173 Trust and obey there is no other way

Trust and obey, there is no other way.

Many of us whom YHVH has called out of the churches of the world, fondly recall the famous song ‘Trust and obey’, understanding that these are two of the three legs essential for real faith, although we have separated ourselves from Churchianity as ‘commanded’ by Yahshua in a vision to Yochanan in Revelation 18: 4 & 5, saying: ‘And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my peoples, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues; (5) for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and Elohim has remembered her iniquities.”’ To understand what is meant by the word faith or more specifically faithfulness, transliterated in Hebrew as ‘emunah’, we make use of a tri-angle with three essential parts on each side. Faith is not merely a fuzzy warm feeling or an opinion, but true faithfulness requires (1) Knowledge of truth – or the word of Elohim as Yahshua defined truth in John 17: 17 as the bottom line; with (2) Faithful obedience to what we are taught; because we (3) Trust in YHVH the rewarder of those who seek Him, as the two sides of the triangle.

The Renewed Covenant definition of faith is given in Hebrews 11: 6, as follows: “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to Elohim must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” To have faith in Elohim means that we belief in Him, although we cannot see Him, but it also means that we believe in what He says: trusting that He will deliver on the promises that He made to our forefathers in the faith enough, to obey what He tells us in His word. An example being when we read and understand the command given in the last part of Deuteronomy 14: 21[1] (but also in Exodus 23: 19 and 34: 26) and then make sure that we do not cook or eat meat and milk products together. It is as Rav Yaa’cov explained in James 2: 17, saying: ‘Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.’ When reading from Ephesians 2: 5 – 14 we notice that Rav Shaul mentions the fact that whilst we were part of Churchianity, we were strangers to the covenants of promise, meaning the two-fold covenant that YHVH made with Abraham our father in the faith[2], but also the promise that He made with King David[3] and now that we came to have faith in the redemptive power of Yahshua, He reconciled us to both YHVH and our Jewish Brothers, as follows: ‘Even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Messiah (by grace you have been saved), (6) and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Messiah Yahshua, (7) in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Messiah Yahshua. (8) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of Elohim, (9) not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (10) For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah Yahshua for good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (11) Therefore remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called ‘Uncircumcision’ by the so-called ‘Circumcision’ which is performed in the flesh by human hands - (12) remember that you were at that time separate from Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenant of promise, having no hope and without Elohim in the world. (13) But now in Messiah Yahshua you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Messiah. (14) For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.’ The promises to Abraham and King David should truly be our motivation force, ensuring our obedience to all Elohim’s Torah commands, statutes and judgements.

Yes, we should trust in the faithfulness of Elohim, to deliver the promises that He made with our fathers in the faith enough, to obey Him fully until He establishes His kingdom over the commonwealth of Israel, with the greater King David, Yahshua Messiah ruling as the King of kings and Master of masters, during the millennium and beyond. As Nazarene Jews/Israelites, we should imitate our Master and Savior by studying the material our Rabbinic Jewish Brothers study every Sabbath, as well as listening to a related message by a servant of Elohim, to learn more about YHVH our Elohim on a weekly basis, but also during the Set-apart Days ordained by Elohim in Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 14. We see for example that Yahshua regularly attended Sabbath services in the synagogues where He lived, but also taught there, as witnessed from Luke 4: 14 - 22, as follows: ‘And Yahshua returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit; and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. (15) And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all. (16) And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. (17) And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, (18) “THE SPIRIT OF YHVH IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE DOWN TRODDEN, (19) TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF YHVH.” (20) And He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Him. (21) And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (22) And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”’ Ancient Rabbinic Literature spoke about two Messiah’s that was to come; the first being the suffering Messiah who would suffer for the sins of His people Israel in fulfillment of Scriptural prophecies in Isaiah 53 and Zechariah 9: 9; He is according to them, Messiah ben Joseph. Zechariah 9: 9 & 10 are about both Messiah’s first and second advents, as follows: ‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey (during His first advent). (10) I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; and the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; and His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River (Euphrates) to the ends of the earth (when He will return to rule from Jerusalem).’ Messiah is accordingly known in Rabbinic Literature as Messiah Ben (the son of) Joseph, because his suffering is compared to that of Jacob’s son, Joseph, who suffered at the hands of his brothers, but afterwards forgave them. The second Messiah is known as Messiah Ben David: He is the Messiah who will fulfill all the prophecies of the kingly Messiah and bring victory over all the oppressors of Israel.

