Lev 24:10-16

[alon]

Lev 24:10-16 "10 There was a man who was the son of a woman of Isra'el and an Egyptian father. He went out among the people of Isra'el, and this son of a woman of Isra'el had a fight in the camp with a man of Isra'el, 11 in the course of which the son of the woman of Isra'el uttered the Name [Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh] in a curse. So they brought him to Moshe. (His mother's name was Shlomit the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) 12 They put him under guard until ADONAI would tell them what to do. 13 ADONAI said to Moshe, 14 "Take the man who cursed outside the camp, have everyone who heard him lay their hands on his head, and have the entire community stone him. 15 Then tell the people of Isra'el, 'Whoever curses his God will bear the consequences of his sin; 16 and whoever blasphemes the name of ADONAI must be put to death; the entire community must stone him. The foreigner as well as the citizen is to be put to death if he blasphemes the Name." (CJB)

We are not told of the circumstances surrounding this man's conception. However while we are told nothing more of the man's father than that he was Egyptian; we are told his mother was a Hebrew, told her name and that she was with the Hebrews after they were delivered out of Egypt. It is very possible he was a bastard child growing up fatherless and with the stigma of how his mother was impregnated.

I grew up small most of my life, and we moved a lot. I know how people are, and how cruel children can be. So it isn't difficult to relate to what is apparently an very angry young man. I can imagine this man had grown up experiencing prejudice and malice. The anger these Hebrew children must have felt towards Egyptians was probably transferred to kids like this. My wife experienced the same thing from her peers and even relatives because her father, who had escaped the extreme prejudices of Hitler, had "married out." So I can relate to this angry young man.

In my NKJV Study Bible Warren Wiersbe says of this event "The man could not be blamed for his parentage, but he could be blamed for blaspheming." Sorry Warren, I believe he was blamed for precisely that all of his life.

The commentary in my JPS TNK says of vs. 14 "The laying on of hands transfers to the blasphemer the guilt that the listeners have incurred by hearing the desecration of the sacred Name. This guilt will be eradicated along with the offender ..." Probably all true, but in my opinion they have missed the essential point.

First off, consider who it was that probably heard (and reported) the blasphemy. Whenever there is a fight, it draws a crowd- often the first in the crowd are those who had some part in agitating or causing the fight. These would be the same young men who'd taunted this guy all his life.

I'm a guy, and we haven't changed any since Cain slew Able. I can see the scene clearly in my mind. I can also guess that the blasphemy was done for the effect it would have on the listeners as much as for his anger towards God. Been there, on both counts.

This was the first time sentence was passed for this crime, so these tormentors had no idea what they were setting in motion when they ran and told on this guy. But this day they certainly became "the second witness for the prosecution" in the heavenly court. A man was condemned to death, and I bet they were both horrified and ashamed for what they'd done.

When they were required to place their hands on his head they may have transferred the sin, but their guilt for their part in this would have been painfully exposed as they did so. They also would have run into his mother from time to time after the execution, which they engineered and were required to participate in. So the guilt feelings would have been kept somewhat fresh.

Prejudice and anger are never limited to the intended victim. They effect everyone around, and none so much as the perpetrator. Even the target was in some way better off- he didn't have to live with his guilt. Of course, there are always the eternal consequences to consider. We are not told whether the young man repented before his execution. I will say that it would have been a difficult thing for the tormentors to have forgiven themselves, which can make it difficult to go before God and ask forgiveness.

Dan C

[Questor]

Nov 30, 2013 19:00:02 GMT -8 alon said:

Lev 24:10-16 "10 There was a man who was the son of a woman of Isra'el and an Egyptian father. He went out among the people of Isra'el, and this son of a woman of Isra'el had a fight in the camp with a man of Isra'el, 11 in the course of which the son of the woman of Isra'el uttered the Name [Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh] in a curse. So they brought him to Moshe. (His mother's name was Shlomit the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) 12 They put him under guard until ADONAI would tell them what to do. 13 ADONAI said to Moshe, 14 "Take the man who cursed outside the camp, have everyone who heard him lay their hands on his head, and have the entire community stone him. 15 Then tell the people of Isra'el, 'Whoever curses his G-d will bear the consequences of his sin; 16 and whoever blasphemes the name of ADONAI must be put to death; the entire community must stone him. The foreigner as well as the citizen is to be put to death if he blasphemes the Name." (CJB)

