G-D's Perfect Law

Messianic Rabbi Eliyahu Ben Moshe

It is Sunday morning. Minister Johnson climbs onto the podium, turns to Romans 10:4, and proclaims good news by announcing, "The Savior paid it all. We are free from those Old Testament regulations and now are under grace through faith alone!"

Many in nominal worship today believe and proclaim this same message — that Yeshua HaMoshiach (Jesus the Messiah) has "nailed the Law to the cross." How much of this belief is true, however? Has the Law been nailed to the stake or does G-D’s Law remain in effect for His New Testament believers?

Before we move forward, please keep in mind that we must look at the Scriptures as one path from beginning to end (see my earlier study “The Ark and the Cross”). Now, let us examine some popular New Testament passages cited by those who would abolish G-D’s (Biblical) law.

What Was Added?

Many point to a passage in Colossians as proof that Yeshua did away with the Old Testament Laws. Here Paul writes, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his stake" (Col. 2:14).

With an understanding of the Greek word "ordinances" in this verse, we find another meaning. The Greek word here is No. 1378, dogma. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Greek Dictionary defines dogma as: "from the base 1380; a law (civil, cerem., or eccl.): — decree, ordinance." Dogma is found seven times in the New Testament and refers to man-made decrees. One authority writes, "As the form of error at Colosse was largely Judaic, insisting on Jewish ceremonial law, the phrase is probably colored by this fact," Word Studies in the New Testament, p. 908.

Thus, dogma here is not signifying G-D’s Law, but man-made decrees or ordinances. Paul was referring to the added law (oral laws), which our brothers the Jews tacked on to G-D’s HOLY Laws. We find the Apostle Paul warning Titus of this added law in Titus 1:14: "Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth." Notice that this said nothing about G-D’s laws.

G-D was not always pleased with these added laws. Yeshua chastised the Jews in Matthew 15 and Mark 8 for their "commandments of men," which here meant eating with unwashed hands. The Jews made many physical commandments, but they neglected the spiritual aspect of G-D’s Law, and that is what displeased Yeshua (Jesus).

The Telos of the Law

In Romans 10:4 we have a passage that is misconstrued by a majority of preachers today. "For Messiah is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes."

On the surface it may appear as if Yeshua ended the law for everyone when He died on the execution cross. Does that harmonize with the rest of G-D’s Holy Word, however? Are we now living lawlessly? If so, then we have no sin because "sin is not imputed when there is no law," Romans 5:13. But that cannot be, because Paul also wrote, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of G-D," Romans 3:23. Is something missing here that most don’t see?

The Greek word for "end" in this passage is telos, and telos is defined in Strong’s Greek Dictionary as: "to set out for a definite point or goal, the point aimed at as a limit" — No. 5056.

With this in mind, the word "end" found in Romans 10:4 SHOULD be translated as its Aramaic counterpart “Sakah” as "goal." We find a better rendition of this verse in the Jewish New Testament (by David Stern), which reads, "For the goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah who offers righteousness to everyone who trusts."

The same Greek word telos is translated "end" in James 5:11: "…you have seen the end [telos] of G-D." Has G-D come to an end? Of course not, and neither has the law. Both G-D and the law have goals, not ending points. We will now look at an important goal of the law.

No Longer Under a Schoolmaster

Paul is saying that only through the Law can we know Messiah, but after we have come to the knowledge of Yeshua we no longer need a schoolmaster, because the Law is part of us now, as is the Messiah.

In the Greek culture a schoolmaster was a paidagogos, a trustworthy slave who had the guardianship of the boys of a household. They needed him for guidance and instruction while they were young. But after they grew up, they lived by the precepts he taught them. It became second nature to do what they had been taught. They would no longer need the schoolmaster once they learned "the rules." This is the point Paul was making with the law. A similar example would be: an airline pilot would no longer need his instructor once he successfully completed his training. However, if he decided to ignore the rules and laws of air travel in mid-air, he would soon come crashing down along with his flight crew and everyone else on board the plane.

Through faith we comply with G-D’s will automatically. His precepts and laws are now part of us. We no longer need a strict schoolmaster guiding our every thought and action because doing the right thing is second nature.

