There’s Not so Much New Under the SON
03/18/17 (13/19) Video Broadcast
Many today like to tell us that the Messiah came to share some radical new ideas along with a new law that replaced the old. We go through the Sermon on the Mount and see why the Messiah was simply sharing the very things that Yahweh sought to teach Israel from the very beginning.
We are ready
to begin our study portion
for today's broadcast and
I do want to use today's
study to kind of
rectify some commonly
misunderstood notions.
And hopefully, correct
them in the minds of many
people regarding
the New Testament.
Many people have some
misconceptions about some
called differences between
the Old Testament and the
New Testament.
Particularly in
traditional Christianity
and sometimes, even
amongst those of us who
have embraced the blessing
of Yahweh's commandments
as something important
for us to observe.
And so, what I'd like to
do; is I'd like to go over
Yahushua's Sermon on the
Mount where he would say,
"well you've heard it said
but I have said to you
this".
As if there is some new
teaching coming out of his
mouth that had never been
heard before and everybody
was just stunned.
Almost as if, Yahweh made
a mistake when he made the
law and so Yahushua came
along and fixed it for
him.
But that is not a
correct way of looking at
scripture.
Yahweh does not make a
mistake; he wasn't trying
to put Israel into bondage
when he gave them the
Torah, when he
gave them the law.
He was not trying to
put them into bondage.
But a lot of people think
that now there is a Torah
2.0.
There is a new and
improved, as if Yahweh's
law was old and antiquated
and outdated and no longer
really applicable to life
and so Yahushua came along
and had to fix everything.
And give us the so called,
Commandments of Christ.
And he is teaching us new
things that had never been
heard.
But it's not true;
Yahushua was not coming to
fix anything, to fix the
law and say it was broken
or anything.
Now, he did introduce
some new thing; baptism in
Yahushua's name will be
one, the partaking of the
body of Messiah and
the blood of Messiah.
Passover is another new
thing, a new teaching that
was not formerly
commanded.
And so, he has the
authority being a lawgiver
to give us law, because
he is the lawgiver.
As scripture said, "a
lawgiver would come".
So he'd be a prophet like
under Moshe, like under
Moses.
But that does not mean he
came and radically changed
the existing teachings.
And the actual
truth is this;
There's Not so Much
New Under the Son.
And that is, S-O-N,
the Son of Yahweh.
Not so much new under
the Son of Elohim.
Because what Yahushua came
to do, actually was to
shed light on the
intention and the meaning
and the principle and
the application of the
existing teaching that
Yahweh had already given
to Israel.
And the thing that he
taught was not necessarily
an opposition to anything
that Yahweh had taught
before in the Torah,
in the Law of Yahweh.
But some believe in this new law, based on the heart. The old Mosaic Law, the code that was written in stone, they say; was simply concerned with the outward appearance, you know the external. And now, he came and internalized the law.
And there are various studies done by traditional Christians who detail vast, vast differences that they perceive between the Old Testament and the New Testament. "The Old Testament was about condemnation and wrath ad the New Testament is about love and kindness and forgiveness." But all these studies are misguided; Yahweh has always been about love and grace and kindness and forgiveness. And the reason why they don't believe that he was in the Old and now he is because they have been taught this, and they don't really spend much time studying and really looking at the Old Testament. And sometimes even when it's being read, they kind of gloss over the part where it talks about him being merciful and long-suffering and these kinds of things. But I want to look at Matthew chapter 5 verse by verse and look at it in context and compare it with other scriptures in both Old and New Testament portions. And I don't even like using the terms, Old Testament and New Testament. Because there is some connotations that come with those terms, but for the sake of those who put the names on the books so we can know what we're talking about here. I wanna say the whole counsel of Yahweh's word is what we're going to look at, from Genesis to Revelation. But people have the mentality, out with the old, in with the new. I mean we like that. You know when they come out with a Windows 10 or some new thing, right? New version of software programs or a new car, new and improved. We're kind of conditioned to think, "Oh, something new and improved." And so, they think, "oh New Testament, oh New and improved Testament. The old one is kind of getting old wore out and so we need a new one." So, that's the kind of mentality some people would approach scripture with. But we're gonna start in the 17th verse of Yahushua's Sermon on the Mount. And that's actually a mountain there or a hill next to the Sea of Galilee, behind this particular text. So, we're gonna look at his words and I find it pretty fascinating here, that one of the things he says during this Sermon on the Mount was, "do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets. For assuredly I say to you till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one title will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled". Now, he is not just saying do not think, he is saying do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets, right? 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. So, what are these commandments, talks about these commandments? What's he talking about? When he says "these commandments", any ideas? Could it be the commandments in the law?
Do not think I came to destroy the law or the prophets. That's the only thing he's talking about, these commandments. So, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments that are in the law and the prophets that will by no means pass until everything has accomplished and this word "fulfilled" her. As we shared a few weeks ago, is coming from a different Greek word, all right. A different Greek word than the word "appear". This is playro'o and this one down here it means to accomplish, till everything is accomplished. Well. Until Yahushua puts every last enemy under his feet, the last becoming death. Till death is destroyed, he has more things to accomplish. When he said, "it is finished". He wasn't saying, "I'm done, I have nothing else to do'. He was saying, "I'm finished with the work he has given me to do on the earth". And now there will be more work when Yahushua comes back for 1000 years, he will reign over the whole earth. There will be men who are capable of sinning at that time that he will have to teach and instruct and we will reign with him. So, there is still more to come. But until heaven and earth pass, until we have a new heaven and a new earth and sin and death are no more and the great white throne judgment takes place; then
there is still the law. And whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, whoever 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. So, how about you? I wanna be called great, how about you? And so my goal, although I need Yahweh's grace every day is to do and to teach, both do and teach the commandments. That's my intention, my goal, my desire, what I'm aiming for. So, Yahushua did not come to destroy or do away with or abolish the law or the prophets.
So, he is not doing away with anything. Now, if I said, "son give me a glass of water and bring it to me". And he did it, then he will have fulfilled my word, he would've fulfilled my commandment to bring me a glass of water. So, in the same way, our heavenly father sending Yahushua to come to the earth to actually fulfil all his commandments. To do them, to do them, not to take them away but to actually do them. So, you check outside the still have an earth out there, right? I mean otherwise, you wouldn't exist. They still have an earth. And so, they can't be passed away, nothing is passed away. So, whoever therefore because of what I just said breaks one of these, the least of these commandments that are in the law and teaches men so will be called least. I don't wanna be called least; the least may be ashes under the soles of your feet. So, don't take any confidence in being the least. We have got a very clear statement and yet the words to follow, the things that are gonna come next, that he says, many people would use to suggest he came to take away the old law and bring the new. And yet he prefaced everything he said by letting you know, he didn't come to abolish a single commandment in the law.
Not a single one. In fact, now, he came to fulfil them. Now, if you want to be called great then you should also fulfil the law. Romans 13:8 owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has done what? Fulfilled the law. And so, it's a good thing to fulfil the law, in fact, we're supposed to fulfil the law. And the commandments that are given are all examples of keeping the law and walking in love. For the commandments he says verse 9, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is a fulfillment of the law. So, if there is any other commandment and there is lots of other commandments, but they all have to do with love. Now, you can't love your neighbor unless you love Yahweh. It's not possible. So, we have to love and part of loving is keeping Yahweh's laws, keeping his commandments. They are examples of love. When Yahweh is giving a commandment, he is saying "this is an example of how to love" or "this is an example of how not to love", right? In fact, 1st John 2 verse 6 says he who says he abides in him, in Messiah, ought himself to walk just as he walked. How did Yahushua walk? He kept every single commandment that Yahweh ever gave in the law. Now, if you want to walk in perfect love, live the way he did. So, just by these words alone, brothers and sisters, there is just no way can that anyone conclude that even one jot or one title of the law has passed away. Every little jot and tittle is still applicable today and still valid today. I'm saying, "Well, what about the animal sacrifices?" We... I mean there is no temple, there is no priesthood you can't do those things even if you wanted to. So, it's irrelevant in the sense that those commandments in other words if Yahweh said to you know, he commands in the law to call upon his name you know." Call upon my name". What if someone is mute? They can't speak then they can't call his name and so are they breaking the law? No, they can't do that law. And so they do what they can do, they do it in their mind. And so, we have a spirit to sacrifice in Yahushua the Messiah. And so we accept him as our offering and that's what we can do, right? So, no you can't be offering animal sacrifices and people say, "what about stoning people?" Well, those commandments are in the context of Yahweh as establishing a nation of Israel in the earth and these are sentencing guidelines for judges of the land. And so, are we living in the nation of Israel and over there did the Red Sea part and did Yahweh bring us over there to do that? No, okay. But notice that both of these laws dealing with both sacrifices and the stoning and things like
that, they both have to do with what you do with a person who has broken the law. That's person needs to offer a sacrifice or that person needs to be put to death or both.
I shouldn't say both, but one or the other. And so that's what you do when sin happens, okay. When sin happens, here is how you deal with it, that's different than the sin itself. It says don't commit adultery and to stone those who commit adultery. Those who are commanded to stone the ones committing adultery, this is all supposed to be handled in the court of law. They bring the witnesses forward and they decide whether adultery has taken place. If adultery had taken place, then the persons committing the adultery would be stoned. You don't just walk around stoning people that disobey the law. I know that's what people were doing in the 1st Century. They saw Yahushua; they thought he was blaspheming, picking up stones to stone him. But that was not lawful, that was not the way it was supposed to be handled. Things had to be brought before the judges; the judges would hear the case. Just like today, you don't go out there and start writing traffic tickets. There are people in place the civil authorities to handle those matters. And so, yes, we can be law-abiding citizens and never grab anybody and throw them in the prison. We can be law abiding citizens and not give them the lethal injection for having committed murder. Because those are responses to law breaking. In the same way, the sacrifices and the judgments that Yahweh had given, were responses to law breaking. But the law-breaking itself, the moral undercurrent, the moral principle in the law would be; don't commit adultery. Don't steal, don't covet, and don't lie, okay? And so those are all instructions on how to love. We have to rightly divine the word of truth and not assume it's talking about something that it's not really talking about. So, every commandment he gave has to with walking in love. Love is a fulfilment of the law. Now, you cannot claim to love while you're breaking one of his commandments which are commandments on how to love. You cannot claim that you are being a loving person while you're breaking one of the commandments in what? In the law. He who loves has fulfilled the law. If you love you will keep all of these commandments, because they are all summed up in love, that's what it's all about. And so those who do and teach the commandments are people who are walking in love. Very clear, very easy to understand, nothing confusing about it, okay? So, no controversy, it should be very simple. Walk as Yahushua walked, he didn't go around stoning anybody, right? And yet he kept the law perfectly, he never sinned one time. 1 John 3:34 says sin is a transgression of the law. He never stoned anybody and yet he kept the law. Because he was a moral person, he observed the law, he was not on a [inaudible 00:20:29], he was not on the Saint Hadrian, and he was not one of the judges of the land. He was a common citizen, who was destined to become and was ultimately the king of Israel. When Yahushua comes back, there will be lots of people who will be put to death. Because he is in the position of king. All right. So continuing on here in verse 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Now, for some reason, many believed that the scribes and Pharisees were people who could be characterized as perfect keepers of the law. And yet they say, "well, see these scribes and Pharisees they kept every little commandment and yet it was not good enough." Wrong, wrong, wrong, a thousand times wrong. That's not true. They did not keep the commandments, they were commandment breakers, and they were not commandment keepers. And on that basis, some would suggest that ' well
see law keeping is not good enough for Yahweh. You can keep all the laws you want. They won't be good enough for Yahweh. And so Yahweh had to give them a new law that was based on the heart, see." And they will quote different verses, but first please let me completely destroy the notion that the scribes and Pharisees were law keeping men. They weren't, in fact, Yahushua said they weren't, several times. In John 7:19 Yahushua said, "did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?" None of you. Not a single one of you keeps the law. So how can we say, "oh they were perfect keepers of the law, they had the law down. Oh, they sure kept the law perfectly." No, they didn't, they were not keeping the law. Another time he said Matthew 23:23 " woe to you scribes and Pharisees, for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faith."
