The Torah = The Law and the Prophets*

Church history, including some of its important leaders and influencers like Martin Luther, St. Augustine, the Emperor Constantine and the Council of Nicaea, were filled with Anti-Semitism. As well as having a disregard for the commandments of God as they appeared in the Torah, or Old Testament, because of that contempt for the Jews, the Church also disregarded scripture in order to appeal to pagan converts. The commandments regarding the sabbath and the Feasts of the LORD were changed or ignored resulting in the spiritual impoverishment of the Church, and the removal of the Church from its Torah and Jewish foundation. The phrase, "the law and the prophets" appears five times (five is the number of grace) in the Old Testament, but it appears ten times (ten is the number of completion) in the New Testament! So why does the Church systematically exclude the law and the prophets from its direct relationship with grace? Let us look at the mentions of "the law and the prophets" in the New Testament. Jesus said: "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." (Mt. 7:12). The intention of this Torah principle that Jesus taught is based on one of the two great commandments, again from the law and the prophets, which we will see later. John the Baptist, whose purpose was to prepare the way for the Messiah, Jesus, was connected by Jesus directly to the law and the prophets which preceded John, including His revealing of John the Baptist as Elijah, the great prophet of Israel (Mt. 11:11-14, see also Lk. 16:16). Jesus was tested by Torah lawyers on His knowledge and interpretation of the law, and He answered them according to the law when asked: "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Mt. 22:36-40, see also Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18). Regarding the Torah, Jesus revealed: "...it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle (small mark over a Hebrew letter) of the law to fail."(Lk. 16:17). The Torah is not about legalism, but it is about teaching us that God is a good God. This is the source of the grace of God - His goodness towards us. Jesus reminded His disciples when He met with them after His resurrection, that He had told them of what would happen to Him when He was previously with them :...that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things." (Lk. 24:44-48). Everything concerning Christ was written beforehand in the Torah. At that same time, Jesus also spoke about another promise from the law and the prophets: "And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." (v. 49). Jesus is referring to the promise in the prophets that God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. This outpouring, as recorded in Acts 2, occurred on the Feast of Pentecost, also called the Feast of Weeks. Again, we must say that the Church has not been taught the ordained and prophetic Feasts of the LORD. In another example of the law and the prophets in the New Testament, Jesus was travelling into Galilee, in Bethsaida, where He called Philip as a disciple, and told him, "Follow me." (Jn. 1:43). Then Philip went to Nathaneal and told him: "...We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathaneal said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see." (v. 45-46). Jesus had seen Nathanael in the Spirit, and said to him: "Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee." (v. 47-48). Nathanael was amazed that Jesus had seen him in this manner beforehand, and proclaimed to Jesus: "...Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel." Jesus answered: "Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these...Hereafter, ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (v. 49-51). When Paul arrived in Antioch, he was in the synagogue on the sabbath. The law and the prophets had been read during the service, and then Paul was invited to speak (Acts 13:13-16). Paul then opened up the Torah in a manner that revealed the sovereignty and goodness of God to His people throughout their history (v. 17-21). Then Paul spoke to them about how the Torah brought the people of God to the provision of His salvation: "...he (God) raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel." (v. 22-24). The people in the synagogue had been reading the law and the prophets on the sabbath, and Paul brought them the Gospel of salvation out of the same law and the prophets. When Paul was brought to trial before Felix, the governor of Cesarea, by false accusers among the Jews who wished him dead. Paul defended himself before the governor saying: "But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets: and have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men." (Acts 24:14-16). As Paul said, our consciences towards both God and man are developed and ordered by the law and the prophets, and Paul structured his life upon the knowledge of them. As Jesus said (above), all the law and the prophets hang upon our keeping the two great commandments relating to our love for God, and equally, our love for our neighbor, man. The last few years of Paul's life were spent in Rome, where he was kept under house arrest, and would eventually be executed.
However, scripture tells us how Paul spent this time: "And when they had appointed him a day (for his hearing), there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not." (Acts. 28:22-23). The Church of believers was founded through Paul and the other apostles through the revealing of the truth of Christ in the law and the prophets. Paul also wrote that the Jews have an advantage in every way because the oracles of God have been entrusted to them. These oracles include the Torah, the Word of God. The fact that some may not believe does not make the faith of God expressed by His Word, without effect. God is going to judge the world righteously based upon His Word, whether they believe or not: "...yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. (Rom. 3:1-5, see also Ps. 51:4)). Because of this, Paul wrote that one is not a Jew who is one outwardly, by circumcision in the flesh: "But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." (Rom. 2:28-29). This also is directly from the law and the prophets. We need both the Old Testament and the New Testament, both of which are wrapped into Yeshua, Jesus. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 1/8/23 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook. You can also get a free ebook titled "The Shroud of Turin- A Perfect Summary" at www.The ShroudofTurin.org/freebook.

