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What does it mean to be “Torah observant”?
There has been a new movement all over the world, as believers in Yeshua begin to have their eyes opened and see the need to learn about and obey the Torah. This movement has many names, such as “Hebrew Roots” or “Messianic Judaism,” but the name that I prefer is “Torah observance.”
I like this name best of all because it emphasizes that I have decided to “observe” or obey all that is written in the commands of God.
This “new movement” was prophesied in the Torah, as YHVH told Moses that after many thousands of years of curses had fallen on the people of Israel because of their sin and idolatry, they would “return to YHVH your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 30:2).
If you hear me say that I’m “Torah observant,” there are three assumptions you can make about me. These aren’t how everyone in the world defines “Torah observance,” but it’s what I mean by it — just so you’ll know.
- That I believe that Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth is the Messiah, and that it is only through His blood that I am cleansed of my sin and forgiven.
- That I have a desire to follow Him in obedience, which means that I want to obey all of the commands that He has given in the Torah.
- That I have a desire to stick to Scripture only for instruction in righteous living.
My desire is that as you read what I write here on my blog, your love for Yeshua and for His Torah will grow greater and greater.
However, let’s examine the third assumption a little bit more. Torah observance can mean a lot of different things, depending on who you talk to, so I want to be very clear what I mean by “sticking to Scripture only for instruction in righteous living.”
Be a Scripturalist
Even better than saying I am “Torah observant” is saying that I’m a “Scripturalist.” A Scripturalist is someone who upholds the entire 66 books of Scripture, including:
- The books of Moses (the Law or Torah)
- The writings and prophecies of the rest of the Old Testament (or as it’s called in Hebrew, the Tanakh)
- The teachings of the Apostles as given to us in the New Testament (sometimes called the “Apostolic Scriptures” or Brit Chadasha, renewed covenant).
Before they entered the Promised Land, Moses warned Israel,
“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2).
While I firmly believe that all 66 books of the Bible are inspired by God and are included in the term “Scripture,” the five books of the Torah form the foundation:
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
Apart from what Christianity often teaches, the 61 books that come after the Torah do not add to or take away from what was given to Moses.
In fact, Moses warned,
“The prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, …that prophet shall die” (Deuteronomy 18:20).
A false prophet is someone who adds to or takes away from the Torah. If the Psalmist David had added or subtracted anything to what was written in the Torah, we would not listen to him. If the Prophet Daniel had added or subtracted anything to what was written in the Torah, we would not read his writings today.
Yeshua did not add to nor take away from the Torah either.
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18).
In the same way, if the Apostle Paul were to tell us that the Torah had been done away with, he would also be a false prophet. However, by his own testimony, he upheld the law.
“But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets” (Acts 24:14).
The letters of Paul can be difficult to understand, I admit. He was a student of the famous first-century rabbi Gamaliel. He had been trained in the Torah and the Writings of the Tanakh (Old Testament Scriptures) since he was a young child. He had likely committed most of it to memory. In addition, he had been well trained in “the strictness of our fathers’ law,” which is a reference to the oral traditions that would go on to become the Talmud.
“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today” (Acts 22:3).
He was a really smart guy!
We read his writings and are almost two thousand years removed from his culture, and worse, we have no training in the Talmud and Jewish thought and culture, and maybe we have never read through the entire Old Testament even once, let alone committed it to memory. We live in a Gentile, pagan culture, far removed from first-century Jewish thought.
No wonder Paul’s writings are hard to understand!
But even Peter, one of the three men who spent more time with Master Yeshua than any others, found Paul’s writings hard to understand.
“Consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:15-16).
Do you see how Peter compares the writings of Paul to “the rest of the Scriptures”? He could do this with confidence because he knew firsthand that Paul had not added to or taken away anything from the Torah.
So what is the key to being “Torah Observant”?
“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2).
Open your Bible now and underline Deuteronomy 4:2. Memorize it, in fact. This verse will help you determine truth, as you begin to learn to compare everything you hear to the Torah of YHVH, as written down in the first five books of the Bible.
Don’t add to it. Don’t take from it.
Beautifully put, Anne!! I too seek to follow & fully obey our Father’s commands & ways! Love how you broke it down & explained it in a beautiful way. May YHWH bless you & keep you, may HIS light shine upon you & give you shalom (peace)! Blessings achoti!!