Now, how can you say they were keeping the law when they were not men of justice, they were not men of mercy and they were not men of faith? Yahushua said these, in fact, are the weightier matters of the law. They were not just men, they were not merciful men and they were not men of faith. And so they could not have been keepers of the law. In fact, they were terrible law keepers; they were neglecting the most important parts of the law. Now, notice what he says here, "these you ought to have done" What are these that they ought to have done? They ought to have paid the tithes anise and mint and cumin and so on, yeah they should have done those things. But without leaving the others undone. In other words, don't neglect justice and mercy and faith, while you are doing these other things. Yes, you should pay your tithes of mint and anise and cumin and the herbs and so on. You should be doing those things but what good is that if you are neglecting the most important parts that the law teaches? I mean, for a show you can say "I give one tenth of this herb I've got growing in my garden." It will make you look like a righteous man but really you are missing the whole point of everything.
Luke 11: 42 says but woe to you Pharisees for you tithe mint and rue all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of Elohim. They don't even love Elohim. They don't love Yahweh; they don't love our father in heaven. They ignore that while they pay tithe of rue and herbs and so how can they be law keepers. How can they be as the law says in Deuteronomy 6 says in the law. It says to love Yahweh with all your heart, soul and might. And yet they were not doing that. so they were not law keepers. They were law breakers and they were not just men. They wanted to kill Yahushua and they ultimately did kill Stephen. Acts 7: 52. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the just one. Of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers. Who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it. They were not law keepers they were law breakers. So, please get that idea out of your mind if you happen to have the idea that the scribes and Pharisees were expert law keepers to the highest degree of perfection. Yet that was not good enough. They weren't anywhere close to keeping Yahweh's law. They were major, big time, blood thirsty, murderous, unrighteous men. They believed in keeping Yahweh's law and they proclaimed it with their mouth. But they did not keep it. In fact they omitted the most important parts about it and that was; justice, mercy and faith. Do you believe that mercy is actually a part of Yahweh's law? It really is its all part of it. So is justice, it's all part of it. Yahushua said it's the most important part of it. In fact, faith is also an important part of Yahweh's law. All right, so I can hear it already, "what about verse 21 there Tom? Let's take a look. It says you have heard it was said to those of old, you shall not murder and have and whoever murders will be in danger of judgment. But I say to you whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother "Raca" shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says "you fool" Shall be in danger of hell fire. So, is this a changed teaching that those who do wrong things in their heart are also in danger of judgment in the lake of fire? No, no, not at all. They place their selves in danger of being judged by simply choosing anger. And almost this exact same thing, Yahweh said himself to Cain all the way back in the book of genesis chapter 4. Yahweh said to Cain verse 6 "why are you angry and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. Its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.
So Yahweh warned Cain about his anger and where it would lead. He said, "hey you're getting close to being in danger of sinning because of your anger Cain". He was angry with his brother without a cause. Now, we know that Cain was eventually judged by Yahweh, right? He was sent out as a fugitive, a vagabond on the earth in Genesis 4: 12. And so he warned him ahead of time. "You are in danger of judgment because you're about to sin and you're in danger of judgment". And that's what happened. Cain was judged. Scripture in Psalm 37 verse 8 says cease from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret it only causes harm.
Ecclesiastes 7 verses 9 says do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. You don't wanna be a fool, so don't be an angry person. Now, there is not any place in the Torah anywhere that we're allowed to hate someone without a cause. In fact we're told to love someone regardless. Leviticus 19 verse 16 says you shall not go about as a tale bearer among your people. This is an angry response to being hurt. Nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor. You shall not; you shall not hate your brother in your heart. Now, if the law was all about the external and now Yahushua came along and internalized everything; then why does is it saying in the law "don't hate somebody in your heart"? It was already written, people weren't paying any attention to it. It says you shall surely rebuke your neighbor, correct him and not bear sin because of him. And another response to someone hurting you, you shall not take vengeance, you shall not bear any grudge and bitterness and forgiveness against the children of your people. But you shall love your neighbor as yourself. In fact, this whole love your neighbor as yourself golden rule was written all the way back in the Levitical law. I say Levitical law because it comes from Leviticus. And many people they think, "Well Levitical law is all about ritual and you do so many steps here and you do this and you do that. And temple services. It's got some of that in there, but that's not the only thing there. It may come as a shock to you, but the law says you're not supposed to hate anyone in your heart. In fact, you should love them as yourself.
Right out of the book of Leviticus. It was there all along, they just weren't following it. And so we see just from the above verses that the law has a lot to do with what's going on in the heart. You cannot be angry with your brother without a cause. And love him at the same time. The anger is coming out of hate and rage and hatred. You cannot hate somebody in your heart. Don't bear a grudge, don't take vengeance, don't hate in your heart. These are all internal things, things going on in your mind. Has to do with what's going on in your mind. And so the concept Yahushua is giving that "you don't even hate in your heart, don't even be angry without a cause". It's already there. So threw is not really anything terribly new about what he was saying.
Because there is really not so much new under the son s-o-n. Matthew 25:23 therefore it says if you bring your gift to the alter and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the alter and go your way, First be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift.
Now, being clear of sin in the eyes of Yahweh before making an offering is something Yahweh has always wanted. You've done somebody wrong and you haven't rectified it, you haven't resolved it. Then your sacrifices are nothing to him.
When David had done the terrible thing he did with Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite and Yahweh convicted of his transgression, he immediately went down; he didn't go immediately down to the tabernacle and started offering sacrifices.
Like that was going to solve everything. In fact, what David was verse 16 in Psalm 51 this is his prayer of repentance. He says for you do not desire a sacrifice, what else I will give it? You do not delight in burnt offering; the sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart. These oh Elohim you will not despise.
Do good in your good pleasure to Zion, build the walls of Jerusalem. In other words, repent and receive the blessing. Then you shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness. With burnt offering and whole burnt offering then they shall offer bulls on your altar. So, where goes your sacrifice? When you haven't yet resolved and repented and your heart has not been cleaned and you've changed, you've not turned away from your sin. You know, no animal is going to make op for the condition of your heart which is not right.
Proverbs 16 verse 8 says. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh. But the prayer of the upright is his delight. You sin against your brother and he is holding it against you, because you sinned against him, and you refuse to repent of that sin. And so you have unresolved sin in your heart.
And so your sacrifices are no good.
Seek out the mercies of Yahweh, confess your sins and then resolve it between you and your brother. And then the prayer of the upright will be his delight.
Nothing new here. Matthew 5:25 says agree with your adversary quickly while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge and the judge hand you over to the officer. And you'll be thrown into the prison. Assuredly I say to you by no means do you get out of there till you pay the last penny. Yahushua is repeating a principle that was already found in the Old Testament so called. Proverbs chapter 6 verse 1 it says my son if you become a surety for your friend if you are shaking hands in a pledge for a stranger. You are snared by the words of your mouth. You are taken by the words of your mouth.
So, do this my son and deliver yourself for you have come into the hand of your friend. Go and humble yourself, plead with your friend. Give no sleep to your eyes; don't slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter. And like a bird from the hand of the fowlers. It's talking about someone who has become surety, in other words, he owes somebody something.
And unless he pays he can become a slave, okay? And so notice scripture proverbs 25 verse 8 says do not go hastily to court for what will you do in the end when your neighbor has put you to shame? You might remember also Jacob humbled himself before his adversary Esau and gave him many possessions so as to prevent conflict. And when there was strife between the herdsman of Abraham and the herdsman of Lot, Abraham humbled himself before Lot and let Lot choose whichever land he wanted. And so these are very old concepts, already found in the Old Testament scriptures. And Yahushua is pointing us back to those concepts.
another example Matthew 5 verses 27 to 28, this is probably the most commonly quoted scriptures to suggest that Yahushua came to fix the law and make it more of an internal thing and less of an external thing. This is the most commonly quoted example. Matthew 5:27 through 28 says You have heard it was said to those of old, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you whoever looks at any woman to lust for her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Now, this is an old favorite again by various preachers trying to say" oh see the law has been internalized now. See now the law is in our hearts and so we are now focused on making sure we're not breaking any of these commandments in our minds and that's part of what the new covenant says." And by quoting that, they suggest that the old covenant was merely external disobedience and now the law is in our hearts and so he requires obedience from the heart now. And they say, "Well, we don't keep the external
commandments now, like Sabbath keeping, feast keeping. Now we only concern ourselves with the internal." But if they would only pick up and read and study what they call the Old Testament, they would find in the law of Yahweh, he plainly taught it was wrong to lust after a woman in your 10 commandments. Where in the 10 commandments does it say heart. It was then, it is now, and it does a basic
you're not allowed to lust? foundational important teaching that Yahweh actually included the prohibition of lust in the
Exodus 20 verse 17, you shall not covet or desire
your neighbor's house; you shall not covet or desire your neighbor's wife. Nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, donkey or anything that belongs to him. So, the idea of lusting being wrong was already written. In fact in the 10 commandments.
People don't read and study the Old Testament and so they don't realize, it was already there. And so please, let's not quote this scripture
anymore and say "oh see Yahushua came and internalized the law". It was always internal to not hate your brother in your heart, it was already internal. Don't hold a grudge that was always internal. Love your neighbor as yourself, from Leviticus, it was always internal. Yahweh did not want Israel to desire what belonged to another person, whether it's their pots and pans or animals or anything that belonged to them. Job chapter 31 verse 1 through 4 says I have made a covenant with my eyes, why then should I look upon a young woman? For what is the allotment from Elohim, the Elohim above and inheritance from the almighty of the almighty from on high? Is it not destruction for the wicked and disaster for the workers on iniquity? Does he not see my ways and count all my steps? It's already written in the scriptures. In Job he was a man that lived before the law of Yahweh was ever given from Sinai. And so there was a heart issue, and so it was a
sin. In Job's eyes, he thought, "Well if I look upon a young woman then I could be destroyed. I can have disaster come to me". So, Yahushua is simply reiterating a principle already written in the Old Testament scriptures. It just that you got these scribes and Pharisees and they are all about the external and they are not concerned about the internal. And so he is correcting their teaching and that's why he prefaced this entire thing by saying, " unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you're not gonna make it son. You are not gonna make it". Now, I'm not saying he never gave us something new. I'm only saying that what you think is not in the
Old Testament actually is in the Old Testament. And he wasn't some brand new law to replace the Old one. He said, "don't even think I came to do that". If he came to replace the law he has to destroy the old one and put the new one in. if I'm going to replace a part of car, I take the old one out and I put the new part in. And the old part I throw away, right? So, it wasn't like that, he didn't come to replace the law with the new law. He came to give us a better understanding of what the law actually meant and intended in principle from the very beginning.
