177 Elohims covenant with Israel leads

Elohim’s covenant with Israel leads to eternal life.

Even though the house of Israel has forgotten their language, culture and the covenantal relationship they had with Elohim, together with the house of Judah and were accordingly dispersed into the nations of the world because of idolatry, we read Elohim’s promise but also warning to both houses of Israel to come out of the confusion of Babylon (the Roman Catholic influence on our very existence) from Jeremiah 51: 5 & 6, saying: ‘For neither Israel nor Judah has been forsaken by his Elohim, YHVH of hosts, although their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel. (6) Flee from the midst of Babylon, and each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, for this is (YHVH)’s time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her.’ The Prophet Hosea gives the reason for the scattering of the house of Israel in Hosea 4: 1 – 3, saying: ‘Listen to the word of YHVH, O sons of Israel, for YHVH has a case against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness or kindness or knowledge of Elohim in the land. (2) There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed. (3) Therefore the land mourns, and everyone who lives in it languishes along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky; and also the fish of the sea disappear.’ Although this was written long ago, it rings true for our time, since it was only meant to make sense during the last days.

The original covenantal agreement made with the house of Judah remained valid, despite the fact that they were also taken into captivity for neglecting to keep the seven year land Sabbath, but were allowed to return to the Promised Land 70 years later to rebuild the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem. Even though the house of Judah were dispersed again after 71 CE when the Temple was destroyed once again, they always remained faithful to Elohim and His everlasting covenant and kept the weekly an annual Sabbaths including circumcising their sons at the age of eight days old, as a sign of their covenant to live in the Promised Land eternally as spiritual children of Elohim, when Messiah comes one day to bring a remnant of the lost sheep of the house of Israel back to the covenant relationship with the Father and to rule the commonwealth of Israel from Jerusalem during the millennium and beyond. The reason why the Torah obedient members of the house of Judah will be allowed to return to the Promised Land as spiritual children of Elohim when Messiah comes to establish the kingdom of Elohim on earth, is because they are given the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim which will ensure their resurrection from the dead (for those who died before Messiah’s arrival) or be changed into spiritual sons and daughters of Elohim for those alive at His coming, because of their obedience to Torah. Another set of rules applies to those of us from the lost ten tribes who are returning to YHVH through Abraham’s one seed Yahshua, as explained later in this lesson. Elohim Himself established His plan of salvation and the process by which mankind may be trained to become Spirit-born children of His family. Elohim’s family will be highly organized and well trained, having learned Elohim’s pattern of teamwork and cooperation to function perfectly together. The first steps to salvation are in fact the beginning of preparation for Elohim’s Kingdom. Even so, to eventually be born-again into Elohim’s Family, we must first be begotten by Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit. But there are important conditions which we from the lost sheep of the house of Israel need to fulfill before Elohim will beget us with His Set-apart Spirit.

To determine the conditions which we are required to fulfill before Elohim will give us His Set-apart Spirit, we turn to Mark 1: 14 & 15, where we read Yahshua’s instruction, in this way: ‘And after Yochanan had been taken into custody, Yahshua came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of Elohim, (15) and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of Elohim is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”’ Continuing our quest to determine the requirements to receive Elohim’s Spirit, we read Rav Kepha’s words to the house of Israel who asked him how to go about to receive the Set-apart Spirit in Acts 2: 36 & 37, as follows: “Therefore let all the house of Israel (all ten tribes) know for certain that Elohim has made Him both Master and Messiah—this Yahshua whom you crucified (because of your sins).” (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?” Rav Kepha replied to them in verses 38 & 39, saying: “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 Adonai Elohim shall call to Himself.” We read Rav Kepha’s concluding instruction in this regard from Acts 3: 19 – 21, as follows: “Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Master; (20) and that He may send Yahshua, the Messiah appointed for you, (21) whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which Elohim spoke by mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” Repentance and belief are the first steps; belief involves believing what Yahshua taught about the coming kingdom of Elohim, as well as believing in His saving name, namely Yahshua. In addition repentance entails that we return from breaking the Torah commands of Elohim to obeying them. It involves forsaking our own way, which is opposed to Elohim’s Law, and to turn to Elohim’s way, or obeying His law. The fact remains that eventually everyone whom Elohim calls will be required to keep the whole Law. It means that we will have to reject our previous sinful way of life and willingly yield ourselves to Elohim’s government. It is important for us to show Elohim during this life that we are willing to submit to His rule, before we can be allowed to govern others in the coming Kingdom of Elohim. Because there will always be a chain of command from Elohim through Messiah and down to us, we will always be under authority. Therefore, learning to rule starts with submission to Elohim’s rulership.

But, once we have been immersed into the saving name of Yahshua Messiah there is one more requirement to receive the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim. Immersion is an outward symbol of our faith in Messiah and of our turning from our past life of sin to a life of obedience to Elohim. It symbolizes the rejection of the way Satan has inspired humanity to behave and turning our loyalty and commitment to Elohim and His coming Kingdom. Reading from Acts 8: 12 – 17 we see the additional requirement to fulfill, to receive the Set-apart Spirit, as follows: ‘But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the Kingdom of Elohim and the name of Yahshua Messiah they were being immersed, men and women alike. (13) And even Simon himself believed; and after being immersed, he continued on with Philip; and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed. (14) Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of Elohim, they sent them Kepha and Yochanan, (15) who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Set-apart Spirit. (16) For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been immersed in the name of the Master Yahshua. (17) Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Set-apart Spirit.’ Immersion and the laying on of hands by a teaching elder who has gone through the discipleship program instituted by Messiah to receive the Set-apart Spirit, shows our recognition of the authority that Elohim has placed in the teaching program instituted by Yahshua, when He told His disciples in Matthew 28: 18 – 20 saying: ”All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.(19) Go therefore and make disciples of (the exiles of the lost ten tribes in) all the nations, immersing them in the name (one name) of the Father and the Son and the Set-apart Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Nevertheless we need to be mindful that Satan has cunningly deceived the whole world as witnessed in Revelation 12: 9, in this way: ‘And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.’ We see further from 2 Corinthians 4: 3 & 4: ‘And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, (4) in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Messiah, who is the image of Elohim.’ Satan the god of this world has led Adam and Eve into sin, resulting in the 6,000 year sentence of man with the devil ruling him by deception. Nobody can deny that Satan has successfully influenced mankind into establishing their own governments, religions and civilization based on his way of ‘get’, instead of Elohim’s way of ‘give’. We see that during the 6,000 year period during which man is cut off from Elohim, only those specifically chosen from the lost ten tribes of Israel (including a small number of real Gentiles) by Elohim can come to Messiah, as Yahshua clearly stated in John 6: 44, saying: “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” So we see that unless Elohim intervenes by specifically calling one to repentance and salvation; to a life of training for His Kingdom, no one can come to Messiah. Yes, all people are cut off through sin, except Abraham’s children through Isaac and Jacob from the house of Judah who remained faithful to the covenant relationship He started with them at Mount Sinai, together with a remnant of the house of Israel whom YHVH is busy calling to return out of sin to renew the covenant with Him at Messiah’s return in the near future. About 2,000 years ago according to Elohim’s original plan, He sent His Word also known as His image, to the earth as Yahshua Messiah the Son of Elohim, to rescue a remnant of the lost sheep of the house of Israel from the death penalty, which all have incurred through breaking His commandments and will ultimately remarry a remnant of the commonwealth of Israel, who will rule under Him as kings and priests during the millennium.