Anne! I prefer to call this a “reformation” rather than a simple “movement”; bc movements are just that, they ‘move’ people into an emotional hype and then when the movement moves on, people are left void and depleted. But a “reformation”…..RE-FORM-A-NATION does just that. It is a PERMANENT, ETERNAL CHANGE in the LIFESTYLE of those who ENCOUNTER it. Life never returns to its former self. NOTHING remains the same.
Shavua Tov!
Shalom, Ann.
I can now call you Sister, since we believe and practice the same! Do you know any congregation in Israel that share our belief and follow the torah (bible) the way Yeshua did? Messianic, the title, has been diluted and seems to have the meaning a Christian Jew among Christians. I talk about a Jew that follow the torah of the Bible in his/her belief in Jeshua as the Messiah. Thank you for helping finding a Congregation that I might support!
Be blessed!
Lars H. Alhaug
Norway
Shalom, brother Lars,
I am not sure of a congregation in Israel, but I recommend that you reach out to my brother at Camp Ephraim. Here is a link to his family’s website:
http://www.campephraim.org/
It is such a blessing to have this litmus test for truth…especially in this world now where truth has become so relative, and confusion is everywhere. Thank you Anne
Very well put. You really make it easier for people to understand what’s really meant. Might have to quote some of that in our next book series! 🙂
It is unlikely that your small sect of believers has somehow come across a way of living different from the Christian faith as a whole. Be diligent, study the teaching of others outside of your sect of Christianity, perhaps they are the ones who the scriptures call false prophets.
The OT remains an authoritative account of divine testimony and teaching. Some of those teachings, however, such as sacrifices and other ceremonial laws, foreshadowed events that would be accomplished in Jesus’ ministry and therefore are not required of Christians. Until all is accomplished points to Jesus’ fulfillment of specific OT hopes, partly through his earthly life, death, and resurrection, and then more fully after his second coming.
This ‘small sect of believers’ as you refer to us, has been growing by leaps and bounds since it began way back in the 70’s, or earlier. There are now multiple thousands who are coming into the understanding that God gave his Word/Instructions/Principles/Torah “In the Beginning.” And over the generations of time, His Word has never ceased, diminished, nor deviated from its original purpose. Mankind, in rebellion, deception, and confusion has managed to make a ‘new gospel’ that has resulted in a church that resembles nothing like “The Church” that God calls “His People.”
I’m so relieved by your explanation. I have looked for over six decades because all I saw was confusion and twisting the words to form doctrine of men. The Bible is my guide
Just started on this exact path in July and my husband has been on a Torah observant path the last year. The Word is clear, it is exact, but separating myself from the things I learned growing up is so hard. The key is going back to what is written. Thank you.
Hi’ love your comment- I was just wondering, now that it’s been about 5 years, how is it going? What advice would you give me just starting this journey?
Hi Katherine,
It is now over a year since you left your comment. I hope it has been a fruitful year for you as you have sought the truth of Scripture. God is faithful and keeps His promise that if we seek Him we will find Him when we seek Him with all our heart. He will be found by us. I ask Him in prayer to lead you into His truth and to establish you in His truth.
Laure
This was VERY good and well written! It is amazing to me how much more the Word becomes Alive, knowing the TRUTH, observing Torah…verses my “old mindset”, of the traditions of men! We’ll find ourselves much like Paul, trying to teach “this” faith, when so many are trained in the ” traditions of men” . “Keep rooted and grounded” !! “Keep this mind of The Messiah” !! HE’S working it all out for our good! Thanks for coffee! (although I was a day late 🙂 )
Thank you so much. I have linked to an other of your posts with my Dutch blogs.
May God bless you!
This does not answer my questions in the least.
If you are living by the Torah, are you living by each of the 613 Commandments?
I can’t get anyone to answer this and I personally can’t see how you can live by the Torah if your not following each law.
Don’t tell me to read the bible lay it out in basic easy instructions. Exactly how do you follow the Torah which of the commandments do you follow, which ones do you consider no longer relevant.