More Excellent*

Continuing this week in our series "Search the Scriptures", we will find that the Word of God teaches us of a more excellent way. The Book of Proverbs contains the counsel of godly wisdom and it says, "The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor: but the way of the wicked seduceth them." (Prov. 12:26. The Hebrew word for "excellent" is tur, meaning to search (for righteousness). Even each Hebrew letter of the word tur, has a meaning that reflects the source of excellence. The Hebrew letters together mean "the cross/the covenant, the nail, and the Highest or the most important person". The more excellent way is to be searched out in God's Word. Proverbs also says, "A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised." (Prov. 12:8). We have also spoken these last two weeks of the condition of the heart, and its importance in our walk. Paul wrote of how the Jews rested and boasted in their knowledge of the law. He wondered why, as they taught others the law, they didn't also teach themselves. If they did, then Paul would not have to ask them: "...dost thou steal?", "...dost thou commit adultery?", "...dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written...if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision...For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision , which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." (Rom. 2:17-29). The more excellent way is to be transformed and circumcised inwardly, in the heart, by the Word and the Spirit of God. This was Paul's prayer for the believers as he wrote to the Philippians: "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God." (Phil. 1:9-11). In the more excellent way, your love has to increase along with the fruits of righteousness by Jesus Christ. The Book of Hebrews says that by His inheritance as the Son of God, the name of Jesus is more excellent than even the angels: "...when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.". It is unto the Son that he said, "...Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." (Heb. 1:4-8). The more excellent way is the Son, and for us to follow in the righteousness of His authority and kingdom. Also in Hebrews, the more excellent priesthood of Christ, the Son, is written about: "We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." (Heb. 8:1-2). While earthly priests offered gifts according to the requirements of the law, which was only after the pattern of the heavenly things, this Priest, Jesus, also came with an offering, fulfilling the "heavenly things", rather than a pattern or shadow of them. Because of this: "...now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." (v. 6). This new covenant established after the true heavenly things is not the same covenant which God had established with the fathers, which they broke, and were still breaking, as Paul mentioned above. However, the new covenant promised by God through the prophets, and established in the offering by Jesus of Himself, surpasses the old: "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people...for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (v. 9-12). As we saw that Jesus established a better priesthood of the heavenly things rather than the pattern of them, He also fulfilled, and will fulfill, the Feasts of the LORD, as given by God to Moses in the law. Jesus has already fulfilled the spring feasts, but approaching immediately are the fall feasts, which the Lord shall also fulfill. Tonight begins the Feast of Trumpets. This is the way that the fall feasts are written: "...In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. Ye shall do not servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD." (Lev. 23:23-25). The observing of the sabbath, itself, is the first of the LORD's feasts (Lev. 23:2-3), by the way. The Feasts of Trumpets will be fulfilled by Jesus. We know that in the Rapture, the trump shall sound, and we shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The next of the fall feasts, which is also soon to arrive, is the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur (v. 26-32), a solemn feast day which comes ten days after the Feast of Trumpets, and calls all of God's people to a sabbath, with the affliction of our souls in fasting, prayer and repentance. It is prayed and hoped at this time that one's name will be written in the (Lamb's) Book of Life. Five days later, the Feast of Tabernacles, lasting seven days, will be observed (v. 33-36). All of these Feasts require a special offering to be brought before the LORD. Have you prepared your offering to Him? All of the Feasts of the LORD are commanded to be observed forever. The Feast days are upon us now. Don't be caught unaware of their meaning, and their importance in God's eyes, and to the salvation of His people. These Feasts represent Christ: the Bridegroom is coming - be ready. Although many churches do not teach these things, this is part of our preparation for the Lord's return. They are part of the more excellent way. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 9/25/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and endtimeschool, also on Facebook.