ואתם תהיו לי – '’and you shall become for me…’’ just as we are ‘’becoming’’ the righteousness of Elohim through Messiah Yahshua – 2 Cor 5:21 – we are also been prepared to become a nation of priests unto YHVH. This Torah portion holds the ‘’key’’ of us becoming …..
Exo 19:6 ‘and you shall be to Me - ואתם תהיו לי- a reign of priests and a set-apart nation.’ Those are the words which you are to speak to the children of Yisra’ěl.”
‘’Until Heaven and earth will pass away’’ not one of these words will ‘’pass away’’ – Mat 5:17-19
Exo 19:7 And Mosheh came and called for the elders of
the people, and set before them all these words which יהוה commanded him.
Exo
19:8 And all the people answered
together and said, “All that יהוה
has spoken we shall do.” So Mosheh brought back the words of the people to יהוה. (a ‘’marriage proposal’’
made and accepted)
Exo 19:9 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “See, I am coming to you in the thick cloud, so that the people hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” And Mosheh reported the words of the people to יהוה.
This ‘’thick cloud’’ could be a reference to the marriage ‘’chuppah’’ or
canopy. YHVH, today, is still calling a
people to become a priesthood through a ‘’marriage covenant’’ His Torah or
‘’ketubah’’ for ever and ever. YHVH will not change His Mind on this issue - Mal
3:6 “For I am יהוה, I shall not change,[a] and you, O sons of Ya‛aqoḇ, shall not come
to an end. Footnote: a Jas_1:17.
Exo
19:10 And יהוה
said to Mosheh, “Go to the people and set them apart today and tomorrow. And
they shall wash their garments,
Exo 19:11 and shall be prepared by the third day. For on the third day יהוה shall come down upon Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people.
Today, some Hebrew minded couples prefer getting married on the ‘’third day’’ of the week. Why?
Exo
19:12 “And you shall make a border for
the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up
to the mountain or touch the border of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall
certainly be put to death. (Any unwelcome interference to this ‘’marriage’’
will be destroyed)
Exo 19:13 ‘Not a hand is to touch it, but he shall certainly be stoned or shot with an arrow, whether man or beast, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, let them come near the mountain.”
Exo 19:14 And Mosheh came down from the mountain to the
people and set the people apart, and they washed their garments.
Exo 19:15 And he said to the people, “Be prepared by
the third day. Do not come near a wife.”
Exo 19:16 And it came to be, on the third day in
the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the
mountain. And the sound of the ram’s horn was very loud, and all the people who
were in the camp trembled.
Exo 19:17 And Mosheh brought the people out of the camp
to meet with Elohim, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
Exo 19:18 And Mount Sinai was in smoke, all of it,
because יהוה
descended upon it in fire. And its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace,
and all the mountain trembled exceedingly.
Exo 19:19 And when the blast of the ram’s horn sounded long and became louder and louder, Mosheh spoke, and Elohim answered him by voice.
Exo 19:20 And יהוה
came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And יהוה called Mosheh to the top of
the mountain, and Mosheh went up.
Exo
19:21 And יהוה
said to Mosheh, “Go down, and warn the people, lest they break through
unto יהוה to
see, and many of them fall.
Exo
19:22 “And let the priests who come near
יהוה set themselves apart too,
lest יהוה
break out against them.”
Exo
19:23 And Mosheh said to יהוה, “The people are not able to
come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us, saying, ‘Make a border around the
mountain and set it apart.’ ”
Exo
19:24 And יהוה
said to him, “Come, go down and then come up, you and Aharon with you. But do
not let the priests and the people break through to come up to יהוה, lest He break out against
them.”
Exo 19:25 And Mosheh went down to the people and spoke to them.
The writer to the book of Hebrew explains the Sinai events in terms of the ‘’renewed covenant’’
Heb 12:18 For you have not drawn near to a
mountain touched and scorched with fire, and to blackness, and darkness and
storm,
Heb 12:19 and a sound of a trumpet, and a
voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that no further Word should
be spoken to them,[c]
Footnote: cSee Exo_20:19.
Heb 12:20 for they could not bear what was
commanded, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot
through with an arrow.” Exo_19:12.
Heb 12:21 And so fearsome was the sight that
Mosheh said, “I exceedingly fear and tremble.” Deu_9:19.