We are not told of the circumstances surrounding this man's conception. However while we are told nothing more of the man's father than that he was Egyptian; we are told his mother was a Hebrew, told her name and that she was with the Hebrews after they were delivered out of Egypt. It is very possible he was a bastard child growing up fatherless and with the stigma of how his mother was impregnated.
I grew up small most of my life, and we moved a lot. I know how people are, and how cruel children can be. So it isn't difficult to relate to what is apparently a very angry young man. I can imagine this man had grown up experiencing prejudice and malice. The anger these Hebrew children must have felt towards Egyptians was probably transferred to kids like this. My wife experienced the same thing from her peers and even relatives because her father, who had escaped the extreme prejudices of Hitler, had "married out." So I can relate to this angry young man.
In my NKJV Study Bible Warren Wiersbe says of this event "The man could not be blamed for his parentage, but he could be blamed for blaspheming." Sorry Warren, I believe he was blamed for precisely that all of his life.
The commentary in my JPS TNK says of vs. 14 "The laying on of hands transfers to the blasphemer the guilt that the listeners have incurred by hearing the desecration of the sacred Name. This guilt will be eradicated along with the offender ..." Probably all true, but in my opinion they have missed the essential point.
First off, consider who it was that probably heard (and reported) the blasphemy. Whenever there is a fight, it draws a crowd- often the first in the crowd are those who had some part in agitating or causing the fight. These would be the same young men who'd taunted this guy all his life.
I'm a guy, and we haven't changed any since Cain slew Able. I can see the scene clearly in my mind. I can also guess that the blasphemy was done for the effect it would have on the listeners as much as for his anger towards G-d. Been there, on both counts.
This was the first time sentence was passed for this crime, so these tormentors had no idea what they were setting in motion when they ran and told on this guy. But this day they certainly became "the second witness for the prosecution" in the heavenly court. A man was condemned to death, and I bet they were both horrified and ashamed for what they'd done.
When they were required to place their hands on his head they may have transferred the sin, but their guilt for their part in this would have been painfully exposed as they did so. They also would have run into his mother from time to time after the execution, which they engineered and were required to participate in. So the guilt feelings would have been kept somewhat fresh.
Prejudice and anger are never limited to the intended victim. They affect everyone around, and none so much as the perpetrator. Even the target was in some way better off- he didn't have to live with his guilt. Of course, there are always the eternal consequences to consider. We are not told whether the young man repented before his execution. I will say that it would have been a difficult thing for the tormentors to have forgiven themselves, which can make it difficult to go before G-d and ask forgiveness.

Dan C

Whenever I see something in the Scriptures with a lot of names, the names are where I go first to comprehend it…to the meaning of the names. Names in the Bible always seem to be indicators, or statements in themselves, and they always add additional light to the passages.

I fully understand your reaction to this scripture being a natural result of persecution, and I can see that in the story being told by the origin, action and reaction. The names go further, speaking to some extent an ending or completion; the Word of G-d; and Judge. So the names reiterate how the Story ended...the man was condemned to death by YHVH himself, when Moshe went to Him with the problem.

