“One who pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.” Proverbs 21:21
My goodness, it has been a long while since I posted an Op! Too much happening in life as of late which has prevented me from putting an Op together but Baruch HaShem, He is seeing my family and I through it all!
I have read several articles coming out of Israel as of late discussing the preparations for Pesach, which is coming up very shortly, as well as the serious efforts at beginning to discuss the rebuilding of the Temple, Baruch HaShem! This of course has once more raise the ire of many in Replacement Theology and the mocking and scoffing against HaShem and His House has commenced once more. Why do I cite this? Because many in Replacement Theology typically run for a few select verses in the Book of Acts to seemingly prove there is a great separation between the Torah of HaShem and what those who are not of Israeli descent are required to do in their religious performance. This typically fuels the mocking and scoffing against HaShem, His Torah and His Temple. How wrong they are!
It is this topic I plan on discussing in this Op in order to show once again there is nothing new under the sun and that what HaShem discussed in the beginning is still very much applicable today. But before we jump into this, always remember the following eternal characteristics of HaShem as they are even more relevant for us today than ever before:
- HaShem never changes per Num 23:19/Mal 3:6/Hebrews 13:8/James 1:17
- His Word is firmly established per Psalm 119:89
- He reveals the end out of the beginning per Is 46:10
- He does nothing without first revealing it to His prophets per Amos 3:7
- He says there is nothing new under the sun per Ecclesiastes 1:9
- He says His Torah is the ONLY truth there is per Psalms 119:142
- He says His Torah is a tree of life and eternal per Proverbs 3:18-19 and Psalm 119:160
- He says His Torah is perfect and restores the soul per Psalm 19:7
- He says His Torah makes the simple one wise per Psalm 19:7
- He says His Torah Is freedom and liberty per Psalm 119:45 and James 1:25
- He says His Torah is the only good doctrine there is Proverbs 4:2
- He says His Torah will add length of days and years of life and peace per Proverbs 3:2
- He says all of the ways of His Torah are ways of pleasantness and peace per Proverbs 3:17
- He says His Torah is for our good and well-being per Deuteronomy 6:24
- He says His Torah is health for our lives per Proverbs 3:8
- He says His Torah is life to our soul and a graceful ornament for our neck per Prov 3:22
- He says His Torah is better than pearls and all desires cannot compare to it per Prov 8:11
- He says those who walk with His Torah are praiseworthy per Psalms 119:1
- He says observing His Torah is how we purify our path per Psalms 119:9
- He says His Torah is better than thousands in gold and silver per Psalms 119:72
- He says His Torah brings abundant peace to those who love Him and His Torah per Psalms 119:165
- He says there is one Torah for all per Exodus 12:49/Leviticus 24:22
- He says those who hate His Torah love death per Proverbs 8:36
- He says His Torah is the way of faith per Psalms 119:29-30
- He says His Torah makes us wiser than our enemies per Psalms 119:98
- He says His Torah is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path per Psalms 119:105
- He says one who finds His Torah has found life per Proverbs 8:35
- He says one who finds His Torah has found favor from HaShem per Proverbs 8:35
Typically, those in Replacement Theology who reject HaShem and His Torah, run to the Book of Acts and cite four prohibitions listed as a proof text the Torah has been nullified and rendered irrelevant. Is there any truth to this? Let’s quickly examine this further to discover if this is the proper context of what is being spoken of.
First off, however, we will read in the Book of Acts about this counsel in Jerusalem. Who is comprising this counsel? It is comprised of every author who contributed to the Apostolic Writings to include all of the Talmidim (Apostles) of Yeshua (Not Jesus)! They were all Torah observant, continued going up to the Temple to bring their korbonot to include Chatat (Sin) korbonot. They were all continuing to keep the Feasts of HaShem as well as meet up in the synagogues on Shabbat to learn Moshe (Torah) and they all continued to eat kosher! They all walked in and lived a life fully dedicated to HaShem and His Torah! Sadly, this has been so watered down and scrubbed over the centuries in the various Replacement Theology translations to the point now the members of this counsel were either rebellious or deeply confused for NOT giving up the Torah. I digress.
Acts 15:19-21 says “Therefore I (Ya’akov/James) judge that we should not trouble those from among the nations (Non-Jews) who are turning to Elohim, but that we write to them to abstain from:
- The defilements of idols
- From whoring
- From what is strangled
- From blood
For from ancient generations Moshe (Torah) has, in every city, those proclaiming him, being read in the congregations every Shabbat.”
