187 What does it mean to be under the

What does it mean to be under the Law?

Most to us from the lost sheep of the house of Israel whom our heavenly Father is graciously busy calling out of the churches of the world, have often heard Churchianity telling us that they and all who have faith in Messiah are not under the Law, but under grace, since they hold that He redeemed us from the Law and we are no longer under the burden of the Law. But, what these same people who teach their congregants this major misrepresentation, must understand is that this falsehood is nowhere to be found in the Scriptures and that even the Renewed Covenant teach just the opposite.

To start with, the reason why most in Churchianity believe that Yahshua Messiah the Word of Elohim who became flesh, or the incarnation of Torah and Elohim’s will and wisdom for all Israel, misinterpret Colossians 2: 13 & 14 to say that He nailed the Torah to the cross and His followers are accordingly now ‘free from the burden’ of obeying it, as follows: ‘And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven all our transgressions, (Before we continue, let’s logically consider what Rav Shaul is saying here. Firstly he tells us that whilst we were removed from the covenant that our ancient forefathers entered into with Elohim, together with the house of Judah at Mount Sinai, we started disobeying the Sabbath and Feast Days of Elohim, we stopped being concerned about eating kosher and neglected to be circumcised and to have our sons circumcised at eight days old, we were as good as being dead, but now that YHVH is calling us back to that covenant through Abraham’s one seed, Messiah, our punishment due for transgressing Torah has been forgiven, as He has redeemed us, meaning He paid for our sins.) (14) having cancelled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.’ So we see the quoted section used by Churchianity to claim that Messiah nailed the Torah to the cross, clearly tells us that Yahshua cancelled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees or judgments against us and nailed it the cross and definitely not the Torah. To fully understand what this means ,we need to understand that Torah consists of commandments, statutes and judgments; the commandments give us a summary of how YHVH our Elohim wants us to obey and serve Him, in order for Him to provide and protect us as His congregation, otherwise known as the bride or body of Messiah as witnessed in Ephesians 1: 18 - 23[1]; the statutes provide us with more detail regarding the meaning of each of the commandments; for example not to commit adultery, includes not to have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife, with your sister, your aunt, your daughter in law and the list go on; judgments in turn give us details regarding the punishment due for transgressing the commandments and statutes. So Colossians 2: 13 & 14 really tells us that Yahshua took the judgments due to us for transgressing the Torah and nailed it to the cross, when He paid the penalty for our sins. We also see that these judgments decreed that we should be stoned to death for breaking the Sabbath and bowing before images and were definitely hostile against us, but when Messiah died in our place on the cross, He set the curse of the law or our death penalties aside. However, in order not to remain under the curse of the Law, we need to start obeying Torah, because we have come to trust so much in the promises that Elohim made with our fathers in the faith, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to live in the Promised Land eternally as spiritual children of Elohim, that we obey His commandments, statutes and judgments from the heart.

When the nation of Israel went into captivity because of idolatry, they were scattered into the nations of the world, but mainly into what is today known as Europe, where they lost their language, culture and faith and were later taken captive by the Roman Catholic Church (or Rome) and became Christians. Because they have forgotten the user manual (Torah) YHVH gave them at Mount Sinai, they started sinning without knowing what sin was, since Torah essentially tells us what sin is. Fortunately YHVH our Elohim’s promise to Abraham also covered their situation as the lost ten tribes of Israel; in that He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that He will bring those descendants from the house of Israel whom He divorced and became like Gentiles, back to the covenant with Him, through Abraham’s one seed, Yahshua after which YHVH will enter into a New Covenant with them and the House of Judah who remained loyal to Him for about 3,500 years and remarry them as His bride to rule the world from Jerusalem and through whom He will also eventually save the rest of mankind, during the Great White Throne period. During Messiah’s 1000 year reign over the commonwealth of Israel, the New Covenant consisting of the Torah which YHVH gave to the children of Israel before they entered the Promised Land, will be the means He will utilize to govern them. We also see from Hebrews 8: 6 - 10 that the only problem with the original covenant was that it was written on stone and in their literature and not on the hearts and minds of the children of Israel, in this way: ‘But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. (7) For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sough for a second. (8) For finding fault with them (meaning the ancient Israelites), He says, “BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS YHVH, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; (9) NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS YHVH. (10) FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS YHVH: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM UPON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR ELOHIM, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPL.E”’