Sensing something unfinished in what was said, I zoomed out, so to speak, to look at the texts after and before it. The above verses are in the Parshiot EMOR - Listen. The verses encompass the specific guidelines being laid down for the Cohanim as priests, then in the middle of a bunch of rules, we see this story of a Judgement by YHVH. This seemed downright weird. So I went looking around at a lot of sources. Haphtarah for Emor is Ezekiel 44:15-31, which is simply a reiteration of the laws for priests.
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Ezekiel 44:15-31 (NKJV)
15 "But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood," says the Lord G-D.
16 They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge.
17 And it shall be, whenever they enter the gates of the inner court that they shall put on linen garments; no wool shall come upon them while they minister within the gates of the inner court or within the house.
18 They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen trousers on their bodies; they shall not clothe themselves with anything that causes sweat.
19 When they go out to the outer court, to the outer court to the people, they shall take off their garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and put on other garments; and in their holy garments they shall not sanctify the people.
20 They shall neither shave their heads nor let their hair grow long; but they shall keep their hair well trimmed.
21 No priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court.
22 They shall not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take virgins of the descendants of the house of Israel, or widows of priests.
23 And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
24 In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings, and they shall hallow My Sabbaths.
25 They shall not defile themselves by coming near a dead person. Only for father or mother, for son or daughter, for brother or unmarried sister may they defile themselves.
26 After he is cleansed, they shall count seven days for him.
27 And on the day that he goes to the sanctuary to minister in the sanctuary, he must offer his sin offering in the inner court," says the Lord G-D.
28 "It shall be, in regard to their inheritance, that I am their inheritance. You shall give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.
29 They shall eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering; every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs.
30 The best of all firstfruits of any kind, and every sacrifice of any kind from all your sacrifices, shall be the priest's; also you shall give to the priest the first of your ground meal, to cause a blessing to rest on your house.
31 The priests shall not eat anything, bird or beast, that died naturally or was torn by wild beasts.

Again, nothing surprising, although Ezekiel 44:25 is about the duty of judgement being that of the Cohanim ACCORDING to how YHVH Himself judges.
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Ezekiel 44:24
24 In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments.


This adds an emphasis on Cohanim judging as G-d judges, or judged, in this case. But it also calls the Cohanim to a very high level of behavior, and to a strict law of judgment as YHVH declared as the penalty for Blasphemy. None of this was about the son of Shelomith, who he was, or why he acted as he acted, but that that specific action has a specific reaction.

What is interesting when we get to the suggested readings from the Brit Chadashah: The Complete Jewish Bible lists Matthew 5:38-42 and Galatians 3:26-29, while the Synagogue I cherish in Dallas, Texas...Baruch Hashem Synagogue, lists Luke 14:12-24 instead.

So I looked at all of them, (particularly as they use The Complete Jewish Bible, and already had the Parshiot as David Stern suggested in TCB)

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Matthew 5:27-32 (CJB)
27 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not commit adultery.’
28 But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 If your right eye makes you sin, gouge it out and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom.
30 And if your right hand makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom.
31 “It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a get.’
32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and that anyone who marries a divorcee commits adultery.

Again, more about laws, and how exactly you should keep them...indeed, how not just the outer action is a sin, but the thoughts that prompt the action.

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Galatians 3:23-25 (CJB)
23 Now before the time for this trusting faithfulness came, we were imprisoned in subjection to the system which results from perverting the into legalism, kept under guard until this yet-to-come trusting faithfulness would be revealed.
24 Accordingly, the functioned as a custodian until the Messiah came, so that we might be declared righteous on the ground of trusting and being faithful.
25 But now that the time for this trusting faithfulness has come, we are no longer under a custodian.

Interesting. We are not to be so bound to the laws in the now that we are under Mashiach Yeshua in trusting faithfulness as the Jews under the were. The laws and judgments given to Moses were given both to teach a people how YHVH would have them be, but the Jews at the time of the Exodus did not know that there was no ability for Humans to keep the law perfectly. They agreed blindly to the Mosaic Covenant, assuming in their strength that they could.

The given was a standard so high that only YHVH himself, could keep them through Yeshua, His Word and Right Arm, tabernacled in a human body to redeem His human kinsmen by paying the price to redeem them from the curse. The price was death for blasphemy, no matter the reason. The price was a curse for the least of the laws broken, whether it was a simple piece of wood gathered and lifted to a fire to feed it on Shabbat to keep warm, or committing adultery..

It did not matter that the son of Shelomith was in a bad place in his life, without father, or even if with Egyptian father, without Israeli heritage. Seemingly, he was without friends to protect him from the abuse of others who may have despised him for his irregular birth, for being only half Jewish, but having no Tribal affiliation, and thus no inheritance in the new land they were going to.

