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Torah

Why Sex?

Yahweh created an instinct within the animal kingdom to use sex within certain times, almost exclusively for procreation, but Yahweh created a great desire in humans to copulate in every season, seldom caring whether a child is desired.  It appears He enhanced the pleasure of the act to encourage humans to engage in sex.

Why this act, and not other human activities?

Eating can be pleasurable, depending on the cook, but eating is essential to a person’s well-being – sex is not.  A person can happily live to be over 100 years old without ever having had sex, but they could not survive 100 days without food.

Why sex?  Why did Yahweh create couples with an intense desire to have sex?

Like everything else in life, sex can be a blessing or a curse depending on how one practices and/or restrains oneself.  Unlike most other things, however, sex can be a great blessing or a great curse; the act intensifies feelings, emotions, and relationships. The act of sex (if done as intended) is very powerful, and often, people wrongly equate the action itself with power, which can lead to criminal behavior (e.g., rape, pedophilia). Satan uses our misconceptions to tempt people into sin and destructive relationships.

Yahweh created sex to be meaningful and to be pleasurable, as evidenced by the following:

  • The husband is exempted for the first year from any activity that will cause him to be absent from his bride. (Deuteronomy 24:5)
  • A honeymoon of seven days was observed when the husband and wife were secluded from everyone. (Genesis 29:23–28)
  • The husband is not to deny sex from his wife, nor is the wife to deny her husband. A period of abstinence is acceptable for a specific purpose, but the couple is admonished to come together again as soon as possible to avoid being tempted to commit sin. (1 Corinthians 7:1–3)

A partial list of Bible verses that speak to the need and rewards of consensual sex in marriage include the following:

  • Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24).
  • Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love (Proverbs 5:18–19).
  • 1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:  5 a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 5).
  • I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me (Song of Solomon 7:10).
  • 8 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. 9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn (1 Corinthians 7:8–9).

Men are much more passionate than women and much more willing to act on that passion, but when they fail to observe restraint in inappropriate situations, it can be troublesome for their relationship with a wife and with the Father.

     Proper sex evokes intimacy, not power or lewdness.  Intimacy is what Yahweh desires to have with us and what we should strive to have with Him.  Satan tries to corrupt men by making sex nothing more important than an urge that needs to be gratified or a tool to subordinate others.

     Women, outside of marriage, must be more inhibited because of the consequences of unrestrained passion (e.g., shame, pregnancy).  Women failing to say no to unrestrained men is a path to civilizational collapse because it perverts necessary relationships that are crucial for raising healthy families. 

     In the modern era, marriages take place later in life and women must guard their psyche longer.  Today, they are more likely to have had numerous sexual relationships before getting married – relationships that may have negative consequences on a future marriage. We teach women that men are predators (which they can be) and that they need to both stifle their natural passion for the good of society and, at the same time, to use their sexual allure to entrap “the right man” – once they obtain a husband, they can often revert back to stifling their emotions (especially if they were betrayed in previous relationships), which is the behavior they may have practiced for many years (or wish they had practiced).  This dichotomy of emotions is a puzzlement for husbands and can have unconsidered consequences toward their relationship with their husband and with the Father.

Sex in Marriage

Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

(Proverbs 18:22)

Proper sex is always spoken of as a blessing in relation to marriage and as a curse when practiced outside of marriage. The nature of sex evokes strong emotions that are often unprotected outside a married relationship (they can be unprotected within a married relationship also, when the couple is having trouble).

The Word has no prescription as to what is proper sex within a marriage: “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

This doesn’t mean that all sex is a blessing in marriage.  A smart couple shared the following diagram in a marriage workshop I attended with my wife:

  • A = Every type of sex act possible
  • B = Sex acts that the husband is comfortable with
  • C = Sex acts that the wife is comfortable with
  • D = Sex acts that both are comfortable with

The diagram is obviously different for every couple based on how they desire to express their needs. The football marked as D is fluid due to experimentation by the couple. Generally, the football is safe, but the wife may venture into B or the husband into C as a treat to their spouse.

Unfortunately, the diagram neglects to consider the Father’s guidance.

The sex act should be an intimate display of the love and desire the couple have for each other that has no equal among the couple’s many other relationships.  Desire is not necessarily a physical lust for one’s own pleasure but can also be the satisfaction of contributing to one’s spouse’s pleasure. Denigration of the act (e.g., adultery, incest, pedophilia) is not loving and often only serves the desire of one of the participants (the one having control over the other) – it is not a legitimate display of our physical and emotional love that is meant to be reserved for only the one we have committed ourselves to.

     Intimacy with Yahweh also demands that we do not degrade ourselves by giving ourselves to Him and to embracing other gods, doctrines, and/or rituals. One’s experiences with intimacy in marriage can influence one’s intimacy with the Father – sex in a healthy marriage can train a couple to be their best for each other and for the Father.

Let’s revisit our earlier Venn diagram:

  • A = Every type of sex act possible
  • B = Sex acts that the Father blessed
  • C = Sex acts that one member or both members are tempted to try
  • D = Sex acts that are a blessing to the couple

     This diagram brings the married couple in line with the Father’s desire.  The marriage bed is “undefiled” (Hebrews 13:4), but that doesn’t mean a couple will want to participate in every type of act permissible.  It also accounts for rebellion by one or both partners.

     The football marked as D is fluid due to the desires of the couple, but it does not matter the size of the football, it is the blessing that Yahweh intends for His people.  Everything outside of B is a curse now (if discovered by the spouse) or later at judgment.

     A couple practicing intimacy inside B is more apt to have fulfilling intimacy with the Father, not least of all because they are not violating His precepts at the same time they are seeking intercession with Him.  This would be similar to stealing money from a parent and then going to them to ask for a loan – even if you are brazen enough to try it, the parent would surely be less than impressed.

     I am no psychologist, and I have not done extensive research on this subject.  I began to see a correlation between physical and spiritual intimacy and came to what I believe are some logical conclusions:

  • Appropriate Intimacy:  A married couple who participates in unrestrained intimacy understands the commitment of time and activity required to bring out the best in each other in relation to all the other responsibilities that compete for their time and energy.  They therefore understand the type of time and commitment required to have an intimate relationship with the Father that places Him first in their lives.
  • Inappropriate Intimacy: A man (or woman) who has an active sex life in their marriage and an active sex life outside of marriage (adultery) may think they have strong faith in their religious life, but they are probably easily swayed by other unbiblical doctrines also.  Just like physical adultery (in which the spouse is aware of the indiscretion – and the Father is aware of everything), trust is breached and is not regained without significant repentance and demonstrated behavioral change.

     Ordained men are often tempted by adultery because of the status that is bestowed upon them by the congregation.  When worship of the Father is overshadowed by reverence of the reverend, he can will himself to believe his actions are therapeutic (especially if it is a church that teaches that the adherents are not condemned by sin through Christ’s sacrifice – “once saved, always saved”) and women can believe they can take a shortcut to salvation by uplifting the life of the pastor and/or replacing the current Mrs. Pastor.

  • Restrained Intimacy:  A wife who limits her spouse’s sexual gratification to specific days (e.g., a consistent twice-a-month coitus) is teaching her spouse that intimacy is not important in their relationship.  The unintended effects of this could be the limiting of the couple’s intimacy with the Father (e.g., 90 minutes in a pew once a week or the inability to pray at all times – 1Thessalonians 5:17).  This can fuel temptation, weaken the couple’s marriage and undermine their faith – without diligent attention, these relationships could falter in times of trouble.

     Intimacy in marriage is easy to imagine – two people, revealing themselves completely to their spouse, giving themselves unashamedly and physically in ways that no other person can command.  The permission and the trust strengthen their bond.  The depiction of intimacy in modern culture is cheap and transitionary – there is only the need to remain with the same partner as long as their carnal desires are satisfied.

     Intimacy with the Father is harder to imagine, especially since the world preaches false doctrines concerning faith and our relationship with the Father.  It is still vital to lay yourself bare to the Father.  You claimed to have accepted the Covenant and/or confessed Christ as your Lord, but do your actions belie your commitment?  Do you claim to “be a sinner” (in a dispassionate manner), or do you resolve to learn what the Father has labeled as sin (1John 3:4), repent of committing the sin, and take steps to avoid committing the sin again in the future?

     Churches that teach the “once saved, always saved” doctrine recklessly imply that there is no consequence to sin.  If one believes they cannot sin, they do not feel a need to ask for forgiveness.  Such thoughts and actions repeatedly betray the love and desire of our Father for us.

     6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

(1John 1:6-10)

What Is a Marriage?

