Return To Me
. . . remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Ephesians 2:12
Covenants Of Promise – “Come back to Me,” says the Lord. The Hebrew verb, shuv, is used more than one thousand times in the Scriptures. God must be serious about this. He made a promise and He intends to keep it, no matter how long it takes or what He must do. That promise is found in the covenants. There is more than one covenant. There’s the covenant with Noah, with Abraham, with Moses and the people, with David and with Phinehas. God makes promises. Lift up your hands in thanksgiving. What would it be like if God didn’t make promises? Furthermore, God makes promises He keeps. Rejoice!
Of course, not all covenants are unconditional. The covenant with Noah is unconditional. The sign of that covenant is still with us today. When you see the rainbow, you can think of the unfailing promise of God. That’s much better than a pot of gold. The covenant with Abraham is unconditional. God made the promise to Himself. It can never be broken, abrogated or annulled. Israel will be His chosen people forever and He will bring about the blessing for the entire world through Abraham’s descendents.
Then there’s the covenant with Moses. At Sinai, God establishes His covenant with the people. This covenant is really the constitution of the nation. In other words, it is not a promise to be chosen as God’s people if you do such-and-such. That promise was already made with Abraham. The covenant with Moses is a promise that if the people obey the commandments and instructions (Torah) establishing the nation, then God would bless them in such a way that they would fulfill the purpose of His choosing. God wanted to turn the people into a blessing magnet so that the nations of the earth would see the great works of God through the children of Jacob and return to Him. The purpose of the Mosaic covenant is evangelism. “I will bless you,” says the Lord, “so that others will come back to Me.”
Sha’ul just gives us a history lesson here. The purposes of God haven’t changed. The method of God hasn’t changed. The goal has always been to bring the alienated nations back to the covenant of obedience so they might enjoy peace with God, hope and fulfillment. Sha’ul reminds his Gentile readers that once they were outside Israel, but now they are no longer strangers. They have returned to the covenants of promise. The conclusion is obvious. God’s intention is to bring the strangers into the house of Israel. That means He fully expects those who come back to live under the same constitution He established with His children at Sinai. “Return to Me” is the same as “Return to the instructions that I gave you.”
Topical Index: Torah, return, shuv, constitution, covenant, Ephesians 2:12, promise
Ps. 138:2 declares “For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” This, in the words of one of my associates, is a “big-dot deal”. We have heard of “HaShem”. The name above all names. And then after reading this verse in Ps 138.2, it is absolutely time to “Selah”- stop and think about that! (or, as one put it, “the pause that refreshes”. G-d’s covenant words. Never failing. Eternal. Immortal. Ever Fresh. Ever New. Ever Inviting. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of G-d endures forever. It is no longer “hath G-d said?” as HaSatan the Twister presented to Havah, but now we can say with confidence.. Amein!- yes.. G-d has said-and “it is written!” Hallelujah, for these unfailing, life giving words from the mouth of our Creator. He has promised, –
‘my word will not return to me empty!” But wait!.. there’s more! (sounds like a commericial!) Yeshua said, -“This cup is the “new covenant” in My blood.” Wow!- and “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all.. how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (If we only knew..) Is it ok if I (discreetly) shout Hallelujah?
This post reminded me of two of my favorite verses from Psalms. Ps 67:7 God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him. Ps 74:21 Let not the oppressed return dishonored; let the afflicted and needy praise Thy name.
“Ps 67:7 God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him.”
Good point CYNdee.
And “Return to the instructions that I gave you.”
The command Implies: “I’ll be back.”
Carl Roberts: I KNOW I WROTE EARLIER AND IT IS NOT ON, BUT WILL WRITE IT AGAIN, “JUST SHOUT IT OUT, LOUD AND CLEAR! L.B. REGARDING YOUR REPLY ABOVE==
Shalom Skip,
I just want to make sure that what gets said … is what you imply but do not say explicitly:
What is it when the evangelists are not bringing the stranger back into the fold of the covenants … into the fold of the “constitution”?
What is it when the evangelists (despite all good intentions) simply “confuse” matters?
What is it when the evangelists claim to be Yisrael and do not represent the stock of their adoptive lineage?
What is it when the evangelists or purported “body of Mashiach” contemn the very Word upon which their faith and salvation rests upon?
Your teachings brother Skip are most often full of obvious implications that can be readily validated when “reality” is compared to “truth”. Frankly I am surprised that there is little commentary or discussions which deal with these HUGE implications.
