12 Blind leading the blind | nazareneisrael2house

Blind leading the blind.

When some read Yahshua’s words to the Pharisees in Matthew 15: 14, namely: “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit”, they often interpret it as being a reproof upon their Torah knowledge. However, this short teaching explains that Yahshua was not concerned with their lack of knowledge of Torah and its observance, but instead He was addressing their lack of mercy and the ethical aspects of the Torah, as may be understood from verses 1 – 9 of Matthew 15, as follows: ‘Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Yahshua from Jerusalem, saying, (2) “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” (3) And He answered and said to them, “And why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of Elohim for the sake of your tradition? (4) For Elohim said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, LET HIM BE PUT TO DEATH.’ (5) But you say, ‘Whoever shall say to his father or mother, “Anything of mine you might have been helped by has been given to Elohim,” (6) he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And thus you invalidated the word of Elohim for the sake of your tradition. (7) ‘You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, (8) ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. (9) BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’” They had taken hold of Torah, but failed to practice the spiritual aspects of love and mercy in their Torah walk.

When YHVH created Adam and Eve in His image, evil existed outside of mankind, since it was foreign to the true nature and image of Elohim. Adam and Eve’s hearts and minds were in perfect unity with Elohim, and they did not have the knowledge of good and evil. However, this total integration came to an end as a result of the fall of mankind, when Eve took of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and gave to her husband Adam, and he also ate. This shattered the image of Elohim within the human mind and soul and it became in need of rectification or ‘tikkun’. After Noah’s flood to rid the world of all rebellious people, YHVH Elohim who knows the end from the beginning, started over a third time with one man named Abram, when mankind rebelled once again by building a tower whose top was to reach into heaven as per Satan’s example mentioned in Isaiah 14: 12 – 14, to make for themselves a name (to worship), and He scattered mankind abroad over the face of the earth. Similar to those of us whom YHVH is calling out of the world today, YHVH called Abram to leave his country, family and his father’s house to go to a land which He promised to his children through Isaac and then Jacob as their eternal inheritance, provided they obeyed Him and as a sign of the covenant between them, circumcise their male children at age eight days old. A second part of the promise was that YHVH would bring the children of Israel, who would later be scattered into the world because of idolatry, back to the covenant relationship He made with them together with the house of Judah at Mount Sinai, through Abraham’s one seed, namely Yahshua, through whom He would also eventually save all mankind, after the second resurrection. Even though Yahshua the word of YHVH or the image of Elohim came to earth the first time specifically to bring the lost sheep of the house of Israel back to the faith into which He was born – which is essentially a covenant relationship with Elohim, His death on the impalement stake atoned for both houses as prophesied by the high priest Caiaphas before Messiah’s death in John 11: 49 – 52, as follows: ‘But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, (50) nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” (51) Now this he did not say on his own initiative; but being the high priest that year, he prophesied that Yahshua was going to die for the nation (of Judah), (52) and not for the nation only, but that He might also gather together into one the children of Elohim who are scattered abroad (namely the lost sheep of the house of Israel).’

The house of Judah has ever since their return from captivity in Babylon about 2,500 years ago, believed in a Messiah who is coming to rule the commonwealth of Israel consisting of both the house of Israel and the house of Judah, after bringing both houses together at His coming. As explained in Romans 11 and especially in verses 25 – 29, YHVH has purposefully hidden the identity of Yahshua the Messiah from the house of Judah, so as to allow a predetermined number of those from the lost sheep of the house of Israel whom he is busy calling from the churches of the world (who used to believe they are mere Gentiles, plus some real Gentiles), to be reconciled to Him through Yahshua, as follows: ‘For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to (Jewish) Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; (26) and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.” (27) “AND THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” (28) From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of Elohim’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; (29) for the gifs and the calling of Elohim are irrevocable.’ Because the house of Judah remained Torah observant, they know what sin is, and are forgiven their transgressions if they repent and return to obeying Elohim and His teachings once again as is confirmed in Ezekiel 18 and especially in verse 23, in this way: “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares YHVH Elohim, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live (eternally)?” This was also confirmed by Yahshua when a Jewish man asked Him what he must do to inherit eternal life in Matthew 19: 16, Yahshua answered him in verse 17, saying: “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.” However, for those of us coming from the lost ten tribes who used to believe that we were Gentiles, and who have forgotten what sin was, because of our disregard of Torah at the time, the only way we can obtain eternal life, is to return to YHVH through Yahshua by being immersed into His saving name, as Rav Kepha explained in Acts 2: 36 – 39: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that Elohim has made Him both Master and Messiah—this Yahshua whom you crucified.” (37) Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Kepha and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” (38) And Kepha said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Set-apart Spirit. (39) For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off[1], as many as YHVH our Elohim shall call to Himself[2].” We from the house of Israel only receive the Set-apart Spirit after immersion and the laying-on of hands of a teaching elder in Elohim’s congregation of called out believers, whereas those from the house of Judah obtain it by being obedient to YHVH, as is confirmed in Acts 5: 32, as follows: “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Set-apart Spirit, whom Elohim has given to those who obey Him.”