Heb 12:22 But you have drawn near to Mount
Tsiyon and to the city of the living Elohim, to the heavenly Yerushalayim, to
myriads of messengers,
Heb 12:23 to the entire gathering and assembly
of the first-born (Israel first born – Ex 4:22) having
been enrolled in heaven, and to Elohim the Judge of all, and to the spirits of
righteous men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 and to יהושע the Mediator[d] of a new covenant, and to the blood of
sprinkling which speaks better than the blood of Heḇel. Footnote: dSee Heb_8:6.
Heb 12:25 Take heed not to refuse the One
speaking. For if those did not escape who refused the warning on earth, much
less we who turn away from Him from heaven,
Heb 12:26 whose voice shook the earth then,
but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth,
but also the heaven.” Hag_2:6.
Heb 12:27 And this, “Yet once more,” makes
clear the removal of what is shaken – as having been made – so that the
unshaken matters might remain.
Heb 12:28 Therefore, receiving an unshakeable
reign, let us hold the favour, through which we serve Elohim pleasingly with
reverence and awe,
Heb 12:29 for indeed, our Elohim is a consuming fire. Deu_4:24.
Quote
from ‘’The Normal Christian Life’’ by Watchman Nee:
‘’The law (Torah) requires much but offers no help in carrying out its requirements. The Lord Jesus requires just as much, yea even more – Mat 5:21-40. But what He requires from us. He Himself carries out in us. The law (Torah) makes demands and leaves us helpless to fulfil them: Christ makes demands (higher demands) but He Himself fulfills in us the very demand He makes.’’
Joh 3:36 “He who believes in the Son possesses
everlasting life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the
wrath of Elohim remains on him.”
Below is a fascinating documentary about mount Sinai in Saudi Arabia:
http://www.arkdiscovery.com/mt__sinai_found.htm
Exo 20:1 And Elohim spoke all these Words, saying,
Exo 20:2 “I am יהוה
your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, out of the house of
slavery.
Exo
20:3 “You have no other mighty ones
against(Heb ‘’al’’- pre-eminence, in addition to) My face.
Exo
20:4 “You do not make for yourself a
carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which
is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth,
Exo
20:5 you do not bow down to them nor
serve them. For I, יהוה your
Elohim am a jealous Ěl, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children
to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
Exo 20:6 but showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands.
We are
not to create any kind of distraction that would hinder us from sincere and
complete devotion to YHVH and His Covenant with us.
There are believers who believe that generational curses need to be broken over families – this is true, however if anyone believes a generational curse can be broken and then continue to live in disobedience to YHVH’s Torah – they are deceiving themselves.
Exo 20:7 “You
do not bring1 the Name of יהוה
your Elohim to naught, for יהוה
does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught. Footnote: 1Or
lift up, or take.
Exo 20:8
“Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart.
Exo 20:9 “Six
days you labour, and shall do all your work,
Exo 20:10 but
the seventh day is a Sabbath1 of יהוה
your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor
your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger
who is within your gates. Footnote: 1There are other Sabbaths, but
this is the weekly Sabbath.
Exo 20:11
“For in six days יהוה
made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested
the seventh day. Therefore יהוה
blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.
Exo 20:12
“Respect your father and your mother, so that your days are prolonged
upon the soil which יהוה
your Elohim is giving you.
Exo 20:13
“You do not murder.
Exo 20:14
“You do not commit adultery.
Exo 20:15
“You do not steal.
Exo 20:16
“You do not bear false witness against your neighbour.
Exo 20:17
“You do not covet your neighbour’s house, you do not covet your
neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor
his donkey, or whatever belongs to your neighbour.”
Exo
20:18 And all the people saw the
thunders, the lightning flashes, the sound of the ram’s horn, and the mountain
smoking. And the people saw it, and they trembled and stood at a distance,
Hebrew says “ve kol ha am Rahim et ha kolot”
means and the people SAW the voices.
How do you see a voice? The Torah was not meant
just to be heard but also SEEN.
Maybe this also refers to the time when Ruach
was poured out like tongues of fire on the people at Mnt Tsion (Act 2:3
And there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and settled on each one
of them. Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Set-apart Spirit
and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them to speak.) We must remember that the giving of the Torah and Shavuot (Pentecost)
are on the same Appointed Time called Shavuot. One happened at Mnt Sinai when
they received the Ten Words and there were also lightning flashes etc and the
outpouring of the Ruach happened on Mnt Tzion on the Shavuot after Yahshua’s
death, resurrection and ascension when the Set Apart Spirit of YHVH was poured
out as Yahshua promised.
The Set Apart Spirit of YHVH was working
through YHVH’s people in certain ways and times through the Tenach period but
on the Shavuot as described in Acts 2 the Ruach was poured out in a special way
to all believers.
