious leaders over their error of placing their own religious traditions and man-made laws over the eternal Torah’s teaching… still a common practice of religious people’s activity nowadays. In regard to the “washing of hands prior to eating,” which they held “doctrinal,” Yeshua instructed them that it was not what went into a man from the outside that defiled him, but that what came out of a man (i.e, one's words, use of one’s mouth, thoughts leading to actions)… which had its origin within one’s heart, that gives rise to all sorts of evil doings… contrary to Yahweh’s Word, expectations of us.

Along with Passover comes the “days of unleavened” bread, part of remembering and celebrating our escape form Egypt (sin’s domain) in the Exodus narrative… where we are told to remove all the leaven from our homes for 7 days (leaven is a product causing bread dough to puff up, rise from inside, yeast typically). In this perspective, leaven represents sin withing us, it only takes a little leaven to defile the whole lump (1cor 5:6-7 nkjv) defiling us as with the example Yeshua cited above… I expect one could surmise all these “dry bones” above, were full of leaven, which Yahweh explains through Ezekiel, that caused them to fill the valley of death.

I would suggest we consider that most of our troubles, sins and problems, leading us to the valley of death, come from our “walking in the flesh,” not after the spirit. I think this is why Yahweh told us to circumcise the “foreskins of our hearts,” deut 10:16, jer 4:4 nkjv (minds and inner convictions, change our ways)… where the heart of stone is replaced with a heart of flesh (new life), which Christian baptism also represents… with it all, comes the inner power that Yahweh fills us with, not for our sake only… but first, for His Great Namesake… what we get is the benefits of ps 103:1-22 nkjv which Yahweh purposed in the work of the Messiah… as explained in Jn 3:16-17 nkjv.

I think the “walking in the Spirit,” (rom 8:4 nkjv above) simply means to read, hear, and believe (do, by faith) what Yahweh’s Word says; Yahweh’s Word is truth… if we, with all our hearts, minds and strength, seek and follow (walk in truth, by doing) the way of Yeshua (Torah in the flesh), we will be “walking in the Spirit.” Paul the Apostle said: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (rom 8:14 nkjv). The Word and the Spirit of God are one… manifested in the human form, flesh, as Yeshua the Messiah… let us follow in His footsteps, He knows where He is going.

And in closing: “But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” eph 4:20-24 nkjv

Shalom… John