Measure For Measure
“so you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood pollutes the land and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.” Numbers 35:33 NASB
Expiation – We do not need forgiveness because God is angry. God’s emotional state has nothing to do with this. If we conceive of our transgressions as the cause of God’s tempestuous feelings, we are thinking like pagans. Expiation is not about assuaging God’s bad feelings toward us. Expiation is about setting the ledger straight. Whenever there is a breach between men or between God and men, this tension is expressed in legal terminology. Essentially sin is a crime. The injured party has a grievance that must be removed and the process of removal requires deliberate and specific actions that atone for the crime of the breach. We are not separated from God because He harbors ill-feelings toward us. We are separated from God because we are criminals, violators of His commandments, and we must “pay” the penalty associated with our crimes before the gap can be bridged.
Therefore, you can set aside any concern that God doesn’t like you. You can table the idea that God is mad at you. You can stop worrying that somehow you have personally offended Him. The problem is not personal. It is strictly business. We have committed offenses and they need to be made right.
The Torah provides us with specific instructions about making offenses right. None of those instructions depend on how we feel about our situation. It doesn’t matter how we feel. We must pay the price in order to restore the relationship. So if I steal from you, I must repay all that I took plus a penalty in order to atone from my crime. Even if I injure you accidentally, there are direct and specific consequences designed to restore the relationship. What is true between men is also true with God. There are specific actions I must take in order to restore the relationship. Purification rituals, sacrifices and days like Yom Kippur are part of these actions. But some things cannot be restored through my actions. Murder is one of those things.
Moses tells us that the spilled blood of the innocent has no expiation provision within the life of the perpetrator. The only expiation is the loss of his own life. This crime requires repayment in kind, measure for measure, a life for a life. The land itself remains polluted unless the balance of life is restored. I wonder how Planned Parenthood deals with this. Do they pretend that there is no crime in abortion on demand? Is our blood-soaked country exempt from divine criminal punishment? Do we believe that the repeal of capital punishment makes us a more civilized society? On lesser crimes, do we really think that paying a debt to society (doing time in jail) restores the balance to the victim? Our justice system looks nothing like the Torah. To claim that we are society base on Judeo-Christian principles is about the same as claiming that the debt ceiling bill will actually cut the appetite of the government for spending.
Expiation is both personal and national. You and I may believe that we have established a restored relationship with the Father because we have responded to His love and atoned for our crimes, but what about the land? How do we atone for that? The ledger stands open. The debt remains. It will be serviced, one way or another. It’s nothing personal. It’s strictly business – the business of righteousness to which all are held accountable.
Topical Index: expiation, kipper, atonement, crime, Numbers 35:33
I was specifically struck with this concept (corporate sin/responsibility) while reading Joshua 22 (the offensive alter), and in verse 20 where the historical facts of Achan’s sin are remembered. Yeshua also calls us to stem the rottenness around us,…. salt’s purpose is to keep things from going rotten, right?
“It’s nothing personal. It’s strictly business”
A more American saying is hardly imaginable.
Take your Bible and you will find out that you’ll NEVER find a separation between “personal” and “business”, since business is also regulated by the Word of God. Those who have a Thompson chain reference edition will find that “Business Life” starts at # 557 and ends at # 610, every # containing several Bible passages. In God’s Kingdom there is no such thing as a neutral business zone between Light and darkness! Be warned! God bless you!!
is the Bible the word of the LORD? Is the Bible the inspired (G-d breathed) word? Is every word of G-d pure? – According to the Book- it is.
That was then, -this is now. Is the Bible a book? Yes, it is. Is it -any book? Is it a book written by man? Yes, it is. Is it a book written by men who were ‘moved’ by the Ruach Hakodesh? -According to the word of the LORD -it is.
