366 We need to qualify | nazareneisrael2house

We need to qualify for the kingdom of Elohim.

Those of us called out of churches of the world, were not called because we were the most religious, or best qualified, or wealthiest, or the mightiest, or noblest people of the world; but YHVH had a plan for doing so, and knew that we have the potential to make it into His kingdom, as is confirmed by Rav Shaul in first Corinthians 1: 26 – 29, in this way: ‘For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; (27) but Elohim has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and Elohim has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, (28) and the base things of the world and the despised, Elohim has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, (29) that no man should boast before Elohim.’ Rav Yaa’cov confirms that even though we were the so-called poor and outcasts in the world, there is a wonderful future awaiting us in James 2: 5, saying: ‘Listen, my beloved brethren: did not Elohim choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?’

The point is, that YHVH is not a respecter of persons, as is confirmed in Acts 10: 34, as follows: ‘And opening his mouth Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that Elohim is not one to show partiality.”’A second witness comes from Romans 2: 11, in this way: ‘For there is no partiality with Elohim.’ We see further when YHVH asked Samuel to go to Jesse to anoint one of his son’s in place of King Saul, because of Saul’s sin of rebellion by not doing what YHVH required of him in first Samuel 15, He spoke to Samuel when he considered the sons of Jesse best suited for the position in first Samuel 16: 7 – 13 , as follows: “Do not look at his appearance or the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for Elohim sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but YHVH looks at the heart.” (8) Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has YHVH chosen this one.” (9) Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has YHVH chosen this one.” (10) Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “YHVH has not chosen these.” (11) And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” (12)So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And YHVH said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” (13)Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of YHVH came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.”

However, once YHVH has called someone to become one of Yahshua’s disciples, He gives us a chance to consider our options to follow Him or not, as Yahshua also said to the great multitudes who were going along with Him in Luke 14: 25 - 33: “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. (27)Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. (28)For which one of you, when he want to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? (29)Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, (30)saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ (31)Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and take counsel whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? (32) Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks terms of peace. (33)So therefore, no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.’Yahshua was trying the get the seriousness of what it means to follow Him, across to these people. He did not mean they should hate their parents, children, friends, fellow believers from previous affiliations and even themselves, but wanted them to realize that when we start following Him, we have to do it with all our might. There is no turning back to the things we used to do in the past, as He wants you to give Him the best of your time. Then as a result of following YHVH you might not have all the time you use to devote to your parents and others, and they will start questioning your sudden interest in religion, even advising against it. This will be when you will be afflicted and even persecuted for putting something else before them. It will take a great deal of sacrifice to be able to persevere against these arguments and criticisms by what you are trying to achieve, as Yahshua also taught in Matthew 10: 20 & 21, saying: “And brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. (22) And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.” It is true, initially you will lose some of your friends and family on the way, but if you do it with all your heart and soul, He will eventually let things come right again, between especially our families. It is as Yahshua taught in Matthew 6: 33, saying: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” Even if you do not get your old friends and perhaps also your family back, He will provide you with new like-minded friends and family.

But, a major problem facing new believers is that they immediately want to share the new truths that they receivedwith friends, parents and family and others, but they soon find out that people in the world where he or she comes from, no matter who they are, are not in the least concerned with the things of Elohim, as Rav Shaul also aptly explained in first Corinthians 2: 9 -12, saying: ‘But just as it is written, ”THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT ELOHIM HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” (10) For to us Elohim revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of Elohim. (11) For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of Elohim no one knows except the Spirit of Elohim. (12) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit who is from Elohim, that we might know the things freely given to us by Elohim.’In addition such new believers need to be ever mindful that we cannot bring anybody into Elohim’s congregation of first fruits called out of the world, even if we believe in so doing we are doing Elohim’s work for Him. We need to recall Messiah’s words in John 6: 44, where he clearly said: “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.” For emphasis Yahshua repeated this in John 6: 65, saying: "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father.” In order to also make it clear what the actual work of Elohim for each one of us entails, He also said in verse 29 of John 6, “This is the works of Elohim, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’

