Humility & Obedience
I love taking people to Israel and having the opportunity to watch the varying degrees of reactions and responses on their faces as they walk through the land.
The Messiah came into this world not to abolish the Torah (The first 5 books of the Bible), but to bring its fullest meaning. Matthew 5:17.
Throughout His journey here on earth, the Messiah spent His time teaching and healing…more teaching as He wanted us to understand His word and become obedient Believers. He taught in the synagogues and the Temple, but mostly He did so on a mountainside, in a boat, along the shoreline and varying other locations. One of which, was a mountainside where he delivered His sermon on the mount, found in Matthew Chapter 5.
You may know this as the “Beatitudes”, which basically describes a lifestyle in Heaven. The Heavenly Kingdom would afford you comfort, acceptance, satisfaction, seeing God, being called His child and being shown His mercy. In this passage He was letting us know that heaven is not some far off land, but the blessings of the beatitudes is a present possession for the person of faith. He wasn’t teaching some class on ethics but letting His people know that this is the lifestyle for those who trust in Him.
This sermon on the mount wasn’t for just the masses surrounding Him, the majority being Jews, but also for His disciples. He was teaching them and mentoring them for what was to come…the Great Commission!
Within His sermon, He states that He did not come to abolish the Torah nor the prophets but to show us their fullest meaning/interpretation. Above all else, God requires obedience. He wants us to obey Him out of our love for Him. He didn’t create us to be puppets on strings for Him to control, He created us so that we would be in relationship with Him. To worship Him and love Him from our souls, not as an obligation. The Torah, Writings and Prophets, also known as the Old Testament, contain 613 laws. Here is what King David, the Psalmist says about the laws of God: Psalm 19:8-12 of the CJB
The Torah of ADONAI is perfect, restoring the inner person. The instruction of ADONAI is sure, making wise the thoughtless.
The precepts of ADONAI are right, rejoicing the heart. The mitzvah of ADONAI is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of ADONAI is clean, enduring forever. The rulings of ADONAI are true, they are righteous altogether,
more desirable than gold, than much fine gold, also sweeter than honey or drippings from the honeycomb.
Through them your servant is warned; in obeying them there is great reward.
I would like to point out that King David states the the Torah of Adonai is perfect. His laws, rulings and regulations are pure and enlighten the eyes and sweeter than honey and should be more desirable than gold. I would like to suggest that there is no perfect freedom outside the perfect Law of God. His Word is truth, His Word is alive and His Word brings life and healing. His Word IS Yeshua, the Lamb of God. Every bit of the Word from Genesis to Revelation and all of what is in between, it’s all HIM! He cannot contradict what He has said nor did He mean one thing 2000 years ago and mean something totally different today. NO, He is the same yesterday, today and forevermore.
Yeshua (Jesus) concludes His sermon by His correct interpretation on what people have heard by their fathers, for example: Do not commit adultery, “But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” He then goes on to give them four more examples on how He wants them to understand the meaning of these laws.
If you haven’t already read the Sermon on the Mount, take the time to do so now. As it is what you can expect Heaven to be like.
Seeing the crowds, Yeshua walked up the hill. After He sat down, His talmidim came to Him, and He began to speak. This is what he taught them:
"How blessed are the poor in spirit! for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
"How blessed are those who mourn! for they will be comforted.
"How blessed are the meek! for they will inherit the Land!
"How blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness! for they will be filled.
"How blessed are those who show mercy! for they will be shown mercy.
"How blessed are the pure in heart! for they will see God.
"How blessed are those who make peace! for they will be called sons of God.
"How blessed are those who are persecuted because they pursue righteousness! for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
"How blessed you are when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me! Rejoice, be glad, because your reward in heaven is great—they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.
"You are salt for the Land. But if salt becomes tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except being thrown out for people to trample on.
"You are light for the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don't cover it with a bowl but put it on a lampstand, so that it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.
"Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah—not until everything that must happen has happened. So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot (regulations) and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness is far greater than that of the Torah-teachers and P'rushim, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
"You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Do not murder,'and that anyone who commits murder will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who nurses anger against his brother will be subject to judgment; that whoever calls his brother, 'You good-for-nothing!' will be brought before the Sanhedrin; that whoever says, 'Fool!' incurs the penalty of burning in the fire of Gei-Hinnom! So if you are offering your gift at the Temple altar and you remember there that your brother has something against you, leave your gift where it is by the altar, and go, make peace with your brother. Then come back and offer your gift. If someone sues you, come to terms with him quickly, while you and he are on the way to court; or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer of the court, and you may be thrown in jail! Yes indeed! I tell you, you will certainly not get out until you have paid the last penny.
"You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you sin, gouge it out and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom (Hell). And if your right hand makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom (Hell).
"It was said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a get.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and that anyone who marries a divorcee commits adultery.
"Again, you have heard that our fathers were told, 'Do not break your oath,' and 'Keep your vows to ADONAI.' But I tell you not to swear at all—not 'by heaven,' because it is God's throne; not 'by the earth,' because it is his footstool; and not 'by Yerushalayim,' because it is the city of the Great King. And don't swear by your head, because you can't make a single hair white or black. Just let your 'Yes' be a simple 'Yes,' and your 'No' a simple 'No'; anything more than this has its origin in evil.
"You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too! If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him.
"You have heard that our fathers were told,'Love your neighbor—and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim (Gentiles) do that! Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