Matthew 5:29 if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it out from you. For it is more profitable for you to let one of your member perish than for your whole body to me cast into Gehenna or the lake of fire or hell. your whole body to be cast into hell. Now, these specific examples are not directly And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you for it is more profitable for you to let one of you members perish, than for
mentioned in the Old Testament. However, the concept and principle behind this teaching is there. Cain was admonished to rule over snare of his anger. Yahweh also warned the children of Israel to remove potential stumbling blocks from their path. In Exodus chapter 23 verse 32 says you shall make no covenant with them that is the heathen nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in your land lest they make you sin against me. For if you serve their gods it will surely be a snare to you. Deuteronomy 7: 16 you shall destroy all the peoples whom Yahweh Elohim delivers over to you, your eye shall have no pity on them nor shall you sever their god's form that will be a snare to you. Proverbs 22: 24 says make no friendship with an angry man and with the furious man do not go. Lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul. And so the danger of something causing you is to stumble and it is already given in scripture. If you have something causing you to stumble, then remove it from you. In this case an angry man, in this case the foreign heathen ad In Yahushua's case he says even if it's your own eye or your own hand get rid of it. Psalm 119 verse 165 says great peace have those who love your law and nothing cause them to stumble. And so a very beautiful promise. And one of the reasons why one who keeps Yahweh's law will have no reason to stumble is because they are gonna go following the many warnings, the many safeguards and the things Yahweh sets up to keep us strong. Such as the Sabbath day if we keep the Sabbath, the Sabbath day will keep us. Because we're gonna have one seventh of our life our time devoted completely to Yahweh, giving him a full day out of seven. Not just a couple of hours in church on Sunday morning. No we're giving Yahweh the whole day and the rest we need, so we're not stressed out and we are able to function in this world. And so, yes there is no specific examples of cutting one's hand off or eye off. But what he is really pointing to, I think when you look at what he saying. What he is really pointing to is he recognizes this carnal flesh is problematic; it's a stumbling block to us. And so how do we get rid of this carnal flesh? And it is through Yahushua the Messiah and what he was about to do. To be crucified and by that, we put to death the deeds of the body. And through him we become joined to the body of Messiah, we receive a new creation that is Yahushua living in us. And so in that sense, we have done away with the lustful eye and the harmful hand and whatever. Whatever our members are trying to cause us to do through Yahushua the stumbling block we which is our own flesh has been removed. And we are now given by the Holy Spirit a new nature through Yahushua Ha Mashiach. And so I think that's really what he's pointing us to. He recognizes there problem of the flesh. So continuing here in Matthew 5:31 furthermore it has been said whoever divorces his wife let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. Now, these are some very controversial statements and much has been written on the topic of divorce and remarriage. And I have a full very long and very full study on this particular question. If you go to Eliyah.com/family/divorcer eremarriage.html you can read a full study on this
and it will be demonstrated to you if you read or watch the videos on that particular topic. That Yahushua was not teaching us a new thing, in fact, he quoted the Old Testament to support his view. And his view was this when the Pharisees came to him, Matthew 19:3 testing him and saying to him, "is it lawful for a man to divorces his wife for just any reason?" He answered and said, have you not read?" You gotta reading problem here? It's right here in the book of Genesis, that he who made them at the beginning made them male and female. And said for this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. So then they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what Elohim has joined together, why do you think you have any business separating that? That's basically what he is saying. Let no man separate. He acted like they should know this already. Haven't you read this? Did you miss it somewhere? You missed the book of Genesis?
And so he is not giving a new teaching, he is appealing to the very first few chapters of Genesis. Now, if you study this in depth, the so-called bill of divorcement. A close examination of Deuteronomy 24 will yield the understanding. If you don't read the King James if you read almost every other translation that Yahweh was not commanding one to give a bill of divorcement. He was commenting on a situation where a husband did give someone a bill of divorcement. And what he was commenting on was that he could not take that wife back if she had gone off and married another man that's what he was commenting on. He was not sanctioning divorce. He was saying if one chose to divorce and she married somebody else and died or he divorced her, he cannot take the first wife back. And so, no, it's not a brand new teaching and if you look at that study once again on eliyah.com/family/divorcere marrageiage. . html you will find one perfect unified message from Genesis to Revelation. Regarding divorce and remarriage take a look at it. All right, Matthew 5: 33 again you have heard it was said to those of old you shall not swear falsely, you shall perform your oaths to Yahweh, but I say to you, do not swear at all. Not by heaven for it is Elohim's throne nor by the earth for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.
Nor shall you swear by your head because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your yes be yes and your no, no. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Now, this a very commonly quoted one, it seems very apparent to me that the context of Yahushua's words has to do with frequent swearing to affirm or deny an action. Saying yes or saying no. In scriptures, there are no examples of Yahweh condoning a person to engage in the practice of swearing by the throne or by the gold of the temple or whatever else. In fact, it is always directly regarding our swear and our oath is directly to Yahweh. And not to some hair on our head or anything like that. This is the different things that were going on in that time period. Where people were having different levels of swearing and depending upon what the scribes and Pharisees happened to teach regarding whether you had to keep that oath or not keep the oath. It all depended upon what you actually swore to.
Now, he could not have been forbidding all forms of swearing, because there are examples of first of all we have Revelation 10 verse 5 the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things 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. So an angel himself is taking his hand up in the air and swearing with an oath.
Also Acts 18:18 Paul had made a vow and taken a vow and Acts 21:23 he was actually keeping that vow. And then Isaiah 45 verse 23 Yahweh says I have
sworn by myself , the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return back to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. Every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say surely in Yahweh I have righteousness and strength. To him men shall come and all shall be ashamed who incensed against him. In Yahweh all the descendants of Israel shall be justified and shall glory. This is what we are going to say on judgment day. "Only in Yahweh do I have righteousness and strength." And we are going to take an oath, that's the only way we got it, it's through him. So, everyone will be forced to swear, now if it was evil to swear why would Yahweh be forcing everyone to do so and why would he allow that angel to do so? It can't always be wrong so we have to understand the 1st Century context that his statements were being made. In Matthew 23:16 Yahushua told the blind guides the Pharisees, he said woe to you blind guides who say whoever swears by temple it is nothing. But whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it. Now, think about that. Someone could swear by the temple and their oath would not be binding, isn't that crazy? He says fools and blind, which is greater the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And you say whoever swears by the altar its nothing. But whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it. Fools and blind, for which is greater the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Therefore he who swears by the altar swears by it and by all things on it. He who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of Elohim and he who sits on it. So, Yahushua is dismissing the foolishness of various
levels of swearing. He said "look let your communication just be yes, yes, no, no rather than engaging in this foolish practice of different levels of swearing and this is binding and this is not and it's all an attempt to deceive. And to not fulfil your word. and so based on Yahushua's final comment, I think it's evident he did not want these various levels of swearing which is nothing more than an act of trickery. Like someone could say, " well I only swear by the alter, I didn't swear by the gift on the alter and so it doesn't mean anything. Aha, got you there, I tricked you to thinking that I was really swearing but I really wasn't. It's not really a binding word." And who is the liar? It is Satan the devil. And so these different levels of swearing were from the evil one, from Satan the devil. So all you need to do is say yes or no, and really we don have to back out words our yes's and no's with anything other than our word. Our word should be good enough, we should not be going around saying, "well, I have to swear son you will believe me." If we have the integrity, then whatever we say shall always be true and people would believe us. If we are an assembly of liars then we have to go into these different levels of swearing, right? In order for people to believe us. And so this idea of swearing in order to deny or to acknowledge an action is taking place and all these things should not be necessary among us. And that's his point. As if to say it normally you would just be lying and if you lie its okay, it's not binding. If you tell a lie, it's always binding. Exodus 20: 16 says don't bear false witness against your neighbor. Leviticus 19:11 says don't steal or deal falsely or lie to one another. So, Yahushua is not condemning the overall practice of taking a vow or taking an oath. He was condoning the practice of needing to back up our confirmations and our denials with any added weight other than the integrity of our own word. And since our words are always to be the truth there should be no need to go beyond that. And only those who have regular imitated the father of lies by telling lies would need to go beyond the integrity of their own word to affirm or deny anything. And I think that's why he said anything beyond these is from evil. The father of lies would inspire different levels of binding and non-binding oaths. So that man could be freed from speaking the truth and speaking a lie and get away with it. All right, Matthew 5:38 you have heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you not to resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile go with him two. Give to him who asks you and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away. Now the practice Yahushua is condemning here is taking personal vengeance. We already read that in the scriptures, you shall not take vengeance right? You shall not take vengeance and so taking personal vengeance is wrong, it was always wrong. Now I want you to notice he will say, " you have heard it was said eye for eye and tooth for tooth" This is saying like the common interpretation somebody who knocks your tooth out and you go ahead and knock his tooth out. But the quotation from the Torah here then referenced to the person being punished from and by several authorities. The judges of the land. Leviticus 24: 19 says if a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done so shall it be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. As he has cause disfigurement of a man so shall it be done to him. Now, even in this Torah verse understand, Yahweh
is not promoting vigilante justice or personal vengeance. He had forbidden that. Do not bear a grudge, right? Otherwise, he would say if a man gives you a blemish, do it right back to him. He never actually said that. He said this is the context, these are sentencing guidelines for judges. Saying if a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor. He is talking about a third party, he is not saying if a man cause you disfigurement, you disfigure him right back. He is saying to the judges, if a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, then your sentence, your guideline the thing that I want you to do is to make sure that man loses his tooth also. that's in the context of equalitative law.
So, what Yahushua is forbidding is vigilante justice. These are sentencing guidelines appropriate punishments to be done to someone who commits a crime ion a community setting. This is not for someone a common man that he should go around and he will say watch someone working on the Sabbath and he will say, " why let me get me some rocks over here and start tossing them at him and stoning him to death." No, again here in the United States we don't pull people over who go past the speed limit. There are some authorities who are there to chase them down and give them a ticket or whatever. And the judges will decide what the punishment will be. And the same was true of Yahweh's law. he is establishing a nation and he is really setting guidelines. An example here is Deuteronomy 19 verse 18 it says and the judges shall make careful inquiry and if indeed, if indeed, if the witness is a false witness who testified falsely against his brother, this is what they do to false witnesses in Israel. Then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother. So shall put away the evil from among you. And those who remain shall hear and fear and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you. Your eye shall not pity, life shall be for life , eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. So, the context of these instances of an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth is referring to proper judgment in a court of law when a crime has taken place. It's not sanctioning personal vengeance or anarchy. And so contrary of popular belief the law never says when someone hits you and knocks your eye and gives you a bruise on your eye, you just go ahead and hit him right back. He never says that. These were matters handled by the judges and they would determine the proper judgment and what ought to be done. But because Yahushua does speak of personal vengeance in these verses I don't believe he was teaching against the Torah concept of an eye for eye tooth for a tooth. He was teaching for the Torah of not taking vengeance or bearing grudges against your neighbor. Like scripture says, you shall not take vengeance, you shall not do it nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. So, we are not to take vengeance. In fact, we are to love in response to someone who is hurting us. Romans chapter 12 verse 19 beloved do not avenge yourself, but rather give place to wrath for it is written vengeance is mine, I will repay. Now, Yahweh can repay that vengeance through a court of law. Even in the United States of America if a man murdered a child, chances are pretty good he is going to get killed himself and that would be appropriate vengeance and appropriate judgment. But the father to child does not have the right to go and kill the man. Unless it's actually a murder taking place in progress you defend his child. But it was done without him being present then everything needs to be handled in the court of law. and so he is just correcting their understanding. Now, what about turning the other cheek, is that a new thing? Nope, it's in the old testament. Turn the other cheek is in the old testament in the book of Lamentations chapter 3 verse 25 says Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of Yahweh. It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. let him sit alone and keep silent because Elohim has laid it upon him. Let him put his mouth to the dust, there may yet be hope. Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him and be full of reproach for Yahweh will not cast off forever. Although he causes grief yet he will show compassion according to the multitudes of his mercies. And so this is not a new idea. Turn the other cheek, it's right here in the book of Lamentations.
Matthew 5:43 You have heard that it was said that you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. That you may be sons of your father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good. And send rain on the just and on the unjust.
So you have heard it was said. Now, let's not say that Yahweh actually spoke
these words. Because nowhere does it say in scripture love your neighbor and hate your enemy. There is not a single scripture anywhere in the Torah that says love your neighbor hate your enemy.
So he is staying they heard it was said hate your enemy. But what does the Torah actually say regarding your enemy?? What does it actually teach? What does the Old Testament actually say about your enemy? well, lets finish what he said here. Matthew 5:46 for if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even tax collectors do the same? If you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even tax collectors do so? therefore you should be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect.
What does the Torah say about you enemy? Exodus 23 verse 4, it says, if you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, when you would refrain from helping it you shall surely help him with it.
Do good to your enemies, bless them, help them. It's a Torah principle, Yahweh was teaching the children of Israel to do good those who are your enemies and to the ones who hate you, right? Another place Proverbs 24:17 do not rejoice when your enemy falls. Do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles. Lest Yahweh see it and it displeases him. And he turns away his wrath from him. Proverbs 25:21 if your enemy is hungry give him bread to eat , if he is thirsty give him water to drink. For so you heap coals of fire on his head and Yahweh will reward you. And where is Solomon getting these ideas? From the Torah principle of love your enemies. It was seen in the Torah. And just by observation it's evident that Yahweh himself is showing love to those who are his enemies, right? And if we are created in his image, then we must also love those who are our enemies. And Yahushua pointed that out. And so by nature, just by Genesis 1 it says let's make man in our image. If we are gonna walk in his image, then we are going to love those who are not loving us. We are not going to hate in return. And that's the way Yahweh has always been , that's the way he wanted men to operate, to walk in love.
It's not some new testament, nit this brand new hot off the press. No, the instructions you see in the new testament about nonresistance are instructions for any man. In fact Daniel , Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Ezra , Nehemiah,
they never revolted against Babylon or Persia. They just chose to love, because they were obeying the scriptural principles that have always existed. Now, Yahweh himself had said take up arms and go and defeat this city, then you are an extension of Yahweh's judgment on that city. And that's okay because vengeance is Yahweh's, he will repay not you. When he sent David, when he sent Israel into the land to destroy his enemies, that was the time of judgment. He was a judge, so he judged ion the throne. He has the right to execute judgment in But at some point, he has a line that you are not to righteousness and vengeance to his enemies cross. And righteous justice can be served. And so we can follow that example there is a place because he is the king he has the throne. But lets a whole lot of his enemies pass, hoping that they will turn to him.
for having mercy on a person and choosing to love them in spite of their hatred toward us. And by that, we hope that they will turn to righteousness. But there may be a place and there often is a place for having someone be turned over to the court of law and have them punished for their crime so that they will turn away from unrighteousness. and the whole goal id that the other person might be saved. And so we have courts of law, it means someone came along and killed your mom would you say, " well, you know I will pray for them. "It's okay to want to see them locked up so that they don't hurt anybody else. So you understand? We are not looking at brand new ideas here, that Yahushua is bringing forth. It is things that have always been true. But people are fed their ideas that all the old testament was in need of fixing so Yahushua came along and fixed it. But there were already teachings already existing in the so-called Old Testament. He didn't need to come along and fix anything.
Yahweh is not a Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde character. Mean and judgmental in the Old Testament but then you know he is kind of changed now, he has decided to be more like a grandfatherly figure and now he is just kind of mellowed out. You know his testosterone is kind of relaxed and he is not so uptight. Come on, do not, do not, characterize our father on heaven that way. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. he is no chameleon, he does not have multiple personality disorder. But in many ways, it's the titles that man have put in these books. the uninspired titles Old Testament and New Testament almost you know Marcion who was 2nd Century heretic , he would run around teaching that the Old Testament God was different than the one in the New Testament. And some of that thinking, while most people regard him as a heretic I think kind of spilled over into traditional Christianity. You know Yahushua is the word John chapter 1 verse 14 it says the word became flesh and dwelled among us. He is not divided against himself.
Yahweh is one, Yahushua is one with him and we can be one with him in unity, right? And so we are all one, one in will, one in thought, one in purpose. And Yahushua when he died for us it just simply demonstrated the means through which man could be saved. men could always be granted mercy, David had sinned greatly when he murdered Uriah and committed adultery with Bathsheba but Yahweh forgave him. Yahushua hadn't died for his sin yet. So how could Yahweh forgive him without Yahushua being there to have been crucified and ail that? It's because Yahweh has always been merciful, he has always been gracious , its not a new idea. And so we need to recognize that, we need to live our lives as though that's really true and to have this misconception of the Old Testament. I mean there are places in the New Testament where it talks about death also. Where he was going to ... Look at Ananias and Sapphira they lied to the Holy spirit, what happened to them? 1st Corinthians 11 because people were not partaking of the body of Messiah in a worthy manner, they were killed and they were sick and diseased. Or when Yahushua had some words against Jezebel, he
said I will kill your children with death if you don't repent. So judgment also is here you know.
So, what do we need to do? We need to forsake this idea of Old Testament in one corner and New Testament in the other and they are kind of duking it out and one is correcting the other. It's not that way, all of Yahweh's word is true, its unified, it's not divided against itself. Yahushua quoted from the Torah when he said man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that precedes in the mouth of Elohim. The mouth came out of the prophet, the word came out of the prophet or the word came out of a New Testament book Or an Old Testament book. every word that Yahweh inspired we need to live by. he is quoting Deuteronomy 8 verse 3 it says where Yahweh says they humble you , allowed you to hunger, fed you manna . Which you did not know nor did your fathers know. That he might make you know. Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that precedes from the mouth of Yahweh.
And 2nd Timothy 3:16 all scriptures is given by inspiration of Elohim, that includes Genesis to Malachi. It's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and fro instruction and righteousness. Now if the law of Yahweh had been abolished how could he say that?
That the man of Elohim may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. All scripture. So the law of Yahweh , the Torah is profitable for reproof and for correction. I can quote from it and correct your behavior. You know there was not a completed New Testament when he wrote this. He said all scripture. Isaiah 8 :20 says to the law and all testimony, if
they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Now, if this is true and something in the New Testament was to contradict the Old Testament it would mean there is no light in it. Isaiah spoke these words, this is from the throne of Yahweh. If it's not according to the law and testimony then there can't be any light in it. and so there can't be anything in the new that would contradict the old, it cannot be. otherwise it has no light. See Yahushua did not come to correct anything or change anything. He did add things , baptism, believing in Yahushua died for your sins, these are all new things and that's okay. It's just that he is not coming to change things. To switch things up.
so there really isn't so much new under the son, s-o-n, son of Yahweh. Otherwise, we end with conflicting doctrines, conflicting words of reproof, conflicting instructions and righteousness. And they can't be reproved by anything written in the Old Testament. Many people I quote the Old Testament and they say " well that just the old Testament." But there is no conflict between the two, Yahweh is not divided. She conflicts are only found in the minds and the doctrines of anyone to disregard some portions of Yahweh's word. So Yahweh is not divided, sin is still transgression of the law. 1 John chapter 3 verse 4, 1 John 3:4 whoever commits sin transgresses also the law. For sin is a transgression of the law. And so if you are to transgress or violate the law then you would be sinning. And that's why Paul said in other places "by the law is the knowledge of sin". That's why he said in other places, " I would not have known sin except by the law." And that's why he says, if you walk in love you are fulfilling the law, you are keeping the commandments" so, the law still stands. Romans 3: 31 says we don't make void of the law by our faith, we establish it by our faith.
And so Yahushua stands tall and Yahweh's word stands tall. John 1: 14 the word became flesh and dwelled among us. Yahushua's example, walking as he walked, living as he lived is the only way to live out life.
And Yahushua is the word, not just in Matthew, Mark , Luke and John , he is the word in Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, everywhere. Its high time we lift up Yahweh's law as the standard for all men to live by. It's long overdue that we lift up what they call the old potions of the word of Yahweh, as words to be instructed by, as words to profited by, as words of righteousness, as words of truth, as words of life.
Yahushua said therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old. Both, both , so the new does not conflict the old. If it did the new was a new thing that totally contradicted the we don't have Isaiah 28 verse 20 making any sense. Where it says to the law and testimony don't speak according to his word there is no light in it.
So, going by what Yahweh had already said, there cannot be any contradiction. In fact, Paul the apostle if you understand it correctly pulls out profound and awesome treasures out of the Old Testament writings. Things that are wondrous, awesome and exciting if only we take a look more deeply. We have been deceived in this generation by tradition to only think one-third of Yahweh's word, one-third of Yahweh's word has no application to us today. But really it's not the one-third, a whole two-thirds before it do have a place in our hearts today. let's seek the fullness of Yahweh's words. Jeremiah 15: 16 says your words were found and I ate them. your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. For I am called by your name of Yahweh of hosts. And psalmist said in Psalm 113:103 how sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.
Psalm 19 verse 7 the law of Yahweh is perfect converting the soul. The testimony of Yahweh is sure making wise the simple. The statutes of Yahweh are right rejoicing the heart. The commandments of Yahweh is pure enlightening the eyes. The fear of Yahweh is clean enduring forever. The judgements of Yahweh are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold. , yea than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey and the honey comb. Moreover, by them, your servant is warned. And in keeping them there is great reward. Yahweh says there is a reward and I believe it.
I know my righteousness is not of my myself, I know that my own righteousness will not be sufficient on that day of judgment. I need grace, I'm not under the law, I'm under grace. But just because I'm not under the law, it doesn't mean I'm above the law either. In fact the law is in me because Yahushua is in me. and if he is in me then he will do in me what he did
when he was on the earth and we will all do in the age to come. because he is the same yesterday, today and forever. What will we find if we only seek and open up those pages? Blow the dust off of the pages of the Old testament , what will we find? Wondrous things out of his law. I think we'll find there is really not so much new under the son of Yahweh. I think we'll find that he speaks much of grace and his mercy. I think we'll find a way of life that matches the way Yahushua himself lived.
