"Why The Torah?"
What a big subject! That's not an easy question to answer, and I'm not exactly settled in every area- I'm continually learning :) But I will attempt to give a basic "overview" for those curious or confused by the changes that have occured in me... ("here it goes!")...
I guess my first response to that question (if it were asked) is: I believe that YHWH is the Creator of all things and that
He revealed His instructions for how He wanted humanity to live-- from the beginning. I believe it "IS" Who/what He "IS" and has not changed~ nor will ever change. I believe we have a "record" of His Word-- a clear picture of His heart-- in the Torah. I do not believe the Torah (or the "law") began at Mt. Si'-nai. I believe it has always been and will always be-- because it is "Who" YHWH is. I believe the Torah was given for instructions for living-- and remains for today.
YHWH has always had ONE "standard", I am not to live according to my own way--- but HIS way (the way HE established for His creation to live)... and we have a record of that in the Torah :)
I guess my first response to that question (if it were asked) is: I believe that YHWH is the Creator of all things and that
He revealed His instructions for how He wanted humanity to live-- from the beginning. I believe it "IS" Who/what He "IS" and has not changed~ nor will ever change. I believe we have a "record" of His Word-- a clear picture of His heart-- in the Torah. I do not believe the Torah (or the "law") began at Mt. Si'-nai. I believe it has always been and will always be-- because it is "Who" YHWH is. I believe the Torah was given for instructions for living-- and remains for today.
YHWH has always had ONE "standard", I am not to live according to my own way--- but HIS way (the way HE established for His creation to live)... and we have a record of that in the Torah :)
"One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and to the stranger that sojourneth among you."
Exodus 12:49
"Ye shall have one manner of law, as well as for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am YHWH your Elohiym."
Leviticus 24:22
"One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that
sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before YHWH.
One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you."
Numbers 15:15-16
"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 sojurneth among them."
Numbers 15:29
The Torah...
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GOD's Culture~ a personal blog
"The American Way" is a phrase we're all familiar with... which is logical since we are Americans and live in America... but I don't necessarily agree with the opinion that we are to place our "standard for living" according to the geographical location of where we live or where we were born. We tend to be very patriotic humans (no matter our heritage) and very "proud" of "what" we are-- "wherever" we live. We're proud of our country, proud of our state, proud of our city... proud of our "good ol' country-boy" upbringing--- or our "high society" social standing. We take pride in our family name, our
favorite sports teams, our favorite 'stars', and even our favorite 'church denomination', congregation, preachers, worship leaders and singing groups, ETC... and we tend to conduct ourselves as a reflection of what we 'pride ourselves in' and the "image" we would like others to identify and associate us with. The way a nation, or even a remote village, lives-- the way they dress, foods they eat, music and dance they adhere to, celebrations they have, and spiritual beliefs/practices-- all make up the culture of that people.
But do we ever consider GOD's culture? GOD's ways?
YHWH created humanity, and has --from the beginning-- revealed "Who" He IS to His creation. From the beginning He instructed Adam and Eve on how He desired them to live... have you ever wondered 'why' Cain and Abel (their sons)
were bringing offerings to Him? And not only bringing offerings of any sort, but their first fruits? Abel even brought 'the fat thereof'. Did you ever wonder why? Did you ever wonder why YHWH 'judged' the offerings-- and had respect unto
Abel's? Look at Noah, after the flood... when they came off the ark... what was the first thing he did? He offered a burnt sacrifice (did you notice the mentioning of 'clean' and 'unclean' animals that were to be put on the ark?). Why?
All these things are usually associated with the "children of Israel", the "10 Commandments", and the "Old Testament Law"... but I personally believe these things were revealed from the beginning-- as YHWH wanted His people (His creation) to KNOW what pleases Him and to KNOW how He expects them (us) to live. I think Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Noah, and the rest of the Living on earth at that time KNEW YHWH's desires. This is merely speculation on my part, of coarse, we have no record of that as fact... but that's the way the evidence leads, in my opinion.