But, do you and I who confess faith in Yahshua, truly believe what He said here? Or is it perhaps that you do not understand what He was saying and then try and interpret it your own way? Yes, we need to proclaim the coming kingdom of Elohim, into the entire world. In addition, we need to understand that where Yahshua is telling us to do so in Matthew 24: 14, He is not saying you must convert and immerse them, no, carefully notice what he said: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.” New believers should also be aware of the fact that they should go through Messiah’s discipleship program before they will be ready to start teaching other believers on their own. We need to recall Yahshua’s words in Matthew 15: 13 where He talks about the blind leading the blind, saying: “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up.” Instead of reading verse 14, we go on to Luke 6: 39 & 40, where Yahshua spoke specifically about His discipleship program, saying: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? (40) A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.”The problem is that people don’t trust the teachers whom YHVH chose to do His work, and believe they know a lot more than these unimportant little souls. However, Rav Shaul warns those who thinks like that in first Timothy 3: 7, where he gives the qualification of a teacher, saying: ‘An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife (of the ladies he says the same thing in verses 11), temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, (3) not addicted to wine or pugnacious (confrontational), but gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money. (4) He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (5) (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the congregation of Elohim?);(6) and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into condemnation incurred by the devil.(7) And he must have a good reputation with those outside the congregation, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.’

In addition those whom the new believer usually try and teach, will soon become the ones who might in future turn and persecute him/her, as Yahshua clearly taught in Luke 12: 51 – 53, saying: “Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; (52) for from now on five members in on household will be divided, three against two, and two against three. (53) They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against daughter-in-law; and daughter-in-law against mother-in law.” He also warned in John 15: 18 – 21, saying: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. (19) If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore it hates you. (20) Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A Slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. (21) But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the one who sent Me.”

YHVH has a plan and He works strictly according to that plan, despite of what you and I think. Once He calls us, He expects us to learn to live the way he specified in His word, by learning from someone guiding us to get to know YHVH and His will and way better, as Rav Kepha wrote in 2 Peter 3: 18, saying: ‘But grow in grace and knowledge of our Master and Savior Yahshua Messiah. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amein.” Rav Shaul also tells us why we have teachers, but also for how long we should be trained under them, inEphesians 4: 11 – 16, saying: ‘And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, (12) for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Messiah; (13) until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Messiah(in accordance with Romans 8: 28 & 29). (14) As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; (15) but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Messiah, (16) from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.’ The entire reason for calling us as first fruits, is because similar to the first born children in ancient times, and as still applicable in Jewish homes, the first born children were dedicated to YHVH for service to Him, and to teach the rest of the Israelites, the Torah of Elohim, we are being trained at this time, to become first fruit kings and priests under Yahshua during His millennial rule, and beyond. At this time YHVH is training each one us for that most important role that He is planning for us in His kingdom. But in addition to training us through the teachers that He provides, He gives us various trials and tests to help us build character like His, by the time we die, orif Messiah should come before that day. Fact is we are being judged at this time, to see if we will be able to fulfill the job functions He has planned for us in future, as Rav Kepha warned in first 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?’

The Scriptures inform us in Hebrews 1: 1 - 2 that Yahshua is the heir of all things, in this way: ‘Elohim, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, (2) in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.’However, we read further from Romans 8: 15 & 16 that those of us whomElohim is busy calling at this time, also have an opportunity to become co-heirs with Yahshua, as follows: ‘For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Avinu! Father!” (16) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of Elohim.’ We have the absolute assurance that if we overcome our own human nature, the world, and Satan, we will make it into the Kingdom of Elohim, to become kings and priests ruling under Yahshua on the earth, in Revelation 5: 9 & 10, as follows: ‘And they sang a new song saying, “Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for thou wast slain, and didst purchase for Elohim with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.(10) And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our Elohim; and they will reign upon the earth.”’ Nevertheless, YHVH requires that we qualify during this life time, to enable us to become rulers in the Kingdom of Elohim.

