A Slight Modification
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but transgressors will stumble in them. Hosea 14:9 NASB
Are right – Hosea reveals that YHWH’s darke (paths) are yesharim (straight, upright). We should notice that the characteristic of the righteous is their consistent direction along these paths. They “walk” according to the trail God blazes. Conversely, transgressors (ufoshim – rebels) stumble. Transgressors are not excoriated because they take another road. They are on the same path, but they don’t step according to the directions. When God says, “Put your feet in my footsteps,” they choose to place their feet somewhere else. As a result, they don’t get lost. They totter. They stagger. They cannot maintain their stride. They are overthrown.
Hosea’s declaration is in concert with the rest of the Tanakh. God is yashar. It is not that His ways are the right directions for living. They are that, but they are also much more. As Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 92:15 and Psalm 25:8 demonstrate, yashar describes who God is, not just what His directions are. We say, “God is good,” but now we can add “God is upright.” There are no exceptions to this rule. Whatever God does, it is always just, upright, righteous and correct. It matters not a bit if you don’t like it. Just as we are not in a position to determine what is good, so we are not able to determine what is just apart from God’s ways.
This has an interesting implication. It suggests that even those who claim to be on the path but who do not step as He steps are transgressors (ufoshim). It doesn’t take shaking your fist at God and demanding that you live as you wish. It only takes walking on the path according to your interpretation of the proper steps. Hosea tells us that people who decide for themselves where they need to step in order to follow the path are, in fact, rebels and are destined to stumble.
Just think about this. What it means is that Torah allows no personal exceptions. It means that you and I don’t get to decide to honor Shabbat on Sunday – or Monday. It means that we don’t have the right to determine what we eat, when we eat, how we eat. It means that we are not empowered to change worship to fit our style or the calendar to fit our culture or doctrines to accommodate political correctness. The Way is the way! And it is right.
It isn’t necessary to be an atheist or an agnostic to stand in opposition to God. All that’s necessary is to practice your own form of religion. Ouch!
Topical Index: right, yashar, Hosea 14:9, Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 92:15
~ For my thoughts are NOT your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD ~ Isaiah 55.8 -and that just for starters!
Yes, I must align myself with His way and His way is the Way of Holiness. But before I proceed any further down ‘this path’- I will immediately stop and say this:
“holiness is NOT the way to Christ- Christ is the Way to holiness.”
No man, (none) comes to the Father but by Him. He (only) is the Way.
Those footprints we are to follow? They belong to Him- the ONE who is the Living Torah of YHWH. In order to even think about following the Living Word, we must first come to Him who is the Way through the tslav, the execution stake. The entrance to the highway of holiness is very low, (we must bow to enter in) and it is through the Doorway of the ONE who has said, “I AM the Door.” ~ I AM the gate; if someone enters through Me, he will be safe and will go in and out and find pasture ~ (John 10.9)
He has also said, (we do pay attention to what He says, -right?) – ~ I AM the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing ~ (John 15.5)
Sweetly, LORD, have we heard Thee calling,
Come, follow Me!
And we see where Thy footprints falling
Lead us to Thee.
Footprints of Jesus,
That make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus
Where’er they go.
Though they lead o’er the cold, dark mountains,
Seeking His sheep;
Or along by Siloam’s fountains,
Helping the weak.
Footprints of Jesus,
That make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus
Where’er they go.
If they lead through the temple holy,
Preaching the Word;
Or in homes of the poor and lowly,
Serving the Lord.
Footprints of Jesus,
That make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus
Where’er they go.
Though, dear LORD, in Thy pathway keeping,
We follow Thee;
Through the gloom of that place of weeping,
Gethsemane!
Footprints of Jesus,
That make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus
Where’er they go.
If Thy way and its sorrows bearing,
We go again,
Up the slope of the hillside, bearing
Our cross of pain.
Footprints of Jesus,
That make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus
Where’er they go.
By and by, through the shining portals,
Turning our feet,
We shall walk, with the glad immortals,
Heav’n’s golden street.
Footprints of Jesus,
That make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus
Where’er they go.
Then at last when on high He sees us,
Our journey done,
We will rest where the steps of Jesus
End at His throne.
Footprints of Jesus,
That make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus
Where’er they go.
~ Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps ~ (1 Peter 2:21)
WELL DUH – ANY TIME YOU ARE PRACTICING ANY KIND OF “RELIGION” INSTEAD OF RELATIONSHIP YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN OPPOSITION TO GOD/JESUS/HOLY SPIRIT – THEY ARE NOT RELIGION – THEY ARE PERSONS TO HAVE A “RELATIONSHIP” WITH… ♥
“It isn’t necessary to be an atheist or an agnostic to stand in opposition to God. All that’s necessary is to practice your own form of religion.” Ouch!
