Is it Your way, the way of the Israelite, or Yah’s way? Part 2

Is it Your way, the way of the Israelite, or Yah’s way? Part 2
As a small child, probably 6 or 7 years old, I was taught to memorize John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is the cornerstone of the conservative, evangelical Christian faith and I hold it very dear to my heart. Just like the example of Joshua in part 1, I made this declaration of faith verbally and intentionally.

Romans 10:9-10 tells us “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” I chose that day whom I would serve, yet, it would take nearly 4 decades for me to see what that service actually looked like. 

Why did it take me so long? I had been trained in a dispensational theology that told me the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had somehow changed in the manifestation of Jesus Christ. This does not hold to the scriptures: Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob (House of Israel) are not consumed (to cease or perish).”

Jesus tells us that belief on Him as our sacrifice for the Law of Sin and Death assures us of salvation and Paul tells us that we are to do this outloud like Joshua for the world to know. What has just happened to us? What is the result of our actions. We have to return to the scriptures to see what went on.

Matthew 15:22-28 “And, behold, a woman of Canaan (1) came out (escape away) of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped (2) him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet (proper) to take the children’s bread (3), and to cast it to dogs (4). And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” (5)

1. G5478 = people of Cain – associated with paganism
2. G4352 = a physical act of lowering oneself in humble submission with an attitude of utmost adoration or respect.
3. Yeshua is the bread of life for those that believe in YHWH, not something to be squandered.
4. Those willing to bow down to any false god as was the habit of the pagans.
5. Jesus seeing her earnest desire to follow his commands, recognizes her as a daughter by adoption, and acted according to her faith.

This can be exampled in the Old Testament as well in the story of Ruth. Ruth 1:15-16, 22 “And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.”

From this account we see that the heart of the believer is followed by action. Here Ruth not only accepts the belief of YHVH she also acts upon those beliefs in the manner prescribed for the followers of YHVH. The beginning of the barley harvest is the celebration of the Passover feast. When the final judgement comes to all of mankind the scales will be measured against the instructions or the Torah of YHVH.

Numbers 15:15-16 “One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance forever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.”

Numbers 15:29 “Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. “

Deuteronomy 31:12 “Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:”

Ephesians 2:19-20 “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God (1); And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone”

1. (by Hebraism, especially with G3588 “belonging to”) God, the Supreme Being, the Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Yahweh by name.
2. G40 = Holy (set apart by Yahweh God unto himself and apart from the world)

Holiness is intrinsic to Yahweh alone, and He works it in those who fear Him and diligently choose to cooperate with Him and His workings. Though one may indeed act upon his command to be holy, he alone can ascribe one as Holy.

We can see by the actions of the Canaanite woman and Ruth that the submission to YHWH’s authority followed by assimilation into the teachings both were made a part of the nation or House of Israel.