There is no prescribed ritual for performing a marriage. Traditions change, but the idea that a couple commits to each other, and Yahweh, does not change. The ceremony in a church or performed by a religious person speaks to our desire to have our bond blessed by the Almighty.

My wife and I got married the day before I deployed to Desert Storm. There was no time to plan and execute a traditional ceremony.  Though a secular justice of the peace officiated, we still knew our commitment was to Yahweh as well as each other.  The JOP even sweetened the deal by throwing in a free fishing license, which came in handy in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

Despite what types of relationships become legalized and/or a cultural norm, this does not change the basic truths of what Yahweh desires in a marriage covenant.

6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

(Mark 9:6–9; also Matthew 19:3–9)

It may be uncomfortable to take a stand on the Word, but if you are entering into a marriage commitment, you are asking for His blessing whether done in a massive church ceremony or done alone with no other witnesses, save for Yahweh. A marriage certificate is only important to the State. You are not asking for the government to bless your union, though you will probably want to participate in the civil benefits of getting a certificate.

Sex Outside of Marriage

Sexual desire is often used by Satan to advance sin inside the community of believers. It is used to draw believers away from true worship and it is used to damage the participants (both willing and unwilling).  Sex can be a poisonous force when allowed to be exercised unrestrained.  Many sins, taboos, and legal violations are associated with the unfettered exercise of sexual behavior.

I am not advocating imprisoning sexual sinners (unless the sin is grievous – e.g., rape, pedophilia) because we are all guilty of any number of sins. There is a difference between sinning and searing one’s conscience to sin. When we sin, we repent, request forgiveness and attempt to change our undesired behavior. When we justify sin, we render ourselves insensitive to lawlessness and open ourselves up to possible destruction.

Are you stealing cars (Commandment 8)? You may want to stop that.  If one justifies theft, then it becomes a way of life, and other more serious crimes become easier to justify.  The same is true for lousy sexual behavior.

We can and must lovingly share the Scriptures and let people know what Yahweh has commanded so they can change their behavior from something that can become very destructive (emotionally and physically).

I do not know all the psychological damage that sex outside of marriage (fornication) inflicts (not feeling damaged does not mean that there is no damage), but many of the effects are obvious:

  •  Using people for sex makes people feel used.
  •  People may worry about their performance compared to their partner’s previous lovers.
  •  Previous sexual abuse may cause someone to be incapable of having a normal, healthy relationship.
  •  All sex is potentially capable of producing offspring, which can cause hardship for those not ready to start a family (especially when the man leaves to avoid the responsibility).

     18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

(1Corinthians 6:18-20)

When the apostles tried to resolve the debate over how to train new believers (Acts 15), it was decided that they should be instructed to immediately abstain from four things (I’m assuming they considered them especially destructive to discipleship and community fellowship). They would learn the rest of the Law by attending synagogue each Sabbath.

     The first sin listed was idolatry (an especially nasty sin that the Word equates to adultery); the second was fornication. Uncommitted sex harms the body of believers and yourself individually.

If you are participating in this behavior, do not condemn yourself. Repent – convict yourself, ask for forgiveness, and strive to follow Yahweh’s guidelines.  Do not continue in sin even if the majority approves of it.  The many are never right when they counter the Word.

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

(Matthew 7:13–14)

Premarital Sex

This is a subset of fornication in that it is seen as less egregious because it involves a couple who are in love, but have not, yet made the marriage commitment (they claim to be committed to making the commitment someday in the future).

Our culture increasingly teaches that any type of sex (especially between two people in love) is not only okay but also something that should be encouraged and celebrated.  Movies, books, education, advertisements, retailers, and the like push the narrative that “everyone is doing it” and that one is not normal if they don’t participate.

  I do not know all the psychological damage that premarital sex inflicts (not feeling damaged does not mean that there is no damage), but some of the effects are obvious:

  •   Any relationship is only as strong as the bond of the least committed partner.  A historically relevant, cultural bond (such as marriage) increases the likelihood of a lasting relationship.
  •   The lack of an actual marriage commitment leaves both people able to easily end the arrangement, causing undue stress that could easily lead to the end of the arrangement.
  •   The lack of an actual marriage commitment leaves both people free to participate in activities that an actual marriage should preclude, which could easily lead to the end of the arrangement.
  •   All sex is potentially capable of producing offspring.  An uncommitted relationship will be weakened by the unrelenting needs of an infant – one or both parties may find it easier to turn to others to meet their own needs, which could easily lead to the end of the arrangement.
  •   An arrangement is not a commitment.  Both parties are less likely to fight to maintain the arrangement than they would be to fight to maintain an actual marriage.

Paul tells us:

8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. 9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

(1Corinthians 7:8)

The past cannot be undone, but one can overcome trauma caused by a reckless lifestyle. No partner is perfect and no marriage is perfect.  If you burn, find someone who will commit themselves to treat you as God’s Word commands.  Commit to that person, and move forward.

Adultery

This was discussed earlier in chapter 2 as one of the Big 10 (Commandment 7).

Yahweh equates adultery with idolatry.  He desires an intimate relationship with us and embracing other gods, doctrines, and/or rituals is the same as embracing another person the way your spouse wants and deserves to be embraced by you.

Christ tells us:

     27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

(Matthew 5:27-28)

This is not the same as remarking that another woman is attractive – lusting means an inordinate amount of time fantasizing about her, making plans that cause unwarranted interactions with her, and engaging in suggestive activities and conversations – any of which could naturally lead to an inappropriate relationship.

     Similarly, appreciating the splendor of the Taj Mahal is not adultery.  Fixating on the structure, the gods commemorated, and the services performed inside could be.

This behavior is so destructive to the people involved and all others around them that the participants of adultery are condemned to death:

22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel. 23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; 24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

(Deuteronomy 22:22–24)

Adultery destroys the trust necessary for intimacy in a marriage
and that trust is not easily (if ever) regained. Idolatry, after having
accepted the Covenant, is equally destructive and Yahweh will not
hold the idolator guiltless (Exodus 20:7)

Society today has tried to normalize it, and the music and movie industries have tried to glorify it (probably because it appears to be so rampant among Hollywood’s elite). There is nothing glorious about it. If you are in an adulterous relationship, end it and “put the evil from among you.”

Adultery is not the only form of inappropriate and destructive sexual activity.  A man and a woman in a committed relationship (marriage) is the design of the Father (polygamy – having more than one wife or husband –  is not condemned in the Word, but there is no example where it worked out well for all the participants).  Sex (intimacy) is the intense glue that helps hold the relationship together through the many trials that life throws at us. All other forms of intimacy (e.g., rape, pedophilia, incest) are immoral and prohibited by the Word and jeopardize normal relationships with a spouse and the Father.

Idolatry, also, takes many forms and betrays the intimacy that Yahweh desires.  Ignoring the Word and the Law, violating the Word and the Law, obsessions (e.g., sports, hobbies, politics, money) that severely outweigh the time spent in study and prayer, all betray your commitment to the Covenant with Yahweh and your confession of Christ as your master.  These are examples of embracing other gods and not only threaten your relationship with the Father and His son but threaten your status in the afterlife.

Intimacy in marriage is the Father’s example of the balance we must maintain to have a healthy relationship with our spouse and with Christ (the bridegroom).

Categories
Faith Torah

The Ten Commandments (they are not suggestions) – #10 (Do Not Covet)

Artwork by Alex Levin

This is an excerpt from my book, GRAFTED: Embracing Torah, which can be purchased on Amazon.

Enjoy!

The Ten Commandments (The Big Ones)

And God (Elohim) spake all these words, saying, (Exodus 20:1)

Exodus 19:25 states, “So Moses went down unto the people,
and spake unto them.” This is the third time Moses came down from
Mount Sinai (between Exodus 19:3 and Exodus 34:29, Moses goes
up to meet Elohim atop Mount Sinai and comes back down seven
times – not bad for an eighty-year-old guy).

The verse following Exodus 19:25 (Exodus 20:1) states, “God
spake all these words…” so it appears Elohim audibly spoke to all the Israelites.

This seems to be confirmed in verses 18–22:

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

The people in the valley were so shaken by the experience that
they did not want Elohim to speak to them again (I’m sure there was
a lot of reverb and pyrotechnics). The word Elohim is used because
His Message was for more than just the Israelites. This tells me that
what we refer to as the Ten Commandments are so important that
Elohim felt the need to personally tell them to His people. This is
why I wanted to start with them.

10. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt
not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor
his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing
that is thy neighbour’s” (Exodus 20:17).

Envy is like a gateway drug: left unchecked, it can lead to any number of sins. King David comes to mind again. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband, Uriah. But it started with David watching Bathsheba from afar and desiring her greatly. As king, he could have had any woman in the kingdom he desired, but envy caused him to covet his neighbor’s wife.