If I were a member of a mainline Christian faith … and I consumed just a smattering of Skip’s commentaries, I would have to:
a) question the mental and or spiritual integrity of Skip or
b) come to the realization that the church movement is not what it portrays itself to be.
For a moment let us presume that the majority of folks at Today’s Word are already operating under option “b” …. My question is this: “what do most folks do when coming to such a realization?”
Shalom Drew I, too, share and identify with much of what you have written. I can only walk out what Ruach haQodesh has allowed me to see. I understand the timing for every one of us to “Sh’ma” or hear and obey is divinely established. Oh, to be in a physical community where all of our actions would be visible as a living testimony to what we each see as ‘Truth.’ Maranatha!
Indeed brother … what we can do as you declare is let Ruach HaKodesh, through Yeshua, make that difference … enable that transformation for us.
Beyond this, I suppose what we do as a member of the Kingdom from a pupose perspective is in His awesome hands!
I was just wondering if folks would share what the transformation has resulted in …. with regards to their spiritual/temporal perception and relationship with the mainline Christian communities?
Well, things do get messy, don’t they? Let me see if I can DIRECTLY answer some of these questions.
I hope no one seriously doubts my spiritual integrity. That is not the same as saying that there are no questions about my spiritual struggles. I have lots of my own personal thorns to deal with, just like everyone else, but I think that what I am writing about really does reflect what the text says. That is the bottom line, by the way. Our quest is to know what it says. Not what we would like it to say. Not what we hope it says. Not what we have been taught that it says. Just what it says. I will have a lot more to say about this in a soon-to-be-published article.
For now, it seems to me that:
1. Evangelists who do not bring the lost back into a relationship with the God of Israel (not the same as the God of Christianity) are missing the point pretty drastically. First, God is not our God. He is the God of Israel and whatever relationship we have with Him is either in or through Israel. He revealed Himself through Israel and we are to serve Him according to that revelation. So, if we are Gentiles, that means being grafted into the commonwealth of Israel, and that means coming into the constitutional government set up by God called “Israel.” That, of course, is not modern Israel, the man-made State. It is the theocracy of God established at Sinai. By the way, the inclusion of Gentiles in this theocracy has ALWAYS been the case and the intention. See Abraham on the command for circumcision.
2. If #1 is true, then is follows that evangelicals who deny the heritage, government, constitution and legislation of God’s people Israel (not the “Church”) are NOT biblical. This replacement theology, a theology that dominates all mainline Christianity, is not biblical. It is divisive, anti-Semitic and heresy, in spite of the fact that it has been endorsed by the “church” for nearly 1800 years. By the way, you will find this unconscious unbiblical paradigm wherever you hear people talking about the “first century Christians” (there were none) and the “way the church has always understood the text (as if the early followers were somehow not Jewish and did not embrace what Jews believed for thousands of years before Yeshua came). So, I think this implies a big NO to all those “church” theologies that rule out Torah, that ignore God’s unconditional choice of Israel and that treat the Bible as if it is some sort of UNIVERSAL ethical rule book. It isn’t this at all. The Bible is God’s story of His interaction with Israel and Israel’s interactions with the Gentiles. We will have a lot to say about this soon when we start talking about paradigms.
3. Where does this leave most of us – namely, the ones who grew up in the church, still attend churches and still claim to be Christians? Well, I’m afraid that it leaves us feeling pretty lonely. We begin to see that in general the Church has abandoned biblical faith. It knows nothing of Torah. It doesn’t see that God approaches Gentiles through Israel. It reads the Bible as if it were a universal program rather than a concrete, historically-conditioned, culturally specific story. Christianity has really become a “religion” rather than a community extension of Israel. As such, it incorporates many, if not all, of the systems of this world and therefore, it has nothing really important to say to the world because it really isn’t all that different from the world. It is institutionalized worldliness with god-language stuccoed over the surface. That’s why there is so little TRANSFORMATION in Christian circles. There is plenty of ethical imperative but little radical departure from the world’s best behaved people.
Anyway, this should cause some response.
So little TRANSFORMATION in Christian circles. I live in a community that is wealthy and like the Sunday morning service (still complain about the worship), one bible study a week (with no prayer) and well, “I’m a Christian.” Maybe, just maybe, there is help for a brother in need (if they keep asking), and maybe just maybe, someone who is outside their circle that is in need and of no faith to speak of may be thrown a bone. I so want Jesus….the deeper things of Jesus…the presence of Jesus. Oh, that I may not be counted as one with no compassion and no true knowledge of the ONE True God….knowing His heritage and His Word. Love to my brothers and sisters in this community.