The names in the story alone might as well be saying My Word will at the Completion Judge...hinting toward the time after the Word would come as Yeshua.

Leviticus is about the extreme edges of the law, and how they do not take into consideration the reasons for breaking a law, whether because they had just come from Egypt, and Egyptians commonly blasphemed their enemy's gods without penalty in their own land. Leviticus is concerned with reaction to wrong action alone...no mercy, no way out, except the offerings, and true repentance, and begging for mercy without any guarantee of mercy. Blasphemy had no atonement, just as Spiritual Adultery does not. Leviticus was about teaching a way of life that cannot be kept by Adam's children.

And because of our trust in Yeshua, we do not have to worry about trying to keep a standard we cannot reach. We are supposed to attempt it, and strive to be in perfect compliance, for this is good in itself. The is good for us, and guides our ways, but there is nothing of compassion for human frailty in , and YHVH knows we are frail. And in Yeshua, in our trusting in His actions on our behalf, we are spared this utter death of the curse for breaking .
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Luke 14:12-24 (CJB)
12 Yeshua also said to the one who had invited him, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives or rich neighbors; for they may well invite you in return, and that will be your repayment.
13 Instead, when you have a party, invite poor people, disfigured people, the crippled, the blind!
14 How blessed you will be that they have nothing with which to repay you! For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
15 On hearing this, one of the people at the table with Yeshua said to him, “How blessed are those who eat bread in the Kingdom of G-d!”
16 But he replied, “Once a man gave a banquet and invited many people.
17 When the time came for the banquet, he sent his slave to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come! Everything is ready!’
18 But they responded with a chorus of excuses. The first said to him, ‘I’ve just bought a field, and I have to go out and see it. Please accept my apologies.’
19 Another said, ‘I’ve just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to test them out. Please accept my apologies.’
20 Still another said, ‘I have just gotten married, so I can’t come.’
21 The slave came and reported these things to his master. “Then the owner of the house, in a rage, told his slave, ‘Quick, go out into the streets and alleys of the city; and bring in the poor, the disfigured, the blind and the crippled!’
22 The slave said, ‘Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’
23 The master said to the slave, ‘Go out to the country roads and boundary walls, and insistently persuade people to come in, so that my house will be full.
24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet!’”

What the parable that Yeshua gave above was interesting if you think about it. The poor were allowed into the temple, but this parable was about not favoring the rich, and those who were, perhaps respectable, full members of the tribes of Israel. But more, those that were invited to the Banquet in their stead were the blind, the disfigured, and the crippled, that were forbidden the Temple, even if they were full blooded Israelites with a portion in the Promised land.

On top of this, they were chosen, in their poverty, and disfigurement, and disabilities to crowd out those that claimed that they were the Chosen. The Chosen were invited, but they refused to come to YHVH. They may have kept the law until Yeshua came, and the Temple was thrown down, but keeping the Law, if one could do it, was required. The Law was required...if you could keep it, if your Cohen Gadol could keep it, and offer the sacrifice for Israel in complete obedience.

The problem is, no one can, and only in Yeshua can we be renewed into life eternal. Only in Yeshua would the necessity for the law be kept once and for all, and at another time, the son of Shelomith would be cherished by all in the family of YHVH, all brothers of Yeshua, and if the son of Shelomith trusted Yeshua, and obeyed Him to the utmost of his strength and ability, even have part in His inheritance.

My Rabbi, (if I may call him that, when we've never met) said in his teaching on April 27, 2013 on Ebor (Neatly called 'Love thy Neighbor') put it like this: Leviticus is the structure of obedience, the framework of teachings to raise up children from babes...from those who know nothing, and particularly that the Cohanim are held to a higher standard than even the remainder of the tribes. The Cohen Gabol (Yeshua) is held to a much higher standard than us regular folk. We trust in Yeshua, and because our Cohen Gadol is perfect, mercy is always granted to us. The Cohanim, and even the Levites must hold to a higher standard in YHVH’s eyes, but the Cohen Gadol was to be pure and completely righteous, without fault in all his actions in order to give the offering on the Day of Atonement. Were the tribes ever sure of their Cohen Gadol? Or sure of their forgiveness?