All of mankind is in need of repair spiritually, physically and even psychologically due to the fall of man. But, as explained here Jews and those from the house of Israel have different ways to do so. In support of this we read from Hebrews 9: 13 & 14: ‘For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, (14) how much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to Elohim, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim?’ This is telling us that the sacrifices that the Levites used to make for the forgiveness of sin, did cleanse the sinners, but also tell us that because we have forgotten what sin is, we require a much better sacrifice to ensure our forgiveness of sin, namely the blood of Messiah. Even so, you might add that Jews do not offer sacrifices for sin since the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. Nevertheless we read from Jeremiah 7: 22 & 23: “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.’ We also read the current belief of our Jewish Brothers regarding sin, as defined by the Chabad-Lubavitch organization, as follows: ‘Sin in four dimension’ ‘The Midrash recounts the following dialogue on the significance of sin:

Wisdom was asked: What is the fate of the transgressor? Wisdom replied: Evil pursues iniquity (Proverbs 13:21).
Prophecy was asked: What is the fate of the transgressor? Prophesy replied: The soul that sins, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:20).
The Torah was asked: What is the fate of the transgressor? Torah replied: He shall bring a guilt-offering, and it shall atone for him (Leviticus, ch. 5).
Elohim was asked: What is the fate of the transgressor? Elohim replied: He shall do teshuvah, and it shall atone for him.

This confirms what we’ve read from Ezekiel 18: 23 and Acts 5: 32 quoted earlier.

Since I am a teacher in the house of Israel, I will from this point on, only discuss the way to reconcile us back to Elohim. Even though Messiah spoke to some Pharisees in the opening statement in Matthew 15: 14, we need to remember that He was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (as He also confirmed in verse 24 of Matthew 15[3]), and that the writings of the ‘Renewed Covenant’ was not aimed at the house of Judah at all and even though Yahshua spoke to the Jews here, the lesson is aimed at us who were taught the doctrines and precepts of men by the religions where we come from, like Xmas, Easter, Sunday worship and the like, teachers who were totally oblivious of what Elohim required of us in His Torah teachings. As a result we have cursed ourselves and our children by our disobedience, in accordance with what YHVH promised in Exodus 20: 5, saying: “You shall not worship them or serve them (talking about idols); for I, YHVH your Elohim, am a jealous Elohim, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me.” We from the lost sheep of the house of Israel need to understand that everything Yahshua spoke about in the ‘Renewed Covenant’ was directed at us, else we will miss most of what He was attempting to teach us. We need to understand that even though Messiah came to bring us from the lost sheep of the house of Israel who were scattered into the world, back to the Father as well as to Brother Judah, the people amongst whom He lived was mostly from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi, otherwise known as the house of Judah, since the house of Israel was already scattered into the world more than 700 hundred years before. He therefore used conversations with them purely to serve as examples to us.

We need to understand that healing of the individual means healing of the inner self. If we are made whole on the inside, then we can also be fulfilled on the outside. Even though we may know Messiah, this healing (or ‘tikkun’) requires some effort on our part to achieve. Rav Shaul called it, ‘renewing the mind’ in Romans 12: 2, saying: ‘And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of Elohim is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.’ But, very few people are willing to make the effort to take the time to achieve this renewal. We will make every effort to heal the body of diseases, but will not endure the inconvenience of achieving the renewal of our minds. This renewal requires us to regain the unity within our souls and spirits (or minds) through the Set-apart Spirit which we lost when we were divorced from Elohim, because of idolatry. We need to truly get to know Messiah in order to know what is deadly and can damage the Spirit given us when we were immersed in His name. Many still suffer from deadened emotions as a lack of self-worth and a lack of inner peace. They continue to live in exile from their own true self. The sad thing is that very few have the insight to know that something is wrong within themselves and that this inner pain can only be healed by inner healing. We need to understand that Messiah came that we might have life and experience it more fully, but so few are experiencing this abundant life in their daily lives.

