So I was posting this random thought to my Facebook page and just felt the urge to share it here but in more depth. For nearly 2 years, I have been on this path learning Torah, but I did not stop there, I went on into actually learning the language as well. Although I cannot say I am fluent in it, I will say that I read it enough that I tent to catch on to what is being said more than most. During my journey, I have gone a long way. There are so many things in my life that has changed, to include the way I think and even see things. One thing that tends to always stand out to me, as it relates to most Christian believers, is the Roman based theology, which is the parent of most errors in the faith. Not only that, but the paganism and false doctrines concerning Torah also finds it’s origins in Rome. I have come to understand that because this erred doctrine dates back to the first few centuries of the church age, and has gone unchecked for so long, most people today refuse to question it. In fact, many would rather justify and defend it.
So my random thought on Facebook was about when Yeshua told His disciples in Matthew 10:34-36 that He DID NOT come to bring peace, but a sword. He went on to say that this sword would divide families, and ultimately create enemies within the home. Quite a radical statement coming from the Prince of Peace isn’t it? Yes, but when you really analyze what is being said it becomes quite clear. So, we first need to understand why He would say this. Well, first of all, Yeshua’s biggest opposition came not from the sinner, but from the church. I do not mean the congregation either, but from the religious leaders. These were the people entrusted to study the Word. To know the Word, to live the Word and most importantly to teach it. These church leaders did the one thing that YHVH told them not to do. He told them DO NOT add to or TAKE AWAY from this Torah. Not long after being told this, the leaders took it upon themselves to create what is known today as the Oral Torah. These were handed down traditions of past Rabbi’s that reiterated, over emphasized, and ultimately added more to Torah. Although it can be debated by some that the intentions were good, in that they sought to add extra layers around Torah to ensure the people were far from breaking it, it still did the one thing that they were not to do. In doing so, you could say they sought to perfect the already perfect and ended up corrupting it.
Ok, so what about the sword and the division? I’m getting to it. Ok, so the Oral Torah began to hold more weight than the written Torah or as it is also called, the Torah of Moses. The priest began to teach the people these additional Mitzvots (Commands) in place of Torah. Again these teachings are what Yeshua addressed as the”traditions of the elders”. Yeshua had come to clarify what Torah was about, and in doing so, He made it His business to defy these man made traditions at the same time. In doing so, He made a lot of people mad. Well, not people, just the religious order. Due to the watering down of Torah, there was split, which from it was spawned the Pharisee’s and the Sadducee’s. There were a few other factions that had broken off as well, but I wont get into them now. These were the main two though. Imagine a Jewish version of our Republicans and Democrats. Thats what they were like, well, sort of. Anyway, the teachings of Yeshua opposed them so bad that it spawned a hatred in their hearts. This hatred was so deep, it caused them to seek His very life. After His crucifixion, the torch was handed to the Apostles, who in turn inherited that same hatred by the religious leaders because they taught the same words of Yeshua thereby bringing the sword. And from history, we know what many of their fates were.
Fast forward to today, and we find a huge awakening going on in the body of believers. Many are being awakened to Torah and falling away from the Christian church. As Messianic Judaism grows, those within this awakening are finding themselves bringing a sword wherever they go. It is this same sword that many of us bring that has caused many of us to be cut off from the believers we once served with prior to coming to the knowledge of Torah. I can even say of my own self that I have had close friends that eventually cut me off. Truly, the sword does bring division. The interesting thing is that, when Yeshua is brought on the scene, change MUST come. It’s inevitable. I have come to believe that for many, it is much easier to stay in error than to accept change. In most cases, there are some serious changes that need to be made, and most cant handle that. Rather than changing, most will justify and defend what they do, simply because it’s just easier that way. One of the comments I used to get from old friends as it related to Torah was concerning the various types of sacrifices. It was clear by this that they really were unaware of Torah. I mean, if they were aware, they would know that the sacrifices could only be done in the Temple. The same Temple that was destroyed in 70 AD. They would also know that out of the 613 Teachings or commands of Torah, some are only towards the priest, some only to women, some only to men, and so forth. This being the case, we need to know Torah for ourselves so that we can know what applies to us and what doesn’t. But the one thing for sure, as a follower of Yeshua, you to will bring a sword and this sword will bring division within your family and friends simply because it calls for changes that most are to comfortable to make. Is this a bad thing? Not at all, I mean according to Yeshua if we are friends with the world we are at enmity with YHVH. So i cannot see us walking in Him and being loved by all. Our very light exposes and convicts them. Nonetheless, it behooves us to share the word every chance we get. Whether it is accepted or not is not our concern, but rather how we delivered it. Blessings!