Very clear and to the point Skip. I would be interested in knowing if you have written any articles regarding what exactly consitutes ‘doing your own religion’ especially in relation to icons etc. The reason I ask is that I am in a VERY relgious culture with icons and pics of Mary, saints etc everywhere…in every taxi, on buildings and in most homes plus Amulets galore and more! I am constantly being told that it is ‘their tradition and goes back to when Yeshua was in Ethiopia etc. They dont see why it may be contrary to Yahs’ commands becaust they believe in God and Ethiopia is a God fearing nation blah blah blah……Practically every other week they have a Saint…somebody’s day and hundreds crowd the streets and march to the nearest church chanting all day to which ever saint they are comemorating.
However there are many with whom I have the opportunity to speak that are very open but they just cant see why Shabbat has to be on the seventh day and what is questionable about all the icons/pics etc…………cant say more than that but would welcome comments, recommended articles etc.
Christine
Christine, It is LaVaye Billings here, and I am not answering the above, but want to ask you if you know, a Ghanaian lady living in London, named Julie Canning? Today, I had an e-mail from her. I could not think of anyone that I know now living in London that has my personal e-mail. Then later I remembered you had lived there, and you might have it. She said that she was a member of Skip’s, and was asking me to pray with her over the marriage of a daughter. About the time I was to reply, I saw your post, and thought I would ask you if you knew her, and if you had counseled with her on spiritual matters. If so, in simple language where would she be with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit? She said she had a church, but did not say the denominational name.
Thank you so much for a reply. Sincerely, L.B.
I am always excited to read things like this — it clarifies.
It’s difficult to articulate. I’ve been approaching discipleship ALL WRONG for the past 15+ years, and I’ve only barely begun trying to set my life right – yet, I’ve never been more excited about following YHWH. I’ve been frustrated trying to use a screwdriver to dig a ditch, and finally I know it wasn’t the tool meant for the job.
Gabe, the “tool” you need is the same tool I need and that tool is the word of God, the Book God wrote.
If we were only to read it, know it, believe it- love it, welcome it- live it, do it. (Read and follow label directions-lather, rinse, repeat) – there is none among us who would not experience radical change. Our Father is pleased (just as we are) with obedient children. We have tried it “our way” and have failed, why don’t we do something radical and listen, listen to Him and do what He says. How hard is it to obey? It depends on the hardness of our hearts and dullness of our hearing, but this I know.. – if we are willing- He is able. Our ABBA will provide plenty of opportunities to test and to grow our faith- of this we can be sure.
Thanks Carl. Yes, we need the word, and I did read it a lot before — but I would always read through the same lens. I think one of the main differences is that now I am reading with more of a ‘desperate curiosity’.
AT LEAST YOU GOT RID OF THE LENS – CAN’T MESS UP THAT CORE COMPETENCY THING – NOW CAN WE… jan
Not sure what you mean by “core competency”, but I was just trying to say approaching the scriptures with a desperate need to change — is a good way to read ’em. 🙂
OH I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY – JUST MAKING LIGHT OF BUZZ WORDS I HEAR AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA THESE DAYS – LIKE “SEEING THROUGH THE SAME LENS” & “CORE COMPETENCY” – JUST REMINDS ME OF THE WORLDLY MINDSET… ♥
SEEMS THAT IS THE ONLY TIME PEOPLE REALLY “READ” & DISCERN THE SCRIPTURES – WHEN THERE IS A DESPERATE NEED TO CHANGE – THANK GOD HIS WORD[S] ARE THERE 4 US AT ALL TIMES IN OUR LIVES… ♥
An interesting implication: “It suggests that even those who claim to be on the path but who do not step as He steps are transgressors (ufoshim). ” If your teaching strict Judiasm this is the recognized interpretation used by the pharisees to condemn Yeshua. If you are discussing Yeshua’s teachings something else is being addressed: In his sermon on the mount in the gospel of Matthew Yeshua teaches with authority, as Moses foreshadowed at mount Sinai. There he summarizes the teachings of the all the prophets Mat 7:12 AKJV “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Applying this as an interpretive principal to Hosea changes the implication that derive. Mat 6:22 summarizes this implication, “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. (23) But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” The implication here is obeying the Torah only for earthly blessing out of selfish interest. Yesharim becomes following Torah to love Adonai and one’s neighbor just as ufoshim becomes using Torah and one’s neighbor for selfish interest. The result is following every demand of Torah because it introduces the hesed of Adonai into our lives and those of our neighbors. That means that if obeying a precept of Torah such as Shabbos violates this principle it must be conformed to this purpose Adonai has established. That is why we read of the many incidents, for example, in the gospels where Yeshua deliberately violates Shabbos or allows his disciples to violate Shabbos. The pharisees teach that Torah allows no personal exceptions and condem Yeshua for violating that principle, but Yeshua denies this teaching through the divine witness of Adonai. In so doing he establishes the principle upon which observance is to be applied and followed. He also condemns the pharisees for using observance as a weapon to oppress the people showing them to be ufoshim against Adonai. If Adonai and observance are reduced to only what is written they become nothing but words manipulated by the self-righteous and arrogant to impose authority and control over the weak and lame. Hebraic covenant authority expresses the wisdom and love of the father for his children, not tyrannical abuse of power. Those whose motives are fleshly follow Torah for personal gain trading its divine blessing for a bowl of porrige like Esau their father. The righteous use Torah in the spirit it was given – to love one another as they love themselves. We are called to be strictest with ourselves, even as we are called to be gentle with others. In this way we avoid the pitfalls of pride and end up leading by example. Hypocrisy is the greatest enemy of observance because we feel that if we can manage the burdens of observance then others must do likewise, yet this is antithetical to what observance is meant to be. If we can observe Torah and meet its demands we are obligated to help and assist our neighbors who fail where we do not. That is what Hosea reveals and Yeshua explains.