I’m sorry to hear you’re frustrated. (((hugs))) Well, I believe that all of the Torah’s commands apply to me, except the ones that I cannot physically keep because there is no Temple in existence at this time in history. That’s a curse on the people of God, promised by God in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. He said that if His people would not obey, He would scatter them to the farthest ends of the earth. This is known as the “Dispersion,” and it happened in AD 70, when Titus destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. It would be wrong to carry on Temple rituals, because God commanded us in Deuteronomy 12 to only bring sacrifices to the place where He chose to place His name, Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:7). However, we read in the prophets that someday the Temple will be rebuilt and the sacrifices will resume. I’m sure I’m opening up a can of worms here, because many believe that when Jesus died, all the sacrifices were done away with. However, the Torah says that the offerings in the Temple were a perpetual statute for Israel, and we see that the Apostles continued to participate in Temple worship in the book of Acts. The book of Hebrews tells us that the sacrifices (from Adam all the way through into the laws to the nation of Israel, through into the future temple of Ezekiel) were only a *picture* of the *real* Tabernacle in heaven, where Jesus was the perfect and one-time-for-all sacrifice. Everything else is done “in remembrance” of Him. It was *never* a way of salvation, only a reminder of Him, always pointing to Him.
So I believe that ALL of the laws are relevant, but I would be actually disobeying Torah to presume that I (a non-Levite at that) could sacrifice a lamb in my backyard.
Okay, that said, do I live *perfectly* by each command in the Torah? No, no one does, but that’s because of the rebellion of our hearts. Deuteronomy 30:11-14 says,
As for specifics, I’m actually planning to work through all of the Torah over the next year or so here on my blog, so I hope to share how we keep Torah in our home, from the food laws, to the clean/unclean laws, to the feasts, to justice and so much more. If you have a specific topic you’d like to hear about, please feel free to let me know, and I’ll add it to the list, okay? I hope this helps!
Jesus said if one law is broken, then the whole law is broken, so what good does it do to claim to be “Torah observant” if you’re not observing the “whole law”, and how does it make you different from believers who understand that Jesus was the final sacrifice for man’s sins and we no longer have to make a sacrifice to stone for our sins??? We are to follow Jesus’ teachings and main commandments of loving our neighbors and taking care of widows and orphans/the poor and needy, and to live as much like Jesus as we possibly can, disciplining others. Being Torah observant is ritualistic and rituals don’t get you into heaven.
*atone
**dicipleing (making disciples)
We are observing the laws the apply to us individually. There are laws for priest, woman, man, wars and others. Yes we can stumble or mess up but that is why the Messiah gave us grace. Grace to to help us when we stumble, not to say don’t try at all. We are different because we are trying our best to observe Gods Law given to us. Sin is defined in the Bible as transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). He covers our mistakes and our sin against the Father of transgressing his law. We don’t make sacrifices because the priesthood has been done away with. The Messiah is our High Priest. (Hebrews 4:14). Loving your neighbor, loving God and giving to the poor is all the law. The first 4 commandments are how we love God. The last 6 is how we love our neighbors. They are further expanded on how to do this throughout the Old Testament. Jesus did the commandments so actually living like him would be doing he commandments also. How are they rituals if it is written in our Bible?! This is what surprised me the most. We are reading the whole Bible and living by what the Bible says. Saying anything negative about any part of the Bible seems wrong to me…. I love you and bless you as a fellow believing in the Messiah
Tonya, I totally hear the frustration in your voice. And, I admit that I felt this same way when I first heard the term, “Torah” and being “Torah Observant”. When I began this walk almost five years ago, I am ashamed to admit that I did not even know how to “spell” Torah. I was always taught that the Torah was the Jewish bible and much different than our English/Western Culturized bible. Yes, there are actually more than the mentioned 613 Commandments in the Torah (Which simply means “God’s instructions for living the redeemed lifestyle). But, one must recognize that some of those commandments, not ALL of them, were directed to ‘different groups’ of people. (Now mind you that ALL Jews AND Israel and the Strangers among Israel in Egypt were expected to keep these Commandments.) Some are just for the Temple Levites, some are just for the priests, some are just for men, some are just for women, some are just for the agrarian community, some are just for the business owners, some are just for parents, etc. So, obviously, if we do not fit into one of those categories, that particular ‘instruction’ does not apply to us and we are not intended to adhere to it. However, it is SAFE to say and remember that ALL TEN of the written Commandments are intended FOR EVERY LIVING BEING. Even the 4th commandment. Keeping Sabbath Holy. Maybe this is helpful?