The second covenant officiated by Moses was made with the children of the nation of Israel who died during their forty years of wandering in the wilderness, as punishment for their unbelief (or a lack of faith) to enter the Promised Land, forty years after their parents left Egypt. The second covenant was made at Mount Nebo in the land of Moab, and is recorded in Deuteronomy, before the death of Moses, where we read accordingly from Deuteronomy 1: 1 – 3, ‘These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel and Laban and Hazeroth and Dizahab, (2) It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh-barnea. (3) And it came about in the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel, according to all that YHVH had commanded him to give to them.’ We read further from Deuteronomy 29: 1 ‘These are the words of the covenant which YHVH commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He had made with them at Horeb.’ It is important to notice that the covenant made at Moab was made besides the one made at Horeb. Secondly, Rav Yochanan clearly refutes the argument of those who maintain that no one is able to keep Elohim’s commandments in 1 John 5: 2 & 3, saying: ‘By this we know that we love the children of Elohim, when we love Elohim and observe His commandments. (3) For this is the love of Elohim, that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not burdensome.’

After Yahshua redeemed us from the punishment of the Law, because we were once totally unaware of what sin was, it is vitally important that we now keep the Law better than the Pharisees (as Yahshua told His disciples in Matthew 5: 20[2]), because we from the house of Israel is more prone to idolatry as the Prophet Hosea also wrote in Hosea 4: 17 – 19, saying: ‘Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone. (18) Their liquor gone, they play the harlot continually; their rulers dearly love shame. (19) The wind wraps them in its wings, and they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.’ Those of the house of Judah who remained Torah observant were never under the Law, because they only reaped the blessing of the Law, since only those who disobeyed unknowingly and have forgotten the covenant we made with Elohim, cursed ourselves and our children because of the false teachings of the churches of the world we were involved with. The house of Judah became One with Elohim’s will and wisdom which is equal to His essence, whilst we from the lost ten tribes must be conformed to the image of Elohim’s Son, the embodiment of Torah, as witnessed in Romans 8: 28 & 29, as follows: ‘And we know that Elohim causes all things to work together for good to those who love Elohim, to those who are called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren.’ I believe that the house of Judah remained loyal to Elohim and His Torah for the past 3,500 years is because of the physical things in Torah like affixing Mezuzot on the doorpost of their homes, wearing tzitzit and donning themselves with tefillin. It is also because we as the house of Israel were brainwashed to believe that we need not do these physical things in Torah, since we worship Elohim in Spirit and in truth. In agreement with our recent teaching regarding tzitzit – in wool or cotton, tefillin – in leather, mezuzah – in metal or plastic, and handkerchiefs – in cloth (as per Acts 19: 11 & 12[3]); objects that seem so far removed from Elohim’s Being, we can be joined to Him and experience His presence through them. This union takes place through the study of Torah. We have to understand that the relationship of YHVH and Israel, are three joined in One – Israel, Torah and YHVH, as Yahshua aptly explained in John 17: 20 – 23, saying: ‘I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; (21) that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. (22) And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; (23) I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.’ He continued this idea in John 14: 20 & 21, saying: ‘In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. (21) He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.’ The union with YHVH exists in the soul (or life) of every Israelite, because they know Yahshua the Messiah.