Is the Bible the “book of the month?”- or is it the “book of the Ages?” Yesterday, today and forever- the word(s) of G-d are “forever words.” They do not change, they (all) endure forever and will forever stand the test of time. The word of G-d is foundational to our faith. Our ‘opinions’ matter not. What G-d says (clearly) in His word is what we (all) both Jew and Gentile need to give our focused attention (Kavannah-in Hebrew) to. Whatever He says (n.t. or o.t.) we should (all-both Jew and Gentile) do.
-they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (Acts 17.19)
..-the Scriptures point to Me! (John 5.29)
“Then, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them all the passages of Scripture about Himself.” (Luke 24.27)
= the Bible is our Him-book =
If we (both Jew and Gentile) read the scriptures and miss the hero of the Book of the ages- we have blundered immensely. Who is the Hero of the Book? It is without a doubt the LORD Jesus (Yeshua to the Jew) who is the Christ- (the Annointed.) His words? “the Scriptures (all of them) point to Me.”
Black print/white paper- Read it for yourself- “It is written”- “Behold, the (very Jewish) perfect Passover Lamb.
Salvation (deliverance) is (and always will be)-to the Jew first and also to the Greek. The Bible also says “whosoever will” may come. This is G-d’s open invitation. None are turned away and all are invited to a Feast. – What’s for dinner? The word(s) of G-d. – All of them. Every word. “It is written.”
His words? the words of the Messiah? -The words that I speak unto you- they are breath and they are life. (John 10.10) – That was then and this is now? Then why-tell me why- am I so attracted to every word that proceeds out of this Man’s mouth? Because He is G-d incarnate. He is (not was) who He said He is. Yeshua is the Lamb of G-d, the propitiating, atoning Sacrifice whose heart was figuratively, literally broken at Calvary. And yes, Yeshua – cried real tears over the city of Jerusalem. – What did He know that we do not? for we now (according to the Scriptures) have the mind of Christ.
Meet me today at the tslav. Let us kneel there together and worship the ONE who gave Himself for us. (All of us)- for “all” have sinned and fallen short of the glory of G-d. Blessed Redeemer- Precious Redeemer– Who is this Man? Who is this King of glory? It is Christ crucified. What do the scriptures say? “but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,” (1 Corinthians 1.23)
What does G-d say? “I will honor my word above my name.” (Psalm 138.2) We must immerse ourselves in G-d’s book, for “We do err, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of G-d.”- Amein.
“Essentially sin is a crime.”
a most important point
Peter Tosh – Equal Rights (1977)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EzvDmsl5U0
Everyone is crying out for peace, yes,
none is crying out for justice
I don’t want no peace
I need equal rights and justice
I need equal rights and justice
I need equal rights and justice
Got to get it! Equal rights and justice
Everybody want to go to heaven
but nobody want to die
Everybody want to go up to heaven
but none o’ them, none o’ them, want to die
I don’t want no peace
I man need equal rights and justice
I’ve got to get it! Equal rights and justice
I really need it! Equal rights and justice
Just give me my share! Equal rights and justice
What is due to Caesar
you better give it on to Caesar
And what belong to I and I
you better, you better, give it up to I
Cause I don’t want no peace
I need equal rights and justice
I need equal rights and justice
I’ve got to get it! Equal rights and justice
I’m fighting for it! Equal rights and justice
Everyone heading for the top
but tell me how far is it from the bottom?
Nobody knows but
everybody fighting to reach the top
how far is it from the bottom?
Everyone is talking about crime
tell me who are the criminals?
I said everybody’s talking about crime, crime
tell me who, who are the criminals?
I really don’t see them!
Equal rights and justice. And there’d be no crime!
Equal rights and justice. There be no criminals!
Equal rights and justice.
Everyone is fighting for equal rights and justice.
Palestine is fighting for equal rights and justice.
Down in Angola. Equal rights and justice.
Down in Botswana. Equal rights and justice.
Down in Zimbabwe. Equal rights and justice.
Down in Rhodesia. Equal rights and justice.
Right here in Jamaica. Equal rights and justice.
