FACTS
ABOUT THE TRUTH
By Jerry Healan
Yahshua
told the disciples that He is the truth, “Yahshua saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” Jn. 14:6.
Furthermore, no man can go to
the father except through Him, the truth. The Father will not accept us in
anything less than the truth.
The Hebrew word for truth is emet (tma). Interestingly, it begins with the very
first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, aleph (a) and
ends with the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, tau (t).
When we look at this Hebrew
representation, we can begin to understand that Yahshua is the beginning and
ending, the first and the last as stated in the book of Revelation, “And he
said unto me, It is done. I am Aleph and Tau, the beginning and the end. I will
give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely,”
21:6.
While the Greek scriptures say
Alpha and Omega, the fact of the matter is that John was a Hebrew and Yahshua
was speaking to him from heaven and would have been speaking in the heavenly
language, which is Hebrew. (Remember that He spoke to Paul in the Hebrew
language.)
Let’s take a close-up view of
what Yahshua has said here. He is the Aleph. The Aleph indicates the beginning.
He is the Tau. The Tau indicates the ending, the completion of all things.
The Aleph, in pictorial Hebrew
looks like this a, while the Tau looks like this t. The Aleph is depicted as the head of an ox, an acceptable sacrificial
animal, while the tau is depicted as a cross. It was Yahshua’s acceptable
sacrifice on the cross that made it possible for us to receive the Holy Spirit.
Amazingly, the Mem (m), the middle letter of the Hebrew word for truth, is a picture of water.
Yahshua declared that the Holy Spirit is rivers of living water in Jn. 7:37-39,
which was made available to His disciples and all who believe on Him, on the day
of Pentecost (Acts 2).
Our article in the last
magazine entitled The True Testimony, revealed the most prized sacrifice of Yahshua as depicted by the
tabernacle of old made by Moses in the wilderness. The very first thing that one
would come to is the gate or door to the tabernacle
and the altar of sacrifice. Thus, the Aleph (a) would be placed on the altar. The next thing one had to approach before
entering the sanctuary or tent was the laver of water. This represents the Mem (m), the giving of the Spirit. The final letter Tau (t) would be placed on the ark of the covenant,
the throne where Yahweh sits. This is the only way one can approach the throne
of grace and mercy, that is, through Yahshua Who is the truth
(tma). (Remember that Hebrew reads from right to
left.)
DISTORTIONS
Lies can have some elements of
truth with them, but they either combine truth and lies in order to corrupt the
truth, or completely surround the inner core of truth with falsehoods and lies
so that the truth becomes perverted.
Yahshua is the truth. He is the
Savior and Redeemer. But the world, under Satan’s influence, has greatly
distorted the truths about Him. His true name is taken away and replaced with a
false pagan name.
The truth about His birth is
taken away and he is given a false pagan winter solstice birth of the pagan sun
gods, with a riotous celebration.
He personally said that He
didn’t come to do away with the law and prophets, but rather to fulfill them.
(Mt. 5:17-20) Yet, the greatest preponderance of His so-called followers
proclaim that He did away with the law.
The Prophet Zechariah was shown
an amazing prophecy, “And he shewed me Yahshua the high priest standing before
the angel of Yahweh, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him,” Zech. 3:1.
COMMENT: The
Hebrew word for resist is “satan” (!js). It is the exact same word for the name Satan! Remember that this is a
prophecy! Yahshua is the heavenly High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Satan is resisting Him! As we continue through these Scriptures, we will find
out how.
“And Yahweh said unto Satan,
Yahweh rebuke thee, O Satan; even Yahweh that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee:
is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Yahshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel,”
Zech. 3:2-3.
COMMENT: The Hebrew word for
“filthy” is tsowim (ymawuc). Tsowim is defined as; soiled (as if excrementitious). Excrement, of course, is dung! Here is Yahweh’s condemnation
concerning the Levites and Judah, “And now, O ye priests, this commandment is
for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory
unto my name, saith Yahweh of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I
will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not
lay it to heart. Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung
of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. And ye shall know
that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi,
saith Yahweh of hosts. My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave
them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he
walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For
the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his
mouth: for he is the messenger of Yahweh of hosts. But ye are departed out of
the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the
covenant of Levi, saith Yawheh of hosts. Therefore have I also
made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not
kept my ways, but have been partial in the law. Have we not all one father? hath
not one Elohim created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his
brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is
committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the
holiness of Yahweh which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange
god,” Mal. 1:1-11.