Torah puts great emphasis on character development (middot) – on people becoming better people. This is called ‘tikkun middot’ (correcting our character). Torah also lays down certain moral laws. Inside of each one of us we have a good and a bad inclination. The good nature continuously advises us to do and act in the proper manner, according to Elohim’s teachings. But, the bad inclination inspired by Satan’s constant broadcasting, challenges the good and tries to get us to sin. There is a constant battle between the two, but with Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit guiding us and our own will power the good can win, resulting in an improved character. In becoming constantly aware that we should improve and build a character like that of Messiah – meaning we should conform to the image of Elohim’s Son, it is in the observance of ethical behavior that rectifies the soul (life) and spirit (mind). Middot actually means more than character development; it also includes discipline, honor and doing the right thing. Doing what is in accordance with the teachings of Elohim builds inner strength and character. This is why Elohim allows trials and tribulations into our lives. These tests build inner character and help to perfect our faith (or emunah), as Rav Yaa’cov wrote in James 1: 2 – 4, saying: ‘Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (4) And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.’ Rav Kepha wrote about the same in 1 Peter 1: 6 & 7, saying: ‘In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, (7) that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Yahshua Messiah.’

If Nazarene Israelites truly obey Torah, then why do they struggle within their personal lives and so many have been distressed by various temptations? Those teaching our people can no longer ignore this problem. What is the real cause of moral decay among the Nazarenes? The problem lies in the education of congregations. There has been an over emphasis on the search for knowledge at the expense of an embracing by the whole heart (or belief system) of the Torah teachings as a means of character building. Many spend hours searching for knowledge, but do not grasp the lessons of morality, discipline, honor, respect and character building. Why are we failing? Because teachers neglect to teach their congregants/students the moral, ethical and character building lessons within the Torah and teachers by example do not always live out the Torah. Rav Shaul wrote about this problem in Romans 2: 19 – 23, saying: ‘And are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, (20) a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, (21) you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal? (22) You say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? (23) You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor Elohim? Rav Kepha tells us how to conduct ourselves to make sure we do what is right in 2 Peter 1: 4 – 9, saying: ‘For by these He has granted us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. (5) Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in you moral excellence, knowledge; (6) and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; (7) and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. (8) For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Master Yahshua Messiah. (9) For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from former sins.’

Our heads might be full of knowledge but our hearts are far away as we imitate our Gentile friends and neighbors. Only when our hearts no longer have a desire for the ways of the Gentiles, will we become immune to their influence, as Yahshua told His disciples in Luke 21: 34 - 36, saying: “Be on guard, that your hearts may not be weighted down with dissipation (unrighteousness) and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day come on you suddenly like a trap; (35) for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. (36) But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Teachers should prepare their congregants to stand against temptations and teach them Scriptural ethics. We need to teach the commands to refrain from harming one’s fellow man and to avoid doing evil to the weak and fatherless, and teach the things fundamental to Scriptural ethics. Most of the ethical commands specified in the Scriptures belong in this category, namely: do justice; avoid bribery, robbery and oppression; defend the widow and the orphan; be compassionate to those who work for us; and the prohibition of gossip. Added to this are the commandments to sustain the poor, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. The logical conclusion of this is that man is obliged to suppress his desires and feed even his enemy. Scriptural ethics, which cautions man to love and respect his fellow man, reaches its highest level in the commandment in Leviticus 19: 17 & 18, in this way: “You shall not hate your fellow countryman (or kinsman) in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. (18) You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am YHVH.” The main aim of this commandment, as of others, is the avoidance of unfounded hatred which destroys the life of society or a community. The general trend of social ethics was summed up by the prophet Amos in Amos 5: 15, when he said: ‘Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate! Perhaps YHVH Elohim of hosts may be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.’ The prophet Micah similarly summed up the duty of man in Micah 6: 8, saying: ‘He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does YHVH require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your Elohim?’

What I said up to now applies only to social ethics, since the Scriptural outlook differs from the area of the sexual morality of other cultures. The Torah abhors any sexual perversion such as homosexuality, or sex with animals, prescribing severe punishment against offenders in Leviticus 18: 22 – 23[4]; 20: 13, 15 & 16[5]. The adulterer/adulteress sins not only against his/her married partner, but also against Elohim as described in Leviticus 20: 10[6]. Fornication is generally frowned upon, severely condemned by Hosea, and legally punishable by death in Leviticus 21: 9 and Deuteronomy 22: 21. Rav Shaul also warns against this in 1 Corinthians 6: 15 – 20, saying: ‘Do you not know that your bodies are members of Messiah? Shall I then take away the members of Messiah and make them members of a harlot? May it never be! (16) Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a harlot is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO WILL BECOME ONE FLESH.” (17) But the one who joins himself to the Master is one spirit with Him. (18) ‘Flee immorality, every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. (19) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Set-apart Spirit who is in you, whom you have from Elohim, and that you are not your own? (20) For you haven been bought with a price; therefore glorify Elohim in your body.’ As teachers of Elohim’s called out people, we need to begin to emphasize on the training of the heart and building character, respect, honor, discipline and taking responsibility. These are basic Torah concepts that teachers and congregants need to emulate to become role models of new believers whom Elohim is busy calling. When others see that these qualities make one a better human being and bring inner joy, happiness, and peace, then they too will seek these qualities and fruits in their lives. Rav Shaul wrote about these character traits to the Hebrews, Galatians, the Colossians and the Ephesians as follows:

In Hebrews 12: 11, saying: ‘All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful, yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.’
In Galatians 5: 22 & 23, saying: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (or punishment).”
In Colossians 3: 9 & 10, saying: “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, (10) and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.” and
In Ephesians 4: 23 & 24, saying: ‘And that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind. (24) And put on the new self, which in the likeness of Elohim has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.’

Woe to those blind leaders leading the blind. The point is that only true leaders will have the courage to address immorality and lack of personal disciple in their congregations. Only a sincere Torah teacher will be successful because there are so many that needs the daily advice of a practical Torah life-style. In addition we need to be ever aware of Rav Yaa’cov’s warning to teachers in James 3: 1, saying: ‘Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.’ As teachers of Nazarene Israel we need to address the problems of the heart (meaning what we believe) and spirit (our minds – where our characters are being built). We as well as our congregants need to ask Elohim to give us more of His Set-apart Spirit so that it may lead us to following the deeper meanings of His Torah truths. When our hearts and minds are strong, we will know intuitively right from wrong and good from evil and will start building Elohim’s character within each one of those of us called by Elohim. We will choose the good because it is right and will know that Elohim gave us His Torah teachings for our good, as Rav Kepha wrote in 1 Peter 1: 13, saying: ‘Therefore, gird you minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Yahshua Messiah.’

But before some get worried about our Jewish Brothers and their faith in the coming of Messiah to rule the world from Jerusalem, when He will truly come for them the first time to be saved by grace, the same way we are. Let’s turn to one of my favorite Scriptural references as proof in Zechariah 12: 7 – 10, as follows: “YHVH also will save the tents of Judah first in order that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not be magnified above Judah. (8) In that day YHVH will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like Elohim, like the angel of YHVH before them. (9) And it will come about in that day that I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (Verse 9 clearly shows that this is when Messiah comes, when the nations will be gathered against Jerusalem, to actually try and prevent Him from coming to rule the world.) (10) And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace (by which we are all saved) and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.” There you have it – yes, we need not be concerned about the salvation of our Jewish Brothers at all, as everything that YHVH planned will work out accordingly.

To conclude, let’s put the rest of the puzzle together. We see that exactly as Rav Shaul wrote in Romans 11: 15, when Yahshua returns to the earth in the near future and our Jewish Brothers accept Him as their Messiah – the One anointed to come and rule the world as King of kings and Master of masters (described in Revelation 19: 11 – 16), those who died believing in Messiah will be resurrected, in this way: ‘For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? This is exactly what Rav Shaul also tells us in 1 Corinthians 15: 20 – 23 & 50 – 52, saying: ‘But now Messiah has been raised from the dead, the first fruit(s) of those who are asleep. (21) For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Messiah all shall be made alive. (23) But each in his own order: Messiah the first fruits, after that those who are Messiah’s at His coming. (50) Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of Elohim (as part of the ruling class); nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (51) Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.’ Do you believe the word of Elohim? Then it is time to believe the true gospel about the coming Kingdom of Elohim and to renew your mind, by accepting Him as the King and ruler in your life and use His Torah to develop a character that will conform to the image of Elohim. Thinks carefully about it!

[1] ‘Far off’: a phrase used by the prophet Daniel when He prayed in Babylon just before Ezra, Nehemiah and Zerubbabel returned to the Promised Land to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and the Temple in Daniel 9: 7, saying: “Righteousness belongs to Thee, O Adonai, but to us open shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are far away in all the countries to which Thou hast driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against Thee.”

[2] This means we should only immerse those of the house of Israel whom YHVH is busy calling out of the churches of the world, not those whom we want to convert, or those from the house of Judah!

[3] Matthew 15: 24, ‘But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”’

[4] Leviticus 18: 22 – 23: ‘You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. Also you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion.’

[5] Leviticus 20: 13, 15 & 16: ‘If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act, they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal. If there is a woman who approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.’

[6] Leviticus 20: 10, ‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and adulteress shall surely be put to death.’