As Nazarene Jews/Israelites our aim is to eventually conform to the image of Elohim and accordingly we see that already at the time of Rav Shaul our forebears study the weekly Torah and Haftarah portion, as well as listen to a sermon every Sabbath: Acts 13: 14 & 15, in this way: “But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. (15) And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, ‘Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.’” We also understand the reason for studying the Torah and Haftarah according to the weekly Torah schedule establish by the Rabbinical Jews, as Rav Shaul aptly explained in 1 Corinthians 10: 1 – 11, as follows: ‘For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; (2) and all were immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; (3) and all ate the same spiritual food; (4) and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Messiah. (5) Nevertheless, with most of them Elohim was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. (6) Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved. (7) And do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY.” (8) Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty three thousand fell in one day. (9) Nor let us try YHVH, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. (10) Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. (11) Now these things happened to them as an example and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.’ Most Rabbis agree that the entire revelation of Elohim’s truth is encapsulated in Torah. Even doctrines about the Messiah appear in texts such as Genesis 3: 15, 49: 10, Numbers 24: 17, Isaiah 49: 5 & 6 and 53. The Torah is the most essential and fundamental revelation ever given to human kind and it remains true that if a particular doctrine or teaching is not found in the Torah, at least at an intimated level; then it is to be rejected. That is essentially why it is so important that we study the regular cycle of Torah readings followed by most Jews worldwide. Regular Torah study is good for intellectual and spiritual discipline and provides a solid foundation for further Scriptural studies.

The book of Genesis or ‘beginnings’ is the most fundamental and basic book in the Scriptures. Genesis deals with the beginnings, or origins of everything, the universe, human history and Elohim’s redemptive plan. Because it also deals with the restoration of the two houses of Israel and the implication of their re-gathering for the entire world, this teaching will mainly focus on the message of the restoration of all Israel. The point is that we should be able to find the roots of this teaching within Torah and that it has a solid Scriptural foundation. My purpose is accordingly to demonstrate that the fundamental message of United Israel is firmly established in Torah and particularly in the book of Genesis. Let’s therefore turn to the book of Genesis to find out what was promised to our father Abraham. In Genesis 12, when Abram first heard from YHVH, at age 75, he is told to leave Haran in northern Mesopotamia and go south to what was then known as the land of Canaan. Reading from Genesis 12: 1 -3 we see that Abram was given seven promises by YHVH, as follows: ‘Now YHVH said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; (2) and I will make you a great nation (goy), and I will bless you and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; (3) and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”’ This is where we find the beginning of what is called the ‘Seed’ and ‘soil’ promises. In other words, the plan of redemption, which Elohim inaugurates through Abraham and involves two basic components – the promise of offspring and the promise of land.

Immediately after Abram’s arrival in the land of Canaan, YHVH appears to him a second time and say to him in verse 7 of Genesis 12, “To your descendants I will give this land.” Again YHVH summarizes the two indispensable components of the Redemptive Plan through Abram. It is to involve a specific group of his lineal descendants and their strategic possession of a specific land. As may be read through the subsequent chapters of Genesis which is a chronicle of the life of Abram, Elohim continues to appear to him over a period of 25 years and repeatedly confirms these promises to him. The two essential elements, namely offspring and land, come through with undeniable clarity. Even though the other children of Abraham are also to be blessed, the offspring who are to fulfill these initial seven promises are to come through Isaac, born by his wife Sarah, as we read from Genesis 17: 15 – 19, in this way: ‘Then Elohim said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. (16) And I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” (17) Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” (18) And Abraham said to Elohim, “Oh that Ishmael might live before thee!” (19) But Elohim said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.”’

These descendants through Isaac are to become ‘as the dust of the earth’, as recorded in Genesis 13: 16; ‘as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore’ as recorded in Genesis 22: 17. Indeed Abraham’s offspring are to become so many that Abraham is properly called not only the father of a great nation, but the father of many nations. These promises are repeated, first to Isaac and later to Jacob, who receives both the birthright and the blessing, as we read from Genesis 26: 3 – 5, as follows: “Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. (4) And I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; (5) because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.” Moreover, the specific language and terminology used, especially to Jacob is more interesting. The first time YHVH appeared to Jacob in a dream, He gave him the astounding promise recorded in Genesis 28: 13 & 14, saying: “I am YHVH, the Elohim of your father Abraham and the Elohim of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. (14) Your descendants shall also be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Years later, when his name was changed to Israel, Elohim told him more specifically in Genesis 35: 11, saying: “I am Elohim Almighty; be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company (assembly) of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come forth from you.” It is clear from these passages that the Hebrew terms for people (am) and nation (goy) are used interchangeably. Whether the Scriptures use the term ‘nation’ or ‘people’, the descendants of Abraham, through Isaac, are to become an actual assembly of peoples. This is more than simply a tribal designation as can be seen from a comparison of the language used for the descendants of Ishmael and Esau, who are both of the seed of Abraham but not part of this ‘seed’ and ‘soil’ promise. Ishmael is to become a great nation (singular) but never is it said that he would comprise ‘many’ nations or an ‘assembly’ of peoples. Of course Ishmael became the father of the entire Arabian people, made up of many tribes, but still spoken of as one nation. Esau’s descendants, who are listed in Genesis 36, are likewise seen as one people, the Edomites, despite their many tribal divisions. The Hebrew word translated ‘assembly’ (transliterated as ‘qahal’) literally carries the notion of a large group or confederation of many nations.

However, the most common way people have understood this language is in reference to the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of Jacob. But, close attention to the words Jacob himself used when he blessed the two sons of Joseph, immediately prior to his death at age 147, indicates otherwise. It appears that the ‘multiplicity’ of Abraham’s seed will be realized in particular through these two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh. First, he reminds his son Joseph that YHVH had promised him years earlier that he, Israel, would become ‘a Company (or Assembly) of people’ in Genesis 48: 16 Jacob then blessed his two grandsons, asking that ‘they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.’ Jacob then says that while the firstborn, Manasseh would become a ‘great people,’ that his younger brother Ephraim would actually become even greater as witnessed in Genesis 48: 19, saying to Joseph: “I Know, my son, I know; he also shall become a people and he also shall be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” This special status of the tribes of Joseph is reflected in the subsequent blessings which the patriarch, Israel, pronounces upon the twelve tribes on his deathbed. Even though each of the sons of Jacob received his rightful portion, Joseph clearly was singled out by the most extraordinary language, as we read from Genesis 49: 22 – 26, in this way: “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; its branches run over a wall. (23) The archers bitterly attacked him, and shot at him and harassed him; (24) but his bow remained firm, and his arms were agile, from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), (25) from the Elohim of your father who helps you, and by the Almighty who blesses you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. (26) The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; may they be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.”

Reuben was the firstborn of Jacob and legally the birthright should have gone to him, but like Esau he lost this privilege and the birthright was passed onto Joseph, as witnessed in 1 Chronicles 5: 2, as follows: ‘Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader (as far as religious matters are concerned), yet the birthright belonged to Joseph.’ Years later, when Moses blesses the twelve tribes before his death, Joseph again is clearly singled out for the most abundant blessings, as recorded in Deuteronomy 33: 13 – 17, as follows: ‘And of Joseph he said, “Blessed of YHVH be his land, with the choice things of heaven, with the dew, and from the deep lying beneath, (14) and with the choice yield of the sun, and with the choice produce of the months. (15) And with the best things of the ancient mountains, and with the choice things of the everlasting hills, (16) and with the choice things of the earth and its fullness, and the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush. Let it come to the head of Joseph, and to the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers. (17) As the first-born of his ox, majesty is his, and his horns are the horns of the wild ox; with them he shall push the peoples, all at once, to the ends of the earth. And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and those are the thousands of Manasseh.” An important element to note about the blessings of the various tribes and especially upon the tribes of Joseph, is their eschatological character, that is, they are to be realized primarily ‘in the last days’ as is recorded in Genesis 49: 1 (KJV). This point cannot be overstressed – to put the fulfillment of these promises at some point in the distant past would be to ignore Jacob’s clear and unambiguous words concerning when the prophecies were to be fulfilled. One should expect that Joseph’s realization of the full scope of these abundant promises of blessings will be realized in the period the Scriptures refer to as ‘in the last days.’ So, although the tribes of Joseph were among the largest and most prosperous tribes of ancient Israel, we should expect them to achieve an unprecedented level of greatness in the latter times. Moses speaks of these tribes in particular, saying: ‘he shall push the peoples, all at once, to the ends of the earth’ which seems to indicate a global influence of some scope.

We see further from Ezekiel 3: 1 – 11 that the message about the reunification and establishment of the Kingdom of Elohim over the commonwealth of Israel started more than a century ago in the English speaking nations of the world, as follows: ‘Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go and speak to the house of Israel.” (2) So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. (3) And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach, and fill your body with this scroll (meaning Torah) which I am giving you.” Them I ate (or studied) it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth. (4) Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. (5) For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel, (6) nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you; (7) yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. (8) Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. (9) Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.” (10) Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I shall speak to you, and listen closely. (11) And go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not, ‘Thus says YHVH Elohim.’”’ Taking together, the promises in Genesis regarding the lineal descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob are quite extra-ordinary. They indicate clearly that the tribes of Israel and particularly the tribes of Joseph could eventually be described only in the most superlative language - many nations, a multitude of peoples, or an assembly of nations. However, how is one to understand such language? Does it merely describe the twelve tribes of Israel in the ancient world from the time of Moses through that of Solomon?

When Rebecca was sent away by her family to marry Isaac, they blessed her saying in Genesis 24: 60, “May you, our sister, become thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them.” Taken literally, this clearly indicates numbers in the millions. Is this merely an overstatement, or are we to understand the language with more precision and accuracy? It is true in the Hebrew language the expressions ‘as the sand of the sea’ or ‘as the stars of heaven’ are used idiomatically to mean very large numbers, as witnessed in 1 Kings 4: 29, in this way: ‘Now Elohim gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore’ Nevertheless, the Torah is very precise in numbering the tribes of Israel in the time of Moses. The count of males over the age of 20, prior to entering the Land is recorded to have been a little more than 600,000 as recorded in Numbers 26: 51 – 62. Including women and children, this total would surely have been at least three million people. Later Moses declared to this vast assembly in Deuteronomy 1: 10 saying: ‘YHVH your Elohim has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.’ However, Moses adds in verse 11 of Deuteronomy 1, saying: ‘May YHVH, the Elohim of your fathers, increase you a thousand-fold more than you are, and bless you, just as He has promised you!’ Here we see that Moses himself understood the Promises to Abraham to include numbers far in excess of the millions which stood before him. Even if one takes this language in the most conservative way, we would still end up with as many as hundred millions of descendants of Abraham! That is exactly what the prophets show will be the case in the last days. Jews today number about 16 million. They descent primarily from the ancient tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi. Hosea tells us in Hosea 1: 10 that the northern ten tribes, the lost tribes had been taken into captivity by the Assyrians in the eighth century BCE, saying: ‘Yet the number of the sons of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered; and it will come about that, in the place where it is said to them, “You are not My people,” it will be said to them, “You are the sons of the living Elohim”’ This is an extra-ordinary prophetic text to consider. Those who make light of the message of the ‘Lost Tribes’ and their actual union with the Jewish people (Judah) need to take note of Hosea’s plain and unambiguous message. We see here clearly that Judah who never lost their identity as Elohim’s chosen peoples, are completely separate from the Israelites who have lost their identity and become like Gentiles. And yet, just as the promises which we surveyed in the book of Genesis show, it will be the lost Israelites, who will be so vast in numbers at the time of their Restoration that they cannot even be counted! Even so, Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 10: 20 - 22, saying: ‘Now it will come about in that day that the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on YHVH, the Set-apart One of Israel. (21) A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty Elohim. (22) For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea, only a remnant within them will return; a destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.’

Throughout the book of Hosea the prophet repeatedly refers to the northern tribes as ‘Ephraim,’ calling them by the name of Joseph’s son, as may be seen in Hosea 5: 5; 7: 1; and 11: 12. According to Ezekiel these ‘lost tribes’ are spoken of as being ‘in the hand of Ephraim,’ and thus associated with him. Therefore, Ephraim is to become the dominant tribe in both numbers and influence, before the Restoration and Union with the Jewish people in the last days, as also witnessed in Ezekiel 37: 21 – 25, as follows: “And say to them. ‘Thus says YHVH Elohim, “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; (22) 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 (Yahshua Messiah the good shepherd as He said to the Jews in John 10: 14 -16[4]): and they will walk in My ordinances, and keep My statutes, and observe them.” Finally, the Jewish historian Josephus wrote the following in his monumental work entitled: ‘The Antiquities of the Jews’:- ‘Wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond the Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers.’ Josephus clearly understood that those people known to the Jews, from Roman times onward, are from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi, while the ten tribes are far removed to the north and exist in great, incalculable numbers. Note Josephus did not claim, as some modern interpreters do, that the Jewish people somehow ended up with those of the lost ten tribes. He is most clear on this point. Thus we have the combined witness of the promises to the Patriarchs, the Hebrew prophets, and Josephus – all agreeing on these essential points.

Based on the promises of YHVH in both the Torah and the Prophets we are led to expect that the tribes of Joseph and his associates would eventually possess great wealth and influence; that they would number in the hundreds of millions and yet they would consider themselves to be Gentiles. A growing body of evidence, Scriptural, historical and scientific, allows us to identify the descendants of the northern ten tribes with a high level of reliability, but understand from the Scriptures that only a remnant according to Elohim’s gracious[5] choice will join with a remnant of Torah observant Jewish Brothers to become co-rulers under Messiah during the millennium and beyond. The song trust and obey therefore also holds true for us today, except for us it is in Yahshua and there is truly no other way. Baruch HaShem YHVH!

[1] Deuteronomy 14: 21 (last part): ‘You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.’

[2] The two-fold covenant YHVH made with Abraham, namely that he and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob will inherit the Promised Land eternally, provided they remain loyal to Him and as the sign of the covenant circumcise their boys at the age of eight days old as a sign of the eternal covenant. The second part of the covenant was that a remnant of the lost sheep of the house of Israel, whom YHVH scattered into the world because of idolatry, will be able to return to the covenant that YHVH made with Abraham, through Abraham’s one seed Yahshua, through whom He will also save the rest of mankind after Messiah’s millennial rule, during the great white throne judgement period.

[3] We read about the covenant YHVH made with King David from Psalm 89: 34 – 37, in this way: ’My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, and the witness in the sky is faithful.’

[4] John 10: 14 – 16: “I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd.”

[5] 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.”