To turn away from Yahweh is, of
course, to practice idolatry. Idolatry is nothing more than dung to Yahweh.
Thus, when one practices idolatry it would be the same as going to the bathroom
to defecate, and then once finished, to take the feces and to wipe it all over
one’s face and clothing!
GROSS!!!! You might say. How
can you say things like that? I only said it because that is what the Scriptures
are saying. The world’s ministries are taking Yahshua’s purity away from Him
by worshipping Him through filthy idolatrous practices. Satan is resisting Him,
or satanizing Him by deceiving the ecclesiastical leaders into leading their
people into false pagan, idolatrous practices.
“And he answered and spake
unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from
him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from
thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a
fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed
him with garments. And the angel of Yahweh stood by. And the angel of Yahweh
protested unto Yahshua, saying, Thus saith Yahweh of hosts; If thou wilt walk in
my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house,
and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these
that stand by. Hear now, O Yahshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that
sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH,” Zech. 3:4-8.
COMMENT: Here He says that He will bring forth His servant the BRANCH. This is a
prophecy of Yahshua the Messiah. All of the men who went before Him, exhibiting
some type of His nature, were men of signs. For example, Adam was a type of
Yahshua. So was Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron,
Yahshua ben Nun, King David, Solomon, EliYah the prophet, Elisha the prophet,
etc., etc.
“For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one
stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith Yahweh of hosts, and I
will remove the iniquity of that land in one day,” Zech. 3:9.
COMMENT: The stone that Moses smote to bring forth water was a type of
Yahshua. The stone that smites the idolatrous image on its feet in the book of
Daniel is a type of Yahshua. The stone upon which the men of Bethshemesh placed
the ark of the covenant when the Philistines returned it to Israel was a type of
Yahshua. This stone that has seven eyes is a type of Yahshua. In the book of
Revelation we see that He is a Lamb which had been slain having seven horns and
seven eyes. (Rev. 5:5-6)
Michael Monk, in his book The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet, says this, “Maharal compares tma (emet, truth) to the life-sustaining sun, which
illuminates the world and cannot deviate one iota from its defined orbit. So is tma precisely bound; if one deviates from it only slightly, he slips into the
tangent of rqv (falsehood).
“Likewise, there is no such
thing as a little falsehood: even a trifle of it turns truth into a lie. Truth
is eternal, but when even the smallest numerical unit of tma, namely the a (aleph), is omitted, what remains is tm, death (Maharal).” (p. 215)
Do you get that? The Hebrew
alphabet is not only letters, but the letters also are hieroglyphics and
numbers. In the Hebrew word for truth (tma), the tau (t) carries the numerical value of 400, the mem (m) carries the numerical value of 40, and the
aleph (a) carries the numerical value of 1.
Distort the truth only
slightly. Remove the smallest element from (the aleph a) truth and the result is death!
STABILITY
Truth is stable while lies and
falsehoods are not. Yahweh is truth. His word is truth. Yahshua is the truth. He
is the Word of Yahweh and no lie is in Him. As stated above, truth is eternal,
but lies only endure for a little while.
Truth stands firm while lies do
not. Let’s take a look at the Hebrew words for truth and falsehood and see
what we can deduct.
Truth is tma. Look at the letters themselves. Each letter
stands on two feet. But look at falsehood rqv (sheqer). The first letter of the word, the shin (v) appears to be stable, but the last two
letters only have one leg to stand on and will eventually topple.
This is the picture that
falsehood portrays. At first, it looks like the right thing to do. Tell a little
white lie and everything seems to be okay and rosy. But, as the old saying goes,
tell one lie, tell one falsehood, and then you have to tell another, and
another, and another.
The first lie recorded in the
Scriptures led to death, our fore-parents, your death and mine. Satan is a
murderer from the beginning (Bereyshiyth/Genesis as is recorded therein) because he is
a liar and the father of lies (Jn. 8:44).
That’s why our world is
unstable, because it is filled with lies, deceit, falsehoods, murder, hypocrisy,
etc.
Sadly, no man, church,
assembly, etc., has all of the truth. As Paul writes, “...let Yahweh be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be
justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged,” Ro.
3:4.
David also declared, “I said
in my haste, All men are liars. What shall I render unto Yaweh for all his
benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name
Yahweh,” 116:11-13.
We must love the truth, which
is Yahshua, the Word of Yahweh, which is Yahshua, the Torah, which is Yahshua.
The truth is that Yahshua must become all things to us.
YAHSHUA—THE TRUTH
Yahshua is the truth (Jn.
14:6). The only way into the very throne room of Yahweh Elohim is through TRUTH,
which is Yahshua, Who is the WAY (Jn. 14:6).
Truth is eternal. Yahshua is
TRUTH. Therefore, Yahshua is eternal. Truth never changes. Yahshua doesn’t
change, “Yahshua the Messiah the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever,”
Heb. 13:8.
Yahweh never changes, “And I
will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the
sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling
in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger
from his right, and fear not me, saith Yahweh of hosts. For I am Yahweh, I change not; therefore ye
sons of Jacob are not consumed,” Mal. 3:5-6.
It is decreed, “I am Aleph and Tau, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie,” Rev. 22:13-15.
Truth lives, lies die. Learn to love, walk in it and adhere to the truth, that is, Yahshua the Messiah and live.
There
is a sin that is desperately dangerous and evil. This sin is extant in all
religions. It exists in Sabbath and Holy Day observers. It also exists in many
people who have embraced the Holy Names. It is a sin that, if not repented of,
will lead one directly into the lake of fire. It is a sin that is not easily
recognized by the ones afflicted with it. Are you afflicted with it? You may not
know unless you read this treatise.
By Jerry Healan
Job
was afflicted with this sin and did not recognize it until drastic steps were
taken in his life to bring it to his awareness. Job lived in the land of Uz. He
was a perfect and upright man, one that feared Elohim and eschewed evil (Job
1:1). He was so careful, in fact, that when his own children would celebrate
their day of birth, he would offer sacrifices on their behalf fearing that they
may have cursed Yahweh in their heart (v. 5).
One day the sons of Elohim came to present themselves before Yahweh and
Satan came among them also (v. 6). The interesting thing is that Yahweh
specifically pointed Job out to Satan saying, “Hast thou considered My servant
Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one
that feareth Elohim, and escheweth evil?” Job 1:8.
Satan responded, “Doth Job fear Elohim for nought? Hast not thou made
an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every
side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in
the land. But put forth Thine hand now and touch all that he hath, and He will
curse Thee to Thy face,” vv. 9-11.
Yahweh responded to Satan’s challenge and put all that Job had into his
hand. Of course, Satan was quick to take action and render Job possessionless as
well as childless.
When Job heard of all his losses, which were reported to him in one day,
he “arose, rent his mantle, shaved his head, fell down upon the ground, and
worshipped. And said, ‘Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall
I return thither: Yahweh gave, and Yahweh hath taken away; blessed be the name
of Yahweh.’ In all this Job sinned not, nor charged Elohim foolishly,” vv.
20-22.
Another day the sons appeared before Elohim and Satan came among them
(Job 2:1). Again Yahweh specifically pointed Job out to Satan saying, “Hast
thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a
perfect and an upright man, one that feareth Elohim, and escheweth evil? and
still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst Me against him, to
destroy him without cause,” v. 3.
Satan issued another challenge to Yahweh, “Skin for skin, yea, all that
a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth Thine hand now, and touch
his bone and his flesh, and he will curse Thee to Thy face,” vv. 4-5.
Again Yahweh put Job into Satan’s hand saying, “Behold, he is in
thine hand; but save his life,” v. 6.
Satan went out and smote Job with the most intense pain and suffering
imaginable. When Job’s three friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar came to
comfort him for his grief, suffering and losses, they could only sit in stunned
silence for 7 days (vv. 7-13).
The question is; Why did Yahweh specifically point Job out to Satan? Was
there a problem that Yahweh saw with Job that certainly was not obvious to Job?
Nor was it specifically obvious to anyone else at that time,
including Satan.
After seven days Job and his three friends began a dialogue that ended up
being an argument wherein his friends accused him of some kind of sin while Job
continued to maintain his integrity. After an extensive exchange of words back
and forth Job’s problem began to surface, “So these three men ceased to
answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes,”
Job 32:1
LESSON
#1
There was a specific proclivity that Job had exhibited in his
dissertation with his three friends which had to be pointed out by a younger man
named Elihu. Notice Job 32:2, “Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of
Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled,
because he justified himself rather than Elohim.”
Job was self righteous. In his self righteousness he elevated himself
above Elohim. Notice further the words of Elihu, “Surely thou hast spoken in
mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
‘I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me. Behold, He findeth occasions against
me, He counteth me for his enemy, He putteth my feet in the stocks, He marketh
all my paths. Behold, in this
thou art not just: I will answer thee, that Elohim is greater than man...For Job
hath said, ‘I am righteous: and Elohim hath taken away my judgment. Should I lie against my right? my wound is
incurable without
transgression’...My desire is
that Job may be tried
unto the end because of his answers
for wicked men. For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his
hands among us, and multiplieth
his words against Elohim...Elihu
spake moreover, and said, ‘Thinkest thou this to be right, that
thou saidst, My righteousness is more
than Elohim's?’” Job
33:8-12, 34:5-6, 36-37, 35:1-2.
The first lesson we learn about the self righteous is that they become so
self important that they can exalt themselves to a status greater than Elohim,
greater then Yahweh.
Self righteousness is a sin of pride. It was probably the sin that caused
Satan to fall, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (Heb. = Haylel),
son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou
hast said in thine heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of Elohim: I
will sit also upon the
mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds; I
will be like the most High,’”
Isa. 14:12-14. Notice the desire to exalt the self.
Job was afflicted with this problem of self righteousness. Yahweh
recognized it and look at the SEVERE trials Job had to endure in order to bring
it to his attention. Yahweh actually put Job into Satan’s hand for a season in
order to purge this problem from him.
The Apostle Paul also followed this example of delivering others into
Satan’s hand in order to learn vital lessons, “Of whom is Hymenaeus and
Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to
blaspheme,” 1 Tim. 1:20.
In another instance, he commanded the assembly to deliver a man who was
involved in the act of fornication with his own father’s wife to Satan for the
destruction of the flesh (1 Cor. 5:1-5).
These
actions may sound severe, but if they achieve the desired results, as in Job’s
case, it is well worth it. The SEVERE trials with desired results are much
better than the MORE SEVERE punishment of unrepentant actions.
LESSON
#2
The second lesson that we learn concerning self righteousness is that it
causes one to exalt themselves above others. Of Course, if it can cause one to
exalt himself above Elohim, it would be no great feat to exalt one’s self
above other men.
We have a good example of this in Lk. 18:9-14, “And He spake this
parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised
others: ‘Two men went
up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The
Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘Elohim I thank thee, that I am
not as other men are,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the
week, I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the publican, standing afar
off, would not lift up so much as his
eyes unto heaven, but
smote upon his breast, saying, ‘Elohim be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell
you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and
he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.’”
Notice that the Pharisee was comparing himself with the Publican. The
Apostle Paul warned about comparing ourselves with others, “Do ye look on
things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is
Messiah's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is
Messiah's, even so are
we Messiah's. For though
I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which Yahweh hath given us for
edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: That I may
not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. For his
letters, say they, are
weighty and powerful; but
his bodily
presence is
weak, and his
speech contemptible. Let
such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are
absent, such will
we be also in deed when
we are present. For
we dare not make
ourselves of the number, or compare
ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing
themselves among themselves, are not wise,” 2 Cor. 10:7-12.
When we begin to compare ourselves with others we can develop a dangerous
attitude of feeling that we are okay while others are condemned. These feelings
can impart a false sense of security, but also self righteous indignation. There
is no humility in self righteousness.
Paul urged us to be of a lowly mind, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each
esteem other better than themselves,” Phil. 2:3.
He urged us to have the mind of Yahshua, “Let this mind be in you,
which was also in Messiah Yahshua: Who, being in the form of Elohim, thought it
not robbery to be equal with Elohim: But made Himself of no reputation, and took
upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being
found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the tree,” Phil. 2:5-8.
Herein is revealed the GLORY of Yahshua. He had existed in the form of
Elohim before His birth in the flesh. Yet, He did not desperately cling to that
position, but willingly emptied Himself of the honor, power, glory and prestige
that He had for the good of others who were far, far, far less in glory and
honor. He humbled Himself, even suffering shameful things for the good of
others. Herein is TRUE HUMILITY.
Yahshua said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” Mt. 5:3. One
who is poor in spirit does not compare himself with others. One who is poor in
spirit does not exalt himself above others. One who is poor in spirit does not
think highly of himself, but esteems others better than himself.
There have been many who have come out of Churchianity into the knowledge
of the Holy Names, who, at some point in their walk, determine that the New
Testament is bogus. That Yahshua never existed, or only existed as a deceiver
and turn to the Old Testament seeking to fulfill it under their own strength and
power. They begin to seek to establish their own righteous in Yahweh apart from
and separate from Yahshua. This is a CARDINAL ERROR indeed!
The Prophet Isaiah was inspired to write, “Thou meetest him that
rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember Thee in Thy ways: behold, Thou art wroth; for
we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. But we
are all as an unclean thing,
and all
our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities,
like the wind, have taken us away,” Isa. 64:5-7.
This is the lesson that Job learned. Look at his statement in Job 42:1-6,
“Then Job answered Yahweh, and said, ‘I
know that Thou canst do every thing, and that no
thought can be withholden from Thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I
uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
Hear, I beseech Thee, and I will speak: I will demand of Thee, and declare Thou
unto me. I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth
Thee. Wherefore
I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’”
Job got the point. He learned the vital lesson and responded in humility.
He no longer was willing to exalt the self in his own righteousness.
There is also an interesting lesson of humility recorded in the New
Testament. Yahshua said, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither
cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and
turn again and rend you,” Mt. 7:6. Now let’s notice the incident with the
woman of Canaan, “Then Yahshua went thence, and departed into the coasts of
Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and
cried unto Him, saying, ‘Have mercy on me, O Master, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a
devil.’ But He answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought
Him, saying, ‘Send her away; for she crieth after us.’ But He answered and
said, ‘I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ Then
came she and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Master, help me.’ But He answered and
said, ‘It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it
to dogs,’” Mt.
15:21-26.
The Gentiles were considered by the Jews to be dogs. Even today, one will
occasionally hear the Jews refer to the Palestinian Arabs as dogs. Yahshua was
holding true to His word. He would not cast the children’s bread to the dogs.
However, the woman came back with a surprising reply, “And she said, ‘Truth,
Master: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters'
table,’” v.27.
The point is that this woman was very humble indeed. How many people
would have flown off the handle at being called a dog? Most people, because of
their ego, would have rebuked the Savior, but the woman of Canaan took it all in
stride. She wasn’t seeking any of that which belonged to the children of
Israel. She only desired the scraps that fell from the table.
“Then Yahshua answered and said unto her, ‘O woman, great is
thy faith: be it unto
thee even as thou wilt.’ And her daughter was made whole from that very
hour,” v. 28. Her humility was rewarded according to her desire. She didn’t
seek to exalt herself above others nor did she exhibit self righteousness.
LESSON
#3
The third lesson concerning self righteousness is found in Mt. 9:10-13,
“And it came to pass, as Yahshua sat at meat in the house, behold, many
publicans and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the
Pharisees saw it,
they said unto His disciples, ‘Why eateth your Master with publicans and
sinners?’ But when Yahshua heard that, He said unto them, ‘They that be whole need not a
physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that
meaneth, I
will have mercy, and not sacrifice:
for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’”
The self righteous are unmerciful. There is a man in prison who was
incarcerated for the horrible crime and sin of murder. However, this man has
repented of the terrible sins that he committed. A Sacred Name group informed
him that, regardless of the circumstances, his blood should be shed in
accordance with Num. 35:30-34 which says, “Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall
be put to death by the
mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to
cause him to die.
Moreover ye
shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty
of death: but he shall be surely put to death. And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of
his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of
the priest. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are:
for blood it defileth the land: and the land
cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him
that shed it. Defile not
therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I Yahweh dwell
among the children of Israel.”
One wonders how this group would judge King David. After all, David
committed adultery with another man’s wife, a sin that brings the death
penalty. He then tried to cover up the sin by bringing her husband from the heat
of the battle, hoping he would have relations with his wife and could then be
told that the child was his. The man, Uriah the Hittite, refused to enjoy the
fruits of marriage with his wife as long as his companions, his fellow soldiers,
who were fighting on behalf of King David, were under the duress of battle.
When these efforts failed, David sent the man back to the battle front
carrying a message for his general Joab to confront the enemy and draw back
leaving Uriah, his own faithful servant, unprotected so that he might be slain.
David, in effect, not only committed adultery, but murder. (2 Sam. 11)
When David’s sin was pointed out to him by Yahweh’s prophet, he
repented deeply in bitterness. Yahweh forgave him, but the experience was so
humbling to David that Psalms 51 is a result.
Here is the problem, “For the wages of sin is death,” Ro. 6:23. “For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of Elohim,” Ro. 3:23. Have the
brethren of said group forgotten that it was their sins that required the life
of the Savior Yahshua? Yahshua was taken and murdered unjustly, therefore, we
all have the blood of the Savior on our hands.
If our judgment is that a REPENTANT brother must still suffer for the
crime that he committed, then would Yahweh be justified to apply Num. 35:30-34
against us? Remember, with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged (Mt.
7:2).
It is true that the UNREPENTANT will suffer the judgment of damnation,
however, the REPENTANT will suffer the judgment of grace and mercy, “Being
justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Messiah Yahshua:
Whom Yahweh hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of Yahweh; To declare, I say,
at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him
which believeth in Yahshua,” Ro. 3:24-26.
But the self righteous, who are falsely trusting in their own
righteousness, are quick to judge according to the law apart from mercy and
faith. The self righteous are unmerciful.
LESSON
#4
The self righteous are blind, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the
weightier matters of the
law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave
the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto
you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup
and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou
blind
Pharisee, cleanse first
that which
is within the cup and
platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed
appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's
bones, and of all
uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye
are full of hypocrisy and iniquity,” Mt. 23:23-28.
Self righteousness looks good on the outside, but the problem is within.
A self righteous person is blind to his own inward status. Jeremiah was inspired
to write, “The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it,”
17:9.
Yahshua also revealed what is on the human heart, “Then came to Yahshua
scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Why do thy disciples
transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they
eat bread.’ But He answered and said unto them, ‘Why do ye also transgress
the commandment of Yahweh by your tradition? For Yahweh commanded, saying,
‘Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him
die the death.’ But ye say, ‘Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by
whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his
mother, he
shall be free.’ Thus
have ye made the commandment of Yahweh of none effect by your tradition. Ye
hypocrites, well did
Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their
mouth, and honoureth me with their lips;
but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for
doctrines the
commandments of men.’ And He called the multitude, and said unto them,
‘Hear, and understand: Not
that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the
mouth, this defileth a man.’
Then came His disciples, and said unto Him, ‘Knowest thou that the Pharisees
were offended, after they heard this saying?’ But He answered and said,
‘Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Let them alone: they
be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.’ Then
answered Peter and said unto Him, ‘Declare unto us this parable.’ And
Yahshua said, ‘Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet
understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and
is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart;
and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders,
adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
These are the
things which defile a
man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man,’” Mt. 15:1-20.
In many cases too much attention is focused on what goes in the mouth and
not out of it. I have been affiliated with Sabbath and holy day observers ever
since 1969. It was at that time that I learned of the law of clean and unclean
foods. As I have walked in this way some amazing things have come to my
attention. I have known many people who were so careful about what they eat that
they verged on the edge of paranoia. So much concern was expressed concerning
foods. Many of these people’s children were raised observing the law of clean
and unclean foods, yet many of those same children did not adhere to the faith
of their parents, but fell away to the world. It is amazing to hear the
testimony of many of these same children. They continue to observe the law of
clean and unclean foods, but when it comes to the law of righteousness, no
consideration has been given whatsoever. The children do not observe the
Sabbath, Holy Days nor any of the other commandments so to speak. The focus has
been on the physical and not the spiritual. This is an error of great
proportions.
One young man who was a son of a believer boasted to me that even though
he was no longer in the faith, he had NEVER eaten any unclean foods. This young
man is an alcoholic and has lived his life accordingly.
A vital thing has been eliminated when it comes to teaching ourselves and
our children concerning our very nature that is within us.
The Apostle Paul revealed the most important of realities to us along
with Yahshua and Jeremiah. In the book of Romans chapter seven Paul writes,
“What shall we say then? Is the
law sin? Yahweh forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not
known lust, except the law had said, ‘Thou shalt not covet.’ But
sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of
concupiscence
(Concupiscence means longing for wrong things, lust, illicit desire). For
without the law sin was
dead. For I was alive
without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment,
deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is
good made death unto me? Yahweh forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working
death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become
exceeding sinful. For we
know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
For that which
I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it
is good.
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
For I know that in me, in my flesh, dwelleth
no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how
to
perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I
would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it,
but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is
present with me. For I
delight in the law of Yahweh after the inward man: But
I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members,”
Ro. 7:7-25.
Paul was writing about the struggles he was
having concerning the flesh. Paul reveals here that there is a law of sin in the
flesh. That law of sin was introduced into the flesh by Adam and Eve in the
garden of Eden. It is passed down to every man through inheritance. Our
inheritance through Adam is sin, corruption and death. (See our article entitled
Is The Law Done Away?)
This law of sin in the flesh is as sure as the law of gravity. When we seek to
rise above it, it only pulls us back down again.
Paul also wrote, “This I
say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For
the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and
these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye
would. But if ye be led
of the Spirit, ye are not under the law,” Gal 5:16-18.
The law of sin in the flesh works against the law of righteousness in the
mind. The true believer, the truly converted will always have a battle going on
inside. He will be determining to go the way that is right and good, the way of
righteousness, delighting in the law, but the law of sin will always be working
against him to prevent him from performing that in which he delights after the
inward man.
Such is the reason why the covenant Yahweh made with Israel was not
successful.
LESSON
#5
When Yahweh proposed His covenant to Israel they promised that they would
perform it, “And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid
before their faces all these words which Yahweh commanded him. And all
the people answered together, and said, ‘All that Yahweh hath spoken we will
do.’ And Moses returned
the words of the people unto Yahweh...And Moses came and told the people all the
words of Yahweh, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and
said, ‘All the words which Yahweh hath said will we do’...And
he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they
said, ‘All that Yahweh hath said will we do, and be obedient.’ And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it
on the people, and said,
‘Behold the blood of the covenant, which Yahweh hath made with you concerning
all these words,’” Ex. 19:7-8, 24:3, 7-8.
Israel did not realize the problem that they would have in seeking to
live according to their own promises, but Yahweh knew for Moses writes, “These
words Yahweh spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the
fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and He added
no more. And He wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.
And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness,
for the mountain did burn with fire, that ye came near unto me, even
all the heads of your
tribes, and your elders; And ye said, ‘Behold, Yahweh our Elohim hath shewed
us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of
the fire: we have seen this day that Elohim doth talk with man, and He liveth.
Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear
the voice of Yahweh our Elohim any more, then we shall die. For who is
there of all flesh, that hath heard the
voice of the living Elohim speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have,
and lived? Go thou near, and hear all that Yahweh our Elohim shall say: and
speak thou unto us all that Yahweh our Elohim shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it,
and do it.’
And Yahweh heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and Yahweh said
unto me, ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have
spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. O that there were such an heart in them, that
they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always,
that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!...These are the words of the covenant, which Yahweh commanded Moses to
make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which
he made with them in Horeb. And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto
them, Ye have seen all that Yahweh did before your eyes in the land of Egypt
unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great
temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet
Yahweh hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to
hear, unto this day,’”
Dt. 5:22-29, 29:1-4.
Israel promised, trusting in themselves that they could perform
Yahweh’s laws and commands. Yet Yahweh said that they didn’t have the heart
in them at that time to be able to perform them. Why? Because of the law of sin
in the flesh and because Yahweh had not yet given them the heart to be able to
perform.
Paul makes an interesting admission in His writings, “Brethren, my
heart's desire and prayer to Yahweh for Israel is, that they might be saved. For
I bear them record that they have a zeal of Yahweh, but not according to
knowledge. For they being ignorant of Yahweh's righteousness, and going about
to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the
righteousness of Yahweh. For Messiah is the
end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth,” Ro. 10:1-4.
Israel made their covenant with Yahweh in ignorance. They went about
seeking to establish their own righteousness (self righteousness) being ignorant
of the righteousness of Yahweh.
Herein is the fifth lesson of self righteousness. Self righteousness
binds one to the law made at Sinai which is Hagar, “My little children, of
whom I travail in birth again until Messiah be formed in you, I desire to be
present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. Tell
me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other
by a freewoman. But he who
was of the bondwoman was
born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the
one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this
Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is
in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all,”
Gal. 4:19-26.
The self righteous are so taken up with their own ability to fulfill the
law that they are in the state of the same self righteousness that Job was
steeped
in before Yahweh began to work with him. They have engendered themselves to Mt.
Sinai which is Hagar and are in bondage to the fulfillment of the law by the
flesh and not the power of the spirit.
Yahweh’s righteousness is discovered in the New Covenant made through
Yahshua Messiah, “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been
sought for the second. For finding fault with them, He saith, ‘Behold, the
days come, saith Yahweh, when I will make a new covenant with the house of
Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made
with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of
the land of Egypt; because they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded
them not, saith Yahweh. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house
of Israel after those days, saith Yahweh; I will put my laws into their mind,
and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a Elohim, and they shall be to Me a people: And
they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying,
‘Know Yahweh:’ for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest. For I
will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities
will I remember no more.’ In that He saith, A new covenant,
He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away,” Heb. 8:7-13.
Self righteousness binds one to the Old Covenant which the law of sin in
the flesh prevents him from fulfilling. It is a covenant of bondage.
The New Covenant is the better covenant because it is not based upon the promise
of unfaithful man, but only on the faithful promise of Yahweh Who cannot and
will not fail!
THE
PATTERN
There is also a pattern that is extant throughout the Scriptures. Paul
writes, “So also is the
resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in
incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in
weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a
spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so
it is written, ‘The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was
made a quickening
spirit.’ Howbeit that was
not first which is
spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The
first man is
of the earth, earthy: the
second man is
the Master from heaven.
As is the
earthy, such are
they also that are
earthy: and as is
the heavenly, such are
they also that are
heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the
image of the heavenly,” 1 Cor. 15:42-49.
The first covenant was sown in like manner as Paul is speaking of here.
It was sown in physical, corruptible flesh. It was a covenant made with
physical, fleshly Israel. They simply had no heart to obey Yahweh, just as Adam,
the first man, the man of the flesh, had no heart to obey, but disobeyed very
quickly. Look how quickly Israel disobeyed after they had made their covenant
with Yahweh.
The first covenant was a physical, fleshly covenant. It was sown in
dishonor and corruption, just as the flesh has been sown in dishonor and
corruption. The second covenant is made through the Adam from heaven, Yahshua.
The second covenant is the covenant of the spirit, for Yahweh circumcises the
foreskin of the heart and not the foreskin of the flesh. Even the rite of
circumcision exposes the pattern of first comes the flesh, second comes the
spirit.
Israel and almost all of the world have been ignorant of this pattern. So
many people in all faiths have sought to establish their own brand of self
righteousness. We must REPENT of this tendency to establish our own
righteousness and submit to the righteousness which comes from above, from
Yahweh through Yahshua. It is the circumcision that comes from Yahweh, the
circumcision of the heart that we must be concerned with. That is the
righteousness that is worthwhile and enduring.
SUMMARY
There are five important and vital lessons concerning self righteousness
that we have learned in this treatise.
Þ #1
Self righteousness exalts one above Yahweh.
Þ #2
Self righteousness exalts one above others.
Þ #3
Self righteousness is unmerciful.
Þ #4
Self righteousness is blind.
Þ #5
Self righteousness binds us to the Old Covenant that we CANNOT FULFILL.
Self righteousness is a most
deadly sin. It is a sin that, if not repented of, will lead one to destruction.
Look at how Yahshua addressed the scribes and Pharisees time and time again.
Are you afflicted with the sin of self righteousness? You can only
discover it if you will search the Scriptures diligently to find out. It would
be well worth your while to examine yourself accordingly. May Yahweh bless you
to root this evil completely out of your life. HALLELUYAH!
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