Are We Israel?
Most will say that “The Law” of the Old Testament, given to us in Torah (the first five books of the bible) was fulfilled and done away with by Jesus. There are many scriptures in the Torah (actually translated ‘teaching and instruction’ vs. ‘law’) that say it is “for all generations”, “forever”, or a “perpetual covenant”.
We are told many times in scripture that God does not change, and that God’s Word will never pass away…
I’ve discussed this with many people, and most say those Old Testament ideas were for ancient Israel only, and only applies to Jews today. Many have said they are not of the Nation of Israel, and therefore, the statement “for all generations” does not apply to them.
However, the same people claim to be part of the New Covenant, ushered in by Jesus. I could post much scripture showing that we are, in fact, of the Nation of Israel, but the summary is this:
We are either descended from the scattered ten tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel, or if purely Gentile believers, we are grafted into the Nation of Israel per Romans 11. We are heirs to the promise made to Abraham. (Ephesians 3:29 — And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.)
As such, the many scriptures in Torah that say “for all generations” or “perpetual covenant” apply to us today, because God’s word does not pass away. (Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.)
Let’s explore this idea from the perspective of the “New Covenant.” The New Covenant is mentioned prophetically in Jeremiah, and it is spoken of again in Hebrews after it was established. Let’s take a look at both descriptions of the New Covenant, which most Christians believe we are a part of:
Jeremiah 31 A New Covenant 31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
Hebrews 8 A New Covenant
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds[b] I will remember no more.” 13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
In both instances, we see that the New Covenant with Messiah is made with the house of Israel. If we deny that we are Israel, we are denying that we are in covenant with Messiah, Jesus. And if we ARE Israel, which the definition of the New Covenant confirms, then the scriptures in Torah that say “for all generations, forever, perpetual covenant, etc” are applicable to us. The mainstream message teaches that the first covenant with Israel had fault, and was replaced by a second covenant.
There is truth in this idea, but not in the way it is taught. We are taught that the law did not work, that Jesus fulfilled the law on our behalf, and as a result, we are no longer required to do the instructions given by God in Torah. This (false, imho) idea can be supported with select bits and pieces of scripture, but not with all scripture, the WHOLE truth of the WHOLE bible.
Yes, the first covenant did have fault, but the covenant itself was not the issue. The issue was the people not complying with the covenant. In fact, we see that in the verses above. In Jeremiah, we are told the people broke the covenant. In Hebrews 8:8, we are told the fault was with the people, not with the covenant.
Jesus tells us in His own words that the law, the instructions given to us in Torah, for all generations, is not destroyed by His coming.
Matthew 5:17-19 17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
1. Jesus did not come to destroy.
2. Jesus did come to fulfill.
3. No part of the law will change until heaven and earth have passed away.
4. He who breaks and teaches to break – will be the least
5. He who does and teaches to do – will be the greatest
6. And just in case you were not paying attention, Jesus makes it clear that this is important with, “For assuredly, I say to you.”
Where this passage may get confusing is in the way it is translated, using the word fulfill in both verse 17 and in verse 18. If we take a close look, we’ll see that two different words are used in the original language. In verse 17, we see “plēroō” and in verse 18 we see “ginomai”. Both are translated as fulfill, which some will say tie verse 17 to verse 18 with the same meaning, for the same subject. But that is not factual.
Verse 17 speaks of the law and prophets.
Verse 18 speaks of heaven and earth passing away.
If we look at other uses of “plēroō” in scripture, we see the following in Romans 15:19 —- “19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”
“Plēroō” is used here to mean “fully teach”, not to fulfill. I believe verse Matthew 5:17 is telling us that Jesus came to fully teach the law, not to fulfill it by doing it (which He actually did, though).
Is there any evidence that Jesus tells us to do what Torah says? We see exactly that in Matthew 23:
“Then Yeshua spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying, “The Torah scholars and Pharisees sit on the seat of Moses. 3 So whatever they tell you, do and observe.”
Teaching from the seat of Moses means one thing and one thing only — that Torah was being read from the scroll, word for word. Jesus says to do what the Pharisees say when reading from Torah, but not do what they do, because they created and pushed a false doctrine.
Yes, I’m aware that what I am saying goes against mainstream teaching. It goes against what millions upon millions of people know and believe, going back many generations. But is there other scripture that would indicate I am correct?
Revelation 12 describes whom the antichrist will attempt to destroy, the remnant of God’s kingdom.
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
It is both, keeping the commandments and having the Testimony: BOTH, not either/or. Satan gets a lot of people confused thinking it’s either /or when in reality it’s both.
Rev 14:12 confirms again, by saying this about the saints: Here is the perseverance of the kedoshim (saints)—those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Yeshua.
And the wisest man to ever live (Solomon), says this as a summary of human life in Ecclesiastes 12:12-13
12 Be warned my son of anything in addition to them: There is no end to the making of many books, and excessive study wearies the flesh. 13 A final word, when all has been heard: Fear God and keep His commands! For this applies to all mankind.
Revelation 22:14
Blessed are those who do His commandments,[g] that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
The New Covenant does not nullify the law, but it says this (the words of YHVH, God Himself):
“I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
The instruction given in Torah is not void, it is not fulfilled and done away with…
It is placed in our minds and written on our hearts. It is still applicable. But we are told it is a part of us in the new covenant, as opposed to being taught to us by our neighbor and by our brother.
I can say with 100% confidence (because I have researched it) – absolutely no where in the bible does YHVH (God) or Yeshua (Jesus) tell us to no longer follow Torah instruction. In fact, both God and Jesus tell us over and over to continue to follow and do God’s commands.
The mainstream doctrine which teaches us to not follow God’s commands is built upon the words of Paul.
Am I saying Paul is a false prophet?
No.
I am simply saying that his teaching is misunderstood and improperly taught.
For every instance where it seems Paul was teaching against the law, I can show you where Paul taught his converts to follow the law. I can show you in scripture where Paul defended himself, more than once, against accusations of teaching against keeping Torah instruction.
Either Paul’s writings are misunderstood, or Paul was schizophrenic.
But we don’t have to ponder these things, because Peter knew this would become an issue, and he gave us warning in advance:
2 Peter 3
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
Nearly the entire Christian ‘world’ is taught and believes that we are NOT to follow Torah instruction. But this premise is based completely upon the writings of Paul.
I challenge anyone who is thinking on these things to show where God or Jesus said to not follow His commandments. It can’t be done.
One of the harshest warnings we are given by Jesus Himself can be found in Matthew 7:
I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
There will be some who spend their life serving Jesus in their own way, with Jesus’ name on their lips, and yet, Jesus will not know them. Why not? Because they did not do the will of His Father in heaven, which is spelled out for us in Torah (the first five books of the bible). Who will Jesus not know? Those who practice lawlessness.
Do we read and believe and follow the Word of God, or do we listen to sermons and follow the teachings and traditions of man?
There will come a day when we will not have to discuss and debate these things.
Deuteronomy 29 tells us there are things we understand, which YHVH has given to us, and there are things we do not know, which belong to Him:
“29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
Yes, God has secret things, but we know all understanding will eventually be revealed, just before the seventh trumpet sounds:
Revelation 10:5-7 5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, 7 but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
In the meantime, will you follow the teaching of man, or will you follow the Word of God?