In the Parshiot Emor, everything is spelled out to give meaning to what we do, when we do it, how we do it, but it also points to Yeshua in that there would be freedom under Yeshua. He had to be perfect, act perfect, obey perfectly, and because of that, we can rest our human frailty in Yeshua.

He kept the Law in Holiness for us, and yet still took our curse that we might be free in Him. But the obedience is still valued, and the more so because in Yeshua we can love one another, and be kind and giving to others, and the Holy Spirit will not only teach us, but enable us to obey.

The best obedience Rabbi Waldman said, was sharing with others...our hope in Yeshua, our way of walking in trust in Him, and indeed, the news of Him, that there is a way to a renewed life in Him, and a place in the Olam Haba...with Yeshua and for Yeshua.

G-d ordained relationships in Yeshua that must be maintained and nurtured, so that the inner man can grow in its relationship with G-d, and that we might nurture one another in that relationship.

We cannot simply taunt, and shove aside those that are different from us and expect them to do well despite our wickedness to them. We must befriend them, and be neighborly, loving them as we love ourselves, and if we do not know how to love, that we should do unto those around us all that we would like to be done to us, in imitation of how Yeshua loves us...with generosity, and the giving of our time and attention, and nurturing the growth of the Yeshua within others. And if they do not know Yeshua, we should tell them about Him.

Leviticus is about holiness...about being holy, and set apart unto YHVH, because He is holy. One doesn't do holy...one is holy...and that holiness is only gained by the love we show towards YHVH, and towards others. In fact, even as we show that love in our actions towards even the least of people, even a half bred angry boy, we become holy.

Beginning and end...the story was about holiness, and how we obtain it. In Leviticus, it was only establishing a threshold for holiness. It is also about how, in Yeshua’s grace, sin can be avoided, where love attends actions in how we behave to one another. We are called to nurture the presence of Yeshua in others, and to help plant Yeshua into other people’s hearts, for where love is, no sin occurs. There is no reason for someone to Blaspheme in their anger and personal pain, for love would have prevented the abuse that caused the anger and pain.
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The name Shelomith comes from the familiar root shalem (shalem), meaning to be complete or sound. HAW Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament sums the meaning of this exquisite verb up as, "completion and fulfillment - of entering into a state of wholeness and unity, a restored relationship." It's used to indicate the completion of a building project (1 Kings 7:51), of being uninjured (Job 9:4) or safe (Job 8:6). It may indicate a restoration (Joel 2:25) or a compensation (Leviticus 24:18). It covers the making of vows (Deuteronomy 23:22), rewards (1 Samuel 24:19), or an end to something (Isaiah 38:12).<abarim-publications.com>

The name Dibri comes from the fertile root dabar, and literally means My Word. There is, however, much more to this name, which linguistically is kindred to the phrase Word Of G-d.<abarim-publications.com>

Dan was named by Rachel who exclaimed, "G-d has judged me, and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son" (Genesis 30:6).
Later, Jacob - now named Israel - gathers his people around his death bed, he says, "Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel" (Genesis 49:16).
Hence it's pretty safe to say that the name Dan comes from the Hebrew verb din (din) meaning to judge, contend, plead. Some derivatives are din (din), meaning judgment; din (dayyan), meaning judge; madon (madon), meaning strife, contention; medina (medina), meaning province (probably: jurisdiction).
<abarim-publications.co

[Yedidyah]

Shalom Questor!
I pulled this from your post. I think we should look into Galatians 3:23-25 again.
Below is your post and your commentary of what you said it is saying here.

Galatians 3:23-25 (CJB)
23 Now before the time for this trusting faithfulness came, we were imprisoned in subjection to the system which results from perverting the into legalism, kept under guard until this yet-to-come trusting faithfulness would be revealed.
24 Accordingly, the functioned as a custodian until the Messiah came, so that we might be declared righteous on the ground of trusting and being faithful.
25 But now that the time for this trusting faithfulness has come, we are no longer under a custodian.