Those who call themselves Messianic or even Nazarene Israelites, yet try to separate the people of Israel from the Torah commands of YHVH, are attempting to divide the unity of Israel, Torah and YHVH. Instead we as Nazarene Israelites should do everything in our power to strengthen this union. We do this by studying and observing Elohim’s Torah. In this way Torah becomes our protection as witnessed in Ephesians 6. Firstly; the Helmet of Salvation mentioned in verse 17, protects us from Satan’s tactic of accusation. In 1 Thessalonians 5: 8 it is referred to as the Helmet of Hope of Salvation. Accusation is the primary tactic of Satan. He accuses us day and night according to Revelation 12: 10. Satan is the accuser of the brethren, but in Zechariah 3: 1 - 5 we see that Satan also accused Yahshua, for wearing filthy garments. Yahshua the embodiment of Torah and the salvation of YHVH is in our case as returning Israelites the Helmet of Salvation and since He overcame Satan’s temptation and accusations, YHVH clothed Him in clean garments and placed a clean Turban on His head. This Turban reminds us of the Helmet of the Hope of our Salvation and this knowledge defends us against the attack of accusation. Secondly; the Breastplate of Righteousness mentioned in verse 14, protects us from Satan’s tactic of pride and temptation, another major tactic of Satan. Satan tempts us through pride, the same way he tempted King David as he took pride in Israel and numbered (or counted) them in first Chronicles 21: 1. We put the breastplate of righteousness on by obeying Elohim’s commandments, and showing our faith by our works – keeping the Sabbath and Feast Days of Elohim, eating only kosher food, giving charity (transliterated as ‘tzedakah’ in Hebrew) to poor family and members of our congregation, as well as to the poor in the Land of Israel. Thirdly; the Belt of truth mentioned in verse 14, the Torah protects us from Satan’s tactic of deception. We read from John 8: 32, “and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” We put the Belt of Truth on by studying Torah on an annual cycle. Finally; putting on the Shoes of peace mentioned in verse 15, the true gospel about the coming kingdom of Elohim, defends us from Satan’s tactic of oppression. Shalom means more than peace, it also means to be united, to be whole or complete and to be at peace. The shoes correspond to the feet which represents the Kingdom. During the 1000 year rule of Yahshua we will have complete peace. The gospel of the coming kingdom of Elohim gives us peace, knowing that all the evil of the present age will come to an end, with Satan shut and sealed in the abyss.

If we from the lost ten tribes believe in Yahshua the Helmet of Salvation, practice righteousness by observing Elohim’s commandments, study Torah, and believe in the true gospel we will have put on the full armor of Elohim to protect us from all evil. This will help us to overcome Satan, the world and our human nature and ultimately after YHVH has perfected our spirits in Heaven (Hebrews 12: 23[4]) and Yahshua returns to resurrect our bodies and souls we shall be like Him, as witnessed in 1 John 3: 1 & 2, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of Elohim; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. (2) Beloved, now we are children of Elohim, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.” The soul or life of man has three forms of expression, thoughts, speech and deeds. These are the clothing or garments through which our lives are clothed. When we do righteous deeds (commandments), and study, discuss and teach Torah through speech, we grasp the deep things of Torah that our minds and intellect (the spirit in man) can understand by thought, then the spirit of man (the garment of his soul), gets washed by the Word and he becomes in unity with YHVH. Similar to the way in which physical clothing can be changed, we may change the garment of our spirit, by cleaning up our speech, deeds and thoughts by studying and obeying Torah, as Rav Shaul wrote in Ephesians 4: 22 – 24, saying, ‘That, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, (23) 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 (the Word of Elohim).’

The connection or union with YHVH through studying, meditating and obeying Torah means for the Nazarene Israelite life (soul), what clothing means to his physical body. By putting on the garments of Torah and living a Torah lifestyle, you become one with Torah, Yahshua and YHVH. Man’s behavior can therefore bring his life to a higher level that cannot be achieved without Torah and Yahshua. Yahshua said in Revelation 22: 12 – 14: ‘“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. (13) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (14) Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.’ The King James Version has ‘they that do the commandments,’ in place of the underlined words in verse 14, showing that we wash our robes, by doing the commandments. This also clarifies Yahshua’s parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22: 2 – 14, where He compares the kingdom of Elohim with a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. Initially the king sends out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding, but they were not willing to attend. Then he sent out other slaves to tell those whom he invited, that he has now prepared the wedding dinner and everything is ready for the feast, but again, they paid no attention to the slaves and went on their way; one to his farm and another to his business, showing that they were too busy to be concerned about the wedding feast. The rest were so arrogant, that they grabbed and killed the king’s slaves. This enraged the king and he sent his armies to destroy the murderers and set their city on fire. Then he said to His slaves, that since the wedding feast is ready, but those whom he invited were not worthy, they should go out into the streets and gather both good and evil to come to the wedding feast. They obeyed and filled the wedding chamber with dinner guests. However, when the king arrived at the wedding chamber, he looked over the wedding guests and saw a man not dressed in wedding clothes. He approached the man and asked him how he dare come to the wedding reception, without wearing wedding clothes. Then he instructed his slaves to bind this man hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Yahshua concluded the parable in verse 14, saying: “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