We read as an example about Satan’s fall from heaven when He rebelled against Elohim in Isaiah 14: 12. Satan was once one of three Archangels and ruled over a third of all the angels. However, he was not always content with his position as ruler over the angels, and wanted to take over Elohim’s throne, as witnessed in verses 13 & 14 of Isaiah 14, in this way: “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars (angels as understood from Revelation 1: 20) of Elohim, and I will sit on the mount of the assembly In the recesses of the north (where the throne of YHVH is).(14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’” Satan was perfect in all his ways, until lawlessness was found in him. In fact Yahshua who was the word before He became Yahshua the Son of Man said in Luke 10: 18, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.” Satan was disqualified from being a ruler.

The account of the creation of the first man and woman, in the image of Elohim, in Genesis 1: 27, hints at our destiny to become rulers in place of Satan. YHVH gave Adam an opportunity to become a ruler, when He gave Adam and Eve a set of instructions, which He wanted them to follow exactly. Failure to obey His instructions would bring the death penalty. We read about this in Genesis 3: 1 & 3 as follows: ‘Now the serpent was morecrafty than any beast of the field which YHVH Elohim had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has Elohim said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?’” (2) ‘And the woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; (3) but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, Elohim has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die.”’ Never before this was there a death penalty. Disobedience to the rules of YHVH our Elohim confers the death penalty on all of us. If our names are not written in the book of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth, we will worship the dragon, who is Satan. This is recorded in Revelation 13: 8. However in verses 9 & 10 of Revelation 13, we are admonished to persevere and remain faithful. In Romans 8: 29 & 30 we also read: ‘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.’ YHVH predestined those of us whom He has called during this age, to become rulers during the millennial rule of Messiah and beyond. However, we need to qualify for the rulership positions He has planned for us.

We know that Adam and Eve induced by the lies and temptation of Satan, did sin. Since then all humankind have sinned and fall short of the esteem of YHVH. Death spread to all humankind through the sins of our forefathers. Sin entered on the human level and death reigned from Adam to Moses as is recorded for us in Romans 5: 12 – 14 ‘Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned – (13) for until the Law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (14)Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.’ We see in Revelation 20 in the first part of verse 14 that death will be the last thing that will be destroyed: ‘And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.’But, reading from Matthew 4 we see that Yahshua qualified to replace Satan as ruler. When Satan tempted Yahshua with the kingdoms and riches of the world, it was his to give. Satan offered Yahshua rulership of the kingdoms of the world, provided that He (Yahshua) bow down and worship him (Satan). We see that Yahshua did not dispute the fact that these kingdoms were Satan’s to give, but instead He said to him (Satan), in Matthew 4: 10,“Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ’You shall worship YHVH your Elohim, and serve Him only.’” Messiah has become the first fruit of them that are asleep. We read this in first Corinthians 15: 20 as follows: ‘But now Messiah has been raised from the dead, the first fruit of those who are asleep.’ We also read in verses 21, 22 and 45 of 1 Corinthians 15: ‘For since by a man came death, by a man also come the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Messiah all shall be made alive. (45) So also it is written, “The first Man Adam BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam (Yahshua) became a life-giving spirit.’