Now, the Aramaic differs somewhat from the Greek text, and because I do believe in the Aramaic primacy of the Brit Chadashah (New Testament), it is only fair that I solidify that we are to keep the law through not only the Greek aspect, but the Aramaic as well.

3:23 ad la din tatheh haymanutha namusa nater hava leyn kad khevisshin

l'haymanutha d'aitida havat l'meytglayo

Before but came faith Torah guarding was us while we were confined from faith about to be revealed.

But before faith came Torah was guarding us, while we were confined from the faith about to be revealed.

3:24 namusa hakiyl taraa hava l'an lvat Meshikha damin haymanutha netzedekh

The Torah therefore tutor was for us going towards the Messiah that us by faith be justified.

The Torah was therefore a tutor for us, going towards the Messiah, that we, by faith, might be justified.

3:25 kad atha din haymanutha leh havin tehit taraa

Since come but faith not we under tutors.

But since faith came, we are no longer under tutors.

Here, in the Aramaic, instead of Greek singular use of schoolmaster, the word Tutors is used. Aramaic reads tutors, and the plural form is intended because Aramaic uses the same word for singular and plural forms. But by saying tutors (the plural form), Paul is taking a direct shot at the Pharisees who as “teachers of the law” added their own rules that in effect, placed a fence around the Torah, which made the laws grievous like a heavy yoke of bondage or slavery. There is also clearly a word play between the Taraa (tutors) who locked the Torah away behind their own dogmas/rabbinical fences, and the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) who said “I am the Tarea (door)”. In other words, Paul is reminding us how Yeshua opened the door, not to just bring the Gentiles in, but to also free the Jews from the bondage of the Pharisees who sit in Moshes (Moses) seat (MT 23:1). Paul has contrasted the true tutor of Torah pointing to the Messiah, against the Pharisees who remained as tutors to their traditions and rejected the Messiah. So then, clearly, we are to follow the Torah and should we not, we will miss our mark and miss our goal.

Lawkeeping in the New Testament

Yeshua and many of His faithful disciples not only show that the Law has NOT been annulled, but they also express for it a deep love.

In Matthew 5:17-19 Yeshua says that those who keep and teach G-D’s Law will have great treasures in G-D’s Kingdom: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Yeshua came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill or complete it, as the Greek indicates. Yeshua said those who uphold and teach the Law will be blessed with honorable positions in the Kingdom, but those who refuse to keep it and teach others the same fallacy of non-obedience will not be blessed and will not inherit any position.

Yeshua was not the only advocate for G-D’s Law. We find the Apostle Paul, who is usually cited as being against the law, in Romans 3:31 in fact promoting law-keeping: "Do we then make void the law through faith? G-D forbid: yea, we establish the law." Paul never said that G-D’s Law wasn’t important. Many will say that all we need is faith. Paul says that we need both faith and law. We are not to throw out the Law because of faith, but as Paul says we are to establish it within our lives.

In Romans 7 we find the Apostle Paul again promoting G-D’s Law: "Know you not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?...What shall we say then? is the law sin? G-D forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet...Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good" (Rom. 7:1, 7, 12).

Paul Advocates Old Testament Law

Paul says that the Law has dominion or authority over us till death, just as marriage does between two people. He also says that without the Law we would not know sin. Paul concludes these passages by not diminishing the Law, but by giving it the highest honor.

In one New Testament Passage we find the Apostle Paul using the Law of Moses to convey his own message to young Timothy. "For the scripture says, You shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward" (1Tim. 5:18). His using such an example indicates that Paul taught and promoted the Old Testament Laws as authority, meaning the basis for New Testament teachings. Both of these laws can be traced back to the Torah (instructions; first five books of the Old Testament):

· "You shalt not muzzle the ox when he treads out the corn" (Deut. 25:4).

· "The wages of him that is hired shall not abide with you all night until the morning" (Lev. 19:13).

In Acts 24 Paul is standing before Felix, the governor of Judea. Paul is being accused of following and even promoting a division among the Jews. In truth, Paul never rebuked the Jewish faith, but proclaimed that he followed all that his ancestors taught. "But this I confess unto you, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the G-D of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets" (Acts 24:14).

