Shabbat Shalom Welcome to House of Israel’s Shabbat Service Freedom in Messiah “The Truth Shall Set You Free”
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Shabbat Shalom Welcome to House of Israel’s Shabbat Service
Freedom in Messiah
“The Truth Shall Set You Free”
The history of the human family is replete with episodes of bondage The sins of greed and selfishness leads the heart of man to steal, oppress, abuse and enslave others The rich are never satisfied – they want more
The sins of mankind are one kind of bondage Man’s rebellion against his creator often results in religious bondage Those sins lead to a physical bondage Social bondage is when a group of people are limited by their societal norms (prejudices, biases, bigotry) in the things they can do and the places they can go
The Story of the Exodus – A Classic Example of Yahuwah Delivering from Human Bondage As the sun was setting, Avram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then Yahuwah said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated - four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.” (Genesis 15:12-14)
"Look," he said to his people, "the sons of Yisrael have become much too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” (Exodus 1:9-10)
So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Mitzrites came to dread the sons of Yisrael and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Mitzrites used them ruthlessly. (Exodus 1:11-14)
Enter Mosheh The Deliverance The Meeting on Mt Sinai When Did this happen?
The Pattern: Deliverance based on a simple act of obedience, then a revelation of more instructions.
Is the Torah bondage?
Did the Prophet like Mosheh come to set us free from the Torah?
I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free (Ps.119:32).
I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts (119:45).
The Torah Brings Freedom But the man who looks intently into the perfect Torah that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does (James 1:25).
For whoever keeps the whole Torah and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the Torah that gives freedom (James 2:10-12)
Romans 6: Biblical Freedom Comes from Connection with Yahuwah Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey - whether you are slaves to sin...or to obedience...? You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:16,18).
Slaves to Elohim When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to Elohim, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life (Romans 6:20, 22).
Paul Teaches That We Are Slaves to Yah’s Law Romans 7:22, Paul says, "in my inner being I delight in Elohim's law," In verse 25 he adds, "so then, I myself in my mind am a slave to Elohim's law." In 1 Corinthians 9:21, Paul writes, "I am not free from Elohim's law but am under Messiah's law."
"Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law" (Romans 3:31). Paul goes on to say that those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit submit themselves to Elohim's law. He says, "those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires" (Romans 8:5).
Then Paul asserts that the sinful mind “does not submit to Elohim's law, nor can it do so... You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of Elohim lives in you... Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it” (Romans 8:7,9,12).
Even to this day when Mosheh is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Master, the veil is taken away. Now Yahuwah is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of Yahuwah is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect Yahuwah's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from Yahuwah, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:15-18)
Why Does He Give Us His Spirit?
I will give them one heart and I will put a new Spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their bodies and I will give them a heart of flesh, so that they may obey my
rules (Hebrew, "chukot") and keep my right rulings (Hebrew, "mishpatim") and observe
them. Then they will be my people, and I will be their Elohim. (Yechezqel 11:19,20)
"'I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries; then I will bring you to your land. I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols. I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you; I will cause you to walk in my rules (Hebrew, "chukot") and carefully observe my right-rulings (Hebrew, "mishpatim"). Then you will live in the land I gave to your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your Elohim. I will save you from all your uncleanness (Yechezqel 36:24-29).
What is the Curse of the Law?
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree (Galatians 3:13, KJV)
Blessings or Curses? The Choice is Ours For I command you today to love Yahuwah your Elohim, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and Yahuwah your Elohim will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.
You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Yarden to enter and possess. This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love Yahuwah your Elohim, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For Yahuwah is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'acov. (Deuteronomy 30:16-20)
Captivity a Result of Disobedience You will have sons and daughters but you will not keep them, because they will go into captivity. Swarms of locusts will take over all your trees and the crops of your land. The alien who lives among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower. He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be the head, but you will be the tail. All these curses will come upon you. They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey Yahuwah your Elohim and observe the commands and decrees he gave you. (Devarim 28:41-45)
Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the desert that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries, because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes went after their fathers' idols. I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and laws they could not live by (Ezekiel 20:23-25)
Here in Ezekiel 20, Elohim is giving people up to the the laws which they have chosen to obey the man-made laws which lead to sin and slavery.
Similar to what Paul says in Romans 1 about God giving "them up to uncleanness" (1:24) and "God gave them up unto vile affections" (1:26), the Almighty will allow the rebellious to indulge themselves in their sinful practices - whatever they choose.
The Oral Torah – Talmud Bondage for a people who refuse to obey the Almighty’s commands After the Antiochus Epiphanies defilement, Building a fence around the Torah What’s wrong with some additional laws that help us to keep from breaking Yahuwah’s laws?
Freedom in Messiah Freedom For the Oppressed "The Spirit of Yahuwah is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of Yahuwah's favor." (Luke 4:18-19, citing Isaiah 61:1)
Freedom in Messiah Includes: Freedom from sin Freedom from human bondage Freedom from religious bondage Freedom from social bondage
To the Yehudim who had believed him, Yahusha said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (4th Gospel 8:31-32) What is Yahusha’s teaching?
What Did Yahusha Teach as Truth?
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law (Torah of Mosheh) or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law (Torah of Mosheh) until everything is accomplished. (Matthew 5:17-19)
What Did Yahusha Teach as Truth?
Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17 19)
To the Yehudim who had believed him, Yahusha said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (4th Gospel 8:31-32)
They answered him, "We are Avraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" Yahusha replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Avraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. (4th Gospel 8:33-37)
Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.... How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. (Matthew 16:6 7, 11-12, KJV)
4 th Gospel 2:1-11 The Water to Wine miracle Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Yehudim for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Yahusha said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. (6-7) What did Yahusha indicate by using these water pots to make drink for the wedding?
Matthew 15: Elohim’s Commands vs. Traditions Yahusha Confronts the Pharisees Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Yahusha from Yerushalayim and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!" (Matthew 15:1-2)
Yahusha replied, "And why do you break the command of Elohim for the sake of your tradition? For Elohim said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to Elohim,' he is not to 'honor his father 'with it. Thus you nullify the word of Elohim for the sake of your tradition. (Matthew 15:3-6)
You hypocrites! Yeshayahu was right when he prophesied about you: "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'" (Matthew 15:7-9, quoting Isaiah 29:13)
Matthew 23: Yahusha Berates the Pharisees Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. (23:1-3)
Hebrew
Matthew The Pharisees and wise men sit on the seat of Moses. Therefore, all that he (Moses) says to you, guard and do. But according to their (the Pharisees) reforms (takanot) and their precedents (ma'asim) do not do, because they talk but they do not do.
The Hebrew term takanot is very well known in modern day Rabbinism. It refers to "enactments or reforms" of the Rabbis which change biblical law.
And the word ma'asim, also a specific technical term, refers to the "acts or deeds which serve as precedents." (also compare “Works of the Law”)
They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.' (Matthew 23:4-7)
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. (Matthew 23:13)
4 th Gospel 5 – The Healing of the Invalid Yahusha purposely disregards the decrees of the Pharisees in their oral law
"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." Then Yahusha said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Yehudim said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat." (4th Gospel 5:7-10)
Christian theologians have for a long time believed that Jesus was somehow breaking the biblical Law to show that the Torah was on its way out. They think that Jesus violated the Sabbath Law to show that it was on its way out, too. But the Master never broke the Torah. He always faithfully kept all his Fathers commandments.
Is there any such commandment in the Torah?
4 th Gospel 9 – Yahusha Defies Pharisee Law Yahusha speaks with the man born blind.
He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. (9:6-7)
A Sabbath Day Infringement?
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Yahusha had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from Elohim, for he does not keep the Sabbath." (9:13-16)
These encounters with the Pharisees clearly demonstrate that Yahusha intentionally, purposefully was making a strong statement about the oral torah of the Pharisees
Galatians 5: Freedom in Messiah It is for freedom that Messiah has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1) Is Paul talking about freedom from Mosaic law or freedom from the yoke of man made law?
What? Don’t be Circumcised?
Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Messiah will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. (Galatians 5:2-3) Is Paul saying that we don’t have to obey the commandment to be circumcised?
Circumcision is from Abraham, the man of faith.
What? We don’t have to follow after the manner of Abraham, the man of faith?
Circumcision is a part of the Torah which Yahusha said must be kept in every detail.
If men are not circumcised, they CANNOT participate in the Pesach.
What Does Yahusha Say About Circumcision?
Yahusha said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all astonished. Yet, because Mosheh gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Mosheh, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Mosheh may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath? (4 th Gospel 7:21-23)
Paul is Sometimes Hard to Understand Bear in mind that our Master's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that Elohim gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. (2 Kepha [Peter] 3:15-16)
Paul Had Discarded His Pharisaic Leanings What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Messiah Yahusha my master, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish (dung), that I may gain Messiah and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law (whose law?), but that which is through faith in Messiah-- the righteousness that comes from Elohim and is by faith. (Philippians 3:8-9)
Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. Now this matter arose because of the false brothers with false pretenses who slipped in unnoticed to spy on our freedom that we have in Messiah Yahusha, to make us slaves. But we did not surrender to them even for a moment, in order that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. (Galatians 2:3-5)
The Matter of Pharisaic Circumcision Now some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Mosheh, you cannot be saved." (Acts 15:1)
Minhag – A Custom in Israel If a Rabbi makes a habit of doing something, it becomes a minhag, which in turn becomes binding of all Israel. The Rabbis have a saying which says, "minhag Yisrael torah hi" which translated means "a custom of Israel, this is law." A minhag becomes law in Israel by the sheer fact that the community accepts it as a regular way of life. Another example of this is the yarmulke (kippah). There is nothing in the written Torah about the kippah, but you will not find a religious conservative Jew without one.
Rabbinic Circumcision Hillel and Shammai (early 1 st century BCE) A Custom That Had Become Law in Israel Hatafat dam brit – drawing of blood Peri’ah – splitting and cutting away the skin Metzitzah – sucking the wound And a recitation of specially worded prayers
Fallen from Grace?
You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Messiah; you have fallen away from grace. (Galatians 5:4) In what world does obedience to the righteous commands of our Elohim alienate us from his Son?
Since when is obedience to Father’s commands a falling away from his grace (favor)? (Acts 5:32)
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:13 15)
Summary: Freedom in Messiah There is a torah that is bondage and a Torah that is true freedom Yahusha came to set us free from sin and to be a slave to righteousness Yahusha came to set us free from all man made religious dogma Let’s walk in that freedom