What does it mean to you to keep the Sabbath day holy?
Thank you, my question also that seems to be avoided or sidetracked when trying to research! When Yahusha was asked what was required to be saved, He started reciting Commandments from the Ten but didn’t say obey the Torah wholly? I have questions about the feast days of Yahuah also since sacrifices were involved!? We are told not to add to or take away from words of Yahuah yet in new covenant converts were not required to be circumcized, but that was symbolic of circumcision of the heart and laws written on them!?
Jhonda, Thank you so much for visiting! I think I already have quite a few posts on these topics here on this blog, so I’m hoping you are able to find them, especially on the menu bar under the “Torah” category. Also check out my posts as https://whoisisrael.com/
I hope that helps!
Several years ago, my husband and I started on a quest to separate mans commands and God’s commands, we were frustrated at the traditional corporate church run as business and really wanted to get back to basics. The more I studied, the more the realized the “traditions of men” I was following. One of the 1st thing to go was the pagan holidays, next was the sunday sabbath, as I started reading Scripture afresh, I started observing His Holy Sabbath. As I opened His Word each Sabbath, I was given a download of reading Scripture again from a New Perspective. I started trying to “LIVE” by Every Word that Proceeded Out of THE MOUTH OF THE FATHER (starting in Genesis). As I started becoming more Torah Observant, avoiding the messianic traditionas as well keeping Rabbinical teachings, just strictly sticking to WHAT YHWH said! My husband unfortunately does not walk in Torah and believes it to have been a curse to YAH’s people then and now. Sadly this has brought much division in our home as I seek to walk as my Rabbi/Messiah walked, holy, and set apart, a royal priesthood. I have never in my 48 years in the church have ever been attacked by the enemy as now. Many of my christian fellowship believe me to be an apostate and false teacher and has ended our home bible study. I rely on promises given to me by YHWH Himself in His Word, as He prepared me for this time of “casting me in the pit by my brethren falsely accused”. This has been the most challenging days of my life, I believe our Loving Father is purging the Egypt out of His Children before we cross over into the Promise Land at His Return on Judgement Day. He is seeking a chaste bride, one that has forsaken her harlotry and idolatry. I am so thankful thank He is upholding His Torah as the Prophets declared and returning the hearts of the children back to their fathers, that He is giving us the Heritage of His People Israel, that His Covenant is truly an everlasting Covenant!
Hi Val, I so appreciate you sharing your experience on this Path of God’s Torah. I want to let you know that you are not alone in that your husband is not walking beside you on this amazing journey. I walk this Path without my spouse beside me as well, as do many, many other married couples. But, I am SO VERY GRATEFUL that Yah has put fellow “Believers (TO)” in my path and we draw strength from each other. We continue to hold on to HOPE that our loved ones will one day join us. But until then, we PRESS toward the mark of the High Calling of Yah in Yeshua and NEVER look back to our previous ‘ideals’ of tainted gospel. Shalom, Dear Sister!
Paul, in his letter to the Ephesian ecclesia, where there was division between the Jewish believers and newly saved Gentile believers, referred to the Law as “the Enmity” (Eph. 2:15, 16) between Jew and Gentile. Paul’s revelation from God for the Ecclesia was clarified in Ephesians 2:11-16, where he exhorted and comforted Gentile believers (and tactfully admonished Jewish believers):
“Eph. 2: 11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, Who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it, having put to death the enmity.
So we see that the goal is ONE NEW MAN (Eph. 2:15). I see today’s Ecclesia as one that either dismisses the Old Covenant, considering it as non-foundational to today’s “brand” of Christianity or that cherry-picks Old Covenant Scriptures once given to the Israelites and “hijacks” them for “new revelations.” Unfortunately, the “Gentile” Ecclesia at large historically has followed certain dictates of Rome, which introduced paganism (Christmas, Easter, etc) into Christianity, which today’s Church continues to follow, despite abundant light now available on the pagan roots of these practices. Has God’s definition of spiritual adultery changed? No! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He has called us to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth and not to presume He is pleased and winks the eye at our continued worship of pagan gods.