What is the context of these verses? If we read earlier in Acts 15 we see there were some folks from Judah who were teaching that the Non-Jews coming to serve HaShem, had to first become circumcised and keep the Torah BEFORE they could be allowed into the covenant. This is something HaShem never once commanded! Even Kepha (Peter) rose up and confronted these folks and said in Acts 15:7-10 “Men, brothers, you know that a good while ago Elohim chose among us, that by my mouth the nations (Non-Jews) should ear the word of the Good News and believe. And Elohim, Who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Set-apart Spirit, as also to us, and made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by belief. Now then, why do you try Elohim by putting a yoke on the neck of the taught ones which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”
So, is the Torah of HaShem the yoke that neither our fathers nor anyone else were able to bear? Emphatically no! The unbearable yoke was teaching the Non-Jews they had to keep the Torah in its fullness BEFORE they could be allowed into the covenant! Remember, how is a person grafted into the covenant? Is it by doing the Torah or is it by faith/belief? Genesis 15:6 is clear, “Abraham BELIEVED and it was accounted to him as righteousness…” Does this somehow render Torah irrelevant? Not a chance! First Abraham believed HaShem i.e. faith, THEN he put that faith into action by walking in the Torah of HaShem as the expression of his faith, not perfectly as that is not possible for us right now. Perhaps it is better said that walking in the Torah of HaShem is an expression of our love, devotion and loyalty unto HaShem! Keep this in mind as we proceed!
Acts 21 we again read about this counsel in Jerusalem in which they tell Shaul (Paul) in verse 25 “But concerning the nations (Non-Jews) who believe, we have written and decided that they should keep themselves from:
- What is offered to idols
- From blood
- From what is strangled
- From whoring”
So, again, we see this counsel put these four prohibitions on the Non-Jews who are coming to HaShem. Are these four prohibitions the only requirements and the rest of the Torah can be ignored? What is their reasoning behind this? Let’s examine these four prohibitions more closely to see if we can answer these questions.
Further, they stated as we read in Acts 15 that the Non-Jews are to embrace these four prohibitions AND THEN they are expected to go to the synagogues each Shabbat to hear Moshe taught i.e. to learn the Torah! Very important to remember this!
The Greek words associated with these four prohibitions gives us some clues:
- Eidolothuton – An image sacrifice, idolatrous offering, thing that is offered in sacrifice to idols.
- Haima – Refers to the seat of life, shed blood, to be shed by violence, slay, murder.
- Pniktos – An animal choked to death (Pagans of that time choked an animal to death and then ate it along with its blood).
- Porneia – Illicit sexual intercourse, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, sex with animals, sex with relatives, worship of idols (Idol worship typically involved deviant sexual practices).
Very interesting. So these four prohibitions for the Non-Jews coming to believe in HaShem are to refrain from idolatry, murder, to only eat kosher and to abstain from any form of sexual deviancy while they are going each week to the synagogues to learn Moshe i.e. the Torah! How much of the Torah do these four prohibitions involve already? Why these specific four prohibitions?
Let’s jump back to Yechezkel (Ezekiel) 33:23-26 which says “The Word of HaShem came to me, saying: ‘Ben Adam! The inhabitants of these ruins upon the ground of Israel speak, saying, ‘Abraham was alone, yet he inherited the land, but we are many, to us the land is given as an inheritance.’ Therefore say to them: ‘Thus says my Master HaShem/Elohim: ‘You eat over the blood, and raise your eyes to your idols and shed blood and yet you inherit the land? You stood upon your sword; you committed abominations; each of you has defiled his neighbors wife, yet you inherit the land?'” What is the significance of these verses? They list out the exact same four prohibitions which Israel violated and as a result HaShem expelled them from the land of Israel!!
- You eat over the blood – Eat strangled animals i.e. eat non kosher
- Raise your eyes to your idols – Idol worship
- Shed blood – Murder
- You has defiled his neighbors wife – Whoring
HaShem then tells Israel in Yechezkel 33:27-29 says “Thus shall you say to them: ‘Thus says my Master HaShem/Elohim: ‘As I live! Surely those that are in the ruins shall fall by the sword; those that are on the face of the field, to the wild beasts I have presented him their food; and those that are in the strongholds and the caves, by the plague they shall die; and I shall make the land a desolate waste, and her prideful power shall cease, and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate without a passerby. Then they shall know that I am HaShem when I make the land a desolate waste because of all the abominations which they committed.'” Very strong warning from HaShem! Keep this in mind!
Now consider what HaShem says in Vayikra (Leviticus) 18:24-30 which says “Do not become contaminated through any of these; for through all of these the nations that I expel before you became contaminated. The Land became contaminated and I recalled its iniquity upon it; and the Land disgorged its inhabitants. But you shall safeguard My decrees and My judgments, and not commit any of these abominations, THE NATIVE OR THE PROSELYTE (NON-JEWS) WHO LIVE AMONG YOU. For the inhabitants of the Land who are before you committed all these abominations, and the Land became contaminated. Let not the Land disgorge you for having contaminated it, as it disgorged the nation that was before you. For if anyone commits any of these abominations, the people doing so will be cut off from their people.'” What are the abominations HaShem is discussing here?