“Anyway, this should cause some response.”
Perhaps most folks missed the commentary brother Skip …. too bad …. because such startling assessments should trigger introspection and discussion …. then again perhaps the conclusions are simply accepted!
Skip … please forgive my forwardness in elevating the discussion beyond where the comfort level might be.
My intent is not to create ill feelings … but at the same time discomfort is an integral component of dealing with truth. As you recently commented …. fostering peace means getting into the middle of conflict. For years the struggle has been to just get folks to realize that they are in conflict … that the mainline purported “church” is in conflict. That continued cleaving to the purported church ain’t going to get it done!
The objective is of course not to reconcile a world system institution(s) with ELOHIM but rather awaken souls to the conflict so that they can understand their need for personal t’shuvah … personal transformation and grafting into Israel … be a person Jew or Gentile!
In any event your response is clear and unpatronizing!
Ahmein!
Hey Drew, I never even considered the thought that this elevated the issue beyond comfort zone. I like discomfort (as you could probably guess). You’re right. We need to be pushed out of the nest – the place where our religion has accumulated a great deal of pagan practices, non-biblical theology, Greek-based thinking and ignorance or general disregard for Israel’s place and Israel’s God.
I’m glad you thought the response was useful. Frankly, I will say a lot more – and perhaps more pointedly – in future Today’s Word editions. As a Gentile, I am caught in the middle. I will never be Jewish (wrong parents), but I am grafted in. Now, the long, slow process of relearning a voluntary commitment to a culture I never knew. Not out of a sense of glorious superiority, but rather out of a humble desire to be useful to Him.
Soon we will discuss the PARADIGM shift that affects most evangelical theology. It is so disguised now, so much a part of the way we “read” the text, that even great scholars like F F Bruce were apparently unaware of the influence of the paradigm. Luther, Calvin, the early church fathers, many contemporaries certainly seem oblivious, but there are signs that things are changing. Teshuvah.
Okay, with much thought, study, prayer during the night after I read Skip’s D.D.:Return to Me, and then, all of your comments, I would like to focus on Drew’s question in his blog at 12:14, to some that have been in mainline denominations. I certainly would qualify for that, as I was raised in one and stayed there until I was about 45 years old, even to husband teaching in their U. for all of his mainline career. I mean I still say, we were “THE southern Baptist”—it feed us in every way ( I also taught for many years in one of their private Christian schools). I always say please add a capital “S” on southern Baptist. ( many types of Baptist)—– Well, you go along with what they do, that is if you want to have your children have friends, you have them, and in our case, have a job, and be taught something from God’s Word, learn music, ( some of ours just had their reunion in July, 09 for their church choirs–that at times traveled across the U.S.–good things for teens! They learned and still cherish it–my son flew from AZ to TX, to be there.—-It is not zero learning as it often appears; it is your life. -After years of regular church life, you are EVALUATING CONSTANTLY, WHY THIS DOES NOT ADD UP TO THE BIBLE.–YOU WANT TO KNOW NEW TESTAMENT LIVING–AND UNDERSTAND JESUS’ TEACHINGS. You are responsible to “Seek the Lord” seek for a Living Lord—- After evaluation, study, prayer, and you are still seeking, then keep on seeking, STUDY, pray, forfeit too many frills of our current abundance of them in this nation, BECAUSE, GOD SAYS, YOU WILL FIND, AND YOU WILL. I am here to shout that from the heavens! Do not depend on the preacher, the evangelist, the teacher, they are not your source. God is yours source, you seek: using all the resources available–in our country they are so numerous. “forget about yourself”– “big I” is in the center of sin. You do what God puts in front of you, and His Spirit shows you to do. —— My testimony is that in after many years of the above, the New Testament Love of Jesus, overwhelmed, inundated me ( us–some of my family members, too)–it lined right up with the Apostolic life, and it was not a one time experience, but we were flooded, with heavenly love, all things according to the scriptures both old and new, words are inadequate to tell, and not time to write books, of years of this “Great Awakening”–no one person, responsible at all–many were flowing in this, the years began about 1970. I was healed miraclously in our living rooom when my husband and I alone knelt down one Sat. morning and prayed, an honest prayer that we did not even know if He healed today, as in he did in the Bible, but we were asking for that, if he did.”-nothing was experienced during the prayer. I got up and went to my Sat. duties, cleaning the stove and oven–I was at school five days a week–it was part of Sat.’s work.–a clean kitchen to start out Sun. on.—Later, I found that God indeed had healed me–it was an entire work through my body, that lasted for 37 years!— Nothing could ever persuade me that God does not heal today. ( I still think Dr.s are impt and needed, but I praise God for all those years where, I needed only a check up every so often. ( my prior life had been full of many illnesses–understatement).—————–The Lord also did not allow me to run around shouting all of this, very wise indeed of Him! Because, enough was be told my others who “heard” what was going on around us, to get our pastor to go and speak to the President, and ask him to relieve my husband of his duties. I recall that we got down on our knees, one night by our bed ( this was not the usual manner of us in years if praying) and told the Lord, that we loved Him more than our jobs, and if he required us to give them up, we would choose Him. _Remember we had four children at home.— but Praise the Lord, with tears in my eyes now, again to recall, Ed was not relieved of his job. Just talked to, and asked to keep a low profile. How thankful I am for that President. Later after a year or so at my Christian school, the Lord showed me in the Spirit during a Christmas Muscial, that the school had been my security, and that I was to lay that down, and in due season, he would bring forth a new job in my life.—- I was very excited, and thought sure that I would go into the ministry, but it was not to be. Women were not the “in” thing and although I took one course, “The Book of Galatians”, in Seminary training, the young preachers could not even acknowledge that I was in the room. They were loud and boisterous. My husband did not really support me either. I was intimidated by the young men in the Seminary. I never spoke personally to the Professor that was flown in each week, but other than not accepting women ministers, he was a Godly teacher and a kind man. I learned a few valid things under him.— This same group believe that all miracles, and experiencing God was NOT for today, it all ended after the New Testament time. So I did not go back again, because I was experiencing so many things that came out of the Bible, . Prayers were being answered right and left of all kinds, often as the teens that sat our kitchen table, read the Bible and prayed. It was several years of awesome events that went on in our lives, and home!.– After after our pastor that asked for Ed to be “fired”, without even speaking to us first, we knew we were not welcome, and we meet another Pastor who had been experiencing some of the same things, and he invited us to join the church he pastored. We did, and he is the one that died suddenly at age 55, with four children, that I have written about. He wanted us, we talked and walked quietly, was honored by the Lord there. But sad to say, the bulk of S. Baptist in that church did not want a move of God.—– On this end of it, 35 years or more now, most of our former church friends have accepted that what we said God did, was from Him. God has put us in the most unusual places with some of them, and they saw we were still going on with the Lord, and spoke in some manner to let us know that it had helped them in their Christian walk. One group, even asked us to come to and be a part of the mainline denomination structure, in their large area. But God did not allow that, we had to move 14 hours away from our home of 26 years, to care for my very elderly parents. Dad lived to be 99 years and 8 mon. –six and half years of hard labor for me. Ed helped some, but played golf mostly. It was the back side of the desert, and I prayed regularly that the Lord would help me learn what I was suppose to learn, so I could get out of there quick.!
THE MAIN POINTS OF THE STORY ABOVE WRITTEN BY ME, L.B. IS what God has shown me to use to tell others on their journey: 1. Jeremiah 29:13, ( I like Amplified Bible–I have needed all the words I can get to soak into my being) –“Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me ( as a vital necssity) and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart (mind and soul).” 2. Deuteronomy 4:29– But if you will seek (inquire for and require as necessity) the Lord your God, you will find Him if your truly seek Him with all your heart ( and mind and sould and life.
3. Hebrews 11:6 b “But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must (necessarily ) believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him (out).
—- Please study these in all your different translations— God is so faithfully to do what He says! Time is required–yes! A life worth living is given, with hope, joy, peace, & many descendants– at least in my case! L.B.
—–I am going upstairs to work on the baby boy’s quilt , hopefully the rest of the day– Ed is at the H.S. today and the rest of the week.
Thank you for reminiscing and sharing my sister! 🙂
I love the testimonies of how Yeshua “gets it done” … simply because He is awesome!
Yes … His Purpose is The Purpose and it may not be what purpose we presumed … or even desired … but submission is the key!
Bless your heart! 🙂 and thanks for passing along some wisdom from your sojournings!
Skip, I’m only 3 years late commenting on this post, but better late than never. The term “covenants of promise” refers to a specific type of ancient near-eastern covenant – a Royal Grant covenant. This video (taught last Shabbat) by Rico Cortes explains this based on the account of Phinehas (Torah portion Pinchas, Number 25) and relates it to Genesis and Revelation. Rico shows that the covenant that was made in the beginning still stands right to the end. I trust that you and others will find this edifying.
http://youtu.be/EGNIvTWn0pY