Exo
20:19 and said to Mosheh, “You speak
with us and we hear, but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.” (Israel
recognizes its need for a Mediator)
Exo
20:20 And Mosheh said to the people, “Do
not fear, for Elohim has come to prove you, and in order that His fear be
before you, so that you do not sin.”
Exo
20:21 So the people stood at a distance,
but Mosheh drew near the thick darkness where Elohim was.
Exo
20:22 And יהוה
said to Mosheh, “Say this to the children of Yisra’ĕl: ‘You yourselves have
seen that I have spoken to you from the heavens.
Exo 20:23 ‘You do not make besides Me mighty ones of silver, and you do not make mighty ones of gold for yourselves.
While
YHVH is speaking to Moshe, Israel is busy making the ‘’golden calf’’
Is it
possible that today Christians have made a ‘’golden calf’’ out of ‘’Jesus’’?
Salvation was and always will be through YHVH’s Desire and Power and Yahshua was and always will be the first One who was able to submit himself to carry out YHVH’s Desire.
Aseret Ha Divarot - The Ten Sayings.
The first saying is
the cornerstone and foundation of all YHVH’s Messianic redemptive revelation to
mankind. The truth in this first saying is so important that if we don’t get it
right everything else, we believe will stand on a shaky spiritual foundation.
Isa 45:5 ‘I am יהוה,
and there is none else – there is no Elohim besides Me. I gird you, though you
have not known Me, Isa 43:11 “I, I am יהוה,
and besides Me there is no saviour.
Col 1:14 in whom we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of sins,
Col 1:15 who is the likeness of the invisible Elohim,
the first-born of all creation.1 Footnote: 1Heb. 1:6,
Rev. 3:14.
Col 1:16 Because in Him were created all that are in
the heavens and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or
rulerships or principalities or authorities – all have been created through Him
and for Him. (not ‘’by him’’ as some translations incorrectly add)
Col 1:17 And He is before all, and in Him all hold
together.
Col 1:18 And He is the Head of the body, the assembly,
who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that He might become the
One who is first in all.
Col 1:19 Because in Him all the completeness was well pleased to dwell,
The first saying
explicitly states that YHVH and YHVH alone is the One who has the power and
ability to delivers us from darkness and bondage. We know now that Yahshua was
the only one who was able to carry out YHVH’S plan of salvation for our sakes.
Now there are ten
sayings and two tablets. In Hebraic thinking that which is heavenly appears on
the right-hand side and that which is meant to be the earthly expression of
that which is heavenly appears on the left-hand side.
Let us consider the ‘first
saying’ that appears on the right-hand tablet: ‘saying number one’ – see
20:2 What is the corresponding saying on the left hand tablet? It is the sixth
saying. “You shall not murder” - Ex 20:13
When we compare the
first saying with the sixth saying we conclude that when you believe or
proclaim that there is anyone besides YHVH who is powerful and perfect enough
to deliver us from all forms of bondage we are as good as murderers to
misrepresent and hide this truth.
Yahshua clearly stated
that he only did those things that his Father YHVH revealed to him.
Joh 5:30 “Of Myself I am unable to do any matter.
As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own
desire, but the desire of the Father who sent Me.
2. The ‘second
saying’ is that we must not come to have any other mighty one before His
face. This includes ‘’Jesus’’
Joh 4:23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the
true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father
also does seek such to worship Him.
The transgression of
this saying brings destruction upon generations of people. Why does it mention
three to four generations? I believe it is possible that it takes at least
three to four generations of our fathers returning to the Torah and ways of
YHVH before we have a chance of coming out from under the curse of this
idolatry. I also believe that in the past century there has been a faithful
remnant who has laid a foundation for our restoration.
If we compare the
second saying to the seventh saying, we find that misrepresenting YHVH is like
committing adultery – Ex 20:14
3. The ‘third
saying’ is that we must not make the name of YHVH futile. The Hebrew word
for “futile” can also mean emptiness, vanity and falsehood.
Perhaps YHVH is not as
concerned with the exact spelling and pronunciation of His Name as many seem to
suggest. As Yahshua revealed YHVH’s Name to His disciples, he too will reveal
YHVH’s Name to his followers before he returns- Joh 17:6 “I have revealed
Your Name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours, and
You gave them to Me, and they have guarded Your Word.[a] Footnote: aAlso see Psa_138:2.