Let's walk in it, because the principle taught in the New Testament are not necessarily new. I've heard it said "the old Testament is the New Testament, but concealed. And the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed." Yahweh was always concerned about the hearts of men. In Jeremiah 4:14 Oh Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness that you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you O Jerusalem? So what will we find if we only seek and open those pages and blow the dust off of them? I think we'll find much things in common with Yahushua's teachings. It all have in common with what you're reading from the Old Testament and the New Testament , the unified sweet , blessed, beautiful word of truth. That leads us to the true way of love. That leads us to the way of eternal life. That leads us to the feet of Yahushua Ha Mashiach our redeemer, our savior and our king. Let's pray Oh, father Yahweh we praise you for your wonderful word, we praise you for this beautiful, blessed, sweet unified word of truth oh father Yahweh, let Yahushua manifest himself through us and cleanse us, father of anything that is contrary to this beautiful, blessed and sweet unified word of truth. Let us turn away from law breaking and start living the way Yahushua lived. Empower us, strengthen us. For we know it is only by your righteousness and strength that we can be an overcomer. And only in your righteousness and strength are we justified. We don't need to wait until there is an oath, we confess it now. Only in you Yahweh do we have righteousness and strength. Manifest us, manifest through us Yahushua Ha Mashiach as his body, that we might be one with him and one in you.
For true yours is the kingdom and power and glory and majesty and all praise honour and worship belongs to you. Yahweh Elohim, Yahweh our mighty one, forever and ever. In Yahushua's great name we pray. Amein.
But some believe in this new law, based on the heart. The old Mosaic Law, the code that was written in stone, they say; was simply concerned with the outward appearance, you know the external. And now, he came and internalized the law.
And there are various studies done by traditional Christians who detail vast, vast differences that they perceive between the Old Testament and the New Testament. "The Old Testament was about condemnation and wrath ad the New Testament is about love and kindness and forgiveness." But all these studies are misguided; Yahweh has always been about love and grace and kindness and forgiveness. And the reason why they don't believe that he was in the Old and now he is because they have been taught this, and they don't really spend much time studying and really looking at the Old Testament. And sometimes even when it's being read, they kind of gloss over the part where it talks about him being merciful and long-suffering and these kinds of things. But I want to look at Matthew chapter 5 verse by verse and look at it in context and compare it with other scriptures in both Old and New Testament portions. And I don't even like using the terms, Old Testament and New Testament. Because there is some connotations that come with those terms, but for the sake of those who put the names on the books so we can know what we're talking about here. I wanna say the whole counsel of Yahweh's word is what we're going to look at, from Genesis to Revelation. But people have the mentality, out with the old, in with the new. I mean we like that. You know when they come out with a Windows 10 or some new thing, right? New version of software programs or a new car, new and improved. We're kind of conditioned to think, "Oh, something new and improved." And so, they think, "oh New Testament, oh New and improved Testament. The old one is kind of getting old wore out and so we need a new one." So, that's the kind of mentality some people would approach scripture with. But we're gonna start in the 17th verse of Yahushua's Sermon on the Mount. And that's actually a mountain there or a hill next to the Sea of Galilee, behind this particular text. So, we're gonna look at his words and I find it pretty fascinating here, that one of the things he says during this Sermon on the Mount was, "do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets. For assuredly I say to you till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one title will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled". Now, he is not just saying do not think, he is saying do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets, right? 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. So, what are these commandments, talks about these commandments? What's he talking about? When he says "these commandments", any ideas? Could it be the commandments in the law?
Do not think I came to destroy the law or the prophets. That's the only thing he's talking about, these commandments. So, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments that are in the law and the prophets that will by no means pass until everything has accomplished and this word "fulfilled" her. As we shared a few weeks ago, is coming from a different Greek word, all right. A different Greek word than the word "appear". This is playro'o and this one down here it means to accomplish, till everything is accomplished. Well. Until Yahushua puts every last enemy under his feet, the last becoming death. Till death is destroyed, he has more things to accomplish. When he said, "it is finished". He wasn't saying, "I'm done, I have nothing else to do'. He was saying, "I'm finished with the work he has given me to do on the earth". And now there will be more work when Yahushua comes back for 1000 years, he will reign over the whole earth. There will be men who are capable of sinning at that time that he will have to teach and instruct and we will reign with him. So, there is still more to come. But until heaven and earth pass, until we have a new heaven and a new earth and sin and death are no more and the great white throne judgment takes place; then
there is still the law. And whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, whoever 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. So, how about you? I wanna be called great, how about you? And so my goal, although I need Yahweh's grace every day is to do and to teach, both do and teach the commandments. That's my intention, my goal, my desire, what I'm aiming for. So, Yahushua did not come to destroy or do away with or abolish the law or the prophets.
So, he is not doing away with anything. Now, if I said, "son give me a glass of water and bring it to me". And he did it, then he will have fulfilled my word, he would've fulfilled my commandment to bring me a glass of water. So, in the same way, our heavenly father sending Yahushua to come to the earth to actually fulfil all his commandments. To do them, to do them, not to take them away but to actually do them. So, you check outside the still have an earth out there, right? I mean otherwise, you wouldn't exist. They still have an earth. And so, they can't be passed away, nothing is passed away. So, whoever therefore because of what I just said breaks one of these, the least of these commandments that are in the law and teaches men so will be called least. I don't wanna be called least; the least may be ashes under the soles of your feet. So, don't take any confidence in being the least. We have got a very clear statement and yet the words to follow, the things that are gonna come next, that he says, many people would use to suggest he came to take away the old law and bring the new. And yet he prefaced everything he said by letting you know, he didn't come to abolish a single commandment in the law.
Not a single one. In fact, now, he came to fulfil them. Now, if you want to be called great then you should also fulfil the law. Romans 13:8 owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has done what? Fulfilled the law. And so, it's a good thing to fulfil the law, in fact, we're supposed to fulfil the law. And the commandments that are given are all examples of keeping the law and walking in love. For the commandments he says verse 9, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is a fulfillment of the law. So, if there is any other commandment and there is lots of other commandments, but they all have to do with love. Now, you can't love your neighbor unless you love Yahweh. It's not possible. So, we have to love and part of loving is keeping Yahweh's laws, keeping his commandments. They are examples of love. When Yahweh is giving a commandment, he is saying "this is an example of how to love" or "this is an example of how not to love", right? In fact, 1st John 2 verse 6 says he who says he abides in him, in Messiah, ought himself to walk just as he walked. How did Yahushua walk? He kept every single commandment that Yahweh ever gave in the law. Now, if you want to walk in perfect love, live the way he did. So, just by these words alone, brothers and sisters, there is just no way can that anyone conclude that even one jot or one title of the law has passed away. Every little jot and tittle is still applicable today and still valid today. I'm saying, "Well, what about the animal sacrifices?" We... I mean there is no temple, there is no priesthood you can't do those things even if you wanted to. So, it's irrelevant in the sense that those commandments in other words if Yahweh said to you know, he commands in the law to call upon his name you know." Call upon my name". What if someone is mute? They can't speak then they can't call his name and so are they breaking the law? No, they can't do that law. And so they do what they can do, they do it in their mind. And so, we have a spirit to sacrifice in Yahushua the Messiah. And so we accept him as our offering and that's what we can do, right? So, no you can't be offering animal sacrifices and people say, "what about stoning people?" Well, those commandments are in the context of Yahweh as establishing a nation of Israel in the earth and these are sentencing guidelines for judges of the land. And so, are we living in the nation of Israel and over there did the Red Sea part and did Yahweh bring us over there to do that? No, okay. But notice that both of these laws dealing with both sacrifices and the stoning and things like
that, they both have to do with what you do with a person who has broken the law. That's person needs to offer a sacrifice or that person needs to be put to death or both.
I shouldn't say both, but one or the other. And so that's what you do when sin happens, okay. When sin happens, here is how you deal with it, that's different than the sin itself. It says don't commit adultery and to stone those who commit adultery. Those who are commanded to stone the ones committing adultery, this is all supposed to be handled in the court of law. They bring the witnesses forward and they decide whether adultery has taken place. If adultery had taken place, then the persons committing the adultery would be stoned. You don't just walk around stoning people that disobey the law. I know that's what people were doing in the 1st Century. They saw Yahushua; they thought he was blaspheming, picking up stones to stone him. But that was not lawful, that was not the way it was supposed to be handled. Things had to be brought before the judges; the judges would hear the case. Just like today, you don't go out there and start writing traffic tickets. There are people in place the civil authorities to handle those matters. And so, yes, we can be law-abiding citizens and never grab anybody and throw them in the prison. We can be law abiding citizens and not give them the lethal injection for having committed murder. Because those are responses to law breaking. In the same way, the sacrifices and the judgments that Yahweh had given, were responses to law breaking. But the law-breaking itself, the moral undercurrent, the moral principle in the law would be; don't commit adultery. Don't steal, don't covet, and don't lie, okay? And so those are all instructions on how to love. We have to rightly divine the word of truth and not assume it's talking about something that it's not really talking about. So, every commandment he gave has to with walking in love. Love is a fulfilment of the law. Now, you cannot claim to love while you're breaking one of his commandments which are commandments on how to love. You cannot claim that you are being a loving person while you're breaking one of the commandments in what? In the law. He who loves has fulfilled the law. If you love you will keep all of these commandments, because they are all summed up in love, that's what it's all about. And so those who do and teach the commandments are people who are walking in love. Very clear, very easy to understand, nothing confusing about it, okay? So, no controversy, it should be very simple. Walk as Yahushua walked, he didn't go around stoning anybody, right? And yet he kept the law perfectly, he never sinned one time. 1 John 3:34 says sin is a transgression of the law. He never stoned anybody and yet he kept the law. Because he was a moral person, he observed the law, he was not on a [inaudible 00:20:29], he was not on the Saint Hadrian, and he was not one of the judges of the land. He was a common citizen, who was destined to become and was ultimately the king of Israel. When Yahushua comes back, there will be lots of people who will be put to death. Because he is in the position of king. All right. So continuing on here in verse 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Now, for some reason, many believed that the scribes and Pharisees were people who could be characterized as perfect keepers of the law. And yet they say, "well, see these scribes and Pharisees they kept every little commandment and yet it was not good enough." Wrong, wrong, wrong, a thousand times wrong. That's not true. They did not keep the commandments, they were commandment breakers, and they were not commandment keepers. And on that basis, some would suggest that ' well
see law keeping is not good enough for Yahweh. You can keep all the laws you want. They won't be good enough for Yahweh. And so Yahweh had to give them a new law that was based on the heart, see." And they will quote different verses, but first please let me completely destroy the notion that the scribes and Pharisees were law keeping men. They weren't, in fact, Yahushua said they weren't, several times. In John 7:19 Yahushua said, "did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?" None of you. Not a single one of you keeps the law. So how can we say, "oh they were perfect keepers of the law, they had the law down. Oh, they sure kept the law perfectly." No, they didn't, they were not keeping the law. Another time he said Matthew 23:23 " woe to you scribes and Pharisees, for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faith."