For us from the lost ten tribes, belief in Torah and Messiah, including the true gospel about the coming Kingdom of Elohim will ultimately be our saving grace, as witnessed in Mark 16: 15 & 16, in this way: ‘And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (16) He who has believed and has been immersed shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”’ Our Jewish Brothers already believe in the coming of a Messiah to bring back the lost ten tribes, to rule over the restored united Israel with King David and in the resurrection of the dead. Because Messiah’s death already atoned for His chosen people, namely Judah (as per Psalm 78: 67 & 68[5]) and those whom He is calling from the lost ten tribes who also become part of His chosen ones according to Elohim’s gracious choice (as per Romans 11:5[6]), as witnessed 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 high priest that year, he prophesied that Yahshua was going to die for the nation, (52) and not for the nation only, but that He might also gather together into one the children of Elohim who are scattered abroad.’ YHVH is presently hiding the identity of Yahshua, the face of Elohim seen by Jacob our father in the faith (as per Genesis 32: 29 – 31[7] and Hosea 12: 3- 5[8]), to allow us from the lost ten tribes to come into the commonwealth of Israel (as per Romans 11: 25 – 27[9] and Ephesians 2: 11 -13 quoted before). At Messiah’s return to earth, He will identify Himself to the house of Judah, as we read from Zechariah 12: 10, in this way: ‘And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace 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.’ Despite the fact that He will also give them grace to be saved, their acceptance of Messiah will result in the dead in Messiah to be raised, as we read from Roman 11: 15, as follows: ‘For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?’ At that time the Torah observant Jews together with a remnant of the lost ten tribes will become one nation under the rulership of David, with Messiah as their shepherd, as recorded in Ezekiel 37: 22 – 24, in this way: “And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations, and they will no longer be divided into two kingdoms. (23) And they will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people and I will be their Elohim. (24) And My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances, and keep My statutes, and observe them.”

Even though those whom YHVH is calling at this time might not be the cream of the crop, He expects each one of us who come to Him, to clean up our old ways of life, by holding up Torah as a mirror to see where we fall short, and clean ourselves up accordingly, as Rav Kepha also explained in 2 Peter 3: 18, saying: ‘But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Master and Savior Yahshua Messiah. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amein.’ We read further that only those called and chosen, who remain faithful to the end will be with Messiah in the end, as witnessed in Revelation 17: 14, as follows: ‘These will wage war against the Lamb (this is talking about the end-time kings of the earth who will gather themselves together in a place called Armageddon to make war with Messiah at His return to earth), and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Master of masters and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.’ However, before this will happen we will be pushed to our limits by Satan and his human agents and will have to persevere by obedience to Torah and our faith of Messiah, as we are warned in Revelation 14: 12, in this way: ‘Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of Elohim and their faith in Yahshua.’ The KJV reads ‘faith of Yahshua’. Knowing what you and I have to do to qualify for our positions as rulers under Yahshua in Elohim’s coming kingdom on earth, let’s make Elohim’s will our will to ensure that we will be able to take up those noble positions. As recorded in Deuteronomy 30: 1, 2 & 8 the covenant made at Mount Nebo focused on repentance, as follows: “So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where YHVH your Elohim has banished you, (2) and you return to YHVH your Elohim and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons. (8) And you shall again obey YHVH, and observe all His commandments which I command you today.” The rewards for repenting and returning to YHVH included a promise of the re-gathering of Israel from among the nations, as we read from verses 3 & 4 of Deuteronomy 30, in this way: “Then YHVH your Elohim will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where YHVH your Elohim has scattered you. (4) If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there YHVH your Elohim will gather you, and from there He will bring you back.” In addition YHVH promised to circumcise their hearts and give them life (verse 6, 15 & 19). However, this covenant also included obedience to Elohim’s Torah, as recorded in verse 10, in this way: ‘If you obey YHVH your Elohim to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to YHVH your Elohim with all your heart and soul.’

