61 Are we like Jews in bondage to Elohi

Are we like all Jews in Bondage to Elohim?

Christianity often view Jews as strict law abiding people, who have no love for their fellow human beings. Even though we as Nazarene Jews/Israelites believe that we are seen differently from the Jews, because we believe in Yahshua the Messiah, Christianity and others view us in the same light as our Jewish Brothers. Yes, we like our Jewish brothers are not the most favorite people around and most would like us to get rid of the ‘burden’ of Torah. Consequently evil forces were determined to destroy our faith, namely Nazarene Judaism since its inception, and because of ongoing attacks, the movement almost disappeared by the fourth century. But, it never died out as there have always been Torah observant individuals who believed in Yahshua as their Messiah.

The evil forces against Torah observance are the same forces that are against our Jewish brothers, namely Torah-lessness. Torah-lessness and anti-Semitism are at the root of the destruction of any group who ever tried to return to their Hebrew roots. One such group was the World-wide Church of G-d and even though they were never fully Torah observant, the fact that they claimed to be Christian and obedient to the Torah commands regarding Elohim’s weekly and annual Sabbaths, and eating only meat from the kosher animals listed in the Tanach, eventually upset the nominal Christian community who did everything in its power to either destroy or make them conform to their non-Torah point of view. But, the truth of the matter is that I can clearly remember the leader of the WWCG saying to us in Johannesburg during one of his visits in 1977, and I quote: ‘if you call yourself Israel, then you have to become like Israel (meaning the Jews), living like them and keeping the same laws as they do;’ but he added, ‘half of you (meaning his followers) are not getting it!’ Even though we know and believe that we as returning Israelites from the lost ten tribes are not saved by obedience to Torah[1], it is by being law abiding citizens that we and all Jews show our love to our heavenly Father and our neighbors. In a non-religious context; if we do not obey the traffic laws and start skipping traffic lights, we will endanger the lives of our neighbors and their children. In fact it is because we (and all Jews) love our neighbors, that we do not commit adultery; steal our neighbor’s cars or other property; or kill him and his family. In fact, like all Jews, we are obliged to go in defense of a neighbor if his life is endangered by a burglar, or animal.

Many today think or believe that even though Elohim freed the ancient Israelites from bondage in Egypt, He did so, only to enslave them to His harsh rules written by Moses in the Torah once again. Others assume that the Torah was only meant for the united nation of Israel consisting of all twelve tribes and that those who accept Messiah as Savior need not keep the so-called ‘Old Testament’ laws any longer. The question is: what did the original Nazarene Jews teach about the Torah? From about 150 BCE there were three different sects or branches of Judaism; namely the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Essenes, of which the Pharisees were the most numerous. Their name means ‘the separated ones’ and they were scrupulous in observing the written and oral Torah. They taught in synagogues and their beliefs in the resurrection of the dead and the coming of Messiah, influenced the majority of the Jewish nation, to this day. They came into conflict with the Sadducees and were at one stage excluded from the Sanhedrin. After the destruction of the Temple the sacrificial system came to an end, and the Pharisees became the dominant group in the Jewish community. They are in fact the modern day Rabbinic Jews of today. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, and only kept to the written Torah. Their opposition to the oral Torah was the reason for their existence, but the Karaite Jews, who are in fact the modern day successors to the Sadducees, also developed a sizable body of laws outside of Torah, comparable to the Oral Law kept by the Rabbinical Jews. The Essenes was a very basic sect at the end of the second Temple period and their religious outlook was closer to that of the Pharisees. However, they formulated their own specific beliefs and observances which are described in detail in the Dead Sea Scrolls. This sect appears to have been completely destroyed in the Jewish War of 66 – 70 CE. Then during the third decade of the first century CE, Yahshua and His followers established Nazarene Judaism, a sect of the Pharisees, as may be seen from Acts15: 5[2]; 24: 5, 14[3]; and 26: 4 & 5[4]. At that time all these sects of Judaism considered Torah as supreme Law, but they differed in matters of interpretation and living out the Torah. The way in which the different sects of Judaism interpreted the way in which they applied the Torah is known as their specific ‘halacha’. So they basically agreed with the Pharisees in the way they interpreted Torah, but for the fact that they followed Yahshua, who’s ‘halacha’ was stricter in a number of instances, since His main purpose was to bring the lost sheep of the house of Israel, who were scattered abroad because of Idolatry, back to the faith into which He was born, because they were susceptible to Lawlessness.