So, if “violation” of a law (shabbot) is practiced because of the preservation of life, ie; pulling a donkey out of a pit (not neccesarily the donkey’s life but rather those who are dependant upon it’s service) is it correctly termed a violation? Perhaps the terminology used to express the act can be just as “twisted” as the motive. BTW, what law of shabbot did yeshua “violate” and teach or encourage his disciples to do the same? Isn’t there a command concerning that in the Torah somewhere? 🙂
If your not an observant Jew you can read Judaism 101 for a list of prohibited activities.
Mat 12: 1-2 “At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. (2) But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.”
Here is an example of just violating observance:
Mat 15:2 “Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.”
N’tilat Yadayim (Ritual washing of hands) is Jewish observance – at least at my shul.
I think its important to understand that in the gospel of Matthew Jesus didn’t teach chirstianity in his public ministry. He taught a reformed Jewish ritual observance that denies chukkim. The purpose of Mosaic ritual observance is to establish covenant remembrance. If the act is done with out understanding what is being called to mind it ceases to have meaning as ritual. Since we are talking about Israel’s covenant with Adonai the implication is that Adonai is acting with out thought – a very serious error – and opens up religious observance to exploitation for profane purpose. To correct this abuse Yeshua taught that the purpose of Torah and ritual observance was to nuture and protect our love for Adonai and each other. He taught christianity to his apostles but forbade them from mentioning it until after his crucifixion. (cf Mat 16:16-20).
On washing on hands and husking corn, please read Daniel Boyarin (a Jew). Neither is a violation of the written Torah.
On Yeshua teaching “Christianity,” please note that there is no claim anywhere in Scripture that supports this. The term “Christianity” isn’t found in the biblical text (but you already knew that). I assume that what you mean to say is that what Yeshua taught was later called “Christian doctrine.” But, of course, that is also suspect since He didn’t teach anything recognizable as the central tenets of Christian doctrine (e.g. the Trinity, Omniscience, Inerrancy, Law vs. Grace).
On the unwillingness of Jews to teach goyim, please send Joseph Teluskin, If Not Now, When.
I agree entirely that Torah practice and Torah heart-obedience must come together, and that Yeshua taught this. I didn’t understand your comment “the implication is that Adonai is acting with out thought.” Sorry, I’m just a little slow here.
Dear Skip,
If this is an academic question of Torah observance then let me specify that I reference rabbi Eli Mansour who represents mainline Orthodox Judaism. That excludes Reform and Conservatism Judaism and is representative of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and Shas primarily. In general haredi orthodoxy begins to enter into disagreement as you approach Lithuanian Observance – the strictest interpretation. The term christianity – as I use – refers exclusively to the belief that Yeshua is the Son of Adonai as referenced by the matthew quote. The actual term “Christian” and its cognates is used biblically in Acts 11:26 referring to believers in Antioch; in Acts 26:28 by Herod Agrippa to Paul and finally in 1 Peter 4:16. In Acts 24 the Jewish lawyer Tertullus in Acts 24; Tertullian in “Against Marcion” 4:8. Eusebius records Christ called a Nazoraean (which I believe is goyim corruption). Notzrim, occurs in the Babylonian Talmud, and is still the modern Israeli Hebrew term for Christian.