"Interesting. We are not to be so bound to the laws in the now that we are under Mashiach Yeshua in trusting faithfulness as the Jews under the were. The laws and judgments given to Moses were given both to teach a people how YHVH would have them be, but the Jews at the time of the Exodus did not know that there was no ability for Humans to keep the law perfectly. They agreed blindly to the Mosaic Covenant, assuming in their strength that they could."

Let me offer my take on this

The was written in part to reveal what sin is.
It also has areas for sinners and punishment for that sin. We are told it is not to hard for us to do.
Above you wrote it was impossible, that there was no ability to keep the law perfectly.
And I think we can all agree that they did in No way agree blindly to the Covenant. They were given the and agreed to do what Hashem said.
It was not that there was fault in the just like today we find no fault in the but rather it is the faults of man that are brought to light through the . Let's look at the first since it is the foundation and all is built upon it.

Deuteronomy 30:10-19
10 "However, all this will happen only if you pay attention to what ADONAI your God says, so that you obey his mitzvot and regulations which are written in this book of the , if you turn to ADONAI your God with all your heart and all your being. 11 For this mitzvah which I am giving you today is not too hard for you, it is not beyond your reach. 12 It isn't in the sky, so that you need to ask, 'Who will go up into the sky for us, bring it to us and make us hear it, so that we can obey it?' 13 Likewise, it isn't beyond the sea, so that you need to ask, 'Who will cross the sea for us, bring it to us and make us hear it, so that we can obey it?' 14 On the contrary, the word is very close to you - in your mouth, even in your heart; therefore, you can do it! 15 "Look! I am presenting you today with, on the one hand, life and good; and on the other, death and evil - 16 in that I am ordering you today to love ADONAI your God, to follow his ways, and to obey his mitzvot, regulations and rulings ; for if you do, you will live and increase your numbers; and ADONAI your God will bless you in the land you are entering in order to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, if you refuse to listen, if you are drawn away to prostrate yourselves before other gods and serve them; 18 I am announcing to you today that you will certainly perish; you will not live long in the land you are crossing the Yarden to enter and possess. 19 "I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants,

So Hashem say's We can do it and if we place our trust in His words.
If we keep the upon our tongue and in our hearts with the guidance of Hashem there is nothing impossible within scripture for us to do.
In one hand life and good, in the other hand death and evil. We can not cross the hands here and mix the two. What is said here is still true to this day.
Let's take a look in the B'rit Chadasha.


Luke 1:5-6

5 In the days of Herod, King of Y'hudah, there was a cohen named Z'kharyah who belonged to the Aviyah division. His wife was a descendant of Aharon, and her name was Elisheva. 6 Both of them were righteous before God, observing all the mitzvot and ordinances of ADONAI blamelessly.

I don't see anyone telling Z'kharyah and Elisheva that it is impossible rather we see they observed all of the mitzvot and ordinances of Adonai Blamelessly.
They were Blameless in the eyes of Hashem and this was before Messiah died and resurrected.

Let's look at how we show Hashem we love Him, that our hearts are seeking His ways.

John 14:15
15 "If you love me, you will keep my commands;

I think we should also look at Ya' akov's writtings.

James 2:14-26

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no actions to prove it? Is such "faith" able to save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food, 16 and someone says to him, "Shalom! Keep warm and eat hearty!" without giving him what he needs, what good does it do? 17 Thus, faith by itself, unaccompanied by actions, is dead. 18 But someone will say that you have faith and I have actions. Show me this faith of yours without the actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions! 19 You believe that "God is one"? Good for you! The demons believe it too - the thought makes them shudder with fear! 20 But, foolish fellow, do you want to be shown that such "faith" apart from actions is barren? 21 Wasn't Avraham avinu declared righteous because of actions when he offered up his son Yitz'chak on the altar? 22 You see that his faith worked with his actions; by the actions the faith was made complete; 23 and the passage of the Tanakh was fulfilled which says, "Avraham had faith in God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness." He was even called God's friend. 24 You see that a person is declared righteous because of actions and not because of faith alone. 25 Likewise, wasn't Rachav the prostitute also declared righteous because of actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another route? 26 Indeed, just as the body without a spirit is dead, so too faith without actions is dead.