Now, how can you say they were keeping the law when they were not men of justice, they were not men of mercy and they were not men of faith? Yahushua said these, in fact, are the weightier matters of the law. They were not just men, they were not merciful men and they were not men of faith. And so they could not have been keepers of the law. In fact, they were terrible law keepers; they were neglecting the most important parts of the law. Now, notice what he says here, "these you ought to have done" What are these that they ought to have done? They ought to have paid the tithes anise and mint and cumin and so on, yeah they should have done those things. But without leaving the others undone. In other words, don't neglect justice and mercy and faith, while you are doing these other things. Yes, you should pay your tithes of mint and anise and cumin and the herbs and so on. You should be doing those things but what good is that if you are neglecting the most important parts that the law teaches? I mean, for a show you can say "I give one tenth of this herb I've got growing in my garden." It will make you look like a righteous man but really you are missing the whole point of everything.
Luke 11: 42 says but woe to you Pharisees for you tithe mint and rue all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of Elohim. They don't even love Elohim. They don't love Yahweh; they don't love our father in heaven. They ignore that while they pay tithe of rue and herbs and so how can they be law keepers. How can they be as the law says in Deuteronomy 6 says in the law. It says to love Yahweh with all your heart, soul and might. And yet they were not doing that. so they were not law keepers. They were law breakers and they were not just men. They wanted to kill Yahushua and they ultimately did kill Stephen. Acts 7: 52. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the just one. Of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers. Who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it. They were not law keepers they were law breakers. So, please get that idea out of your mind if you happen to have the idea that the scribes and Pharisees were expert law keepers to the highest degree of perfection. Yet that was not good enough. They weren't anywhere close to keeping Yahweh's law. They were major, big time, blood thirsty, murderous, unrighteous men. They believed in keeping Yahweh's law and they proclaimed it with their mouth. But they did not keep it. In fact they omitted the most important parts about it and that was; justice, mercy and faith. Do you believe that mercy is actually a part of Yahweh's law? It really is its all part of it. So is justice, it's all part of it. Yahushua said it's the most important part of it. In fact, faith is also an important part of Yahweh's law. All right, so I can hear it already, "what about verse 21 there Tom? Let's take a look. It says you have heard it was said to those of old, you shall not murder and have and whoever murders will be in danger of judgment. But I say to you whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother "Raca" shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says "you fool" Shall be in danger of hell fire. So, is this a changed teaching that those who do wrong things in their heart are also in danger of judgment in the lake of fire? No, no, not at all. They place their selves in danger of being judged by simply choosing anger. And almost this exact same thing, Yahweh said himself to Cain all the way back in the book of genesis chapter 4. Yahweh said to Cain verse 6 "why are you angry and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. Its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.
So Yahweh warned Cain about his anger and where it would lead. He said, "hey you're getting close to being in danger of sinning because of your anger Cain". He was angry with his brother without a cause. Now, we know that Cain was eventually judged by Yahweh, right? He was sent out as a fugitive, a vagabond on the earth in Genesis 4: 12. And so he warned him ahead of time. "You are in danger of judgment because you're about to sin and you're in danger of judgment". And that's what happened. Cain was judged. Scripture in Psalm 37 verse 8 says cease from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret it only causes harm.
Ecclesiastes 7 verses 9 says do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. You don't wanna be a fool, so don't be an angry person. Now, there is not any place in the Torah anywhere that we're allowed to hate someone without a cause. In fact we're told to love someone regardless. Leviticus 19 verse 16 says you shall not go about as a tale bearer among your people. This is an angry response to being hurt. Nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor. You shall not; you shall not hate your brother in your heart. Now, if the law was all about the external and now Yahushua came along and internalized everything; then why does is it saying in the law "don't hate somebody in your heart"? It was already written, people weren't paying any attention to it. It says you shall surely rebuke your neighbor, correct him and not bear sin because of him. And another response to someone hurting you, you shall not take vengeance, you shall not bear any grudge and bitterness and forgiveness against the children of your people. But you shall love your neighbor as yourself. In fact, this whole love your neighbor as yourself golden rule was written all the way back in the Levitical law. I say Levitical law because it comes from Leviticus. And many people they think, "Well Levitical law is all about ritual and you do so many steps here and you do this and you do that. And temple services. It's got some of that in there, but that's not the only thing there. It may come as a shock to you, but the law says you're not supposed to hate anyone in your heart. In fact, you should love them as yourself.
Right out of the book of Leviticus. It was there all along, they just weren't following it. And so we see just from the above verses that the law has a lot to do with what's going on in the heart. You cannot be angry with your brother without a cause. And love him at the same time. The anger is coming out of hate and rage and hatred. You cannot hate somebody in your heart. Don't bear a grudge, don't take vengeance, don't hate in your heart. These are all internal things, things going on in your mind. Has to do with what's going on in your mind. And so the concept Yahushua is giving that "you don't even hate in your heart, don't even be angry without a cause". It's already there. So threw is not really anything terribly new about what he was saying.
Because there is really not so much new under the son s-o-n. Matthew 25:23 therefore it says if you bring your gift to the alter and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the alter and go your way, First be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift.
Now, being clear of sin in the eyes of Yahweh before making an offering is something Yahweh has always wanted. You've done somebody wrong and you haven't rectified it, you haven't resolved it. Then your sacrifices are nothing to him.
When David had done the terrible thing he did with Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite and Yahweh convicted of his transgression, he immediately went down; he didn't go immediately down to the tabernacle and started offering sacrifices.
Like that was going to solve everything. In fact, what David was verse 16 in Psalm 51 this is his prayer of repentance. He says for you do not desire a sacrifice, what else I will give it? You do not delight in burnt offering; the sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart. These oh Elohim you will not despise.
Do good in your good pleasure to Zion, build the walls of Jerusalem. In other words, repent and receive the blessing. Then you shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness. With burnt offering and whole burnt offering then they shall offer bulls on your altar. So, where goes your sacrifice? When you haven't yet resolved and repented and your heart has not been cleaned and you've changed, you've not turned away from your sin. You know, no animal is going to make op for the condition of your heart which is not right.
Proverbs 16 verse 8 says. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh. But the prayer of the upright is his delight. You sin against your brother and he is holding it against you, because you sinned against him, and you refuse to repent of that sin. And so you have unresolved sin in your heart.
And so your sacrifices are no good.
Seek out the mercies of Yahweh, confess your sins and then resolve it between you and your brother. And then the prayer of the upright will be his delight.
Nothing new here. Matthew 5:25 says agree with your adversary quickly while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge and the judge hand you over to the officer. And you'll be thrown into the prison. Assuredly I say to you by no means do you get out of there till you pay the last penny. Yahushua is repeating a principle that was already found in the Old Testament so called. Proverbs chapter 6 verse 1 it says my son if you become a surety for your friend if you are shaking hands in a pledge for a stranger. You are snared by the words of your mouth. You are taken by the words of your mouth.
So, do this my son and deliver yourself for you have come into the hand of your friend. Go and humble yourself, plead with your friend. Give no sleep to your eyes; don't slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter. And like a bird from the hand of the fowlers. It's talking about someone who has become surety, in other words, he owes somebody something.
And unless he pays he can become a slave, okay? And so notice scripture proverbs 25 verse 8 says do not go hastily to court for what will you do in the end when your neighbor has put you to shame? You might remember also Jacob humbled himself before his adversary Esau and gave him many possessions so as to prevent conflict. And when there was strife between the herdsman of Abraham and the herdsman of Lot, Abraham humbled himself before Lot and let Lot choose whichever land he wanted. And so these are very old concepts, already found in the Old Testament scriptures. And Yahushua is pointing us back to those concepts.
another example Matthew 5 verses 27 to 28, this is probably the most commonly quoted scriptures to suggest that Yahushua came to fix the law and make it more of an internal thing and less of an external thing. This is the most commonly quoted example. Matthew 5:27 through 28 says You have heard it was said to those of old, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you whoever looks at any woman to lust for her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Now, this is an old favorite again by various preachers trying to say" oh see the law has been internalized now. See now the law is in our hearts and so we are now focused on making sure we're not breaking any of these commandments in our minds and that's part of what the new covenant says." And by quoting that, they suggest that the old covenant was merely external disobedience and now the law is in our hearts and so he requires obedience from the heart now. And they say, "Well, we don't keep the external
commandments now, like Sabbath keeping, feast keeping. Now we only concern ourselves with the internal." But if they would only pick up and read and study what they call the Old Testament, they would find in the law of Yahweh, he plainly taught it was wrong to lust after a woman in your 10 commandments. Where in the 10 commandments does it say heart. It was then, it is now, and it does a basic
you're not allowed to lust? foundational important teaching that Yahweh actually included the prohibition of lust in the
Exodus 20 verse 17, you shall not covet or desire
your neighbor's house; you shall not covet or desire your neighbor's wife. Nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, donkey or anything that belongs to him. So, the idea of lusting being wrong was already written. In fact in the 10 commandments.
People don't read and study the Old Testament and so they don't realize, it was already there. And so please, let's not quote this scripture
anymore and say "oh see Yahushua came and internalized the law". It was always internal to not hate your brother in your heart, it was already internal. Don't hold a grudge that was always internal. Love your neighbor as yourself, from Leviticus, it was always internal. Yahweh did not want Israel to desire what belonged to another person, whether it's their pots and pans or animals or anything that belonged to them. Job chapter 31 verse 1 through 4 says I have made a covenant with my eyes, why then should I look upon a young woman? For what is the allotment from Elohim, the Elohim above and inheritance from the almighty of the almighty from on high? Is it not destruction for the wicked and disaster for the workers on iniquity? Does he not see my ways and count all my steps? It's already written in the scriptures. In Job he was a man that lived before the law of Yahweh was ever given from Sinai. And so there was a heart issue, and so it was a
sin. In Job's eyes, he thought, "Well if I look upon a young woman then I could be destroyed. I can have disaster come to me". So, Yahushua is simply reiterating a principle already written in the Old Testament scriptures. It just that you got these scribes and Pharisees and they are all about the external and they are not concerned about the internal. And so he is correcting their teaching and that's why he prefaced this entire thing by saying, " unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you're not gonna make it son. You are not gonna make it". Now, I'm not saying he never gave us something new. I'm only saying that what you think is not in the
Old Testament actually is in the Old Testament. And he wasn't some brand new law to replace the Old one. He said, "don't even think I came to do that". If he came to replace the law he has to destroy the old one and put the new one in. if I'm going to replace a part of car, I take the old one out and I put the new part in. And the old part I throw away, right? So, it wasn't like that, he didn't come to replace the law with the new law. He came to give us a better understanding of what the law actually meant and intended in principle from the very beginning.
