May 24, 2022

Near the end of the 40 years of wilderness journey, that the Children of Israel wandered in the wastelands, because of their hardened hearts and self-determined ways, Moses spoke warning words, (and prophetic words) to his brethren shortly before he was taken away by Yahweh…

“For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. deut 30:11-14 nkjv

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” deut 30:15-20 nkjv

If I may suggest, to me, when one decides to become a follower of Yeshua (Jesus), and begins life’s journey through the “wastelands of modern society,” there is parallel experience and challenge, not unlike the Children of Israel experienced in their failure to keep their part of Yahweh’s Covenant that they agreed upon at Mt. Sinai. Ex 19:8, 24:3, 24:7 Actually, ex 24:3-8, chronicles that this was a blood sealed Covenant… Our Covenant in Yeshua is also a “blood sealed Covenant.”

Paul, in Romans 10, tells us:

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” rom 10:1-4 nkjv

Interestingly, “The Pure Word,” translation says in verse 3, “…seeking by their choice to bring to reality their own righteousness…”

How many people today, in religious confusion, are trying “to bring to reality their own righteousness?” Is there really any difference from the failure of our ancestors and much of our own self-directed religious activity now?

One of the most misunderstood scriptures is what Paul says in verse 4. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” In sum total; Christ has done it ALL. Who He is is everything we need for righteousness and salvation, and He makes us able to stand confidently (yet fearfully) before Yahweh on the day of judgment. Christ is the ONLY one who can bring to reality our righteousness. Since He is the Word that became flesh, Torah (God’s Law) in the flesh, it can not be possible that the Torah/God’s Law is ended; it is only that the focus must be upon His work and substitution sacrifice, in our place, for our sins, and that there is no religious work or payment that we can do or make that will save us… or make us righetous.

I dare to make this observation; NONE of Deut 30:11-20 above, Moses words of the Torah, are works; they have nothing to do with instruction for zealous pursuit to bring any kind of righteousness to our account… they do however, I think, make up the critical matrix of our commitment to our Covenant relationship to our precious Savior as a response to loving Him and keeping our Christlike identity pure among men... as sons of God.

Shalom… John