In the governor’s attempt to condemn the Apostle, Paul not only says that he believes, but also unmistakably advocates the Law and the Prophets. If he believed in the Law and the Prophets, he clearly would have been observing both. The Law here includes all five books of the Torah, while the Prophets indicates the entire collection of the Old Testament prophets and all that they taught about G-D’s will through His law.

Obviously, Paul never uprooted the Law, but had great respect and love for it. He realized its benefits. He knew that the only way to know right from wrong was by G-D’s holy standards inspired in the first five books of His Word. What would we use for knowing right from wrong if G-D’s Law were annulled? And lest we forget, what we know as the New Testament was not even written at the time and the only “Bible” they had was what we call the Tanakh (Old Testament). It was commonly referred to as “the Scriptures”.

A Litmus Test for Righteousness

The Law was not given to mankind to save us, but simply to show us right from wrong. In Romans 3:20 we see that without these standards we would live in a world with utter chaos. "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

We are also warned of breaking Moses’ Law in Hebrews 10: "For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of Elohim, and has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that has said, Vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense, says G-D. And again, G-D shall judge his people" (Heb. 10:26-30).

Notice that the writer of Hebrews very plainly says that once we have come to the knowledge of the truth, there is no more remedy for sins committed thereafter. This is a dreadful thought.

The writer of Hebrews continues by stating that those who break Moses’ Law, which was received through G-D, will have a greater judgment than those of the Old Testament. This contradicts the man-made notion of a New Testament based on grace and faith alone. Salvation involves more than a simple proclaiming faith and grace to all those who believe. Salvation requires an action — obedience.

We find this confirmed in Hebrews 5:9: "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him." Yeshua, the author of salvation, offers the gift of salvation only to those who obey G-D’s Word. We cannot just believe or say that we have faith, but must act on our faith by obedience.

By observing His Law we demonstrate to G-D that we want to obey and serve Him. In 1John 5:3 we read that if we love G-D we will obey His commandments. "For this is the love of G-D, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."

This passage is important to understand because the message goes much deeper than most realize. We not only show love by keeping G-D’s commandments, but we must also keep them out of a deep-down desire to serve Him. His commandments must be so desirable that they never seem grievous to us.

If they are grievous, then we have defeated the purpose of observing G-D’s Torah. G-D’s Law is to shape and mold us into G-D’s own character. Any negative feelings toward His law amount to resistance of that goal. G-D’s standards are a reflection of His own morals and ethics. Why should He not want us to have the same nature as He does?

Faith Alone Is Not Enough

In the Book of James we find Yeshua’s brother unequivocally promoting law keeping for G-D’s people.

"What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled; notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit? Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one Elohim (Lord); you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:14-19).

James asks a crucial question for any believer: What good is it if we have faith but no works? It’s like a vehicle with no gasoline, it travels nowhere. Our salvation works the same way. With faith and works we are promised G-D’s kingdom; however, without either of the two our salvation comes to a halt, with no gasoline to continue.

James also said that even the demons believe in Yeshua’s existence, but just having this belief does not make them worthy of G-D’s Kingdom. They have neither works nor an obedient heart.

Obedience as Well as Faith

Three noteworthy passages are found in the Book of Revelation. The first is the prophecy of the woman, meaning the Assembly, being taken into the wilderness for protection from the adversary. "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of G-D, and have the testimony of Yeshua the Messiah" (Rev. 12:17).

Notice what distinguishes G-D’s people. Two characteristics define G-D’s “true” saints: keeping of G-D’s commandments, and having faith in Yeshua. By these two characteristics G-D’s expectations for His people are clearly defined.

We find these two attributes again in Revelation 14:12. "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of G-D, and the faith of Yeshua."

G-D defines His Saints as those that are keeping His commandments and having faith in Yeshua the Messiah. Very simply, these two elements are essential for a believer, for without them we will not have access to G-D’s magnificent Kingdom.

In the last chapter of the Bible G-D warns us once again of the need for keeping His commandments. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" (Rev. 22:14).

Here at the end of the Bible G-D clearly says that keeping His commandments is a requirement for entering His glorious Kingdom. G-D will only accept those with an obedient and humble heart. A heart that never wavers from Him, but stays true to the end.