Christian is a derisive term for the followers of Christ who did not accept the divinty of the followers of Rome. The term, which is thought to derive from Antioch, is indicative of their historical penchant for such nicknames. Peter’s endorsement of Christian over Nazarenes in 1 Peter (Christianoi) made it standard for the eraly Church fathers from Ignatius and Polycarp onwards. Josephus also refers to the tribe of Christians as well as Pliny the Younger in private correspondance with Trajan; Tacitus in the Annals also identifies Christians as Nero’s scapegoats for the Gret Fire of Rome.
In regards to Church teachings such as “trinity” this appears to be a goyim term for the description of Adonai as a covenant being based on the gospel references to Yeshua where trinitarian christians interpret Yeshua’s baptism as taking upon himself the sins of all adom as the divine victim, the voice declaring Adonai being the father testifying to Yeshua as His divine Son (i.e. HaShem=divine sonship) and the dove as the Ruach Hakodesh (i.e. Holy Spirit) which rests upon Yeshua (i.e, indicating the fullness of his divinity). The only direct gospel references about Yeshua’s divine nature are the occasions he forbids his 12 apostles from discussing it with anyone (presumably including disciples)until after his crucifixion.
The refernce to not teaching goyim Torah is to be understood as a Mosaic prohibition. Mowrasha implies something being set aside in the same sense as Korban means being set aside for Adonai. Mowrasha is used 203 times in the bible and its Old Testament usage regarding Israel applies specifically to land and Torah. Moshe uses the understanding of the land being set aside for Israel to justify haram warfare. As a Misnagdim I would argue that it was because of Israel’s sin on the plains of Moab. Israel lacked the holiness to convert the goyim and so the ban was introduced to preserve Israel from assimulating. That’s my understanding because I reject the notion of chukkum. Chukkum implies observance for observance’s sake. At its root is the concept that a rational basis is not required for observance. If that is true then it implies that Adonai acted with out (humanly recognizable) thought and that observance therefore is self justifying. The underlying issue becomes whether or not written Torah was given for the benefit of man or for its own good. If the former is true then the human mind has the ability to recognize its purpose and apply it as an instrumentality of man’s divine image. If, however, it is self justifying then Torah becomes incomprehensible and of no use as a guide or way for which it was given. (It can be considered as broken in that context.) Chukkum can therefore only refer to the individual’s limitedness and not to the Torah itself and that Torah is based on humanly understandable and recognizable principals and applications that are given by Adonai to man to preserve and nuture both his image and likeness to Adonai – ergo the way.
Your distinction of written Torah is very important because it represents a reformed understanding of the Ten Commandments “Keep Holy the Lord’s Day” upon which shabbos observance is based. Rabbinical orthodox interpretation (IAW rabbi Eli
Mansour, et al) disagrees with the lenient interpretation. Yeshua, however, teaches ritual Torah observance is subservient to hesed – the third command is given to honor Adonai by creating the desire to be reverent. Chukkum based enforcement therefore discourages the desire to be reverent due to compulsion, ergo “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” because Adonai wants to restore man’s joy in His presence so he may be saved. In that sense historic Judaism is more about hiding from Adonai and less about rejoicing in His presence (due in very large part to the number of deaths Israel occurred from its transgressions in the desert).
I also want to clarify a point in my previous posts that is not mentioned. If you researched my posts on Mosaic observance you will recall that I made mention of Moshe’s purpose to make observance a burden to Israel until it should seek to have Adonai circumcize its heart. Here I quote Yeshua as stating observance is intended to protect and nuture love for Adonai and man. This is a hebraic parallelism in which the former refers to Israel’s uncircumcized heart which makes observance wearisome and burdensome and the latter refers to Israel with a circumcized heart that changes the experience of being observant into a labor of love for Adonai and each other.
Please let me know if you need any other clarifications. My posts are an academic exercise, so I do not intend to offend anyone’s religious beliefs. I am striving to extract the contextual meaning of christianity. I am not offerring a specific religious interpretation, as Dorothy found out when I discussed the christian Rapture with her via email. If what I say is of use then I am happy for you. If what I argue is against someone’s deeply held beliefs about this or that doctrine it is not my intent to proselytize. Sometimes it seems people ignore neutrality and they want someone else to validate their beliefs. That’s not why I am hear. My interest is strictly academic. Some people have objections, for example, to the biblical hebraic notion of inheritance. I didn’t invent hebraic hebrew just as I didn’t write the Torah. English language doesn’t use the term inheritance as justification for going out and killing people but biblical hebrew does (i.e. haram warfare). Today Judaism nolonger embraces the stricter meaning universally. The rabbinical writing HaTorah was almost universally condemned despite its interpretive accuracy. I view this as a type of recognition of my approach to chukkum even if it is not accepted as such.