A point to remember about the way in which we follow Torah, or the ‘halacha’ that we follow, is that a Halachic ruling should never cause a person to violate the Torah. The main reason for setting up ‘halacha’ is to instruct believers how to keep Elohim’s Torah and to judge between people on religious matters. In fact this practice was started by Elohim, when he appointed Moses to judge the people, as we read from Exodus 18: 13 & 16, as follows: ‘And it came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. (16) “When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and make known the statutes of Elohim and His laws.”’ However, later upon the advice of his father-in-law, Moses appointed a council of Elders to assist him in this task, as may be read from Deuteronomy 1: 15 – 18, in this way: “So I (Moses) took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and appointed them heads over you, leaders of thousands, and of hundreds, of fifties and of tens, of officers for your tribes. (16) Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. (17) You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is Elohim’s. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’ (18) And I command you at that time all the things that you should do.” We see here that these Elders or Judges showed the people the way in which to follow Elohim’s Torah; and that their judgments were regarded as the judgment of Elohim Himself.

We see further from Deuteronomy 17: 8 – 12 (and especially verse 11) that the rulings of these judges were regarded as Torah, as follows: “If any case is too difficult for you to decide, between one kind of homicide or another, between one kind of lawsuit or another, and between one kind of assault or another, being cases of dispute in your courts, then you shall arise and go up to the place which YHVH your Elohim chooses. (9) So you shall come to the Levitical priest or the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall inquire of them, and they will declare to you the verdict in the case. (10) And you shall do according to the terms of the verdict which they declare to you from that place which YHVH chooses, and you shall be careful to observe according to all they teach you. (11) According to the terms of the law which they teach you, and according to the verdict which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside from the word which they declare to you, to the right or the left. (12) And the man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve YHVH your Elohim, nor to the judge, that man shall die; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.” Here we have recorded the establishment of the Sanhedrin by Moses – the council of Levitical priests in office, who were responsible to determine the ‘halacha’ or the way in which Israel was supposed to apply the Torah in their daily lives.

The Sanhedrin was in office right up to the time before Judah was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. In Jeremiah 32, YHVH in a prophecy tells Jeremiah that even after the captivity of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, they will return to the land of Israel, and will again sell and buy property in the land. In verses 7 & 8 of Jeremiah 32 YHVH instructs Jeremiah to buy the field of his uncle’s son Hanamel at Anathoth. He pays for the piece of land and had the deed of purchase signed before the Jews who were sitting in the court of the guard (or the Sanhedrin) at that time. We see further from Nehemiah that even though the nation of Judah was taken captive for a period of seventy years, when they returned he was inspired to write in Nehemiah 9: 14, “So Thou didst make known to them Thy Holy (or set-apart) Sabbath, and didst lay down for them commandments, statutes and law, through Thy servant Moses.” This confirms that Judah retained jurisdiction over the ‘halacha’ or way in which Israel should apply Torah in their daily lives. Rav Shaul also corroborates this fact in Romans 9: 3 & 4, as follows: ‘For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Messiah for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh (i.e. the Jews), (4) who are Israelites (yes the Jews are also Israelites), to whom belongs the adoption as sons and the glory (esteem) and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the (timing of) temple service and the promises.’ Not many Nazarene Israelite and like-minded believers are prepared to accept the literal meaning of this Scriptural witness, for reasons that will become apparent later.

But we see from a prophecy in Ezekiel 13: 2 – 9, and specifically in verses 2, 8 & 9 that those of the house of Israel who wants to dictate the way we follow Elohim, will not have a place in the Sanhedrin, in this way: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy from their own inspiration. ‘Listen to the word of YHVH!’ (8) Therefore, thus says YHVH Elohim, ‘Because you have spoken falsehood and seen a lie, therefore behold, I am against you,” declares YHVH Elohim. (9) So My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will have no place in the council of My people, nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, that you may know that I am YHVH Elohim.” We need to be careful not to usurp the authority that YHVH assigned to Judah, or more specifically the Levites, who dwell with Judah at this time. But, we read the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18: 17 - 19, about a time when Yahshua will arrive on the scene, as follows: “And YHVH said to me (Moses), ‘They have spoken well. (18) I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. (19) And it shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.’” Yahshua our Messiah witnessed to these two announcements that YHVH made to Moses; the first being that ‘he shall speak to them all that I command him’, in John 12: 49, as follows: “For I did not speak on my own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment, what to say, and what to speak.” The second witness about (YHVH)’s words to Moses in Deuteronomy 18, is found in John 5: 43, where Yahshua said: “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another should come in his own name, you will receive him.” Yahshua was the only single person who could correct and establish the way in which we as Nazarene Israelites should apply Torah to our daily lives and no one else, whether he considers himself the leader of the Assembly of YHVH in Jerusalem or not.

This brings us to Messiah’s view of Torah in Matthew 5: 17 – 20, in this way: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill (or to make it more binding – as may be read from verses 21 - 48 of Matthew 5). (18) For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. (19) Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (20) For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Yahshua stated that He did not come to do away with the Torah and the Prophets; and contrary to what Christianity deduce from reading verse 17 of Matthew 5, Yahshua confirmed in Matthew 19: 16 – 17, that the Torah of Elohim must be obeyed if we want to have eternal life, in this way: ‘And behold, one came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” (17) And He said to Him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”’ Those who believe that the Torah is no longer binding are those who view obedience to any laws as a form of bondage, be it to their own disadvantage. As mentioned before, Yahshua’s ‘Halacha’ was stricter for returning members of the lost ten tribes, because of their propensity to idolatry.

However, subjection to a set of laws is not in itself a form of bondage, as all the citizens living in a free democratic country are required to live by the laws of the country anyway. In fact, every nation in the free world has laws according to which their countries are administered. South Africa, like the USA, is a nation with a constitution guaranteeing freedom of association to all its citizens. We should also understand that true freedom or liberty is not freedom from law, but freedom within the law, as righteous laws secure our freedom. It is as Rav Yaa’cov wrote in James 1: 22 – 25, saying: ‘But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; (24) for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. (25) But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.’ Rav Yaa’cov referred to Elohim’s commandments as the law of liberty, not slavery. In fact Rav Shaul, who was referred to as the ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, confirmed this in Romans 2: 13, as follows: ‘For not the hearers of the Law are just before Elohim, but the doers of the Law will be justified.’

When YHVH brought Israel out of Egypt, He liberated them, not enslave them. Elohim delivered His people from their cruel task masters and promised them a life of peace in their own country. YHVH gave the Israelites His laws, statutes and judgments which guaranteed their safety, as recorded in Deuteronomy 4: 1, in this way: “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, in order that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which YHVH, the Elohim of your fathers, is giving you.’ When YHVH gave the Law to our forefathers, through Moses, all He wanted from them was obedience, as we read from Jeremiah 7: 22 - 23 as follows: “For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. (23) But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your Elohim, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’” Truth is that we show our heavenly Father that we love Him, by being obedient to His teachings, as we read from 1 John 5: 3, “For this is the love of Elohim, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.”

The reason why Yahshua’s ‘halacha’ was quite narrow compared to that of the scribes and the Pharisees is because the main purpose of ‘halacha’ is to build a fence or boundary around the Torah. For example, the commandments say: ‘You shall not commit adultery.” Orthodox ‘halacha’ holds that: “You shall not be alone with a woman, other than your wife or family member.” In Matthew 5: 28, Yahshua said: “but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Therefore Yahshua’s ‘halacha’ is narrower, acting as a boundary around the Torah commandments of adultery, thus safeguarding believers in Him from breaking it. This is also why Yahshua also said in Matthew 7: 13 & 14, ‘Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. (14) For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.’ Even though Yahshua’s ‘halacha’ was narrower than that of the scribes and the Pharisees, he did not overrule any of their teachings. This is why He said in Matthew 23: 2 & 3, “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; (3) therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them.” The reason for saying this was like us, the Pharisees were only human, and human beings are not always true to their word.

Despite the fact that we as Nazarene believers follow Yahshua’s ‘halacha’, it is important that we nevertheless believe in the writings of Moses or the Torah, as Yahshua said in John 5: 45 – 47, in this way: “Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. (46) For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me. (47) But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” This is in fact one of the most disputed sections of the Scriptures amongst Nazarene Jews/Israelites and likeminded believers these days. The second being, what Rav Shaul wrote in Romans 3: 1 & 2, as follows is: ‘Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? (2) Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of Elohim.’ We know there are some who say that even though this is true, YHVH took the Oracles away from the Jews because of unbelief. But we read from verse 3 & 4 of Romans 3, “What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of Elohim, will it? (4) May it never be! Rather, let Elohim be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written. “THAT THOU MIGHTEST BE JUSTIFIED IN THY WORDS, AND MIGHTEST PREVAIL WHEN THOU ART JUDGED.” Perhaps those who always jump to conclusions should read the rest of the applicable Scriptures, before coming to a final decision. Yahshua’s ‘halacha’ is the only way in which we may become more righteous than the scribes and the Pharisees, and not by showing superiority to them, as Rav Shaul warns in Romans 11: 18, as follows: ‘do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.’ We may try as much as we like there are certain traditions taught by the scribes and the Pharisees that even Yahshua referred to and kept, as we read from Luke 5: 34, as follows: And Yahshua said to them (the scribes and the Pharisees), “You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? Yes, Yahshua was talking about Himself as being the bridegroom, but He was also reminding them of an Oral Torah command that they were familiar with. The point is that Torah requires certain traditions, as not all details of how to obey certain commandments are given in the written Torah. A case in point is that nowhere in the Scriptures are we given the distance that we may travel on a Sabbath day, but in Acts 1: 12, which is very much part of the Renewed Covenant, we read: ‘Then they (the apostles) returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.’