Jeremiah spoke about the first covenant in Jeremiah 11 where he relates Elohim’s instruction to him in verses 2 - 4, saying: “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; (3) and say to them, ‘Thus says YHVH, the Elohim of Israel, “Cursed is the man who does not heed the words of this covenant (4) which I commanded your forefathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, ‘Listen to My voice, and do according to all which I command you; so you shall be My people, and I will be your Elohim,’”’ Jeremiah was speaking about the curse mentioned in Deuteronomy 27: 26, that was upon those who fail to obey the covenant given at Mount Sinai. Later Jeremiah prophesied that this curse would come upon the house of Judah in the form of seventy years of captivity, saying in Jeremiah 25: 8, 9, 11 & 12: “Therefore thus says YHVH of hosts, ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, (9) behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ declares YHVH, ‘and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them, and make them a horror, and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. (11) And this whole land shall be a desolation and a horror, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. (12) Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares YHVH, ‘for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation.’” Continuing in Jeremiah 26: 6 & 7, Jeremiah said: “Then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth. (7) And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of YHVH.” Even so Jeremiah also prophesied to the house of Judah that they will return to their land after 70 years, saying in Jeremiah 29: 10, ‘For thus says YHVH, “When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.”’

True to Jeremiah’s prophecy, the house of Judah returned to the Promised Land 70 years after their captivity by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. In Jeremiah 30 YHVH tells the prophet that He will again restore the fortunes of the house of Judah and the house of Israel, but He also tells Jeremiah about the distress that will come upon Jacob in the last days, but promises to save them from it in verses 6 – 7. Continuing in verse 8 & 9, we read: ‘And it shall come about on that day,’ declares YHVH of hosts, ‘that I will break his yoke from off their neck, and will tear off their bonds; and strangers shall no longer make them their slaves. (9) But they shall serve YHVH their Elohim, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.’ Chapter 31 is all about the restoration of both houses of Israel to the Promised Land when YHVH will make a new (marriage) covenant with both houses in verses 31 – 33 (quoted before by Rav Shaul in Hebrews 8: 8 – 10). The house of Judah remained faithful to the Father after their 70 years in captivity in Babylon, but the house of Israel lost their language, culture, and faith in the one true Elohim. The Jews have been keeping the oracles of Elohim since the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. Because we are only now being called through Elohim’s gracious choice, it is time for us to turn to our Jewish Brothers for such things as the timing of the Sabbaths (weekly and annual), Koshering of meat, the Hebrew language, but also the oral Torah, in order to be able to join them as the commonwealth of Israel, when Messiah comes to rule us from Jerusalem. Let’s also ensure that we remain above the Law by trusting in the promises Elohim made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but also with King David, that we obey Torah better than the Pharisees. Halleluyah!

[1] Ephesians 1: 18 – 23:’I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Messiah, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the congregation, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

[2] Matthew 5: 20, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

[3] Acts 19: 11 & 12, ‘And Elohim was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Shaul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.’

[4] Hebrews 12: 23, ‘To the general assembly and congregation of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to Elohim, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect.’

[5] Psalm 78: 67 & 68: ‘He also rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.’

[6] Romans 11: 5,’In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to Elohim’s gracious choice.’

[7] Genesis 32: 29 – 31: ’Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen Elohim face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.’

[8] Hosea 12: 3 – 5: ’In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his maturity he contended with Elohim. Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; He wept and sought His favor. He found Him at Bethel, and there He spoke with us, even YHVH, the Elohim of hosts; YHVH is His name.”

[9] Romans 11: 25 – 27: ‘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 Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.” “AND THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.”’