Every word that now comprises the Old and New Testaments is for our benefit. However, please do keep in mind that the Bible that Yeshua and the disciples read was NOT the Bible we know of today. The New Testament did not even exist at that time. Yeshua and all those living in that time period only had use of the Tanakh (the Old Testament) which they referred to as “the Scriptures”. So Paul’s comments here are reflected toward the Tanakh (Old Testament) as he explains the importance of the Old Testament in 2 Timothy 3:16: "All scripture is given by inspiration of G-D, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

Every utterance that G-D has given is profitable in some way. Whether it be reproof, correction, or instruction, G-D’s Word has a place in each of our lives. It instructs us to righteousness, which is defined by observing G-D’s Law.

Forget Not the Law of G-D

Within the prophets we can find an abundance of prophecies for the New Testament believer. One prophet specifically educates us concerning the Law of Moses. His prophecy is a reply from G-D.

In Malachi chapter 4, Malachi prophesies of the distant future. He tells of a time when the whole earth shall burn like a furnace, and the wicked shall become stubble. Malachi’s message is vital, for the message does not stop with those in the Old Testament, but continues on for those in the latter days.

He warns that we must not forget the Law of Moses: "Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments" (Mal. 4:4). This is important to understand. We in the 21st century learn here that the saints are told to keep ALL the Law, with statutes and judgments.

Stepping out in Faith

Messianic Rabbi Eliyahu Ben Moshe

Rosh Chodesh-New Moon Day-April 19, 2007

G-D’s word is filled with many wonderful promises. We are promised that G-D will direct our steps, work all things to our good, give us of His goodness and the list goes on and on. Look at Exodus 19:4-5:

You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

4 Atem re'item asher asiti le-Mitzrayim va'esa etchem al-kanfeI nesharim va'avi etchem elai.

'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself.

5 Ve'atah im-shamoa tishme'u bekoli ushmartem et-briti viheyitem li sgulah mikol-ha'amim ki-li kol-ha'aretz.

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

One thing that is critical to understand is that G-D’s promises are only to those who obey and follow Him. If you look, you will notice that G-D’s promises always follow a command. The reason is simple, if you do not abide with G-D, you can’t enjoy the benefits that are a part of that relationship. We are the only barriers to experiencing G-D’s goodness. G-D will never force Himself on you. He calls and reaches out to us, but unless there is a response of love on our part, that call goes unanswered. The secret to experiencing G-D is to make Him the object of our affection. If we love G-D’s blessings more than G-D, our relationship with G-D will suffer. Our focus should be outside of our own desires. A selfish relationship never works. Both sides must be giving. G-D has given of Himself to us, we need to give our hearts and actions to G-D or we will have a one-sided relationship and can never experience true intimacy. I believe we must focus on learning how to love G-D. As our love for G-D grows, He will call us into a deeper relationship.

G-D only reveals to us a little at a time. If we are faithful, He will show more of His will to us. The more we align ourselves to G-D’s will, the more we will experience Him. One principle the bible clearly shows is that G-D will test our faithfulness before He increases us. A good example of this is illustrated in Matthew 25:14-30:

For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his masters money.
After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
His Master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Master.’
He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
His Master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Master.’
Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
But his Master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The point I believe this passage teaches is that G-D knows what our abilities are. He tests us based on our ability in order to prove who is faithful and who is not. Talent refers to a considerable sum of money in this passage. The first two servants were faithful with what they were given. They were not self-focused but rather were focused on their Master. They did not cling to what was given to them because the money was not the objects of their affection. Their Master was. Their focus was not on looking out for themselves but working to increase the kingdom of their Master.

The lazy servant was quite the opposite. His focus was solely on himself. He was more concerned about what cost might required of him and he did not have the love for his Master that gave a desire to work for his Master’s benefit. The object of his affection was himself and his possessions. The risk of personal cost was more than he was willing to sacrifice. I believe we all start off as a spiritually weak person who has the self-focus. Many will remain lazy out of fear of what personal cost might be incurred. Until we leave behind the idea of fulfilling our own desires, we will never see anything but fear of missing out or loosing out on our lives.

In Luke 9:23-24 YESHUA says, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his stake daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it".