Matthew 5:29 if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it out from you. For it is more profitable for you to let one of your member perish than for your whole body to me cast into Gehenna or the lake of fire or hell. your whole body to be cast into hell. Now, these specific examples are not directly And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you for it is more profitable for you to let one of you members perish, than for
mentioned in the Old Testament. However, the concept and principle behind this teaching is there. Cain was admonished to rule over snare of his anger. Yahweh also warned the children of Israel to remove potential stumbling blocks from their path. In Exodus chapter 23 verse 32 says you shall make no covenant with them that is the heathen nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in your land lest they make you sin against me. For if you serve their gods it will surely be a snare to you. Deuteronomy 7: 16 you shall destroy all the peoples whom Yahweh Elohim delivers over to you, your eye shall have no pity on them nor shall you sever their god's form that will be a snare to you. Proverbs 22: 24 says make no friendship with an angry man and with the furious man do not go. Lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul. And so the danger of something causing you is to stumble and it is already given in scripture. If you have something causing you to stumble, then remove it from you. In this case an angry man, in this case the foreign heathen ad In Yahushua's case he says even if it's your own eye or your own hand get rid of it. Psalm 119 verse 165 says great peace have those who love your law and nothing cause them to stumble. And so a very beautiful promise. And one of the reasons why one who keeps Yahweh's law will have no reason to stumble is because they are gonna go following the many warnings, the many safeguards and the things Yahweh sets up to keep us strong. Such as the Sabbath day if we keep the Sabbath, the Sabbath day will keep us. Because we're gonna have one seventh of our life our time devoted completely to Yahweh, giving him a full day out of seven. Not just a couple of hours in church on Sunday morning. No we're giving Yahweh the whole day and the rest we need, so we're not stressed out and we are able to function in this world. And so, yes there is no specific examples of cutting one's hand off or eye off. But what he is really pointing to, I think when you look at what he saying. What he is really pointing to is he recognizes this carnal flesh is problematic; it's a stumbling block to us. And so how do we get rid of this carnal flesh? And it is through Yahushua the Messiah and what he was about to do. To be crucified and by that, we put to death the deeds of the body. And through him we become joined to the body of Messiah, we receive a new creation that is Yahushua living in us. And so in that sense, we have done away with the lustful eye and the harmful hand and whatever. Whatever our members are trying to cause us to do through Yahushua the stumbling block we which is our own flesh has been removed. And we are now given by the Holy Spirit a new nature through Yahushua Ha Mashiach. And so I think that's really what he's pointing us to. He recognizes there problem of the flesh. So continuing here in Matthew 5:31 furthermore it has been said whoever divorces his wife let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. Now, these are some very controversial statements and much has been written on the topic of divorce and remarriage. And I have a full very long and very full study on this particular question. If you go to Eliyah.com/family/divorcer eremarriage.html you can read a full study on this
and it will be demonstrated to you if you read or watch the videos on that particular topic. That Yahushua was not teaching us a new thing, in fact, he quoted the Old Testament to support his view. And his view was this when the Pharisees came to him, Matthew 19:3 testing him and saying to him, "is it lawful for a man to divorces his wife for just any reason?" He answered and said, have you not read?" You gotta reading problem here? It's right here in the book of Genesis, that he who made them at the beginning made them male and female. And said for this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. So then they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what Elohim has joined together, why do you think you have any business separating that? That's basically what he is saying. Let no man separate. He acted like they should know this already. Haven't you read this? Did you miss it somewhere? You missed the book of Genesis?
And so he is not giving a new teaching, he is appealing to the very first few chapters of Genesis. Now, if you study this in depth, the so-called bill of divorcement. A close examination of Deuteronomy 24 will yield the understanding. If you don't read the King James if you read almost every other translation that Yahweh was not commanding one to give a bill of divorcement. He was commenting on a situation where a husband did give someone a bill of divorcement. And what he was commenting on was that he could not take that wife back if she had gone off and married another man that's what he was commenting on. He was not sanctioning divorce. He was saying if one chose to divorce and she married somebody else and died or he divorced her, he cannot take the first wife back. And so, no, it's not a brand new teaching and if you look at that study once again on eliyah.com/family/divorcere marrageiage. . html you will find one perfect unified message from Genesis to Revelation. Regarding divorce and remarriage take a look at it. All right, Matthew 5: 33 again you have heard it was said to those of old you shall not swear falsely, you shall perform your oaths to Yahweh, but I say to you, do not swear at all. Not by heaven for it is Elohim's throne nor by the earth for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.
Nor shall you swear by your head because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your yes be yes and your no, no. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Now, this a very commonly quoted one, it seems very apparent to me that the context of Yahushua's words has to do with frequent swearing to affirm or deny an action. Saying yes or saying no. In scriptures, there are no examples of Yahweh condoning a person to engage in the practice of swearing by the throne or by the gold of the temple or whatever else. In fact, it is always directly regarding our swear and our oath is directly to Yahweh. And not to some hair on our head or anything like that. This is the different things that were going on in that time period. Where people were having different levels of swearing and depending upon what the scribes and Pharisees happened to teach regarding whether you had to keep that oath or not keep the oath. It all depended upon what you actually swore to.
Now, he could not have been forbidding all forms of swearing, because there are examples of first of all we have Revelation 10 verse 5 the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things 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. So an angel himself is taking his hand up in the air and swearing with an oath.
Also Acts 18:18 Paul had made a vow and taken a vow and Acts 21:23 he was actually keeping that vow. And then Isaiah 45 verse 23 Yahweh says I have
sworn by myself , the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return back to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. Every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say surely in Yahweh I have righteousness and strength. To him men shall come and all shall be ashamed who incensed against him. In Yahweh all the descendants of Israel shall be justified and shall glory. This is what we are going to say on judgment day. "Only in Yahweh do I have righteousness and strength." And we are going to take an oath, that's the only way we got it, it's through him. So, everyone will be forced to swear, now if it was evil to swear why would Yahweh be forcing everyone to do so and why would he allow that angel to do so? It can't always be wrong so we have to understand the 1st Century context that his statements were being made. In Matthew 23:16 Yahushua told the blind guides the Pharisees, he said woe to you blind guides who say whoever swears by temple it is nothing. But whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it. Now, think about that. Someone could swear by the temple and their oath would not be binding, isn't that crazy? He says fools and blind, which is greater the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And you say whoever swears by the altar its nothing. But whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it. Fools and blind, for which is greater the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Therefore he who swears by the altar swears by it and by all things on it. He who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of Elohim and he who sits on it. So, Yahushua is dismissing the foolishness of various
levels of swearing. He said "look let your communication just be yes, yes, no, no rather than engaging in this foolish practice of different levels of swearing and this is binding and this is not and it's all an attempt to deceive. And to not fulfil your word. and so based on Yahushua's final comment, I think it's evident he did not want these various levels of swearing which is nothing more than an act of trickery. Like someone could say, " well I only swear by the alter, I didn't swear by the gift on the alter and so it doesn't mean anything. Aha, got you there, I tricked you to thinking that I was really swearing but I really wasn't. It's not really a binding word." And who is the liar? It is Satan the devil. And so these different levels of swearing were from the evil one, from Satan the devil. So all you need to do is say yes or no, and really we don have to back out words our yes's and no's with anything other than our word. Our word should be good enough, we should not be going around saying, "well, I have to swear son you will believe me." If we have the integrity, then whatever we say shall always be true and people would believe us. If we are an assembly of liars then we have to go into these different levels of swearing, right? In order for people to believe us. And so this idea of swearing in order to deny or to acknowledge an action is taking place and all these things should not be necessary among us. And that's his point. As if to say it normally you would just be lying and if you lie its okay, it's not binding. If you tell a lie, it's always binding. Exodus 20: 16 says don't bear false witness against your neighbor. Leviticus 19:11 says don't steal or deal falsely or lie to one another. So, Yahushua is not condemning the overall practice of taking a vow or taking an oath. He was condoning the practice of needing to back up our confirmations and our denials with any added weight other than the integrity of our own word. And since our words are always to be the truth there should be no need to go beyond that. And only those who have regular imitated the father of lies by telling lies would need to go beyond the integrity of their own word to affirm or deny anything. And I think that's why he said anything beyond these is from evil. The father of lies would inspire different levels of binding and non-binding oaths. So that man could be freed from speaking the truth and speaking a lie and get away with it. All right, Matthew 5:38 you have heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you not to resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile go with him two. Give to him who asks you and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away. Now the practice Yahushua is condemning here is taking personal vengeance. We already read that in the scriptures, you shall not take vengeance right? You shall not take vengeance and so taking personal vengeance is wrong, it was always wrong. Now I want you to notice he will say, " you have heard it was said eye for eye and tooth for tooth" This is saying like the common interpretation somebody who knocks your tooth out and you go ahead and knock his tooth out. But the quotation from the Torah here then referenced to the person being punished from and by several authorities. The judges of the land. Leviticus 24: 19 says if a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done so shall it be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. As he has cause disfigurement of a man so shall it be done to him. Now, even in this Torah verse understand, Yahweh
is not promoting vigilante justice or personal vengeance. He had forbidden that. Do not bear a grudge, right? Otherwise, he would say if a man gives you a blemish, do it right back to him. He never actually said that. He said this is the context, these are sentencing guidelines for judges. Saying if a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor. He is talking about a third party, he is not saying if a man cause you disfigurement, you disfigure him right back. He is saying to the judges, if a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, then your sentence, your guideline the thing that I want you to do is to make sure that man loses his tooth also. that's in the context of equalitative law.
So, what Yahushua is forbidding is vigilante justice. These are sentencing guidelines appropriate punishments to be done to someone who commits a crime ion a community setting. This is not for someone a common man that he should go around and he will say watch someone working on the Sabbath and he will say, " why let me get me some rocks over here and start tossing them at him and stoning him to death." No, again here in the United States we don't pull people over who go past the speed limit. There are some authorities who are there to chase them down and give them a ticket or whatever. And the judges will decide what the punishment will be. And the same was true of Yahweh's law. he is establishing a nation and he is really setting guidelines. An example here is Deuteronomy 19 verse 18 it says and the judges shall make careful inquiry and if indeed, if indeed, if the witness is a false witness who testified falsely against his brother, this is what they do to false witnesses in Israel. Then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother. So shall put away the evil from among you. And those who remain shall hear and fear and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you. Your eye shall not pity, life shall be for life , eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. So, the context of these instances of an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth is referring to proper judgment in a court of law when a crime has taken place. It's not sanctioning personal vengeance or anarchy. And so contrary of popular belief the law never says when someone hits you and knocks your eye and gives you a bruise on your eye, you just go ahead and hit him right back. He never says that. These were matters handled by the judges and they would determine the proper judgment and what ought to be done. But because Yahushua does speak of personal vengeance in these verses I don't believe he was teaching against the Torah concept of an eye for eye tooth for a tooth. He was teaching for the Torah of not taking vengeance or bearing grudges against your neighbor. Like scripture says, you shall not take vengeance, you shall not do it nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. So, we are not to take vengeance. In fact, we are to love in response to someone who is hurting us. Romans chapter 12 verse 19 beloved do not avenge yourself, but rather give place to wrath for it is written vengeance is mine, I will repay. Now, Yahweh can repay that vengeance through a court of law. Even in the United States of America if a man murdered a child, chances are pretty good he is going to get killed himself and that would be appropriate vengeance and appropriate judgment. But the father to child does not have the right to go and kill the man. Unless it's actually a murder taking place in progress you defend his child. But it was done without him being present then everything needs to be handled in the court of law. and so he is just correcting their understanding. Now, what about turning the other cheek, is that a new thing? Nope, it's in the old testament. Turn the other cheek is in the old testament in the book of Lamentations chapter 3 verse 25 says Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of Yahweh. It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. let him sit alone and keep silent because Elohim has laid it upon him. Let him put his mouth to the dust, there may yet be hope. Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him and be full of reproach for Yahweh will not cast off forever. Although he causes grief yet he will show compassion according to the multitudes of his mercies. And so this is not a new idea. Turn the other cheek, it's right here in the book of Lamentations.
Matthew 5:43 You have heard that it was said that you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. That you may be sons of your father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good. And send rain on the just and on the unjust.
So you have heard it was said. Now, let's not say that Yahweh actually spoke
these words. Because nowhere does it say in scripture love your neighbor and hate your enemy. There is not a single scripture anywhere in the Torah that says love your neighbor hate your enemy.