We also read about other traditions which we as Nazarene Israelites believe, as Rav Shaul explained in 1 Corinthians 11, where we are told about the tradition for married ladies to wear head coverings during worship services; as well as our tradition to keep the Passover in remembrance of Messiah’s death, on the night before our Jewish brothers keep their Passover, in verses 23 – 26. Even though these traditions were taught us by Rav Shaul, it is as he said in verse 1 & 2 of 1 Corinthians 11, in this way: ‘Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Messiah. (2) Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.’ Why were the oral traditions written down? After the destruction of the second Temple and the house of Israel became dispersed into the nations, it became necessary to write down oral traditions. However, the house of Israel forgot most of their traditions, their culture and their religion. Most Nazarene Jews/Israelites are aware that we do not eat the sinew of the hip in the thigh of Kosher animals that split the hoof and chew the cud, as we are instructed in Genesis 32: 32, as follows: ‘Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel (both houses) do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip.’ The way to remove the sinew in the hip is not described anywhere in the Torah. So how do ladies know how to perform this fairly difficult task? This is something that we are taught by our forefathers from generation to generation. How many of you are able to recall how your mothers or Grannies removed the sinew from a leg of lamb, prior to cooking it? If you can recall that, you are most probably an Israelite. Even though most modern ladies have forgotten how this was done, it was taught from mother to daughter throughout many generations – probably before the captivity of Israel by the Assyrians in 721 BCE. Because this is a fairly difficult task, Kosher Butchers rarely sell you a leg of lamb or of any other kosher animal.

As Nazarene Israel, we base our Torah walk, on Yahshua our Messiah, whom YHVH sent to be our perfect example. We better make sure that we do what Yahshua taught and not contradict Him by our words or actions, as He explained in Matthew 7: 19 – 27, in this way: “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) So then, you will know them by their fruits. (21) Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Master, Master, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ (23) And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ (24) Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock (meaning Yahshua). (25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the wind blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. (26) And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. (27) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.” This is also what will identify us from the lost ten tribes as Elohim’s people whom Messiah came to reconcile back to both the Father and Brother Judah, as witnessed in Revelation 14: 12, as follows: ‘Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of Elohim and their faith in Yahshua (or as the side note against ‘their’ reads: ‘the faith of’).’ Yahshua was a Jew by birth, so this is telling us that we should not only keep Elohim’s commandments, but that we should follow the faith into which our Master was born. Yahshua was the only one who could correct the ‘halacha’ of the Pharisees for His followers; He came to bring revival of Torah among the faithful remnant of the lost ten tribes, and to restore the oral tradition which was passed down to us by Moses. Yahshua kept all of the Feast Days of Elohim, at the same time as the Jews of His day did. He only changed (or corrected) the timing of the Passover, when He kept it with His disciples, the night during which He was betrayed as mentioned earlier. Once we from the lost ten tribes have returned to the covenant relationship we had with Elohim together with the house of Judah, through Abraham’s one seed, namely Yahshua, we like all Jews become slaves or servants of righteousness as Rav Shaul also witnessed in Romans 6: 16 – 18: ‘Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? (17) But thanks be to Elohim that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, (18) and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.’

The road that we as Nazarene Jews/Israelites walk is a narrow and lonely road, and like with any Jew we do not feel in bondage to Elohim. In fact obeying the Torah is not bondage – it is freedom for us and since Yahshua redeemed us from our past sins, it is the road to eternal life. Baruch HaShem YHVH!

[1] Returnees to YHVH from the lost ten tribes of Israel through Yahshua, have to be immersed in Yahshua’s saving name to give them access to the Set-apart Spirit, providing them with the source of eternal life (as witnessed in Romans 8: 11), which Elohim took away from the house of Israel when He divorced them because of idolatry; whereas Jews who remained observant to Elohim and His Torah acquire the Set-apart Spirit because of obedience (as per Acts 5: 32) and as may be understood from Ezekiel 18: 31 & 32; in this way: “Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares Adonai Elohim. “Therefore, repent and live.”

[2] Acts 15: 5, ‘But certain ones of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed, stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.” If we continue reading the rest of Acts 15, we will see that eventually returning Israelites from the lost ten tribes were and are even now required to be circumcised as they learn to obey the rest of the commandments given in the Torah, as they attend services in the synagogues of the Jews as is confirmed in verse 21 of Acts 15.

[3] Acts 24: 5 & 14: ‘For we have found this man (meaning Rav Shaul) a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the Elohim of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law, and that is writer in the Prophets.”

[4] Acts 26: 4 & 5: “So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem; since they have known about me for a long time previously, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.’