I also see the new Hebrew Roots or Torah Observant movements as a push-back by those (largely Jewish) believers who see the depths of the Old Covenant embedded in the New Covenant, the exquisite layers of Torah fulfillment in Yeshua. Yet, the Church that they are supposed to be One with is embracing its “Roman” roots! Nevertheless, there are warnings that the writer of Hebrews made to Jewish believers—beware of falling back into Judaism and seeking to be justified by keeping the Mosaic Law.
Let’s face it, no one was ever able to keep the Law (except, of course, Yeshua), and we as born-again believers cannot accrue righteousness by keeping the Law (eg, circumcision, tithing, stoning adulterers, dietary restrictions). Who among us can love the Lord with all our hearts? He gave us that commandment to show us we could not keep it! Nor could anyone keep the 10th commandment, Do not Covet. In order to keep that commandment, the Israelites would need a clean new heart and salvation through Yeshua. In Romans 7:7, Paul eloquently describes his battle with coveting despite the fact that he was an observant Jew: “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COVET.’” Paul goes on to describe how the Law aroused sinful desires in his flesh (7:5) and that the Law, because it pointed out the sin, “produced in him coveting of every kind” (7:8). But it wasn’t the fault of the Law, which is holy and righteous and good (7:12), but it was sin that was in him (7:20). Praise God that through Yeshua we have been freed from the servitude of sin!
So what was Paul’s (and our) answer? Not the Law of sin and death but the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus Who has set us free from the Enmity of the Mosaic Law and enabled us to keep the requirements of the Mosaic Law by walking according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:2-4).
So where do we go from here? Paul prayed that believers (both Jews and Gentiles) would be “rooted and grounded in love” (Eph. 3:17). “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3). May the Lord answer Paul’s prayer for today’s Ecclesia!!! And may it be our prayer as well!
I love Him with ALL of my heart.
What about this verse?
We are saved by grace through faith. Not by works lest any should boast (Ephes. 2:8-9)
My understanding is that Jesus came and died on the cross for our sins, He was the ultimate sacrifice, because we, fallen humans, were incapable of keeping the Law. Doesn’t trying, in our fallen state, to keep the Law, negate what Jesus freely gave us?
Also, Jesus said “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
We are not even capable of doing that really, not like Jesus did. Why would one want to take on the task of trying to keep all of the Law that He DIED to release us from? Isn’t this an exercise in futility?
Angel
Thanks for your comment, Angel. Yes, you are RIGHT that we are only saved by grace through faith, as Ephesians 2:8-9 say. However, what are the instructions for how we are to live *after* He has saved us?
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” What are those “good works”?
Jesus didn’t die to release us from the Law. Rather, He died to release us from the *penalty* of not keeping the law, which is death. He took our place. Are we now free to continue in sin, so that grace may abound?
I hope this helps, although I’m sure there will be more questions. 🙂 You can find more posts on this subject, including one about the “new commandment” of loving one another, in the archives here:
https://anneelliott.com/category/bible-study/gods-law/
Hi Anne,
I found this post via a friend’s Facebook post. She is Torah Observant, as well.
I think this is a really good question: “What are those “good works”?” This is what I found on biblehub.com “érgon (“work”) is a deed (action) that carries out (completes) an inner desire (intension, purpose).” It seems to me those “good works” are the purposes for which God has created us. But I don’t understand what that has to do with the Law.
I am trying to understand my friend’s new way of walking with Jesus. God’s timing is quite remarkable in this venture, as I just “happen” to be studying Colossians (I don’t think anything just “happens”, by the way. God always has His hand in our lives!) Anyway, in studying Colossians 2:16 today I was directed to Hebrews 8. Verse 13 says, “By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.” I am genuinely curious to know how you respond to that verse.
Thanks!
So beautifully worded and presented! In english faith is a noun but in Hebrew it is a verb! Makes sense that James would say “Faith without works is dead.”