By man came death because of sin, but by Messiah came the resurrection to life. His (Yahshua’s) obedience conferred a blessing on us, His followers. Yahshua passed the test as witnessed in Hebrews 2: 8 – 10, as follows: ‘THOU HAST PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. For in subjecting all things to him, He Left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.(9) But we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Yahshua, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of Elohim He might taste death for everyone. (10) For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.’We also know from the Scriptures that Yahshua was tested in all points and qualified as recorded for us in Hebrews 4: 15 as follows: ‘For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.’ Yahshua qualified to replace Satan as ruler of the earth. We see also that Abram qualified by being obedient to the instructions that YHVH gave him in Genesis 12, and he did not argue when YHVH told him to go forth from his country, from his relatives and from his father’s house, to a land which YHVH will show him. Abram left without questions. YHVH entered into a covenant with Abram and as a sign of the covenant he (Abram) and his descendants would be circumcised. At this time YHVH changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means father of a multitude. Abraham further obeyed YHVH, when YHVH told him to offer up his son Isaac in Genesis 22. In verse 10 of Genesis 22, we see that Abraham passed the test and that he qualified to rule in the kingdom of Elohim. We see in Hebrews 11: 9 & 10 that Abraham was looking forward to being in the kingdom of Elohim as follows: ‘By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; (10) for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is Elohim.’ In Genesis 22: 18 YHVH says to Abraham: “And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”In Genesis 26: 2 – 5 we read YHVH appearing to Isaac, ‘And YHVH appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I shall tell you. (3) 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.”’

As YHVH promised that through His one seed, namely Yahshua the Messiah, we from the lost ten tribes, whom he is busy calling from the world, has the same chance as those who remained faithful to His Torah throughout the ages, since He entered into a covenant relationship with all Israel at Mount Sinai. YHVH shows mercy unto allof them who love Him and keep His commandments as is recorded for us in Exodus 20: 5 & 6 as follows: “You shall not worship them (idols) or serve them; for I, YHVH your Elohim, am a jealous Elohim, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving-kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” There is not even a question – we show YHVH that we love Him by keeping His commandments. We know that YHVH rejected King Saul for failing the tests that YHVH gave Him. We also know that YHVH called David a man after His own heart, despite having committed adultery and murder. The reason is that David did not blame others for the sins that he committed. He owned-up and repented in sackcloth and ashes. Psalm 51 is a Psalm of David after he sinned. The point is that there is no inheritance without testing. We know that Joseph passed his test and that his brother, Jacob’s first born son Reuben failed – because of sin.Let us focus for a moment on Israel’s first king – King Saul. King Saul failed the test which YHVH gave him; he offered up a burnt offering – something which only a priest could do. We read the account in first Samuel 13: 5 – 9 as follows: ‘Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and people like the sand which is on the sea shore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven. (6) When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits.(7) Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him with trembling.(8) Now he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him.(9) So Saul said, “Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering.’ In verse 13 and the first part of verse 14 of first Samuel 13 we read: ‘And Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandments of YHVH your Elohim, which He commanded you, for now YHVH would have established your kingdom over Israel for ever. (14) But now your kingdom shall not endure.”’ Saul lacked faith in YHVH and failed.

We read from Hebrews 11: 6 that it is not possible to please YHVH, without faith, in this way:‘And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to Elohim must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarded of those who seek Him.’In addition we read from first Samuel 15: 1 – 3:‘Then Samuel said to Saul, “YHVH sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of YHVH. (2) Thus says YHVH of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. (3) Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” We see in 1 Samuel 15: 9 that Saul disobeyed YHVH – he saved Agag the king of Amalek, as well as the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good. When Samuel question Saul about this in 1 Samuel 15: 13 - 15, Saul blamed the people for his indiscretion. In verse 23 of 1 Samuel 15 we see that YHVH rejected Saul from being king over Israel, as follows: “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is an iniquity and idolatry. Because you (Saul) have rejected the word of YHVH, He has also rejected you from being king.”

If we are planning to become kings and priest in the kingdom of Elohim, we need to make very sure that we pass the tests that YHVH put before us. Let us learn from the examples of the first two kings of Israel, namely King Saul and King David. King Saul lacked faith in YHVH and blamed others for his wrong decisions. Even though King David also committed major sins, he never blamed others for his indiscretions. Instead he repented and returned to the teachings of YHVH. Let us do likewise, and aim to qualify for rulership in Elohim’s everlasting Kingdom. Think about it!