So we see that faith alone without action is dead just like a body without spirit. Hashem said He was giving Life and Death, Blessings and Curses.
For the commands we don't understand or don't see how they fit into our lives should not be looked at as something to place on the side lines but rather something deeper.
We need to spend time in prayer asking for Hashem to show us how to make it possible.
If we as believers say all things are possible through Hashem why do we place limits on keeping the ? We need to build on that Trust and for me personally sometimes it takes a leap of faith and I am always surprised how amazing Hashem is when He reveals things in His !
Let's take a look at what our Rabbi Yeshua said here in Mark.

Mark 10:17-22

17 As he was starting on his way, a man ran up, kneeled down in front of him and asked, "Good rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?" 18 Yeshua said to him, "Why are you calling me good? No one is good except God! 19 You know the mitzvot -- `Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't give false testimony, don't defraud, honor your father and mother, . .'" 20 "Rabbi," he said, "I have kept all these since I was a boy." 21 Yeshua, looking at him, felt love for him and said to him, "You're missing one thing. Go, sell whatever you own, give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me!" 22 Shocked by this word, he went away ; because he was a wealthy man.

I think the section of scripture is amazing.
We see Yeshua tell him to keep the , we see the man had been keeping these things already. Then we see a shift we see Yeshua felt love for him and said to him, sell everything and come follow me.
At this point of this mans life he is at a crossroads. He has the choice to abandon the things of this earth and follow Messiah.
This man could have been a Talmidim of Yeshua and part of His ministry.
He has to make a choice on that day who he will serve.
Put yourself in this position, would you give up everything and follow Messiah? Would you abandon all you have for the sake of Hashem?
We don't see much more about this man in the scripture except that he went away because he was wealthy with worldly possessions.
How often do we give up the narrow path that we know deep in our gut is the right path for the ways of this world?
How often do we abandon the sacrifices of our hearts that were meant to be directed at Hashem? How often do we sacrifice the ways of Hashem (Sabbath, Feast Days, ) on the alter of work?
I think we need to be careful to look at all of scripture before we make a clear comment about a single section of verses. It is always easy to take a single verse and draw a bulls eye around it. That is why we must look at everything starting with the Foundation, His !
Shalom! Bless and Keep,

Yedidyah

[alon]

Dec 25, 2013 23:00:55 GMT -8 Questor said:

Whenever I see something in the Scriptures with a lot of names, the names are where I go first to comprehend it…to the meaning of the names. Names in the Bible always seem to be indicators, or statements in themselves, and they always add additional light to the passages.

Interesting way to look at it, and you made some good points there. However, like Yedidyah I had to sit up when I got to this:

Galatians 3:23-25 (CJB)
23 Now before the time for this trusting faithfulness came, we were imprisoned in subjection to the system which results from perverting the into legalism, kept under guard until this yet-to-come trusting faithfulness would be revealed.
24 Accordingly, the functioned as a custodian until the Messiah came, so that we might be declared righteous on the ground of trusting and being faithful.
25 But now that the time for this trusting faithfulness has come, we are no longer under a custodian.

Interesting. We are not to be so bound to the laws in the now that we are under Mashiach Yeshua in trusting faithfulness as the Jews under the were. The laws and judgments given to Moses were given both to teach a people how YHVH would have them be, but the Jews at the time of the Exodus did not know that there was no ability for Humans to keep the law perfectly. They agreed blindly to the Mosaic Covenant, assuming in their strength that they could.

I think the key is where it says "the system which results from perverting the into legalism." It was all the rabbinical rules, fences and distortions that were impossible to keep. It's true that no one ever kept perfectly other than Yeshua; however then as now repentance and asking forgiveness were all that are required to keep one in right standing with God. And yes, there were the sacrifices- and will be again when the Temple is rebuilt! Paul participated in animal sacrifices long after his conversion (Acts 21:24).

I don't think they agreed blindly. The covenant was read to them twice, as I recall. And both times they were witnessing the power of a God who had just rescued them, delivered them and protected them.