-Jereme
https://twentyfoursix.life/
If you are to follow all the laws and commandments in the 66 books, then why are the men not circumcised? Why are the sacrifices not re-instituted? How about the dietary laws? And many others. The Jews, who we must admit adhere to the Torah far closer than any of the new gen Torah followers, failed to uphold it time and time again. Further, they still follow those mosaic laws even as I type this. Yet, are condemned. The great falling away has started. I thought maybe it would be the Anti-Christ, the agent of the fallen one, fooling the mass into believing him. But its apparent that the great falling away will start closer to home among the Torah observant Christians practicing the same doctrine as Catholics, “faith unto good works”. Not Faith unto salvation. Grace has no place here and my Lord Jesus died for naught among you Torah observers since the LAW still hold sway a CAPTIVE AUDIENCE unto death.
You and 662 other people still have not explained what Torah Observance really means. All I see is this symbolic, existential, mystical concept and haranguing on the topic by Jews and misguided Gentiles. What are you saying? Come down to brass tacks. If you think I am going wash my hand 50 million times a day and live under the curse of the law forget it. Over and over the scriptures tell us not to let others force us to keep the Sabbath, celebrate New moons, yada, yada, yada. What are you actually saying in the down to earth sense. In the real world–the physical one. What does it mean to be Torah Observant. To me, it means to honor and walk out the ten commandments. In the New Covenant Jesus became our sin and nailed our transgressions to the cross–then said it (law) was finished once and once for ALL. It is clear also in the New Covenant that the Gentiles DO NOT have to try to be Jewish, although I’m half. Those who know Christ our free indeed. Love they neighbor as thyself on this hang the entire law and of the prophets? This all sounds like a war of semantics to me—
I have a friend who is christian(a strong one at that). But she is very open to our faith. she has been asking me to give her scriptures from the NT about how we are to follow the OT. She believes as most Christians do, that Christ was the final sacrifice. Our family believes that the OT is the truth. Now don’t get em wrong, the NT is truth to, but the OT is written by profits who literally spoke to YHVH(God). the NT is written by men who were writing their own interpretation of what Yohshua (Jesus) was teaching. For example: In Matthew it could say he wore a purple robe, but in John it says it was yellow(this is just an example. tho this kind of mistake actually happened.) The Torah(OT) is perfect, for it is written by the profits who talked to YHVH(God). The NT is written by men, who tried their best to wright what they saw Yohshua(Jesus) do and i must say, i am not, by any means, saying you should not follow the NT. What i am saying, is that Yohshua did not remove anything from the Torah(OT) as it says in Matthew 5:17-18. He my have cleared it up a bit, but the Torah was and always will be the truth. Also, we need to take into consideration that Yohshua only had the OT to teach from(Plus His total understanding of what YHVH wanted). When i try to tell people about the clean and unclean foods they always tell me that in Mark 17:19 Jesus(Yohshua) declares all food clean. well that was obviously added into the Bible. For, can Jesus topple the laws of the Father? Wouldn’t that be a contradiction? in Leviticus 11 YHVH(God) tells us exactly what we can eat and what we can’t. Then they will argue that in Matthew 15:11 it says that “A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.” this is so true. the food itself isn’t unclean, but what comes out of you is lies, and that is unclean. when you eat pig(or any other unclean animal) and tell others it is okay to eat it, that is what makes you unclean. the lie that it is okay to eat what ever you wish. Matthew 15:19-21 “then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. all this to say, please understand that the Torah(Bible) is black and white. if it says not to eat pig, it means don’t eat pig. if it says to follow the Feasts, you follow the Feasts. If it says Yohshua didn’t come to remove the Laws, He didn’t remove ANY of the Laws. Yohshua does not topple the Laws of His Father.
“In the past, God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed Heir of all things, and through Whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.” From Hebrews 1:1-3.
I hope you will carefully read Hebrews, which is a letter inspired by the Holy Spirit, as all Scriptures are, regardless of who actually penned them.
I agree, Yeshua did not topple any laws; He fulfilled them. He kept them. All of them. He was the only Person ever to keep the Law fully. The law was given to reveal to us our sins. God know we could not keep the Law. It revealed to us our need for a Saviour. It described the Saviour, where He would be born, that He would be the Righteous Servant, that He would be the Prophet Moses spoke about, that He would be the Son of God, and that He would suffer for our transgressions (Isaiah 53). I encourage you to study the Messianic prophecies the prophets gave us in the Old Covenant and seek to be cleansed from your sin through your precious Messiah (through which all people of the world can be saved). Only He can give us the ability to keep the Law and the Spirit of the Law through the everlasting Holy Spirit. The same Spirit through Whom the prophets penned the Old Covenant.