G-D does not think like we do. We cling to our need to look out for number one. G-D requires getting outside of a self-centered way of thinking and to follow Him. If you live for yourself, that is what you will get. However, you can’t fill that emptiness inside, you can’t overcome in this life, and nothing done for yourself can be carried into eternity. If you live for YESHUA, seek His will and trust in G-D to meet your needs, He promises to fill you to overflowing. You can’t fill your own emptiness, but G-D can fill you to overflow.

We must get outside of ourselves. We must first become Messiah centered and Messiah focused. Then we must continue to get outside of ourselves by reaching out to others. G-D will fill you, but you can’t rest content with the idea that G-D’s love shown to you is for you alone. In Matthew 10:8, YESHUA instructed His disciples to reach out and meet the needs of those around them, not to use their outreach for gaining money, but to freely give as G-D has given to them. That verse still holds true. A pond is filled and becomes stagnate. A river becomes filled and flows outward looking for outlets for the water that continues to feed it. I believe that is how G-D works. If you refuse to reach out, you will become stagnate and polluted. But if you are focused beyond yourself, as you reach out to others, G-D will continue to fill you and you will continue to grow. We are to be conduits of G-D’s love, not self-centered puddles that never serve a purpose. As I minister to others, G-D ministers to me. As I pray for and become a healing hand through G-D to the many needs around me, G-D heals me.

Learning to trust and depend on G-D is essential. As we grow, we need to learn to follow G-D wherever He leads. G-D never promised this would be easy. In fact, G-D will put us in a position that requires us to either turn from following Him, or depend on Him. If you look at the great men of the bible, G-D always tests them before exalting them. Joseph was exalted above everyone in Egypt during the great 7-year famine and only had to answer to pharaoh. G-D tested Joseph by allowing him to get to the lowest point of his life. He was forgotten in a dungeon for years and years. I believe this test had a two-fold purpose. First it tested Joseph’s faith. Because Joseph did not give up on G-D, his faith was strengthened and G-D blessed him far above what he ever dreamed would be possible. The second purpose was to show Joseph that alone he could do nothing. If G-D had exalted Joseph immediately, he would have likely been lifted up in pride. He was always known as a holy man, but it is so easy to feel self-righteous. Joseph might have thought it was his own greatness that exalted him. But because all hope was lost, his dream was only to get out of the dungeon. It would take G-D to restore his freedom and becoming a ruler was not even an idea. Joseph was unaware that G-D was shaping him to be salvation to his own people, but because he hoped in G-D even in trouble, G-D was able to prepare him.

We see the opposite when those same people were delivered by the hand of Moses and lead to inherit the promised land. Israel had become enslaved. Against all odds, G-D called Moses out of hiding to lead his people out of slavery. The people watched the wondrous signs of G-D as He plagued the Egyptians into obedience, saved Israel from pharaoh’s pursuing army, fed them in the desert, gave them water, sheltered them from the sun in the day and gave them light at night, and the list of amazing proof that G-D was leading them goes on. G-D led them to the banks of the Jordan River. All they had to do was cross into their homeland. G-D’s tested the people before handing them His many blessings. Look at Numbers 13:1-3

And the ELOHIM spoke to Moses, saying,

Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.

So Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of the ELOHIM, all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel.

Numbers 13:26-14:3

Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.
Then they told him, and said: We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.
The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.
But the men who had gone up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.
And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature.
There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.
So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.
And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!
Why has the ELOHIM brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?

Their reaction to this crisis really hits home. How many times do we do the same thing? G-D builds our faith by rescuing us from our troubles, strengthening us, making us strong in Him and tries to teach us to look to Him as our deliverer. G-D has proven Himself by His many wonders that are clearly seen when we reflect upon our lives. But a time will come when G-D will ask you to prove your faith. TRUE faith is belief and trust in action. Faith is obedience. Believing in G-D is not enough, faith is placing our complete trust in the G-D in whom we believe even when the odds are against us. The negative odds are the whole point. G-D wants us to see that the odds are against us so that we know He is G-D and that we are not sufficient in ourselves.

What became of the promise? Look at Deuteronomy 1:30-36:

The Lord your G-D, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes,
and in the wilderness where you saw how the ELOHIM your G-D carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’
Yet, for all that, you did not believe the ELOHIM your G-D, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.
And the ELOHIM heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying,
‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers,
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the ELOHIM.’

The promise was denied to all except the two who stood strong and believed G-D. Verse 38 says that Joshua led the next generation into the promise land and Caleb was the only other one allowed to claim the promise because only they believed in G-D’s deliverance. The power of G-D is great, but our faith is required. G-D will not force you to obey and without obedience, you can’t claim the promises of G-D. G-D will stretch your faith. G-D doesn’t care about lip service. Some believe that the words you speak are how the promises of G-D are claimed. The bible doesn’t support this idea. The bible says that G-D’s people honor Him with their lips, but their heart is far from Him. G-D doesn’t honor lip service. G-D honors those who trust in Him from the heart and place the hope of their lives in His hands. Those who are willing to step out in faith at G-D’s calling even when they know success is impossible will find G-D’s power enables them to succeed. I believe this is the only way to be exalted by G-D. Otherwise we will be lifted up with pride thinking that we have done a great work. Of course it must be G-D’s calling. G-D calls us to stretch ourselves beyond our own strength so that we will know that He is G-D.

The first step is to make G-D the object of our affection so that we can get outside of ourselves. As we grow, it is equally important to follow where G-D leads. If we try to be our own master and filling ourselves is our desire, we can’t experience Him. If fear is our master and we back away from G-D’s lead, we can’t experience the fullness of G-D and the fullness of HIS beautiful promises. The way to overcome our self-centered way of thinking is found in Proverbs 16:3, "Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established." G-D honors commitment based on our step of faith. Commitment is to remain faithful even when we are challenged and don’t feel like continuing.

In conclusion, almost every believer, regardless of the denomination, has heard of the time that Kepha (Peter) walked on the water right after the miracle of the feeding of the multitude. If you remember the 14^th Chapter of Matthew, YESHUA took five loaves of bread and two fishes, looked up into heaven, then blessed and broke the bread, and because of this, an entire multitude of over 5,000 people ate until they were full and in fact, there were 12 full baskets left over. After that, YESHUA told his talmidim (students, disciples) to get on the ship and to go before him to the other side into the land of Gennesaret. Then YESHUA went up on a mountain to pray. Matthew 14:24-33 tells us:

Mat 14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

Mat 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night YESHUA went unto them, walking on the sea.

Mat 14:26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

Mat 14:27 But straightway YESHUA spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Mat 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, ELOHIM, if it be thou, bid (command or order) me to come unto thee on the water.

Mat 14:29 And he (YESHUA) said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to YESHUA.

Mat 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous (ischuros- is-khoo-ros), he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, ELOHIM (LORD), save me.

Mat 14:31 And immediately YESHUA stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Mat 14:32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

Mat 14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of G-D.

According to John 21:7, Peter was a good swimmer. But here, we find Peter caught between faith and fear. Now notice that YESHUA did not say “Oh you of NO faith” or “Oh you unbeliever”. He said “Oh thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt” or in modern terms, “you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Don’t forget, Peter had personally witnessed many miracles at this point and just seen the feeding of the multitudes and His Messiah walking on water.

You see friend, YESHUA knew that when we as believers find ourselves caught between a little faith and fear, that we are vulnerable to the fiery darts of the wicked. It is at this point in our lives that Satan would love to sift us as wheat. It is at this time that he wants to turn our children and loved ones against one another. He wants to drive a wedge between mother and father. He wants to place a wall between families. He wants us to search out one another and find as many faults as we can against one another, becoming accusers instead of intercessors. Satan wants us to become haters instead of lovers, persecutors instead of comforters, bitter instead of joyous. Everything that G-D wants for us, Satan wants just the opposite for us. And when we are weak in faith, or when we refuse to step out in faith, we become weak spiritually, like a dried up fig tree. To overcome this, we must step out in faith, trusting in G-D and being obedient to His Holy word. We’ve got to keep that prayer line open and pray as often as we can. We’ve got to lift up one another, even above ourselves, and we must not be a stumbling block. Make a commitment to step out in faith this day, give your love to G-D and share your love of G-D with those nearest you. Don’t let the devil win. Don’t let the devil steal your victory. Don’t let the devil take your crown when we are so close to home. AMEIN!