- Vayikra 17:10-16 – Prohibition against eating blood i.e. only eat kosher
- Vayikra 18:6-23 – Forbidden relationships
- Vayikra 18:21 – Prohibition of idolatry
- Shemot 20:13 – Prohibition to murder
Very interesting the Counsel in Jerusalem chose these four prohibitions to impose on the incoming Non-Jews because here in Vayikra 18, HaShem very clearly says they apply equally to both the Native and the Non-Jews who live in the Land! And why? Because, the Land of Israel has a level of holiness (Kedusha) associated with it and it will not tolerate contamination and thus the nations who live in the Land, when they have reached the pinnacle of contamination, then HaShem expels them and another nation moves in. This applies to everyone in the world, which is why it was so monumental in 1948 when Israel was re-established as a nation followed by 1967 when all of Jerusalem was captured and under the control of Israel.
HaShem commands in Vayikra 18:30 which says “You shall safeguard My charge not to do any of the abominable traditions that were done before you and not contaminate yourselves through them; I am HaShem, your Elohim.”
So what is the point for all this? The Counsel in Jerusalem obviously knew the ramifications for not walking in the Torah and therefore imposed these four prohibitions on the incoming Non-Jews as they begin their journey to learn and walk in the Torah, in order to prevent being disgorged from the Land. They knew the Torah is for ALL of mankind hence Shemot (Exodus) 12:49 “There is ONE Torah for both the Native and the Proselyte (Non-Jew)…” Point is, this abominable doctrine that says the Torah is done away with, replaced by grace, and now the epitome of bondage, death and destruction, as Replacement Theology teaches, is again exposed for being what it is…a tool of the Adversary in his attempt to keep the Land of Israel from being inhabited by HaShem’s people, comprised of both the Native and the Proselytes (Non-Jews)…one people Whom He calls…ISRAEL! I digress.
Consider what the following says from Tractate Shabbos 33a from the Talmud Bavli:
Due to the sin of bloodshed (Murder), the Holy Temple is destroyed, and the Divine Presence leaves Israel, as it says: So you shall not pollute the land wherein you are; for blood, it pollutes the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. And you shall not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the children of Israel” (Numbers 35:33–34). However, if you defile the land, you will not inhabit it, and I will not dwell in it.
Due to the sin of prohibited sexual relations, and idol worship, and failure to let the land lie fallow during the Sabbatical and Jubilee Years, exile comes to the world and they exile the Jewish people from their land, and others come and settle in their place. As it is stated with regard to illicit sexual relations: “For all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you, and the land is defiled; that the land expel not you also, when you defile it, as it expelled the nation that was before you” (Leviticus 18:27–28). And it is written: “And the land was defiled, therefore I did visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land expelled her inhabitants” (Leviticus 18:25). And it is written: “That the land expel not you also, when you defile it, as it expelled the nation that was before you.”
And with regard to idol worship it is written: “And I will cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols” (Leviticus 26:30). And it is written: “And I will bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors” (Leviticus 26:31). “And you will I scatter among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you; and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste” (Leviticus 26:33).
In my opinion, this shows why the world is currently in the psychotic mess it is in today as the world is fully embracing the debauchery, filth, wickedness and everything HaShem said NOT to do. Sadly, Replacement Theology, whether they know it or not, tacitly encourages this behavior because of their vehement anti-Torah doctrine which teaches and encourages lawlessness i.e. without the Torah. As the lawlessness (Without the Torah) increases, so to does the violence, immorality, debauchery and every other form of wickedness. No wonder the Adversary is so enraged with those who have the testimony of Yeshua (Not Jesus) AND keep the Torah per Revelation 12:17!
In summary, this Op is my feeble attempt to once more show the Torah hating doctrine of Replacement Theology is exposed for the fraud it is and HaShem is completely consistent from beginning to end, sending a Messiah Who is completely obedient and submissive to HaShem, changing nothing! Now more than ever in this utterly wicked and abominable world we need HaShem’s consistency!
All I can keep saying is, ‘May it be so VERY, VERY soon in our days!’
Much to consider.
Shabbat Shalom!
SOURCE MATERIALS
- The Scriptures by the Institute for Scripture Research
- The Milstein Edition of the Chumash with the Teachings of the Talmud by Artscroll
- Yechezkel by Artscroll Tanach Series
- Mishlei (Proverbs) by Artscroll
- Tractate Shabbos by Steinsaltz Talmud Bavli