*me/…kingdom of heaven.”/
Thank you for this simple and encouraging article. My husband and myself have been walking out Torah for two years, and it’s been an absolute blessing to our marriage and our family. Look forward to reading more articles. The Father is so patient, so kind, and we don’t deserve to have our eyes opened on this path of righteousness. I wish everyone could see it!
Happy Sabbath: )
I am a Christian believer in Jesus, The Messiah. I have a high regard for The Torah and the entire Old Testament. Too many Christians have too little regard for this portion of G-d’s Word. They are inseparable!
Please explain to me, or point me to an explanation, of what was meant by the resolution in Acts 15:
The problem: “But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them TO KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES.”” Act 15:5 (ESV)
The solution: “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater BURDEN than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”” Act 15:28-29 (ESV)
And reading the entire context, there is even a more specific reference to the “burden” here: “Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a YOKE on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” Act 15:10 (ESV)
“So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” Gal 3:24-26 (ESV)
I have no problem with someone saying that observing the festivals can bring added meaning to Christ and His sacrifice and triumph over death. But how far do you go in observing Torah when The Passover Lamb was sacrificed once for all?
It seems to me that The Covenant that G-d made with Israel through Moses, The Old Covenant, was replaced by The New Covenant. I hope I’m not saying anything that you may consider blasphemy. But if you can show me from Scripture, I am willing to reconsider my understanding.
I am BIG on Israel, coming to Messiah. 1948 can be derived from Ezekiel 4. The sinews and skin but no life. G-d’s eternal promise to Abraham for a land is happening. They will soon be breathed into, I believe, in the last week of Daniel 9.
I see a distinction between The Church and Israel. Believers in The Church Age, have a heavenly calling, strangers and pilgrims on our way to The New Heaven. The ultimate fulfillment for Old Testament saints and Seventieth Weeks believers is in The New Earth, although I cannot be dogmatic about this.
I am anxious to hear your response.
Hi Skipvought!
In my understanding that in Act 15, it also mentioned a very important detail in verse 21 that
“For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath”
So, starting from abstaining what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality, the new believers will learn more about the torah given that they attending the synagogues on every Sabbath.
Secondly, in response to how far do we observe the Torah, I see it’s very important to realise that there are two distinct books which are the Book of Covenant and the Book of Law. What is the evidence that there are two books? Do refer to Exodus 40:20/ Heb 9:4 (Book of Covenant) and Deut 31:26 (Book of Law). To be noticed that one was placed in the ark and the other outside . I believe that the Book of Covenant is supposed to be written on the tablet of our heart today just as Jeremiah 30,31 while the Book of Law is our school master/guardian as stated in Gal 3:24.
According to Colossians 2:14, the book of law was nailed to the cross.
14 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 cross;
After acknowledging that there are two books, we have to distinguish which law are in the covenant and applicable to us just like in 2 Timothy 2:15 to rightly dividing the truth.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
More study could be done about Book of Covenant and Book of Law could be done though.
Shalom, and thanks!
Read how Ezekiel and Jeremiah describe the New Covenant. Entering the New Covenant means having your heart changed so that you desire to walk in God’s commands.
We are in the last days. Believers described in the book of the Revelation keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Christ Yeshua.
In Deuteronomy 13 we are warned that those who teach against God’s law are false teachers. It is the foundation. Jesus/Yeshua lived it perfectly applied in wisdom. He is the Cornerstone built on that foundation and our lives are supposed to align with His. He lived Torah and His Spirit still lives Torah as He indwells believing hearts. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Shabbat Shalom Elliot,
Thank you for this beautiful explanation, I agree with all that you say but I could not have written it this way. YAH bless. Thanks
Because of this, I want to introduce a subject that I have been pondering for a few years now, it’s Rev.22:10-14
You know my thought is on the fact that everybody agrees that we are living in the last days. My question is, when does Rev.22:10-14 apply?
Shalom, Sharon,
My own thoughts are that Revelation 22:10-14 is talking about a future time, when Yeshua has been set up as King on the earth. There are two views: One is that this is during a future millennial reign, and the other other is that this is after the millennium, in the new heavens and new earth. I’m not sure, to be very honest. 🙂