YaHWeH IS--always has been and always will be, therefore-- He always was, is, and will be "WHO" He IS and WHO He has revealed Himself to BE to His creation. And there seems to be hints of the same patterns and principles already in practice -- from the beginning-- long BEFORE "Exodus". I think He has gone to great lengths to always ensure that 'we' (humanity) KNOW how to please Him and how He desires us to live. After all, HE made this universe, this earth, and all things that
are contained within. He has determined how things should work together, and "live".
He started with Adam and Eve, but they disobeyed and chose their own way... He started over with Noah, but mankind again ignored the way of his Creator, and chose his own way... YaHWeH, once again, searched the earth, and called a man named Abram to follow Him and live according to HIS way-- to set apart a people (a NATION) that would care about
what He says. He promised Abram (who He called Abraham) a son-- to bring forth "that" nation, and gave him Isaac.
Now, let's move forward- to Isaac's son, Jacob (whom YHWH named Israel) and his twelve sons, which became the "12 tribes of Israel"... and then to Moses~ leading them out of Egyptian bondage/slavery. YaHWeH delivered them from the heavy hand of Pharaoh, to lead them to a land He promised to them. He made it clear to them what pleased Him and how He expected them to live. Those "things", His instructions to them-- His ways-- seem to be no different than what had been revealed of Him all along, up until that time. I think (Maybe) He caused it to be written down at that time, so that it would be continually before them--- TO KEEP HIS WAYS... because NOW He was establishing a NATION to be SET APART from every other existing nation on the earth at that time. His nation needed a "constitution" (so to speak) to live by... to be a light, an example, for all the other nations to see-- so that all could see YHWH (His ways).
* Read Deuteronomy 30, especially vs.10-14,19-20.
Now--- most of those things are, in our 'culture' today, considered to be "Hebrew" or "Jewish"... non-significant to the American, or to the 'Gentile Church', or to anyone that isn't "Jewish". BUT... what I feel... is that "those things"-- HIS
WAYS-- are still HIS WAYS. They have always been "Him". The Jews were (and are) 'that way' because they were instructed to be 'that way'... by YHWH. It's not a "Jewish" culture/lifestyle... it's a GOD culture/lifestyle. I know this is a very controversial topic, and I am certainly not a scholar (nor do I feel one must be in order to understand YHWH or His ways). But I do feel it's very clear that what YHWH loves, He has always loved and will always love; what YHWH hates, He
has always hated and will always hate. He may change His mind on matters of personal situations (like repenting of killing the children of Israel after Moses interceded for them, or like when He gave Hezekiah 15 more years to live, etc.) but HE will NOT change WHO He IS. HE IS YHWH and HE does NOT CHANGE. Therefore, I feel His ways still remain His desire and requirements for all humanity. It is simply the way He desires us to live, for the welfare of all :) THAT (I believe) is WHY He has called His nation (Israel/the Jews) to BE THE LIGHT to the other nations...so people can SEE "WHO" He IS and "what He wants/requires". If someone who was not an Israelite recognized the GOD of Israel IS GOD, then they were allowed to be a part of Israel, and the covenant YHWH made with Israel--BUT THEY HAD TO LIVE THE SAME LIFE THAT THE ISRAELITES HAD TO LIVE....and the same is for today.
That's my understanding at this point in my journey to learn more of YHWH, the GOD (Elohiym) of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob...
favorite sports teams, our favorite 'stars', and even our favorite 'church denomination', congregation, preachers, worship leaders and singing groups, ETC... and we tend to conduct ourselves as a reflection of what we 'pride ourselves in' and the "image" we would like others to identify and associate us with. The way a nation, or even a remote village, lives-- the way they dress, foods they eat, music and dance they adhere to, celebrations they have, and spiritual beliefs/practices-- all make up the culture of that people.
But do we ever consider GOD's culture? GOD's ways?
YHWH created humanity, and has --from the beginning-- revealed "Who" He IS to His creation. From the beginning He instructed Adam and Eve on how He desired them to live... have you ever wondered 'why' Cain and Abel (their sons)
were bringing offerings to Him? And not only bringing offerings of any sort, but their first fruits? Abel even brought 'the fat thereof'. Did you ever wonder why? Did you ever wonder why YHWH 'judged' the offerings-- and had respect unto
Abel's? Look at Noah, after the flood... when they came off the ark... what was the first thing he did? He offered a burnt sacrifice (did you notice the mentioning of 'clean' and 'unclean' animals that were to be put on the ark?). Why?