Cain murdered his brother, Abel, because he was envious that God preferred Abel’s sacrifice over his own. The murder did not take place at the sacrifice, but the seeds of vengeance were planted at that time.

Wanting what your neighbor has is not necessarily a sin. If they have a riding mower and you are still pushing a mower over your two-acre lot, then you are naturally going to want what they have or something similar. If you go about doing the right things to get your own riding mower, then it is a good thing. In this case, desire sets a goal for you to achieve. You don’t want their actual mower but something similar.

If you sneak over and steal their mower and then paint it so that you can claim it is not theirs, then you have crossed an ugly line that used to be a barrier to you, but is now only a minor obstacle that you can readily cross again in the future. In the same way, if you sneak over and sabotage their riding mower so that they will be as equally miserable as you are pushing a mower over their lot, then you have let envy begin to tear down the fabric of your society.

The story of the two families driving past a mansion is illustrative. One family drives past the mansion, and the parents tell their children, “Look at that big house. It’s much too big for what they need. They should not be allowed to waste money so frivolously.” The second family drives past the same house, and the parents tell their children, “Look at that big house. If you work hard and save your money, then you will be able to afford a big house someday.”

The story is oversimplified and not very realistic (lots of people work hard and save their money but cannot afford a mansion), but it does demonstrate the two mindsets.

Socialism is the ideology of envy. “Don’t think it’s fair that others have more than you?” Your leaders will take what the rich have (this class of people will eventually include the not-so-rich, the “doing okay,” and finally the “barely scraping by” as the leaders drain more and more wealth from its citizens) and give it to others (the “poor”).

Socialism breaks down the entrepreneurial spirit because no one will want to work harder for more because it will be taken away. In the end, people stop working because they know that someone else’s labor will provide for them. At this point, people must be forced to work, and those who cannot produce must be eradicated because they are a drain on the economy (the Nazis referred to them as “useless eaters”).

This is why socialism always fails, and the results are devastatingly deadly. Everyone becomes equally miserable, except for the leaders who impose socialism but exempt themselves from its deprivations. The only way to maintain the system is through force and murder.

The Greatest Commandment?

Jesus was asked which is the greatest Commandment (Mark 12:28–34):

28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

Yeshua was quoting from Deuteronomy 6:4-5, so we know that the Commandments given in Exodus are still relevant today. The Word differentiates between the “works of the flesh”

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

(Galatians 5:19–21)

and the “fruit of the Spirit”

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking
one another, envying one another.

(Galatians 5:22–26)

Our walk, based on keeping the Commandments and the rest of the Torah, helps us to manifest the Spirit.

[1st Commandment – No Other Gods]

[2d Commandment – No Graven Images]

[3d Commandment – Taking the Name of Yahweh in Vain]

[4th Commandment – Keep the Sabbath Holy]

The first four Commandments are considered to be vital to our relationship with Elohim. The last six Commandments concern our relationship with others. This is why, when asked what the greatest commandment is, Yeshua is able to embody all ten in his short answer:

37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

(Matthew 22:37–39)

[5th Commandment – Honor Your Father and Mother]

[6th Commandment – Do Not Murder]

[7th Commandment – No Adultery]

[8th Commandment – Do Not Steal]

[9th Commandment – Do Not Swear Falsely]

[10th Commandment – Do Not Covet]

Categories
Faith Torah

The Ten Commandments (they are not suggestions) – #9 (Do Not Swear Falsely)

This is an excerpt from my book, GRAFTED: Embracing Torah, which can be purchased on Amazon.

Enjoy!

The Ten Commandments (The Big Ones)

And God (Elohim) spake all these words, saying, (Exodus 20:1)

Exodus 19:25 states, “So Moses went down unto the people,
and spake unto them.” This is the third time Moses came down from
Mount Sinai (between Exodus 19:3 and Exodus 34:29, Moses goes
up to meet Elohim atop Mount Sinai and comes back down seven
times – not bad for an eighty-year-old guy).

The verse following Exodus 19:25 (Exodus 20:1) states, “God
spake all these words…” so it appears Elohim audibly spoke to all the Israelites.

This seems to be confirmed in verses 18–22:

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

The people in the valley were so shaken by the experience that
they did not want Elohim to speak to them again (I’m sure there was
a lot of reverb and pyrotechnics). The word Elohim is used because
His Message was for more than just the Israelites. This tells me that
what we refer to as the Ten Commandments are so important that
Elohim felt the need to personally tell them to His people. This is
why I wanted to start with them.

9. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exodus 20:16).

Don’t lie about anyone – in or outside of an official proceeding (the Word does not specify a place where we should not lie). Don’t embellish the truth either. In a February 3, 1996 Esquire magazine interview, Bob Kerrey (Democratic senator from Nebraska) spoke admiringly of the president when he said, “Clinton’s an unusually good liar. Unusually good.” This is not a skill someone should put on their résumé, nor something one should admire in someone.

We all know people like this, but the size of the lie nor the quantity of the lies is the standard. Lying is not acceptable even if it is just a fib, a white lie, a tall tale, a fiction, an aspersion, or any other cute title given for falsehoods.

I love a good “yarn,” and as a soldier, I learned the fine art of telling a story. The stories generally began with “There I was . . . .” Soldiers generally sit around eating or cleaning their weapon while waiting for something to happen or someone higher up to make a decision. It is common to pass the time telling jokes or sharing stories – and they better be good, or else.

The interesting thing about soldier stories is that they get better every time they are told. I like to tell people that if I share my exploits in Desert Storm one more time, my actions will have become so impressive that I will have won the war all by myself! I got to where I would start telling people about my achievements in the Korean War (fought seven years before my birth), and in the middle of it, I would stop and exclaim, “Oh my god, I’m having someone else’s flashback!” This is embellishment for the sake of entertainment, not to speak falsely against another person.

Today, we would refer to “bearing false witness against your neighbor” as the crime of committing perjury. Black’s Law defines perjury as this:

The willful assertion as to a matter of fact, opinion, belief, or knowledge, made by a witness in a judicial proceeding as part of his evidence, either upon oath or in any form allowed by law to be substituted for an oath, whether such evidence is given in open court, or in an affidavit, or otherwise, such assertion being known to such witness to be false, and being intended by him to mislead the court, jury, or person holding the proceeding.

This is so serious it is included in the seven things God hates:

16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

(Proverbs 6:16–19)

Forms of lying are mentioned four times in the seven things (“lying tongue,” “wicked imaginations,” “false witness,” and “he that soweth discord”). Justice can never be achieved if witnesses in a matter are allowed to lie and no punishment is exacted for the falsehoods. We cannot live civilly among each other without justice.

The Word demands that we do unto false witnesses as they had intended to do against the innocent.


18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; 19 Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. (Deuteronomy 19:18–19)

[continue to the 10th Commandment – Do Not Covet]

[1st Commandment – No Other Gods]

[2d Commandment – No Graven Images]

[3d Commandment – Taking the Name of Yahweh in Vain]

[4th Commandment – Keep the Sabbath Holy]

The first four Commandments are considered to be vital to our relationship with Elohim. The last six Commandments concern our relationship with others. This is why, when asked what the greatest commandment is, Yeshua is able to embody all ten in his short answer:

37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

(Matthew 22:37–39)

[5th Commandment – Honor Your Father and Mother]

[6th Commandment – Do Not Murder]

[7th Commandment – No Adultery]

[8th Commandment – Do Not Steal]

[9th Commandment – Do Not Swear Falsely]

[10th Commandment – Do Not Covet]

Categories
Faith Torah

The Ten Commandments (they are not suggestions) – #8 (Do Not Steal)

This is an excerpt from my book, GRAFTED: Embracing Torah, which can be purchased on Amazon.

Enjoy!

The Ten Commandments (The Big Ones)

And God (Elohim) spake all these words, saying, (Exodus 20:1)

Exodus 19:25 states, “So Moses went down unto the people,
and spake unto them.” This is the third time Moses came down from
Mount Sinai (between Exodus 19:3 and Exodus 34:29, Moses goes
up to meet Elohim atop Mount Sinai and comes back down seven
times – not bad for an eighty-year-old guy).

The verse following Exodus 19:25 (Exodus 20:1) states, “God
spake all these words…” so it appears Elohim audibly spoke to all the Israelites.

This seems to be confirmed in verses 18–22:

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

The people in the valley were so shaken by the experience that
they did not want Elohim to speak to them again (I’m sure there was
a lot of reverb and pyrotechnics). The word Elohim is used because
His Message was for more than just the Israelites. This tells me that
what we refer to as the Ten Commandments are so important that
Elohim felt the need to personally tell them to His people. This is
why I wanted to start with them.

8. “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15).

Steal (Hebrew ganab. To take away by stealth or to deceive the heart or mind of any one). This is not just the physical taking of someone else’s property (surely, I do not have to explain why this is bad) but stealing also involves emotional and spiritual harm through deceit.

Have you ever known a person who was very innocent and trusting? If you act badly and the other person loses their innocence, it can be said that you stole their innocence. They will never be able to get it back.

2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend [be a stumbling block / impede] one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

(Matthew 18:2, 5–6)

We can steal someone’s reputation (their good name) through libel, slander, gossip, or humiliation – it is a particularly destructive form of theft. Unlike money or property, once a person’s good name has been stolen, it can almost never be fully restored. [Dennis Prager]

     Raymond Donovan was Secretary of Labor in the administration of Ronald Reagan.  He (and other executives of Schiavone Construction) was accused of defrauding the NYC Transit Authority on work done on the NYC subway. Donovan resigned his cabinet position and faced criminal charges lasting over two years – he was not only found not guilty by a jury, but the jurors gave him a standing ovation at the trial.  Donovan famously remarked, “Which office do I go to get my reputation back?”

     Governmental corruption is legalized theft, but it is still theft. The obvious example involves officials taking bribes to pass favorable legislation or grant exclusive privileges, but less obvious theft undermines stability and trust. Officials awarding costly grants to entities that then reward the officials with kickbacks or gifts are stealing from taxpayers to enrich the officials and their friends. Spending more than is reasonably budgeted is theft through inflation – devaluing the currency steals purchasing power from the taxpayers who find that the higher, inflated prices mean their dollars do not buy as much as the previous year.

Since jails were not as plentiful as they are today, one convicted of theft often became an indentured servant (slave) of the victim until they paid off the debt (Exodus 22:3).  The victim (unlike today’s victims) was not required to suffer loss and to also pay for the room and board of the thief while they loitered in prison.

We can even steal from Yahweh:

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you”

(Deuteronomy 4:2)

The traditions of men steal from the integrity of the Word. Taking away (purposely ignoring) from Yahweh’s commandments is stealing the truth.

That is exactly what the devil tries to do to us: “The thief cometh
not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10).

[continue to the 9th Commandment – Do Not Swear Falsely]

[1st Commandment – No Other Gods]

[2d Commandment – No Graven Images]

[3d Commandment – Taking the Name of Yahweh in Vain]

[4th Commandment – Keep the Sabbath Holy]

The first four Commandments are considered to be vital to our relationship with Elohim. The last six Commandments concern our relationship with others. This is why, when asked what the greatest commandment is, Yeshua is able to embody all ten in his short answer:

37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

(Matthew 22:37–39)

[5th Commandment – Honor Your Father and Mother]

[6th Commandment – Do Not Murder]

[7th Commandment – No Adultery]

[8th Commandment – Do Not Steal]

[9th Commandment – Do Not Swear Falsely]

[10th Commandment – Do Not Covet]

Categories
Faith Torah

The Ten Commandments (they are not suggestions) – #7 (No Adultery)

This is an excerpt from my book, GRAFTED: Embracing Torah, which can be purchased on Amazon.

Enjoy!

The Ten Commandments (The Big Ones)

And God (Elohim) spake all these words, saying, (Exodus 20:1)

Exodus 19:25 states, “So Moses went down unto the people,
and spake unto them.” This is the third time Moses came down from
Mount Sinai (between Exodus 19:3 and Exodus 34:29, Moses goes
up to meet Elohim atop Mount Sinai and comes back down seven
times – not bad for an eighty-year-old guy).

The verse following Exodus 19:25 (Exodus 20:1) states, “God
spake all these words…” so it appears Elohim audibly spoke to all the Israelites.

This seems to be confirmed in verses 18–22:

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

The people in the valley were so shaken by the experience that
they did not want Elohim to speak to them again (I’m sure there was
a lot of reverb and pyrotechnics). The word Elohim is used because
His Message was for more than just the Israelites. This tells me that
what we refer to as the Ten Commandments are so important that
Elohim felt the need to personally tell them to His people. This is
why I wanted to start with them.

7. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).

This one is especially hurtful to Yahweh, as well as to the cheaters and the cheaters’ spouses (and the children  . . . and the relatives of the couple . . . and the friends of the couple – are you picking up on the far-reaching destructive nature of this sin?). This breaking of a solemn commitment is not necessarily sexual, though that is normally the manifestation of it and the easiest way for Satan to tempt people into ignoring an oath. Worship of Ba’al often included sex acts and temple prostitutes, so their services were much more “hip” than the rabbi reading from the Torah down at the local synagogue. Forgiveness of a genuinely contrite sinner is available, but it is not an easy thing and generally takes much time.

6 The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon
every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. 7 And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou
unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. 9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her
whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

(Jeremiah 3:6–9; emphasis added)

Yahweh equates adultery with idolatry (Commandment number 1), and the Israelites generally suffered catastrophic results by condoning adultery. King David was a “man after God’s own Heart,” yet he committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then he had her husband (Uriah) murdered to hide the adultery. The result was the death of their first child (the result of the adultery) and the prophecy that “the sword shall never depart from thine house” (2 Samuel 11–12). Violence was rampant among David’s children, even to the point where his son Absalom attempted to overthrow David’s kingdom – and he nearly succeeded.

The houses of Israel and of Judah were repeatedly warned of the consequences of idolatry and adultery, yet they continued to defy Yahweh. Even after the house of Israel was conquered and carried away into Assyria (which was prophesied), the house of Judah continued whoring after Ba’al until the Babylonians later conquered them and carried them away from the land and made them slaves for 70 years.

This is a bad one.

Yeshua confirmed that this sin is not just committed by a physical act:

“27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”

(Matthew 5:27–28).

Men are much more passionate than women and much more willing to act on that passion, but when they fail to observe restraint in inappropriate situations, it can be troublesome for their relationship with a wife and with the Father.  

Proper sex evokes intimacy, not power or lewdness.  Intimacy is what Yahweh desires to have with us and what we should strive to have with Him.  Satan tries to corrupt men by making sex nothing more important than an urge that needs to be gratified or a tool to subordinate others.

The sex act should be an intimate display of the love the couple have for each other that has no equal among the couple’s many other relationships.  Denigration of the act (e.g., adultery, incest, pedophilia) is not loving – it is not a legitimate display of our physical and emotional love that is to be reserved for only the one we have committed ourselves to.

     Intimacy with Yahweh also demands that we do not degrade ourselves by giving ourselves to Him and to embracing other gods, doctrines, and/or rituals (see Chapter 7 of GRAFTED: Embracing Torah for more detail on adultery and idolatry). Because my revisions have not been completed by the publisher, I provide much of this information at my website in a blog entitled “Why Sex?“

In the new Covenant, the Law will be written in our hearts. It appears wickedness tries to take up residence there also. Avoid this one at all costs.

[continue to the 8th Commandment – Do Not Steal]

[1st Commandment – No Other Gods]

[2d Commandment – No Graven Images]

[3d Commandment – Taking the Name of Yahweh in Vain]

[4th Commandment – Keep the Sabbath Holy]

The first four Commandments are considered to be vital to our relationship with Elohim. The last six Commandments concern our relationship with others. This is why, when asked what the greatest commandment is, Yeshua is able to embody all ten in his short answer:

37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

(Matthew 22:37–39)

[5th Commandment – Honor Your Father and Mother]

[6th Commandment – Do Not Murder]

[7th Commandment – No Adultery]

[8th Commandment – Do Not Steal]

[9th Commandment – Do Not Swear Falsely]

[10th Commandment – Do Not Covet]

Categories
Faith Torah

The Ten Commandments (they are not suggestions) – #6 (Do Not Murder)

This is an excerpt from my book, GRAFTED: Embracing Torah, which can be purchased on Amazon.

Enjoy!

The Ten Commandments (The Big Ones)

And God (Elohim) spake all these words, saying, (Exodus 20:1)

Exodus 19:25 states, “So Moses went down unto the people,
and spake unto them.” This is the third time Moses came down from
Mount Sinai (between Exodus 19:3 and Exodus 34:29, Moses goes
up to meet Elohim atop Mount Sinai and comes back down seven
times – not bad for an eighty-year-old guy).

The verse following Exodus 19:25 (Exodus 20:1) states, “God
spake all these words…” so it appears Elohim audibly spoke to all the Israelites.

This seems to be confirmed in verses 18–22:

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

The people in the valley were so shaken by the experience that
they did not want Elohim to speak to them again (I’m sure there was
a lot of reverb and pyrotechnics). The word Elohim is used because
His Message was for more than just the Israelites. This tells me that
what we refer to as the Ten Commandments are so important that
Elohim felt the need to personally tell them to His people. This is
why I wanted to start with them.