Psa
138:2 I bow
myself toward Your set-apart Hěḵal,(that’s where He has chosen His Name to dwell) And give thanks to Your Name For Your
loving-commitment and for Your truth; For You have made great Your Word, Your
Name, above all. (Often
translated as ‘’ exalted Your Word above your Name)
The
evidence that we ‘’know’’ His Name is when we are able to worship Him in Spirit
and in truth - Joh
4:23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall
worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also does seek such to
worship Him. Joh 4:24 “Elohim is Spirit, and those who worship Him
need to worship in spirit and truth.”
This is one
of the reasons why much of our modern-day worship is unacceptable to YHVH – it
is carnal and untruthful – one of the evidences of this is how ‘’easily’’ we
come before YHVH to worship Him yet there are people around us who have
legitimate unresolved grievances against us about who we are and what we have
done to them and others. - Mat 5:21 “You heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You
shall not murder,’ Exo_20:13, Deu_5:17. and whoever murders
shall be liable to judgment. Mat 5:22 “But I say to you that whoever
is wroth with his brother without a cause shall be liable to judgment. And
whoever says to his brother, ‘Raka!’ shall be liable to the Sanhedrin. But
whoever says, ‘You fool!’
( נבל יקרא לו הוא מחיב) or (consistently trying to diminish another
person’s self -worth)shall
be liable to fire of GěHinnom. Mat 5:23 “If, then, you bring your
gift to the slaughter-place, and there remember that your brother holds
whatever against you, Mat 5:24 leave your gift there before the
slaughter-place, and go, first make peace with your brother, and then come and
offer your gift. Mat 5:25 “Be well-minded with your opponent,
promptly, while you are on the way with him, lest your opponent deliver you to
the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into
prison. Mat 5:26 “Truly, I say to you, you shall by no means get out
of there till you have paid the last penny.
That is why the third
saying is compared to the eighth saying – you shall not steal- Ex 20:15 It is
all about the worst identity theft imaginable. To steal His Esteem and to steal
someone’s self-worth.
If the Word of YHVH we
study and embrace does not expose us to the ‘’bone’’ we are wasting our time
and playing hypocrital spiritual games - Heb 4:12 For the Word of Elohim is
living, and working, and sharper than any two-edged sword, cutting through even
to the dividing of being and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and able to
judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Heb 4:13 And there
is no creature hidden from His sight, but all are naked and laid bare before
the eyes of Him with whom is our account.
4. The ‘fourth
saying’ commands us to keep the Sabbath. This is compared to the ninth
saying which says we are not to be false witnesses. I believe those who refuse
to honour the Sabbath as YHVH has commanded are false witness of his truth and
of who He really is and who we are called to be.
5. The ‘fifth saying’
is that we must honour our parents. It is easier to understand this command
when we understand what a Hebrew parent was called to be. The Hebrew parent was
to first provide a sound Torah foundation for their children (see the full
shema – Deut 6). Then the parents were to provide education and training in a
life skill. The parents were also responsible for providing marriage partners
for their children.
So, if your parents
did their duty then you would not break the tenth commandment - Exo 20:17 “You do not covet your
neighbour’s house, you do not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male
servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, or whatever
belongs to your neighbour.”
Isa
61:6 But you shall be called, ‘Priests of יהוה,’ ‘Servants of our Elohim’ shall be said
of you. You shall consume the strength of the nations, and boast in their
esteem. Isa 61:7 Instead of your shame and reproach, they rejoice a
second time in their portion. Therefore they take possession a second time in
their land, everlasting joy is theirs. Isa 61:8 “For I, יהוה,
love right-ruling; I hate robbery for ascending offering. And I shall give
their reward in truth, and make an everlasting covenant with them. Isa
61:9 “And their seed shall be known among the nations, and their
offspring in the midst of the peoples. All who see them shall acknowledge them,
that they are the seed יהוה has blessed.”
Isa
61:10 I greatly rejoice in יהוה, my being exults in my Elohim. For He has
put garments of deliverance on me, He has covered me with the robe of
righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride
adorns herself with her jewels. Isa 61:11 For as the earth brings
forth its bud, as the garden causes the seed to shoot up, so the Master יהוה
causes righteousness and praise to shoot up before all the nations! Isa
62:4 No longer are you called “Forsaken,” and no longer is your land
called “Deserted.” But you shall be called “Ḥephtsiḇah,” and your land
“Married,” for יהוה shall delight in you, and your land be married.
Blessed are you YHVH,
our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and
have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of
the Torah – Amein.
