The Covenant
It rained today, I mean it stormed; and it was beautiful. I just love the rain, it’s dramatic, dark and powerful but at the same time so good to us and the earth. Although dark and mysterious, it brings life and reminds me of something else that brings life, it’s The Covenant with our Elohim.
In the christian faith there is a phrase that is very popular, and I’ve used it many times myself and it states; biblical christianity is not a religion, but is a relationship with Christ or something to this effect. However even though I quoted this often, I didn’t truly know what this relationship looked like. Between the little that I read in the New Testament and what I was taught, I made it up as I went along. It looked a lot like: believe in Jesus; which basically meant think about Him really hard when I pray. It also looked like: believe in His work on the cross which translated to: take communion on the first, 1st day of the week of each month. Oh yeah, and it also looked like a few swear words now and again, followed by a shot of tequila when celebrating my homie’s birthday which is OK with our Father YAHWEH; because after all, we believe in Jesus and are saved by grace. Once saved always saved right?
When I began reading from scratch starting at Genesis, relying only on the RUACH HA’KODESH (Holy Spirit) to help me understand what I read, YAHWEH (Lord) came alive in a very real and powerful way. As a christian I spent more time in the New Testament and since we are supposed to have a relationship with YESHUA (Jesus), who is actually YAHWEH in the flesh; wouldn’t it be important to know who YAHWEH is? This is what the Old Testament does; it tells us exactly who our Creator is. What I found more than anything is a love story between YAHWEH and His people and I love Him so much more now, I will follow Him to the ends of the earth and time.
It’s true, YAHWEH created this world and people to be in relationship with Him and when that ability was destroyed in the garden, He still wanted relationship with us and to keep us set apart for Himself. He wanted us to be safe inside the world that had began to be built around us, absent of our Father YAHWEH. This is where we live now. We live in a world that wants nothing to do with Him which is why it says in James 4:4 O you adulterers! Do you not know that the love for worldly things is enmity with Elohim? However what is not understood is that an existence without our Elohim (God) is the definition of hell. Job describes hell in Job 10:22 A land of loneliness and deep darkness, and of the shadow of death without any order or time; wearisome like a deep pit. Although this world wants nothing to do with YAHWEH, His mercy is why He still exists in our lives whether we want Him there or not. The sun is 93,000,000 miles away from the earth. However because of YAHWEH, it is positioned at the exact distance it is supposed to be to provide for us light in the manner we and the earth need. However if YAHWEH were to move His pinky causing the sun to move less than 1/8 of an inch closer, we would all burn to death.
So, in the OT I discovered exactly what this relationship business is all about. It is the Covenant He made with His people when He brought them out of Mitzrayim (Egypt). He provided laws to live by summed up in the 10 commandments and said that this is a Covenant between Him and His people and as long as His people are obedient to His laws and His ways, He will protect and fight for them. Deuteronomy 28: 1-14 tells us exactly who He is to His people, and what He will do for them if they are obedient and remain in covenant with Him. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 details the exact opposite. Reading the first 5 books of the OT changed my life as I began to understand that we are His people; all of us who choose to walk in Covenant with Him. There are the native born Israelites, but there are also those called the ger or proselytes who desire to be in Covenant with Him which He has allowed for as depicted here in Num 15:14 And if a proselyte sojourn with you, or whoever is among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to YAHWEH; as you do, so shall he do. 15: One ordinance shall be both for you and for the proselyte who sojourns with you, an ordinance forever throughout your generations; the proselyte shall be like you before YAHWEH. 16: One law and one ordinance shall be for you and for the proselyte who sojourns with you.
This way of life is known as walking in Torah and YESHUA is the Torah as He is the written word made flesh. So many people say they are in relationship with Him but do not realize this relationship means the keeping of the commandments and following the Levitical laws. His laws keep us safe in this ever changing world designed to keep our focus on things that are not real. When the Israelites walked in Covenant and remained obedient to His laws, YAHWEH remained faithful to His word and it is recorded throughout the OT how He fought and protected them anytime they cried out to Him; so why would that change today? Regardless of who you are, you have spent your life voting, protesting, boycotting, rioting or just getting mad over your rights and equality for new and better laws. However the laws of our Creator is our protection from the injustice in this world, and are as well the change we want to see in this world and the world to come.
Read the Old Testament, and get in Covenant with your Creator. The changes in the world today are only expediting His Judgement on the world and the Covenant identifies us as His own and YAHWEH protects His own.
Shalom!
Just a few supporting verses
A land of loneliness and deep darkness, and of the shadow of death without any order or time; wearisome like a deep pit.
-Job 10:22
O you adulterers! Do you not know that the love for worldly things is enmity with Elohim?
-James 4:4
For they, at the judgment day, shall be rewarded with everlasting destruction from the presence of YAHWEH and from the glory of His power.
-2 Thessalonians 1:9
Then He will also say to those at His left, Go away from me, you cursed, to the everlasting fire which is prepared for the adversary and his angels.
-Matthew 25:41
14:And if a proselyte sojourn with you, or whoever is among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to YAHWEH; as you do, so shall he do. 15: One ordinance shall be both for you and for the proselyte who sojourns with you, an ordinance for ever throughout your generations; the proselyte shall be like you before YAHWEH. 16: One law and one ordinance shall be for you and for the proselyte who sojourns with you.
-Numbers 15:14-16
He taught me, and said to me Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live; and let my law be as the pupil of the eye.
-Proverbs 4:4
Keep my commandments and live; and my law as the pupil of your eye.
-Proverbs 7:2
All the commandments which I command you this day you shall observe to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which YAHWEH swore to your fathers.
-Deuteronomy 8:1
He who closes his ears from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
-Proverbs 28:9
If you you love me, keep my commandments.
-John 14:15
Deuteronomy chapter 28 - Entire chapter