As a messenger from Elohim, Yahshua came proclaiming the good news about the coming Kingdom of Elohim, as witnessed in Mark 1: 14 & 15, but more specifically in John 3: 3 – 8, in this way: ‘Yahshua answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Elohim.” (4) Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” (5) Yahshua answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Elohim.” (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born again.” (8) The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”’ Yahshua foretold the time when mankind will no longer be cut off from Elohim. He announced that the government of Elohim will be restored by the coming Kingdom of Elohim, composed of born-again spiritual children of Elohim from both houses of Israel. Yahshua foretold the gospel that those called by Elohim, may ultimately become spirit born children of Elohim, ruling under Yahshua and Him in His soon coming Kingdom. However, even after spending three and a half years during which time thousands of people must have heard His teachings, only about 120 people continued as His disciples, after His death and resurrection, as witnessed in Acts 1: 15 – 19, as follows: ‘And at this time Kepha stood up in the midst of the brethren ( a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, (16) “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Set-apart Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Yahshua. (17) For he was counted among us, and received his portion in this ministry.” (18) (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. (19) And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)’ These 120 people were called by the Father to be founding members of His Renewed Covenant congregation. However, before 70 CE the message that Messiah and His apostles taught was rapidly suppressed by a growing, deceived counterfeit church called Christianity.

We see from Romans 8: 29 – 30 that when we are born again of the Elohim kind, we will be like Yahshua, in this way: ‘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; (30) and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.’ For us to be conformed of Elohim, means to become like Yahshua; to be glorified as He is glorified and become a child of Elohim. We understand from reading 1 Corinthians 15: 51 & 52 that the Spiritual birth of believers in Messiah will take place at His return to earth on the Feast of Trumpets, as follows: ‘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.’ This is when the resurrection will also occur, as witnessed in 1 Thessalonians 4: 14 – 17, in this way: ‘For if we believe that Yahshua died and rose again, even so Elohim will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Yahshua. (15) ‘For this we say to you by the word of the Master, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Master, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. (16) For the Master Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of Elohim; and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Master in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Master.’ That is when they will be born-again as members of Elohim’s Family. They will inherit eternal life in a similar way in which Messiah was resurrected to eternal life.

We see that after Messiah’s resurrection He was able to appear and disappear and even pass through walls, as witnessed in John 20: 19 & 26 – 28, as follows: ‘When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Yahshua came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” (26) ‘And after eight days again His disciples were inside, and Thomas with them. Yahshua came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst, and said, “Peace be with you.” (27) Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.” (28) Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Master and my Elohim!” (29) Yahshua said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”’ David also testified about this in Psalm 102: 25 – 28, saying: “Of old Thou didst found the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thy hands. (26) Even they will perish, but Thou dost endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; like clothing Thou wilt change them, and they will be changed. (27) But Thou art the same, and Thy years will not come to an end. (28) The children of Thy servants will continue, and their descendants will be established before Thee.” Elohim tells us through His servant David, that we like Messiah, will live forever once we are born-again as the spiritual children of Elohim.

Once we have received Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit, we have been begotten of Elohim, but are at that point only spiritual embryos, not yet born-again as Elohim’s children – not yet developed for the purpose for which Elohim has called us, not yet trained to be priests (teachers) and kings (rulers) in His everlasting Kingdom. We are at that point still required to grow in grace and knowledge, as Rav Kepha wrote In 2 Peter 3: 13 – 18, saying: ‘But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. (14) Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, (15) and regard the patience of our Master to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Shaul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, (16) as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. (17) You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, (18) 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.’ Elohim is holy, righteous and perfect. For us to be born-again of the Elohim kind – to become part of His ruling Family as His Spiritual children, we must be changed, not only from human flesh and blood to spiritual beings, but from sinful nature into Elohim’s nature, which reflects His holy, perfect character, as Yahshua stated in Matthew 5: 48, in this way: “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Elohim’s spiritual character must be developed from the time of our calling, until our dying day, or when Messiah returns. But, what exactly is the character that Elohim wants us to develop? It is the knowledge of what Elohim defines as righteous, learned by studying Elohim’s Scriptures and applying what we have learned to our daily lives. Holy righteous character can only be developed by experience. Experience require that we apply in our daily lives what we learn from Torah and following (YHVH)’s perfect example (Yahshua). Experience requires both time and circumstances – therefore Elohim allows the time and circumstances which enable us to develop His character. The Set-apart Spirit which Elohim gives to those who repent, believe and are immersed, enables His children to understand His Word, which is the foundation for character development. It also provides the spiritual love and faith required to obey Elohim’s Law of love, the foundation of His government. But, does not force us to obey Elohim, as character has to be developed through willing voluntary choice by those called by Elohim. It is for this reason that we read from Romans 8: 14, ‘For all who are being led by the Spirit of Elohim, these are the sons of Elohim.’ The point is that when we are born-again at the resurrection, we will be perfect as Elohim is, for Elohim will have developed in us, with our yielding, perfect character, as witnessed in 1 John 3: 9, as follows: ‘No one who is born of Elohim practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of Elohim.’

Yahshua Messiah had to qualify to replace the present ruler of the world, as recorded in Matthew 4: 1 – 11. Even though He was severely tempted, He remained faithful to Elohim and His way until death. If we want to like Messiah, qualify to rule in Elohim’s coming Kingdom, we also have to overcome, as witnessed in Revelation 3: 21, in this way: ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.’ That means we must turn from Satan’s way, resist and overcome his temptations and learn to obey Elohim’s Law of love, the way of His future government. By the process of overcoming the pulls of the flesh, the world and Satan; and by submitting to Elohim’s way, spiritual character is being developed in us. But, it requires a lot of effort from us, together with the help of Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit, to become the spiritually motivated persons, whom Elohim can use in His everlasting Kingdom. As our Savoir and ‘the firstborn of many brethren’ Yahshua has already qualified for the highest position under Elohim in His coming Kingdom, as witnessed in Philippians 2: 9 – 11, as follows: ‘Therefore also Elohim highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, (10) that at the name of Yahshua EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, (11) and that every tongue should confess that Yahshua Messiah is Master, to the glory of Elohim the Father.’ Certain other individuals have also qualified for positions promised them by Elohim in His everlasting Kingdom, as we read amongst other from Ezekiel 37: 21 – 24, in this way: ‘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; and they will walk in My ordinances, and keep My statutes, and observe them.”’ The twelve apostles will also rule over the tribes of Israel, as Yahshua told them in Matthew 19: 28, saying: “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” So will Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all our fathers and mothers in the faith who already qualified according to Hebrews 11: 4 – 40.

There will be various positions of responsibility in the Kingdom of Elohim, for a whole new civilization to be built on earth, but this time according to Elohim’s specifications. As spirit-begotten children of Elohim, we are being judged at this time, for the future positions we will be required to control, as Rav Kepha wrote in 1 Peter 4: 17, saying: ‘For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of Elohim; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of Elohim?’ We will be awarded with an office or position in Elohim’s government according to our works in this life! When the glorified Messiah returns to the earth to rule the world from Jerusalem, He will assign positions of authority in His government to those who are saved by His grace, those who through grace, received Elohim’s gift of eternal life by a resurrection or change to immortality at His Second Coming. But, most professing Churchianity confuses the reward of the saved, with eternal life. Eternal life is a gift, not a reward, as recorded in Roman 6: 23, in this way: ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of Elohim is eternal life in Messiah Yahshua our Master.’ Yet, we are even now required to keep the commandments to have eternal life, as Yahshua said in Matthew 19: 17, as follows: “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.” The point is: a ‘gift’ is something given freely. Elohim’s gift of eternal life comes by His grace and favor and there is absolutely nothing we can do to earn it. But, Elohim has certain conditions which must be met before He will give us immortality. Compliance to these conditions does not earn eternal life, but disobedience will result in eternal death, as witnessed in 1 Corinthians 6: 9 & 10, in this way: ‘Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of Elohim? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, (10) nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of Elohim.’ Once called by Elohim, we should make very sure that we do not do the things we used to do before He called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Elohim will definitely not give eternal life to anyone who insist on living Satan’s way of life.