All these things are usually associated with the "children of Israel", the "10 Commandments", and the "Old Testament Law"... but I personally believe these things were revealed from the beginning-- as YHWH wanted His people (His creation) to KNOW what pleases Him and to KNOW how He expects them (us) to live. I think Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Noah, and the rest of the Living on earth at that time KNEW YHWH's desires. This is merely speculation on my part, of coarse, we have no record of that as fact... but that's the way the evidence leads, in my opinion.
YaHWeH IS--always has been and always will be, therefore-- He always was, is, and will be "WHO" He IS and WHO He has revealed Himself to BE to His creation. And there seems to be hints of the same patterns and principles already in practice -- from the beginning-- long BEFORE "Exodus". I think He has gone to great lengths to always ensure that 'we' (humanity) KNOW how to please Him and how He desires us to live. After all, HE made this universe, this earth, and all things that
are contained within. He has determined how things should work together, and "live".
He started with Adam and Eve, but they disobeyed and chose their own way... He started over with Noah, but mankind again ignored the way of his Creator, and chose his own way... YaHWeH, once again, searched the earth, and called a man named Abram to follow Him and live according to HIS way-- to set apart a people (a NATION) that would care about
what He says. He promised Abram (who He called Abraham) a son-- to bring forth "that" nation, and gave him Isaac.
Now, let's move forward- to Isaac's son, Jacob (whom YHWH named Israel) and his twelve sons, which became the "12 tribes of Israel"... and then to Moses~ leading them out of Egyptian bondage/slavery. YaHWeH delivered them from the heavy hand of Pharaoh, to lead them to a land He promised to them. He made it clear to them what pleased Him and how He expected them to live. Those "things", His instructions to them-- His ways-- seem to be no different than what had been revealed of Him all along, up until that time. I think (Maybe) He caused it to be written down at that time, so that it would be continually before them--- TO KEEP HIS WAYS... because NOW He was establishing a NATION to be SET APART from every other existing nation on the earth at that time. His nation needed a "constitution" (so to speak) to live by... to be a light, an example, for all the other nations to see-- so that all could see YHWH (His ways).
* Read Deuteronomy 30, especially vs.10-14,19-20.
Now--- most of those things are, in our 'culture' today, considered to be "Hebrew" or "Jewish"... non-significant to the American, or to the 'Gentile Church', or to anyone that isn't "Jewish". BUT... what I feel... is that "those things"-- HIS
WAYS-- are still HIS WAYS. They have always been "Him". The Jews were (and are) 'that way' because they were instructed to be 'that way'... by YHWH. It's not a "Jewish" culture/lifestyle... it's a GOD culture/lifestyle. I know this is a very controversial topic, and I am certainly not a scholar (nor do I feel one must be in order to understand YHWH or His ways). But I do feel it's very clear that what YHWH loves, He has always loved and will always love; what YHWH hates, He
has always hated and will always hate. He may change His mind on matters of personal situations (like repenting of killing the children of Israel after Moses interceded for them, or like when He gave Hezekiah 15 more years to live, etc.) but HE will NOT change WHO He IS. HE IS YHWH and HE does NOT CHANGE. Therefore, I feel His ways still remain His desire and requirements for all humanity. It is simply the way He desires us to live, for the welfare of all :) THAT (I believe) is WHY He has called His nation (Israel/the Jews) to BE THE LIGHT to the other nations...so people can SEE "WHO" He IS and "what He wants/requires". If someone who was not an Israelite recognized the GOD of Israel IS GOD, then they were allowed to be a part of Israel, and the covenant YHWH made with Israel--BUT THEY HAD TO LIVE THE SAME LIFE THAT THE ISRAELITES HAD TO LIVE....and the same is for today.
That's my understanding at this point in my journey to learn more of YHWH, the GOD (Elohiym) of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob...