Prophetic Connection
“Put a horn to your mouth. He comes like an eagle against the house of YHWH because they have broken My covenant and have sinned against My law.” Hosea 8:1
Covenant/Law – Why could Abraham Heschel say, “A Jew without Torah is obsolete”? Heschel recognized that the covenant is directly tied to the Torah. If I don’t have the Torah, I don’t have the covenant. I am effectively no longer a Jew and I am no longer a part of God’s covenant community. To be His is to live according to His instructions. Hosea couldn’t be more straightforward. But we might miss it in English, so let’s take a closer look at the text: avru veriti veal-torati pashau.
Avru – to pass over, to cover, to cross over. “They went beyond the bounds of” is the sense of this verb. Israel didn’t simply ignore God’s instructions. They pushed the envelope wherever the opportunity arose. How did they do this? They trod on God’s compassion and forbearance. In other words, they thought to themselves, “Well, this isn’t really that big of a deal. God’s promise is unbreakable, so He won’t really turn away.” The same verb that describes God’s overlooking the sins of His people is now used to proclaim their arrogant assumption of His forgiveness. Does this sound familiar?
Veriti – from berit (“my covenant”). Ah, now we see why Hosea uses the verb avar (avru, third person plural). Israel took God’s covenant for granted. This isn’t about individual and corporate sins. It isn’t about disobedience. That comes next. This is about an attitude of superiority. Israel assumed that because God made a covenant with them, they were not expected to be 100% committed. They assumed that because God loved them, they could slide a bit. They assumed that because God was compassionate and merciful, they didn’t really have to work at fulfilling His assignment. They were a divinely protected class, different from all those pagans. Does this sound familiar?
Veal- torati – “and against my Torah”. Now comes the disobedient part. It’s bad enough to have an attitude of religious superiority that insults the benevolence of the Creator. It’s sinful pride to assume that God will continuously overlook our failures to embrace His covenant agreement. But it’s worse when His people violate His directions for living. It is His torah, not ours. Israel exists because of its prophetic tradition. The prophets gave Israel God’s instructions for life. To disobey is to reject the God who gave Israel its very existence. We might say precisely the same thing about the Church. It exists because God gave it life. To disobey God is to reject the life He gives. We don’t get to choose which set of instructions we will follow. It isn’t our Torah. It is torati – “my Torah.”
An African bishop once commented on the Church in America. “I never knew you could do so much without God.” I wonder if Hosea wouldn’t say the same thing.
Now I am sure you are going to ask, “But what about Billy Graham? What about Mother Teresa? What about my friends or my pastor? They don’t keep Torah. Are you saying that they don’t belong to God’s kingdom?” No, I am not saying that. Neither is Hosea. What I am saying is what Hosea says. If those who call themselves by His name continue to live in disobedience to His instructions once they know what He requires, then they are on very dangerous ground. There are sins of ignorance. They do not damage our relationship with the Father until we realize they are sins. Then we have to do something about them. Once you know, you’re stuck. Welcome to the mud! Now life is going to get a lot more messy.
My greatest concern is for those who refuse to consider rethinking the foundations. It is one thing to be unconvinced. It is quite another to reject the consideration. Hosea speaks to those who should have known better. There are so many today who don’t know because no one has taught them. Those who do know are obligated to live according to their understanding, and to help others see the Way by the way they live.
Topical Index: torah, abar, Hosea 8:1, torati
First, I love the post. Many interesting pieces. It definitely got me thinking (I wrote about it on my blog).
Here’s my (ongoing) question: The last part talks about once we know we’re responsible (great way of putting it), but how much do we still follow today? We don’t have to follow the sacrificial system because of Jesus (right?), but if that’s obsolete, what about the other laws about multi-fiber clothing and pork and piercings and tattoos? How can one apply and the other not? I’d love to hear your thoughts Skip, because this is a question I’ve had for a long time. Thanks!
Amanda
If you have been reading Today’s Word and the blog for awhile, you know that it isn’t a matter of “don’t have the follow the sacrificial system because of Jesus.” In fact, we don’t follow the sacrificial system because there is no temple and the Scripture requires animal sacrifice to be performed at the temple. It really has nothing to do with Jesus. So, there is no “pick and choose” problem with this aspect of the Torah. Torah is God’s eternal plan (see Jeremiah 31), so it all applies to His children. It is the uniqueness required to be distinctively different in this world and act as the magnet for the ones who observe His children. There are 613 or so Torah instructions. They are catalogued in several places on the web. Just remember that no one is responsible for all 613 since they are for men, priests, women, children, the high priest, strangers, etc. and no one person is all those things at once. In addition, some are temporally conditioned, some are situationally conditioned, some are religiously conditioned, etc. The idea to is do all of the ones that you are supposed to do – and as it turns out, most are ones that you would do anyway (like the 10 commandments). I wrote about this (Today’s Word “the 613”, for example) in several Today’s Word editions. Just search the word “torah” on the website.
“Put a horn to your mouth”..
Speak, and speak clearly, distinctly, so the fella in the back row may hear your words. Shofar, so good? We are to speak (and to sing!) of the goodness of our G-d. Sing His mercy and His grace..
If the “assembly”, the ecclesia, the “church”, the place where you corporately worship Yeshua, (you do obey His request to forsake not the assembling, right?), does not teach and preach Jesus Christ, then it is time to “move on” and seek and search out such an assembly. A bit of a warning here though.. if your find the “‘perfect church”, don’t join it, because you’ll spoil it!- lol!!
I too, have “wrestled” with “what about Billy Graham, Mother Theresa,John Doe, etc, but the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing, right? (what’d he say?-lol!) Quickly, before the mind drifts away- “what is MY relationship to Jesus who is the Christ? Do I love Him and do I “keep” His commandments. (gotta bring it on home..)
He said, (It’s always good to know what He said- isn’t it?)- “If you love me, “keep my commandments.” Sound pretty clear to me- (and I’m a back-row Baptist!-lol!). He has spoken. The speaking part has been accomplished. G-d “hath” said. That part is the “done deal.” Now for “part B.”
“It takes two”.. (amen!). In every relationship- “it takes two”. G-d has spoken, but who hears? We have a Speaker, but who is listening to what He says? Anybody here? Does anybody hear? Hello??
A sower went forth to sow- (scattering seed). I hope you’re familiar with this story. It is found here: Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15. This is critically important because this is who we are. We are the dirt. This is a story not so much about the seed, as it is the soil. There was/is no problem with the seed, the “issues” arose from what type of dirt the seed landed in. Here is my point.
What kind of dirt am I. Have I prayed (yes, begged) G-d for productive, fertile soil? Do I “welcome His words?” Have I asked Him to “plow my heart” and increase the fertility of the soil? It’s all about the dirt (adamah), Mr. Adam. What kind of dirt am I?
It takes two to tango. It takes a seed and some dirt. It takes a teacher and a student. One to speak and one to hear. One who is holy and one who is a sinner.
One last word (from the Word)- “today- if you would hear His voice, (are you listening?)- “harden not, your heart..” I saw what happened when Pharoah hardened (to his own hurt) his heart . -I do not want to end up as he did. My prayer today, right now.. is this: Holy Father, enter into my life and plow my heart. My ears have become dull in their hearing and my eyes do not see clearly the pathway you have set before me. I am as a little child in my understanding and in my dependence upon you, my Teacher and my Guide, to direct my steps this day. I know you will provide, because that is your name. I know you will teach me because that is your name. I know you will protect because that is your name. My eyes are much too dry.. Lord- break my heart with the things that break your heart. Jesus, you viewed Jerusalem and wept.
What did you see? Help me to see what you saw. Cause me to “put a horn to mouth” and to declare your worth to this generation. I pray for my family, both near and far, and for your Holy Breath to sweep across this barren land like a mighty rushing wind. Energize and empower those who belong to you, my Sovereign King. This prayer I pray, because of Calvary and in answer to your request. In the name of Yeshua Hamashiach. Amen.
Skip … a very interesting take regarding accountability in the context of prophetic rebuking!
Ezekiel 3,17 ‘Son of man, I have appointed thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; and when thou shalt hear a word at My mouth, thou shalt give them warning from Me. 3,18 When I say unto the wicked: Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hand. 3,19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 3,20 Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, I will lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die; because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thy hand. 3,21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul.’
Given the Spirit led desire by millions of believers over the last few decades to recapture the ways of the true gospel of Yeshua, it would seem that the prophetic warning is upon us. We know that the warning is designed to bring about t’shuvah (a return to The Lord) but we also know that prophetic warning precedes disciplinary action and judgment!
We need many more Ezekiels! May Yeshua (Whose testimony itself is the Spirit of Prophecy) make it so …. even quickly and soon … ahmein!
Hi Drew,
Ezekiel 3:17
Good point. Doesn’t Jesus assume this role as well?
17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.
Shalom Michael,
Oh yes indeed (I was expecting someone to go to this place) … since Yeshua is the one Who would come (like unto Moses) to the people … and if He was not obeyed then … watch out … burnt toast if you know what I mean! Or so Moses seems to say as much!
I did not want to broach this issue because in the context of prophetic warning …. we have already had it … no? And this leads then to a debate regarding the folks who are being led astray … have they already not been given prophetic warning? If they choose to listen to the lies of the fathers instead of The Word which is available to them … which category do they fall into?
Those who refuse to consider rethinking the foundations or those who simply remain unconvinced?
I am not saying that I have the answer but if one argues that “no one told me that I was following lies” but I never validated what was taught to me against The Word …. well I do not know if this argument will hold up before The Lord of all creation … and I am not willing to personally take that chance!
If we have a relationship with Yeshua/Jesus then we should be immersed in Him … in The Word. If we are immersed we should be able to recognize the lies of the fathers … else we simply are not listening … Sh’ma Yisrael!
And Now For Something Completely Different
Hi Drew,
I understand what you are saying. Skip’s last paragraph summarizes my position on the ethical issues better than I could. But what strikes me about Ezekiel is Ezekiel himself:
Eze 1:4 As I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire.
Eze 1:5 Within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form.
Eze 1:6 Each of them had four faces and four wings.
Eze 1:7 Their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze.
I’m very comfortable telling people that I like what Mother Theresa writes and coincidentally, The Simple Path is sitting on my desk. It opens with the following manifesto:
The Simple Path
The fruit of silence is
PRAYER
The fruit of prayer is
FAITH
The fruit of faith is
LOVE
The fruit of love is
SERVICE
The fruit of service is
PEACE
But if I were to tell my friends that I like Ezekiel and that I see the same things that he does, they would say that is because you are insane.
But Jesus seems to be saying he is the same kind of man.
My brother … being considered to be insane by the insane … now there is a real doosy! (not saying your friends are insane … just presuming that their faith is not strong enough to deal with a perspective offered by Ezekiel)
I suppose as is the case with all things … the heart of the matter is attending to the purpose which ELOHIM has for each one of us. And frankly there are elements of behavior, et. al. that should indeed be common … yet conversely there are aspects, attributes, actions, experiences etc. that will not be so common amongst brethren.
I have seen things with my own eyes that frankly would remain secret if I was concerned with others’ perceptions of my mental state. Yet I do not hold back because there are reasons for events … and experiences need to be shared …. for some this is part of the purpose.
Let us not forget Joel: 3,1 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; 3,2 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit. 3,3 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 3,4 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.
Well bro … we either have faith to believe in the unexplainable or we don’t. Since Yeshua lives and breathes in believers then His testimony insures that the Spirit of prophecy is not dead amongst the seed of Abraham.
Brachot
Skip, thanks for this post. It again confirms what God has been showing me for some time, and reminds me of the need to continue to apply it to my own life.
I’m reminded of a passage in Galatians that is often misinterpreted by the church to justify not obeying the commandments of God;
When do you become “under the law”? When you violate the law. As long as I do not violate the law, I am not subject to the penalty of the law, therefore I am not under the law. So, if I am led by the Spirit to be obedient to the law, I am not “under the law”. Pretty simple, really. I’m not a lawyer, but even I understand that.
And just where, pray, are these things all defined as sin? From Exodus to Deuteronomy! The Torah! Sha’ul is teaching Torah!
Of course there is no law against such things, because these things are all found in the positive commandments of Torah! These are things that Christians already (try to) do and live by. They just don’t realise where they came from originally!
Sha’ul wasn’t teaching anything new, he was simply teaching what was true. We do well to study Torah and put Sha’ul’s teachings back into their proper context. Did he preach salvation by works? Absolutely Not! Nor do I. Salvation is by grace, through faith, as shown by the life of Abraham. But obedience comes out of relationship; the Holy Spirit writes Torah on our hearts and “leads us into all truth”. YHVH be praised!