Michael, i don’t think i have ever seen anyone sing with a cigarette in his mouth!!! Peace will only come with justice & that will be JESUS OUR KING riding with a sword in his mouth to bring justice to all of us & then there will be equal rights for all under His theocracy… ♥
no peace until the Prince of Peace comes riding in & us with Him… ♥
so, yes we are criminals punishable by HIM…
found this scripture last night while typing a prayer for my Beloved:
ROMANS 13:14
For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
AH HA – THERE IS THAT WORD “PUNISHMENT” THAT NO ONE LIKES TO HEAR MUCH LESS FEEL OR RECEIVE EVEN IF IT IS JUST & EQUAL TREATMENT FROM YHWH…
WITHOUT JUST & EQUAL PUNISHMENT FOR ALL THERE WILL BE NO PEACE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YESHUA COMES BACK IS JUDGMENT/PUNISHMENT & THEN PEACE FOR ALL…
J
“Michael, Don’t think i have ever seen anyone sing with a cigarette in his mouth!!!”
Hi Jan,
As I recall, they refer to their religion as Rastafarianism and that is no ordinary cigarette 🙂
They affectionately refer to it as Jah Man and feel that it actually connects them to Jah Weh
On a spiritual level, I was very attracted to their music and lyrics
Which oddly enough was deeply infuenced by the Book of Isaiah
Regarding the Prince of Peace, I believe he is with us right now
If we want to focus on him 🙂
But I think Peter Tosh is being a bit ironic in the following lyrics:
“Everyone is crying out for peace, yes,
none is crying out for justice
I don’t want no peace”
Although I cannot read the lyrics above without smiling and feeling good
I think Peter Tosh is actually very angry, and he is telling us
That he is willing to sacrifice his peace, for justice
Michael, you know it did look a bit hand rolled now that i think about it – i have never smoked cigarettes in my life – never even put one in my mouth but have smoked the other weed that people gave me… 🙂
HE/PRINCE OF PEACE – PRICE OF PEACE IS ALWAYS WITH US – BUT I MEAN MANIFESTING IN THE REALM WE LIVE IN NOW – LIKE HE WALKED WITH THE 3 ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS & ATE FISH WITH HIS FRIENDS…
THE ONLY ONE THAT SACRIFICED THEIR PEACE FOR JUSTICE WAS JESUS… 4 US….
REMEMBER SIN IS A CRIME BEGGING FOR JUSTICE = WAR…
THIS CAN EVEN BE WARRING IN THE SPIRIT/HEAVENLIES
WE HAVE ALL SACRIFICED PEACE FOR JUSTICE – THAT IS CALLED WAR!!!
J
I only question now is “What is justice?” And the difference between a man’s view and God’s view is quite remarkable.
Skip, are you going to tell/teach us the remarkable difference – i think we are ready & willing for sure… ♥
jan
Like all good rabbinic teaching, first the students must ponder and study
“What is justice and the difference between a man’s view and God’s view?”
Hi Skip,
Well I must admit that when I use the term justice, I tend to think in common sense terms
Eg., when weaker folks are being treated unfairly, to do the right thing, we must help them
It would seem, based on Matt 12:18, that Jesus saw himself as a servant of God who was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah by serving the weak; seemingly a model of the just man
Yahweh on the other hand would seem to model the eye for an eye/tooth for a tooth mode
BTW I could find no reference to Justice in Judaism 101:
“There are no entries in the glossary and index that contain all of your keywords (JUSTICE).”
Scripture leaves no stone unturned. If we can call ourselves believers and not have our lives turned upside down by our Creator, then we are simply allowing US to determine what YHWH is saying, rather than hearing from and by His Spirit. Now, when we consider this and realize that we ARE accountable, then the excuses stop and are finished. Not saying, we will never make them again…that is part of the fight/perseverance of continually being convicted by the Spirit, by learning what Torah teaches.
If we sin against one another, we sin against YHWH, our Creator. We think we can lie, cheat and steal, say we are “sorry” (or just think about it) and go on with our lives like all is well. Unless we know what those sins are, and who defines what constitutes sin, we continue to live off our confession only, credal faith and think we do not need to make restitution. Overall, we are not taught today about restitution, we do not have the concept of repentance, we live off a credal faith that is without fruit of repentance. I can just pretend like everything is all right because I am a “child of God”. “You have to love me and forgive me whether I atone/make restitution, because unless you do, YOU will not get into Heaven.” However, let someone steal from ME!! ME will DEMAND the justice system to work on MY behalf. And if it fails, ME considers this a HIGE DISAPPOINTMENT, a travesty of justice because nothing was DONE about it. There appears to be a huge disconnect between ME and YOU, but I am only affected when YOU offend ME…it’s all about ME these days and what ME considers right and wrong. I am speaking of disputes amongst believers at this point, those who say they are children of God, but who carry on like their father is actually from another kingdom. It has gotten so convoluted in this land of the free and the brave. The religion of political propriety/government has morphed the teachings in Scripture into a “new” religion.
We appear to be huge hypocrites in that regard. We expect the law of the land (MY law(s)) to supercede the Law of YHWH. We can talk about America’s law/nation being founded on Judeo/Christian principles (misnomer, in my opinion-they are NOT necessarily the same), yet explain away the Law of the Creator of all things. We can say we “love one another”, I mean literally say the words, but live with our Scripturally contrary actions speaking otherwise. We talk, talk, talk about Christ in Christianity, but live like someone else-like double-minded people. Yes, there is a learning curve, however, it is time to get our story straight. Only YHWH can straighten out the crooked path, but we have to walk it once we are set on that path. YHWH help us!!
OH MARY MARY…
yes, our lives are turned upside down, right side up & inside out… 🙂
as David said, our sin is first against God & then against ourselves & then the other person… 🙁
no one teaches sanctification which includes repentance & restitution – the balance of the scales of love..
yes, the new religion of the apostate church…
yes, again, it is time to get our stories straight & stop living double lives – no more curve balls for any of us…
YES, LORD JESUS HELP US WALK IN THE SPIRIT INSTEAD OF THE FLESH…
jan
-for it is written: “Be holy, because I AM holy.”- (1 Peter 1.16) Much to say about holiness and beyond just ‘saying’ – there is (in daily living) much to do. Attitudes and actions (both) have to go through radical change for this ‘holiness’ to happen. The command still stands- “be holy, because I AM holy.
What does ‘holiness’ look like? Who do we know who can be our model? Our Example? Our Exhibit A? Only ONE that I know of could even come close- and that would have to be our Master.
Sin, Satan and self were once our masters but now we have been delivered from these and are under new ownership. We (now) serve the LORD Christ. (Colossians 3.4) “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6.14)
Don’t think for a skinny minute that because we are no longer ‘under the law’ we are free to do as we wish. That is licenciousness. This new liberty under grace is freedom to do as we ought. To live as our Master lived, and to love as our Master loved. Selflessly. Sacrificially. We have been enabled and empowered by the Ruach HaKodesh now residing within to do so. We are held accountable to a higher standard than ever but are also at the same time given what we need in order to do that which is pleasing to our Father. The law of the LORD is never done away with, but what was once condemning is now consecrating us and conforming us into the image of the Son. The law of the LORD is perfect converting the soul. We need to have our souls converted- changed, -changed into the image of the Son and G-d will provide the means necessary to accomplish this task. -Whatever it takes.
If the Spirit of Christ is in us- there will be radical change. Change in the way we think, in the things we value, changes in the desires of our hearts. What I valued B.C. (before Christ) and what I treasure now- are miles apart. And this process of change is still going on. Day-by-day and over the course of time- I’m noticing some changes. But please- be patient- G-d is not finished with me yet..
I JUST PRAISE HIM FOR ALL THE CHANGES IN ALL OF US & HE IS THE AUTHOR & FINISHER OF OUR GROWTH/FAITH IN HIM – HE’S NOT FINISHED WITH ANY OF US YET… ♥ I’M NOTICING SOME CHANGES TOO… 🙂
JAN