“We all like sheep have gone astray.
Each of us turned to his own way.
So Adonai has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted
yet He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:6-7 TLV)
In the time of Yeshua’s (Jesus’s) earthly ministry Yahweh (God) began to raise up a remnant of people courageous enough to hear and see, then relay, that The Word had become flesh: The Messiah was in their midst. While some of Yeshua’s own people (the Jewish community) missed the mark of His presence, those open to The Spirit of Elohim moving amongst them arose from the ashes the Roman’s and Pharisees tried to keep them lying in and received The Bread of Life. They understood the First Commandment and what “You shall have no other gods before Me” meant.
Imperfect people are called…
Yeshua’s apostles (the 12) were not people perfectly walking out their “religion” (the 12 were Jewish), yet, they were attuned and learned enough in the scriptures (the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible) to receive the humility required to carry out the purpose bestowed upon them by The Almighty. They understood the importance of Yeshua’s instruction as well as His power and authority before them. And, what did His power and authority do while in the flesh? He tore down the traditions of men; rebuked the spirit of pride, and revealed things hidden in the hearts of man.
Today exists among “God’s people” a sect who believe they are “set apart” because they believe Yahweh has revealed things in The Word that others have yet to “see.” There also exists a sect who believe they are exempt from sanctification because they have spoken a prayer and assemble with other Believers. In reality, they are simply repeating the same patterns as past generations. There is nothing new under the sun (Ecc 3) and like those who came before them, somehow they continue to quench the Holy Spirit trying to dwell within them. Their “truth” relies on knowledge (which puffs man up), and too much knowledge and a lack of Spirit invites the adversary of man and God, to plant confusion and deception into one’s life.
To whom do you belong?
Sad. If these knowledgable folks had an identity in Messiah/Christ Jesus before coming to this “truth” it has been left in the dust along the way, to pursue an identity elsewhere; usually in Judaism or Progressive Christianity. While those who’ve received Yeshua/Jesus as their Savior and have been baptized by the living waters which flow out of Him, are grafted into Israel (spiritually speaking), that doesn’t mean their heart is in the right condition to enter into the Kingdom as His bride. Look at literal Israel of the ancient days – how many un-relented heart conditions kept a multitude from entering into the promised land, Moses included. Things are no different today: the expectations of YHVH for his chosen are the same, just as HE remains the same yesterday, today and forever.
Let’s have a moment of honesty and retrospection:
Do you hear the still small voice of Yeshua speaking to you; do you really? If not, you need to ask yourself a serious question: To whom do I belong? Or better yet, what gods (idols) have I put before You, Adonai?
“Yet the people will not turn back
to the One who strikes them,
nor will they seek Adonai-Tzva’ot*.
13 So Adonai will cut off from Israel head and tail,
palm branch and bulrush in a single day.
14 The elder and the man of rank—
he is the head.
The prophet who teaches falsehood—
he is the tail.
15 The leaders of this people lead them astray.
Those they mislead are swallowed up.
16 Therefore Adonai will have no joy in their young men,
nor will He have compassion on their orphans and widows,
for everyone is ungodly and an evildoer,
and every mouth speaks foolishness.
For all this His anger is not turned away,
yet His hand is still outstretched.” (Isaiah 9:12-16 )
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Stay tuned for Part 3
Read Part 1 here
* Ref: Adonai -Tzva ‘ot is a name for Yahweh – LORD of Hosts learn more here
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