The given was a standard so high that only YHVH himself, could keep them through Yeshua, His Word and Right Arm, tabernacled in a human body to redeem His human kinsmen by paying the price to redeem them from the curse. The price was death for blasphemy, no matter the reason. The price was a curse for the least of the laws broken, whether it was a simple piece of wood gathered and lifted to a fire to feed it on Shabbat to keep warm, or committing adultery..

It did not matter that the son of Shelomith was in a bad place in his life, ...

I think there is a little bit of dispensational thinking throughout your post. Those things did happen, but if the entire period from their receiving the Law to Yeshua had been as drastic as you describe here, there would have been no one left to save when He did come! Salvation was the same in the TNK as it was in the Ketuvei Shelachim- by grace through trust in God. There is no dispensation of grace, as man has always existed and been forgiven by Gods grace alone.

Acts 3:24 & 25 which you quoted do not mean we are no longer under , rather we are no longer under the strict rules of the Hebrew leadership of the time (and now!).The word being translated as "custodian" is the Greek "paidagogos"; literally a slave sent to walk a boy home from school and to whom the boy was strictly bound in obedience. We are no longer under the strict rulership of the guides, but nothing says we are free from itself.

I don't think you are a dispensationalist, or believe is abolished. It's just that this kind of thinking is so beaten into us (unless you were raised in a very Jewish home), it is difficult to not let it cloud our thinking. I'm as susceptible to it as anyone. It's kind of agrivating- one more thing to weed out of my mind

The names in the story alone might as well be saying My Word will at the Completion Judge...hinting toward the time after the Word would come as Yeshua.

And with that you bring us back to . Good observation- one I doubt I'd have gotten on my own. Thanks.

Leviticus is about the extreme edges of the law, and how they do not take into consideration the reasons for breaking a law, whether because they had just come from Egypt, and Egyptians commonly blasphemed their enemy's gods without penalty in their own land. Leviticus is concerned with reaction to wrong action alone...no mercy, no way out, except the offerings, and true repentance, and begging for mercy without any guarantee of mercy. Blasphemy had no atonement, just as Spiritual Adultery does not. Leviticus was about teaching a way of life that cannot be kept by Adam's children.

And because of our trust in Yeshua, we do not have to worry about trying to keep a standard we cannot reach. We are supposed to attempt it, and strive to be in perfect compliance, for this is good in itself. The is good for us, and guides our ways, but there is nothing of compassion for human frailty in , and YHVH knows we are frail. And in Yeshua, in our trusting in His actions on our behalf, we are spared this utter death of the curse for breaking . ...

On top of this, they were chosen, in their poverty, and disfigurement, and disabilities to crowd out those that claimed that they were the Chosen. The Chosen were invited, but they refused to come to YHVH. They may have kept the law until Yeshua came, and the Temple was thrown down, but keeping the Law, if one could do it, was required. The Law was required...if you could keep it, if your Cohen Gadol could keep it, and offer the sacrifice for Israel in complete obedience.

The problem is, no one can, and only in Yeshua can we be renewed into life eternal. Only in Yeshua would the necessity for the law be kept once and for all, and at another time, the son of Shelomith would be cherished by all in the family of YHVH, all brothers of Yeshua, and if the son of Shelomith trusted Yeshua, and obeyed Him to the utmost of his strength and ability, even have part in His inheritance.

More dispensationalism, but hey, we all do it.

Beginning and end...the story was about holiness, and how we obtain it. In Leviticus, it was only establishing a threshold for holiness. It is also about how, in Yeshua’s grace, sin can be avoided, where love attends actions in how we behave to one another. We are called to nurture the presence of Yeshua in others, and to help plant Yeshua into other people’s hearts, for where love is, no sin occurs. There is no reason for someone to Blaspheme in their anger and personal pain, for love would have prevented the abuse that caused the anger and pain.

And if the young man had learned to love, it also would have prevented the incident. But if you've never been that angry, you can't judge the young man. God can, and does. But I have to think those who tormented him also got judged unless they fell on their faces and confessed their sin.

Dan C