6. “Thou shalt not kill [murder]” (Exodus 20:12).

My soldiers asked me about this before we deployed to Desert Storm because it appears to be rather cut and dry and they were being ordered to violate it. It also appears to be a huge contradiction because the Israelites were being told to “not kill”, but later, Yahweh orders them to “utterly destroy” everyone in the land they are possessing, including the cattle and burning all the spoils (Deuteronomy 13:15).

The easy answer is that the word kill is mistranslated from the Hebrew. It is the Hebrew word ratsach that is defined as “murder.” All murder is killing, but not all killing is murder.

Black’s Law Dictionary defines murder as:

The crime committed where a person of sound mind and discretion (that is, of sufficient age to form and execute a criminal design and not legally “insane”) kills any human creature in being (excluding quick but unborn children) and in the peace of the state or nation (including all persons except the military forces of the public enemy in time of war or battle) without any warrant, justification, or excuse in law with malice aforethought, express or implied, that is, with a deliberate purpose or a design or determination distinctly formed in the mind before the commission of the act, provided that death results from the injury Inflicted within one year and a day after its infliction.

Murder requires motive and planning. It entails a cold-blooded determination to end a life and a methodical plan to achieve that end. Manslaughter is not murder because the requisite motive is not present; there was no plan to kill someone even if there was a plan to commit a crime.

Crimes of passion or negligence are normally considered manslaughter, and Yahweh provides for these by establishing “cities of refuge” (Numbers 35), where people could go to escape the revenge of the victim’s family and/or friends while they waited on the judicial system to assess the facts and render judgment.

Fighting in combat in defense of your nation is not murder (it may be expedient to take the battle to the enemy rather than wait for them to attack you on your land), unless you are doing it wrong. Oftentimes, the wrong people may get killed as part of the collateral damage of waging war. This is going to happen when people are in or near a battlefield. If someone surrenders, then they are no longer a hostile and deserve protection if it can be provided. If you target people who have surrendered, then that would be murder.

Civilians are considered combatants in most cases because they support the military of their nation. Their taxes, food, and moral support make them an active participant, and if it becomes necessary to bomb civilian areas to keep them from supporting the enemy armed forces, then this is not murder.

Yahweh destroyed the entire earth because His creation had become so irreparably corrupted. “Sons of God” (angels or devils) cohabitated with human women and created the mighty men (giants – Nephilim) of Genesis 6.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”

(Genesis 6:5).

There was no way to redeem this corruption, which would have ultimately destroyed the entire creation, so Yahweh decided to start over with the sole man who was “just and perfect and walked with God” (Genesis 6:9) – Noah. The Flood was necessary to save mankind and what was left of His Creation.

This corruption made it onto the Ark in the DNA of many of the survivors. It appears that the effects manifested themselves almost immediately in the offspring of Noah’s son Ham (see the notes at Genesis 9:25-26 in my commentary on Genesis, In the Beginning).

The “Noahide Laws” address the taking of life, also (Genesis 9:6).

The Nephilim (malevolent giants) and their legacy is a fascinating study, and there are many good videos about it on YouTube. Doug Hamp has written a book entitled Corrupting the Image that goes into great detail of how the Nephilim corruption could have passed into the general population after the Flood, even though all the original Nephilim died before the Flood.

Self-defense is not murder, which is why Yahweh commands His people to “utterly destroy” the people in Canaan. The Word tells us that giants inhabited the land (Numbers 13:33), meaning that the descendants of the Nephilim were still present. Eight of the ten spies (the eight fearful ones) who went into Canaan reported this:

31We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

(Numbers 13:31–33)

Joshua and Caleb did not dispute the size of the giants (estimated at thirty-six feet!). They believed they could defeat these brutes (Goliath was one, and he was only nine feet tall) with the assistance of Yahweh.

The punishment for murder is death (Exodus 21:12-15 and Numbers 35:16–19) which is to be administered by man, so Elohim could not have meant generalized killing in this verse. States that have abolished the death penalty are heaping an unfair burden on the families of the victims. Not only have they been unfairly deprived of a loved one, but they also must sacrifice their tax dollars to keep the murderer alive. It is difficult to get a state government to change their minds on the death penalty but not impossible. There are many victims’ rights groups and other organizations that you can join to effect change to a biblical standard.

[continue to the 7th Commandment – No Adultery]

[1st Commandment – No Other Gods]

[2d Commandment – No Graven Images]

[3d Commandment – Taking the Name of Yahweh in Vain]

[4th Commandment – Keep the Sabbath Holy]

The first four Commandments are considered to be vital to our relationship with Elohim. The last six Commandments concern our relationship with others. This is why, when asked what the greatest commandment is, Yeshua is able to embody all ten in his short answer:

37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

(Matthew 22:37–39)

[5th Commandment – Honor Your Father and Mother]

[6th Commandment – Do Not Murder]

[7th Commandment – No Adultery]

[8th Commandment – Do Not Steal]

[9th Commandment – Do Not Swear Falsely]

[10th Commandment – Do Not Covet]

Categories
Torah

The Ten Commandments (they are not suggestions) – #5 (Honor Your Father and Mother)

This is an excerpt from my book, GRAFTED: Embracing Torah, which can be purchased on Amazon.

Enjoy!

The Ten Commandments (The Big Ones)

And God (Elohim) spake all these words, saying, (Exodus 20:1)

Exodus 19:25 states, “So Moses went down unto the people,
and spake unto them.” This is the third time Moses came down from
Mount Sinai (between Exodus 19:3 and Exodus 34:29, Moses goes
up to meet Elohim atop Mount Sinai and comes back down seven
times – not bad for an eighty-year-old guy).

The verse following Exodus 19:25 (Exodus 20:1) states, “God
spake all these words…” so it appears Elohim audibly spoke to all the Israelites.

This seems to be confirmed in verses 18–22:

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

The people in the valley were so shaken by the experience that
they did not want Elohim to speak to them again (I’m sure there was
a lot of reverb and pyrotechnics). The word Elohim is used because
His Message was for more than just the Israelites. This tells me that
what we refer to as the Ten Commandments are so important that
Elohim felt the need to personally tell them to His people. This is
why I wanted to start with them.

5. “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may
be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth
thee” (Exodus 20:12).

This one has a reward. Do it, and you get a nice prize.

Having said this, it is not always easy to do this. Many have horrible memories of abusive or absent parents. Our job is to model Christ to our parents, our children, our friends – everyone. If we are a good example, it helps to bring people to a relationship with Christ. If we model the world, how can we expect people to want to genuinely love and honor Yeshua?

They didn’t have the example of Christ yet in Exodus, but they still taught that the relationships one has with parents, children, and others is important. Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn and was entitled to the double share of the inheritance, but he lost that right when he dishonored his father by sleeping with one of his concubines. Joseph loved and honored his father in all things and ended up with the double portion by having two of the tribes of Israel named after his two sons (1 Chronicles 5:1). Isaac, Jacob, and (dare I say it?) Yeshua were all second born but received the honor blessing. When Yahweh speaks to Moses from the burning bush, He tells Moses,

21 When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn.

(Exodus 4:21–22)

This Commandment is repeated, prominently, several times throughout Scripture. When Yahweh is speaking to Moses, He commands that the Israelites be holy, fear (yare’ [H3372] – revere) their parents (the mother is mentioned before the father in this verse, emphasizing that both are to be equally revered) and keep the sabbath – in that order (Leviticus 19:1-3).

     When Christ confronted the Pharisees, his response to their accusation was to accuse them of transgressing the fifth Commandment by changing it through their traditions (Matthew 15:3-6).

     In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul declared that this is “the first Commandment with promise”. He also admonished fathers to not provoke (parorgizo [G3949] – enrage) their children but rather to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:1-4). A child is more likely fail to honor Yahweh if they are not trained to do so by their parents’ words and actions.     

The relationships one has with parents, children, and others is important – one is less likely to have a meaningful relationship with the Father if all their human relationships are a dumpster fire..

We are to do the Law despite the way it is perceived by others. Unfortunately, the Word does not give a clear understanding of what is required to “honor Mom and Dad.” If Yeshua did something for his Father, then it is a good example for us also. Remember, our children not only listen to what we say but they also look to what we do.

Here is a partial list of things that one can do to show love and
respect:

  • Pray for your parents.
  • Follow their guidance when under their roof, and consider their guidance when you are on your own.
  • Show restraint and respect.
  • If they were abusive, do not render abuse against them (be better than they were). If they are abusive, defend yourself from physical harm.
  • Care for them in their old age. They may need to move to a nursing home, but you can still visit, share meals, and engage with them.
  • Forgive them. It may be impossible to forget what they may have done to you, but the Word does not ask us to forget (that would be reckless), only to forgive. Don’t let the anguish of the past continue to devastate your present and your future.
  • Do anything else you know that will bless them.

If your parents are abusive, know that this Commandment does not demand you take that abuse. Distancing yourself from them is more honorable than striking them, though defending yourself is honorable also. The Word never instructs us to be a punching bag nor any other object of abuse.

[continue to the 6th Commandment – Do Not Murder]

[1st Commandment – No Other Gods]

[2d Commandment – No Graven Images]

[3d Commandment – Taking the Name of Yahweh in Vain]

[4th Commandment – Keep the Sabbath Holy]

The first four Commandments are considered to be vital to our relationship with Elohim. The last six Commandments concern our relationship with others. This is why, when asked what the greatest commandment is, Yeshua is able to embody all ten in his short answer:

37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

(Matthew 22:37–39)

[5th Commandment – Honor Your Father and Mother]

[6th Commandment – Do Not Murder]

[7th Commandment – No Adultery]

[8th Commandment – Do Not Steal]

[9th Commandment – Do Not Swear Falsely]

[10th Commandment – Do Not Covet]

Categories
Torah

The Ten Commandments (they are not suggestions) – #4 (Keep the Sabbath Holy)

This is an excerpt from my book, GRAFTED: Embracing Torah, which can be purchased at Amazon.

Enjoy

The Ten Commandments (The Big Ones)

And God (Elohim) spake all these words, saying, (Exodus 20:1)

Exodus 19:25 states, “So Moses went down unto the people,
and spake unto them.” This is the third time Moses came down from
Mount Sinai (between Exodus 19:3 and Exodus 34:29, Moses goes
up to meet Elohim atop Mount Sinai and comes back down seven
times – not bad for an eighty-year-old guy).

The verse following Exodus 19:25 (Exodus 20:1) states, “God
spake all these words…” so it appears Elohim audibly spoke to all the Israelites.

This seems to be confirmed in verses 18–22:

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

The people in the valley were so shaken by the experience that
they did not want Elohim to speak to them again (I’m sure there was
a lot of reverb and pyrotechnics). The word Elohim is used because
His Message was for more than just the Israelites. This tells me that
what we refer to as the Ten Commandments are so important that
Elohim felt the need to personally tell them to His people. This is
why I wanted to start with them.

4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8–11).

Yahweh designated the seventh day for a reason and ordered us to “hallow” (Hebrew qadash – “wholly consecrate,” “dedicate”) it for a reason. The reasons have not changed!

The original Sabbath is the culmination of all the mighty works Elohim created to make life possible for us. The seventh day also symbolizes the one thousand years of the millennial kingdom (four thousand years in the Old Testament, two thousand years since the resurrection of the Messiah, followed by a thousand years of “rest”) – the seventh millennium is essentially a sabbath.

All of Yahweh’s prescribed days have a dual purpose – one remembered and one to look forward to. We are to remember that Yahweh created heaven and earth for us, His people, and look forward to the thousand-year rest when Christ rules on earth.

Scripture is rather specific that the seventh day – what we refer to as Saturday – is to be a day of rest. How Sunday became the Christian Sabbath has many legends, but none of them provide scriptural
evidence that Yahweh made a change to His Commandment.

“The Catholic Church, …by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday.” (Catholic Mirror – the official organ of Cardinal Gibbons, September 23, 1893)

“Sunday is founded, not of scripture, but on tradition, and is distinctly a Catholic tradition. As there is no scripture for the transfer of the day of rest from the last to the first day of the week, Protestants ought to keep their Sabbath on Saturday and thus leave Catholics in full possession of Sunday.” (Catholic Record, September 17, 1893)

Even if evidence of a heavenly change could be found, where is the evidence that the new day is being kept “hallowed” by Christians?

Working, shopping, going out to eat, etc. – the list of violations is extremely long. I want to look at when the Sabbath is, what is allowable, and what is not allowable. Remember as you read this that much of the observance of Sabbath can be open to interpretation and that you are responsible for determining whether you are keeping the Commandment as Yahweh desires.

The Hebrew Day

The Hebrew day begins at sunset. This arises from the beginning where Scripture states,

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:1–3).

First there was darkness, then Yahweh said, “Let there be light.”

This immediately raises problems because of the differences between day and night throughout the world. Everyone knows that days are longer in the summer and shorter in the winter. This itself is not overly problematic because the distance between one sunset and the next is almost always approximately twenty-four hours. If you live inside the Arctic Circle, however, the sun would set and you may not see daylight again for many days.

Personally, I preferred to not have to refer to the Naval Observatory website every week to see when the sun will actually set. I chose to use a consistent 7:30 p.m. through 7:30 p.m. the following day (through the course of the year, sunset where I live can occur as early as 5:15 p.m. and as late as 9:15 p.m., and I chose a spot in the middle).

I do not believe this is inconsistent with the heart of what Yahweh wants us to do each week. It also helps in planning for future events that fall on the weekends and gives an employer something stable they can work with.

If you choose to make Sunday your Sabbath or to make your Sabbath from midnight to midnight, you need to seriously consider whether you are fulfilling the heart of Yahweh and be prepared to answer on the day of judgment (as is the case in everything we do). I’m not saying you can’t do this. As I’ve said before, it is your walk that you are responsible for. If you follow my suggestions without making them your suggestions, you will have to answer for that, too (and you will probably look pretty goofy while doing it).

There are some good justifications for celebrating the weekly Sabbath on a different day of the week, as we will see as we continue examining the “day of rest.” If you do so, it is still incumbent on you to “keep the Sabbath holy.”

“Thou Shalt Not Do Any Work”

Dictionary.com defines “work” as:

(noun) 1. exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil; and 2. productive or operative activity.

In physics, work is defined as:

(noun) a manifestation of energy; the transfer of energy from one physical system to another expressed as the product of a force and the distance through which it moves a body in the direction of that force” and as, “(verb) exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity” (Vocabulary.com).

We are going to get lost in the weeds here because the possibilities of what is or is not work are near infinite. Before I start, though, here is another reminder that it is your decision to do what you can and/or should. We are not robots for Yahweh. Yeshua told the Pharisees,

23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the Sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. 24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful? 25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? 26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? 27 And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: 28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

(Mark 2:23–28; emphasis added)

Yeshua was telling them that they were missing the reason for the Sabbath. We are not to be slaves to rules and ordinances. The Law is there to benefit us, not to enslave us.

Here is a partial list of activities to avoid in order to “not do any work.” It includes things that should not be done by family members, “servants,” “beasts of burden,” and “strangers within your sphere of influence.” Exceptions will be discussed after the initial list and, finally, my recommendations for what activities you should or can do on the Sabbath.

  • Do not go to your place of employment for the purpose of doing work.
  • Do not go to the “honey-do” jar or do home repairs or upgrades.
  • Do not do yard work.
  • Do not prepare meals or do not go out to a restaurant.
  • Do not do laundry.
  • Do not go shopping.
  • Do not go to a show.
  • Do not plan your weekly activities or meals.

Now you are asking, “What can I do?”

Fair enough. First let’s examine these in detail and the exceptions:

Do not go to your place of employment for the purpose of doing work.

This seems pretty self-explanatory. Yahweh rested from His creative work, and all prohibitions should take this into consideration. If your work produces (or is intended to produce) a monetary profit or enhances something that already exists, it probably is something to avoid.

Give yourself a break once a week (if not more). Becoming a slave to your job is not only depressing but also can be seen as idolatry. If you give all your time, every day, to your employer, then who is first in your life?

I’ve been in jobs where overtime is expected, and you want to try to limit that as best you can (of course, your employer is not supposed to be working you every day, according to the Commandment). If you are seeking overtime on a regular basis to afford to buy a desirable (not a necessity) or a vacation, then you are probably doing it wrong.

There is also the problem of overwhelming debt because of a lawsuit or a medical procedure. These are tough, and a lender is not going to tell you, “It is okay to pay late because I know you must keep the Sabbath” (even though they should). Seek help with your finances, and offer the problem up in prayer. I’m pretty sure Joseph was not allowed to keep the Sabbath while working in an Egyptian prison. Make this the last choice, though, not the first.

Exceptions. If you are a medical professional, you may need to work on the Sabbath. People get hurt and/or sick every day of the week. Jesus healed people on the Sabbath because they needed healing! If your schedule requires you to work every Sabbath (often the case when you begin practicing), then you may need to pick a different day (or different days, if you have a rotating schedule) to celebrate the Sabbath.

The police and firefighters have the same dilemma. Crime and fires happen on the Sabbath, and they must be dealt with immediately. Imagine if police decided not to respond on the Sabbath. Crime would skyrocket on Friday night and Saturday. Yahweh’s people would not be able to relax and celebrate the Sabbath because of fear that criminals would act with impunity if the police were idle for twenty-four hours every week.

If you are in the military (especially in time of war), it is not only difficult to celebrate the Sabbath but dangerous to do so also. The book of Maccabees (1 Maccabees 2:29–41) tells of a group of Jews who defied the edicts of their occupiers and removed themselves to the “wilderness.” Soldiers were sent after them to ensure that the rebellion would not continue to grow.

These Jews refused to defend themselves, believing it to be a degradation of the Sabbath, and they were slaughtered. The Maccabees (a separate group of defiers) vowed that if they were attacked on the Sabbath they would defend themselves. Yahweh did not count this as a violation of His Commandment and helped them defeat the Seleucid oppressors on the Sabbath.

Do not go to the “honey-do” jar or do home repairs or upgrades.

The Sabbath is not a day for catching up on chores or for upgrading your kitchen. I understand that things happen (e.g., a tree falls over and breaks through a window) on the Sabbath that need to be taken care of quickly before further damage occurs. A good rule is to ask yourself, “Does this need to be done today?”

“I need to fix my roof, but Saturday is the only day I can borrow my neighbor’s ladder.” Really? Is this truly your only option? Maybe it is, but if water isn’t already flowing through your roof or rafters are crashing through your kitchen, then maybe you can try to figure out another course of action. In most cases, whatever it is that needs to be done was a problem the day before the Sabbath and will not be much more of a problem the following day. Seek alternatives before deciding to violate the Sabbath.

Do not do yard work.

“The grass is really, really high.”

Once again, the grass was probably really high the day before the Sabbath and will not be much higher on the day after. If you have just one day off each week and you have to spend it mowing, trimming, pulling weeds, and fixing the house, then what or who are you living for? Maybe apartment living is the answer for you. If you have a family, maybe you can trade services.

Our neighbors both had young children, and they could not
afford babysitters, so they would never go out on the same night.
Each family would take turns watching the other family’s kids. Maybe
you could do something similar by exchanging services.

“I’ll shop for you on Thursday if you mow my lawn on Tuesday.”

“I’ll watch your children on Sunday night if you rake our leaves
on Wednesday.”

Do not prepare meals, or do not go out to a restaurant.

When the Israelites wandered through the wilderness for forty years, Yahweh provided nourishment for them:

4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. 5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.

(Exodus 16:4–5)

They gathered as much as was needed for each day:

18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. 19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. 20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.

(Exodus 16:18–20)

On the sixth day of each week, they gathered twice as much as was needed because Yahweh said there would be none on the seventh day. Only on the sixth day did the manna stay fresh into the following day:

22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two Omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. 24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. 25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a Sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. 27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.

(Exodus 16:22–27)

Going out and gathering food was considered work and was not to be done on the Sabbath. They were told to prepare twice as much on the sixth day. Preparing a meal can take quite a bit of time and coordination, especially when the cook goes out of their way to bless their family or friends: opening cans, peeling potatoes, kneading dough, dicing tomatoes, browning chicken; and the like. Add in the need to continually stir the contents and flavor as necessary, and you have a somewhat large commitment of time.

Is it difficult to prepare extra food during the week so there are leftovers to eat on the Sabbath? Does opening a ready-to-eat meal and pushing a button on the microwave constitute work? Does opening a bag of potato chips constitute work?

This is something you need to work out for yourself. The Word says they “laid it up till the morning,” so I assume they put it in some kind of vessel so that the animals would not eat of it. Is that different from putting a sandwich in a Tupperware container for the next day?

The answer should never be to go out to a restaurant so that you do not have to work to prepare a meal. The Commandment also states that not only you but also your children, servants, cattle, and others should do no work. Going to a restaurant causes others (“servants”?) to work on the Sabbath. And please do not use the excuse, “They are going to be there, anyway.” If everyone stopped dining out during Sabbath, the restaurants would not bother to open during that time.

Do not do laundry.

“I just put them in and push a button. The washer does all the work.”

This is true, but you have to separate colors first (trust me, guys, you really, really better do this, or you will never hear the end of it), separate cold from hot, transfer them to the dryer (or hang them on a line), and fold them afterward. There is more here than meets the eye. If you can do it the day before or the day after, do it then.

Do not go shopping.

  • “I’m only getting a gallon of milk. I will use self-checkout so no one has to ring me up.”

If the store is open, then someone has to be there to maintain it. Don’t be the reason for that.

  • “The store is open, anyway. I’m not the reason someone is there.”

If more people stopped shopping on the Sabbath, then the store would not open that day and folks would not have to work that day to keep it open.

  • “I’m shopping on the Internet, no one is working because of me.”

This is one you need to work out for yourself. It is true that many sites are mostly automated. Flipping through webpages does not really entail “work.” If you chat with a customer service representative, then you are part of the reason that person is working on the Sabbath.

If you can’t go twenty-four hours without shopping, then you either are horribly unorganized or have an addiction. Just plan to shop the day before or the day after. Do without for one day.

Do not go to a show.

Look at all the people in a theater who are working on the Sabbath. Don’t be a reason for it. The movies have fewer people working, but there are people working if it is open. Don’t be a reason for it.

  • “My favorite band is only appearing in town for one day and it is the Sabbath.”

You are not making them work, they set their own schedule. Still, there are ticket takers, concession stands, security, roadies, and more that were not part of the schedule making. Is it that important? Watch a YouTube video of the band later. You will probably see them better in the video than you would have if you had sat in the audience in row ZZZ.

Do not plan your weekly activities or meals.

You are supposed to be resting! Mental exhaustion is just as bad as physical exhaustion. Is checking the weather for your child’s Sunday game the same as making a plan? If this sounds like we are writing our own Talmud, then I have to agree with you. If you can’t rest because you are worried about whether the kids have a ride on Sunday, then I think you should make a phone call.

Things you should do?

“Resting and keeping the day ‘holy’ mean different things for different people. Do what works for you. Here is a partial list of things I am comfortable doing on my Sabbath:

  • Spend quiet time with Yahweh.
  • Read a book.
  • Study the Word.
  • Watch a DVD.
  • Play family games.
  • Take a nap.
  • Visit friends or do a fellowship.
  • Go for a walk or a drive.

Whatever you do that relaxes you should be okay. If you are a bodybuilder, then lifting weights would be like work. If your mind is overloaded from working in an office all week and lifting weights helps to clear your mind, then that sounds like you are doing it right.

Making the bed sounds like work, but can you relax if it is unmade all day? Sweeping the floor sounds like work, but if you drop and break a glass, shouldn’t you sweep up the shards? The why of what you are doing is important.

Remember, Yeshua was chastising the Pharisees for thinking it a sin to heal the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath:

11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days.

(Matthew 12:11–12)

Never be fearful of helping someone on the Sabbath: “It is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days.”

Try not to be legalistic. It is not Yahweh’s intention for us to screw ourselves up in knots trying to keep the Sabbath. Remember that Yeshua told us, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” Yahweh is looking to the heart of your actions (and/or inaction). Try to do what Yahweh has asked in the best way that
works for you.

The Christian church teaches that Sunday is the “Lord’s Day” and that we no longer need to observe a Saturday Sabbath because Jesus’s resurrection has ushered in a new covenant and the law no longer applies to believers. That logic ignores that:

  • The “Lord’s day” is a specific period of the end-times recorded in Revelation 1:10.
  • Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27);
  • Sabbath is part of Yahweh’s Torah (Exodus 20:8–11);
  • Definition of sin is transgressing Yahweh’s Torah (1 John 3:4);
  • If one is an Israelite, you are transgressing if you violate Torah;
  • If you are grafted into Israel, you are Israel (Romans 11:16–25);
  • You are grafted in by faith (Ephesians 2:8–9); and
  • We confess Yeshua as Lord; we do what he told us to do; we are to walk as he walked (1 John 2:3–7).

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

From the beginning, Satan has tried to confuse man concerning Yahweh’s instructions (Genesis 3:1–5). He plays on our ego – “Your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Yahweh told us what is good and what is sin; do not fall into Satan’s trap of thinking you can better determine what is right and good.

When observing Sabbath, also reflect on the coming millennial Sabbath, when there will be true justice and peace under the reign of our Lord and Savior, Yeshua Ha’mashiach.

[continue to the 5th Commandment – Honor Your Father and Mother]

[1st Commandment – No Other Gods]

[2d Commandment – No Graven Images]

[3d Commandment – Taking the Name of Yahweh in Vain]

[4th Commandment – Keep the Sabbath Holy]

The first four Commandments are considered to be vital to our relationship with Elohim. The last six Commandments concern our relationship with others. This is why, when asked what the greatest commandment is, Yeshua is able to embody all ten in his short answer:

37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

(Matthew 22:37–39)

[5th Commandment – Honor Your Father and Mother]

[6th Commandment – Do Not Murder]

[7th Commandment – No Adultery]

[8th Commandment – Do Not Steal]

[9th Commandment – Do Not Swear Falsely]

[10th Commandment – Do Not Covet]

Categories
Torah

The Ten Commandments (they are not suggestions) – #3 (Taking the Name of Yahweh in Vain)

This is an excerpt from my book, GRAFTED: Embracing Torah, which can be purchased on eBay or the Product page of my website (it’s much more expensive on Amazon).

Enjoy!

The Ten Commandments (The Big Ones)

And God (Elohim) spake all these words, saying, (Exodus 20:1)

Exodus 19:25 states, “So Moses went down unto the people,
and spake unto them.” This is the third time Moses came down from
Mount Sinai (between Exodus 19:3 and Exodus 34:29, Moses goes
up to meet Elohim atop Mount Sinai and comes back down seven
times – not bad for an eighty-year-old guy).

The verse following Exodus 19:25 (Exodus 20:1) states, “God
spake all these words…” so it appears Elohim audibly spoke to all the Israelites.

This seems to be confirmed in verses 18–22:

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

The people in the valley were so shaken by the experience that
they did not want Elohim to speak to them again (I’m sure there was
a lot of reverb and pyrotechnics). The word Elohim is used because
His Message was for more than just the Israelites. This tells me that
what we refer to as the Ten Commandments are so important that
Elohim felt the need to personally tell them to His people.

3. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7).

This is often cited to chide people for using Elohim’s name when cursing. That could be an example, but the Hebrew word for “vain” is shav, and it means “falsehood” or “for a vain or frivolous purpose.”

It means using Yahweh’s name to promote a falsehood that destroys or ruins. This seems to imply more than invoking Yahweh’s name in profanity.

Have you ever been told, “God told me to tell you ____________ (fill in the blank)” and the prophecy did not come to pass? It could be that it was a “conditional” prophecy and you did not meet the conditions (e.g., “God told me you will be the next mayor,” but then you don’t register to run for office). It could also be that Yahweh did not speak those words to the prophet and they were speaking on their own volition but said it was “of God” (they lied) to vainly make their pronouncement sound more important. This is blasphemy (Hebrew: naqab – to puncture, to libel).

Do not attribute things to Him that are not of Yahweh. Sports figures like to say, “God helped me score that point,” or other such nonsense. I’m not speaking from actual knowledge, but I assume Yahweh does not prefer your sports team or your favorite athlete over any other. Besides, isn’t the opposing team praying for success also? I am pretty certain that Yahweh is not “rigging” games.

It is true that some people are blessed with great ability, and it is proper to thank Elohim for that, but if you think Elohim is adjusting the trajectory of a basketball or causing an outfielder to leap higher to stop a home run, then you probably have a low opinion of what Elohim is really busying himself with.

The actual meaning of this commandment is doubtlessly associated with the Covenant that Yahweh has with people. The Covenant is compared to a marriage covenant. Israel is often referred to as the bride, and Yeshua is often called the bridegroom. When a couple gets married, traditionally the bride takes the name of the groom.

Imagine proposing or accepting a proposal of marriage. You make wedding preparations, invite guests, and make plans to combine your life with your new spouse. Then shortly after the ceremony, you find your partner whoring around with diseased tramps.

You thought pledging yourself to them and giving your name to them meant something special, but they treated it as if you and it had no value. Yahweh “divorced” Israel because they whored after other gods (committed “adultery”) after accepting His Covenant (Jeremiah 3:8). Notice how closely tied this Commandment is to the 7th Commandment (adultery).

Know what Yahweh promises, and know what he expects from those who want to covenant with Him and His Son. Do not accept His proposal and then spit in His Face.  Accepting the Covenant in vain is to repudiate Yahweh and all His blessings, including life in the age to come. One cannot do this and be guiltless.

The sinner may perhaps hold himself guiltless, and think there is no harm in it, but God, who is jealous for his honour, will not hold him guiltless. Yet more is implied – it is a common figure of speech, called meiosis, where more is understood than is expressed. God will himself be the avenger of those that take his name in vain; and they will find it a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God – if not in this world, yet in the world to come; and so the Targum of Jonathan, by way of explanation, adds, “in the day of the great judgment.” (see Malachi 3:5) [BibleHub]

By the way, if you are using Elohim’s name in your cursing, then, “Bob, damn it,” stop doing it! I’m sure it is not His favorite thing to hear coming out of your mouth.

[continue to the 4th Commandment – Keep the Sabbath Holy]

[1st Commandment – No Other Gods]

[2d Commandment – No Graven Images]

[3d Commandment – Taking the Name of Yahweh in Vain]

[4th Commandment – Keep the Sabbath Holy]

The first four Commandments are considered to be vital to our relationship with Elohim. The last six Commandments concern our relationship with others. This is why, when asked what the greatest commandment is, Yeshua is able to embody all ten in his short answer:

37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

(Matthew 22:37–39)

[5th Commandment – Honor Your Father and Mother]

[6th Commandment – Do Not Murder]

[7th Commandment – No Adultery]

[8th Commandment – Do Not Steal]

[9th Commandment – Do Not Swear Falsely]

[10th Commandment – Do Not Covet]

Categories
Faith Prescribed Holy Days Torah

The Doctrine of the Scapegoat

     The scapegoat ritual associated with Yom Kippur is detailed in Leviticus 16 – two goats are chosen to represent Israel and lots are cast (comparable to throwing dice – the festival honoring Esther is called Purim [lots] because lots were cast by Haman to determine the date when the Israelites should be slaughtered) to designate which of the goats would be “for Yahweh” and the other “for Azazel (departure)”.  The High Priest was to pray over the scapegoat, “confessing the sins of the children of Israel, transferring them upon the head of the goat, and [sending it] into the wilderness.”

     Over and over again, the Torah speaks of the doctrine of personal responsibility.  We are each responsible for our own actions, good or bad.  Atonement for our sins can only be effected through a wrenching process of tshuva (return) which entails recognition of past transgressions, remorse over those transgressions, and a commitment to future change.  To suggest that the tshuva process can somehow be short-circuited through a magical act of transference of sins seems to fly in the face of all that [Torah teaches].

Schmuel Goldin; Unlocking the Torah Text – Acharei – the Sent Goat

          The ritual, though done literally (until the destruction of the second Temple in 70AD), is a metaphor (figure of speech synecdoché – of the part) that points to how we are each to repent of our sins and become a better version of ourselves:

  • Recognition:  How does one recognize sin?  A universal standard for sin is the Torah.  “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1John 3:4).  If one believes the Law does not apply to them, then what is there to atone for?
  • Remorse:  The sinner that has regret over their actions believes they did something wrong and does not want to continue to act wrongly in the future.  The High Priest transferred that which the society condemned to the Azazel goat – we approach Christ and ask for forgiveness of the Passover lamb (1John 1:9; 2:1-7).  The sinner who knows their actions are sin yet continues (and plan to continue) in their knowing sin is not remorseful and therefore does not seek atonement.
  • Commitment:  No believer is sinless, but the penitent sinner recognizes their sin, feels regret over having sinned, and makes a commitment to change their behavior to not continue living in sin – driving it away from themselves like the Azazel goat. 

     The Christian church, today, teaches that the Old Testament doctrines no longer apply to believers – this leaves them unsure of what is right and wrong, and that understanding continually changes as the culture changes.  It is difficult to feel remorse when one’s definition of sin is fluid.  Since modern Christians believe Christ died for all sins (which is true) then sin committed by a believer does not tarnish them (which is not true).  This leads to sinners hardening their heart to sin which is the opposite of atonement.

      “Christ loves me as I am” is not doctrinal – he loves you, but he wants you to strive to be a better person.  One does not love the drug addict by letting them indulge in their addiction – if we love them, we seek to help them overcome their addiction.  In the same way, one does not love the sinner by celebrating their sin and/or telling them they are courageous for living in sin.

Christ will one day judge mankind (the Day of the Lord – 2Peter 3:10) – which standard do you think he will use, yours or his Father’s?

     13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

     Few because many do not recognize sin and/or repent of their sin.

     The choice is to accept Christ as your Savior (see Born Again? and Born Again, Part 2) and live life everlasting, or to face Christ as your judge and possibly die in the Lake of Fire.

Choose wisely.