The reward of the saved is not eternal life; but it is in fact rulership under Messiah over all the nations of the earth. However, not all positions of rulership will be the same. As called out believers we are required to use Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit to produce much fruit, as Yahshua explained in John 15: 1 – 8, saying: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. (2) Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. (3) You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. (4) Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. (5) I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. (6) If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (7) If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. (8) By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” We see further from Yahshua’s parable of the sower in Matthew 13: 23 that some who are called at this time, produce more ‘fruit’ than others, as follows: “And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” We are given the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim so that we can produce good fruit. It is by using Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit that we are able to produce fruit – and thereby training for the responsible positions that Elohim is planning to reward us with in His coming Kingdom. However, one’s specific job will depend on how well we are doing during our training period; i.e. the amount of fruit (good works) we produce during our life as believers. The parable of the pound in Luke 19 shows that the reward each believer will receive will depend on how much the believer grew and overcame spiritually in this life. In this parable Messiah pictures Himself as a nobleman who goes to a far country (in this case heaven) to receive a kingdom and return to earth (as per verse 12). In verse 13 we see that before He departs, he gives each of His 10 servants (indicative of the remnant of the lost ten tribes that He came to reconcile back to the Father) an equal amount of money.

Once He receives the Kingdom and returns, He shows us in Luke 19: 15 how He will judge these servants, saying: “And it came about that when he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given money, be called to him in order that he might know what business they had done.” These servants are the ones the Father called and to whom He has given His Set-apart Spirit at immersion, represented by an equal amount of money. Elohim has given each believer an equal amount of His Set-apart Spirit to be used to serve others, overcome, help performing the work of Elohim and to develop spiritual character. We see from verses 16 – 19 that each believer or servant will be rewarded proportionate to his/her spiritual growth in this life. As believers our lives may be compared to a ‘spiritual training college’ where we are trained to become kings and priests in Elohim’s Kingdom. However, the parable shows that some learn more and produce more spiritual fruit (godly character) than others. Therefore, each one will receive greater or lesser positions of responsibility based upon the amount of his spiritual overcoming and how much Elohim’s character was developed in this life. Even though our good works cannot gain us entrance into Elohim’s Kingdom as we are born into the Kingdom of Elohim by His grace. However, once we are born into Elohim’s Family, our spiritual works during this present life, do determine the position or rank we will receive as a reward. The parable in Matthew 25: 14 – 30 shows that we will be rewarded according to our works, but it also show Elohim’s fairness in rewarding us by taking into account our own natural limitations. Here again Messiah compares Himself to a man who goes to a far country. But, in this parable He divides up his goods according to the abilities of each of His slaves (verse 15). The units of money, like the minas (or pounds) in Luke 19, symbolize the Set-apart Spirit given to each believer – but they also picture the spiritual gifts given to each based on his own ability. Whereas in the parable of the minas in Luke 19 all ten servants were given the same amount of money and each were given an equal portion of Elohim’s Spirit from Elohim from the start. In the parable of the talents, Elohim gave spiritual gifts according to the natural abilities of the slaves. To one He gave five, to the next one He gave two, and to the third only one – according to their natural abilities. But, we see that even though the slave with two produced less in number than the one with five, he also doubled what he started with. So he did as well as the first slave in proportion to his ability. So we see that to whom much is given, much is required; and to whom little is given, less is required (as seen in the last part of Luke 12: 48). The parable shows further that each servant who is faithful over a few things, according to his/her limited abilities and opportunities in this life, will be rewarded with much when Messiah returns, as also confirmed in Matthew 25: 23, in this way: “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”

We learn to rule responsibly for the good of ourselves and others in the Kingdom of Elohim by learning to better manage the responsibilities and powers in our control at this time, no matter how small they may be at present. There are numerous opportunities to develop and grow right where you are at present, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. Finally we see that those who fail to grow and overcome in this life, as per the example in both parables and did nothing with what they have been given will lose out! These parables clearly show that the believer who does not grow spiritually could be compared to one who believes he does not need to overcome and grow in spiritual character. He believed he was already saved and did not believe works to be necessary. Notice, by doing nothing he not only lost his reward, but also lost the free gift of eternal life. Think about it!

[1] Far off, a phrase used by the prophet Daniel in Daniel 9: 7 for the house of Israel, when he prayed for both houses before king Cyrus allowed a delegation of the house of Judah to return to the Promised Land to rebuild the Temple and the wall of Jerusalem after 70 years in captivity in Babylon.