So he is staying they heard it was said hate your enemy. But what does the Torah actually say regarding your enemy?? What does it actually teach? What does the Old Testament actually say about your enemy? well, lets finish what he said here. Matthew 5:46 for if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even tax collectors do the same? If you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even tax collectors do so? therefore you should be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect.
What does the Torah say about you enemy? Exodus 23 verse 4, it says, if you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, when you would refrain from helping it you shall surely help him with it.
Do good to your enemies, bless them, help them. It's a Torah principle, Yahweh was teaching the children of Israel to do good those who are your enemies and to the ones who hate you, right? Another place Proverbs 24:17 do not rejoice when your enemy falls. Do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles. Lest Yahweh see it and it displeases him. And he turns away his wrath from him. Proverbs 25:21 if your enemy is hungry give him bread to eat , if he is thirsty give him water to drink. For so you heap coals of fire on his head and Yahweh will reward you. And where is Solomon getting these ideas? From the Torah principle of love your enemies. It was seen in the Torah. And just by observation it's evident that Yahweh himself is showing love to those who are his enemies, right? And if we are created in his image, then we must also love those who are our enemies. And Yahushua pointed that out. And so by nature, just by Genesis 1 it says let's make man in our image. If we are gonna walk in his image, then we are going to love those who are not loving us. We are not going to hate in return. And that's the way Yahweh has always been , that's the way he wanted men to operate, to walk in love.
It's not some new testament, nit this brand new hot off the press. No, the instructions you see in the new testament about nonresistance are instructions for any man. In fact Daniel , Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Ezra , Nehemiah,
they never revolted against Babylon or Persia. They just chose to love, because they were obeying the scriptural principles that have always existed. Now, Yahweh himself had said take up arms and go and defeat this city, then you are an extension of Yahweh's judgment on that city. And that's okay because vengeance is Yahweh's, he will repay not you. When he sent David, when he sent Israel into the land to destroy his enemies, that was the time of judgment. He was a judge, so he judged ion the throne. He has the right to execute judgment in But at some point, he has a line that you are not to righteousness and vengeance to his enemies cross. And righteous justice can be served. And so we can follow that example there is a place because he is the king he has the throne. But lets a whole lot of his enemies pass, hoping that they will turn to him.
for having mercy on a person and choosing to love them in spite of their hatred toward us. And by that, we hope that they will turn to righteousness. But there may be a place and there often is a place for having someone be turned over to the court of law and have them punished for their crime so that they will turn away from unrighteousness. and the whole goal id that the other person might be saved. And so we have courts of law, it means someone came along and killed your mom would you say, " well, you know I will pray for them. "It's okay to want to see them locked up so that they don't hurt anybody else. So you understand? We are not looking at brand new ideas here, that Yahushua is bringing forth. It is things that have always been true. But people are fed their ideas that all the old testament was in need of fixing so Yahushua came along and fixed it. But there were already teachings already existing in the so-called Old Testament. He didn't need to come along and fix anything.
Yahweh is not a Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde character. Mean and judgmental in the Old Testament but then you know he is kind of changed now, he has decided to be more like a grandfatherly figure and now he is just kind of mellowed out. You know his testosterone is kind of relaxed and he is not so uptight. Come on, do not, do not, characterize our father on heaven that way. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. he is no chameleon, he does not have multiple personality disorder. But in many ways, it's the titles that man have put in these books. the uninspired titles Old Testament and New Testament almost you know Marcion who was 2nd Century heretic , he would run around teaching that the Old Testament God was different than the one in the New Testament. And some of that thinking, while most people regard him as a heretic I think kind of spilled over into traditional Christianity. You know Yahushua is the word John chapter 1 verse 14 it says the word became flesh and dwelled among us. He is not divided against himself.
Yahweh is one, Yahushua is one with him and we can be one with him in unity, right? And so we are all one, one in will, one in thought, one in purpose. And Yahushua when he died for us it just simply demonstrated the means through which man could be saved. men could always be granted mercy, David had sinned greatly when he murdered Uriah and committed adultery with Bathsheba but Yahweh forgave him. Yahushua hadn't died for his sin yet. So how could Yahweh forgive him without Yahushua being there to have been crucified and ail that? It's because Yahweh has always been merciful, he has always been gracious , its not a new idea. And so we need to recognize that, we need to live our lives as though that's really true and to have this misconception of the Old Testament. I mean there are places in the New Testament where it talks about death also. Where he was going to ... Look at Ananias and Sapphira they lied to the Holy spirit, what happened to them? 1st Corinthians 11 because people were not partaking of the body of Messiah in a worthy manner, they were killed and they were sick and diseased. Or when Yahushua had some words against Jezebel, he
said I will kill your children with death if you don't repent. So judgment also is here you know.
So, what do we need to do? We need to forsake this idea of Old Testament in one corner and New Testament in the other and they are kind of duking it out and one is correcting the other. It's not that way, all of Yahweh's word is true, its unified, it's not divided against itself. Yahushua quoted from the Torah when he said man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that precedes in the mouth of Elohim. The mouth came out of the prophet, the word came out of the prophet or the word came out of a New Testament book Or an Old Testament book. every word that Yahweh inspired we need to live by. he is quoting Deuteronomy 8 verse 3 it says where Yahweh says they humble you , allowed you to hunger, fed you manna . Which you did not know nor did your fathers know. That he might make you know. Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that precedes from the mouth of Yahweh.
And 2nd Timothy 3:16 all scriptures is given by inspiration of Elohim, that includes Genesis to Malachi. It's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and fro instruction and righteousness. Now if the law of Yahweh had been abolished how could he say that?
That the man of Elohim may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. All scripture. So the law of Yahweh , the Torah is profitable for reproof and for correction. I can quote from it and correct your behavior. You know there was not a completed New Testament when he wrote this. He said all scripture. Isaiah 8 :20 says to the law and all testimony, if
they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Now, if this is true and something in the New Testament was to contradict the Old Testament it would mean there is no light in it. Isaiah spoke these words, this is from the throne of Yahweh. If it's not according to the law and testimony then there can't be any light in it. and so there can't be anything in the new that would contradict the old, it cannot be. otherwise it has no light. See Yahushua did not come to correct anything or change anything. He did add things , baptism, believing in Yahushua died for your sins, these are all new things and that's okay. It's just that he is not coming to change things. To switch things up.
so there really isn't so much new under the son, s-o-n, son of Yahweh. Otherwise, we end with conflicting doctrines, conflicting words of reproof, conflicting instructions and righteousness. And they can't be reproved by anything written in the Old Testament. Many people I quote the Old Testament and they say " well that just the old Testament." But there is no conflict between the two, Yahweh is not divided. She conflicts are only found in the minds and the doctrines of anyone to disregard some portions of Yahweh's word. So Yahweh is not divided, sin is still transgression of the law. 1 John chapter 3 verse 4, 1 John 3:4 whoever commits sin transgresses also the law. For sin is a transgression of the law. And so if you are to transgress or violate the law then you would be sinning. And that's why Paul said in other places "by the law is the knowledge of sin". That's why he said in other places, " I would not have known sin except by the law." And that's why he says, if you walk in love you are fulfilling the law, you are keeping the commandments" so, the law still stands. Romans 3: 31 says we don't make void of the law by our faith, we establish it by our faith.
And so Yahushua stands tall and Yahweh's word stands tall. John 1: 14 the word became flesh and dwelled among us. Yahushua's example, walking as he walked, living as he lived is the only way to live out life.
And Yahushua is the word, not just in Matthew, Mark , Luke and John , he is the word in Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, everywhere. Its high time we lift up Yahweh's law as the standard for all men to live by. It's long overdue that we lift up what they call the old potions of the word of Yahweh, as words to be instructed by, as words to profited by, as words of righteousness, as words of truth, as words of life.
Yahushua said therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old. Both, both , so the new does not conflict the old. If it did the new was a new thing that totally contradicted the we don't have Isaiah 28 verse 20 making any sense. Where it says to the law and testimony don't speak according to his word there is no light in it.
So, going by what Yahweh had already said, there cannot be any contradiction. In fact, Paul the apostle if you understand it correctly pulls out profound and awesome treasures out of the Old Testament writings. Things that are wondrous, awesome and exciting if only we take a look more deeply. We have been deceived in this generation by tradition to only think one-third of Yahweh's word, one-third of Yahweh's word has no application to us today. But really it's not the one-third, a whole two-thirds before it do have a place in our hearts today. let's seek the fullness of Yahweh's words. Jeremiah 15: 16 says your words were found and I ate them. your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. For I am called by your name of Yahweh of hosts. And psalmist said in Psalm 113:103 how sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.
Psalm 19 verse 7 the law of Yahweh is perfect converting the soul. The testimony of Yahweh is sure making wise the simple. The statutes of Yahweh are right rejoicing the heart. The commandments of Yahweh is pure enlightening the eyes. The fear of Yahweh is clean enduring forever. The judgements of Yahweh are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold. , yea than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey and the honey comb. Moreover, by them, your servant is warned. And in keeping them there is great reward. Yahweh says there is a reward and I believe it.
I know my righteousness is not of my myself, I know that my own righteousness will not be sufficient on that day of judgment. I need grace, I'm not under the law, I'm under grace. But just because I'm not under the law, it doesn't mean I'm above the law either. In fact the law is in me because Yahushua is in me. and if he is in me then he will do in me what he did
when he was on the earth and we will all do in the age to come. because he is the same yesterday, today and forever. What will we find if we only seek and open up those pages? Blow the dust off of the pages of the Old testament , what will we find? Wondrous things out of his law. I think we'll find there is really not so much new under the son of Yahweh. I think we'll find that he speaks much of grace and his mercy. I think we'll find a way of life that matches the way Yahushua himself lived.
Let's walk in it, because the principle taught in the New Testament are not necessarily new. I've heard it said "the old Testament is the New Testament, but concealed. And the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed." Yahweh was always concerned about the hearts of men. In Jeremiah 4:14 Oh Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness that you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you O Jerusalem? So what will we find if we only seek and open those pages and blow the dust off of them? I think we'll find much things in common with Yahushua's teachings. It all have in common with what you're reading from the Old Testament and the New Testament , the unified sweet , blessed, beautiful word of truth. That leads us to the true way of love. That leads us to the way of eternal life. That leads us to the feet of Yahushua Ha Mashiach our redeemer, our savior and our king. Let's pray Oh, father Yahweh we praise you for your wonderful word, we praise you for this beautiful, blessed, sweet unified word of truth oh father Yahweh, let Yahushua manifest himself through us and cleanse us, father of anything that is contrary to this beautiful, blessed and sweet unified word of truth. Let us turn away from law breaking and start living the way Yahushua lived. Empower us, strengthen us. For we know it is only by your righteousness and strength that we can be an overcomer. And only in your righteousness and strength are we justified. We don't need to wait until there is an oath, we confess it now. Only in you Yahweh do we have righteousness and strength. Manifest us, manifest through us Yahushua Ha Mashiach as his body, that we might be one with him and one in you.
For true yours is the kingdom and power and glory and majesty and all praise honour and worship belongs to you. Yahweh Elohim, Yahweh our mighty one, forever and ever. In Yahushua's great name we pray. Amein.