Reward and Judgment
Part 6 of 7
With establishment of the eternal validity of Torah through Moses and the prophets and re-asserted and taught through Yeshua and the apostles, it is time to consider Torah's rewards and judgments. Just as Scripture is replete with direct orders to observe Torah, so it's ripe with blessing and consequence regarding the choice to obey or disregard Torah.
Scripture says Yeshua our Messiah was slain from before the foundation of the world. From before creation, our redemption was firmly put in place—to be revealed in its proper time. In regards to the subject of this chapter, and our inability to keep Torah in purity, Paul wrote to the Galatians in 3: 29, “If you are in Messiah, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise”.
The understanding of this statement of Paul is that we are Messiah's possession. We have been bought with a price, as Scripture says. Because of our transgression of His Torah, we have been redeemed to abide forever in His love. Yeshua says of this abiding in John 15: 9, “Even as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you: abide in My love”.
Herein is the highest reward of keeping His commandments, even a double reward. We have blessed fellowship with Him, and He with us. If we keep His commandments, we know His presence will always be with us. For, He says in v. 10, “If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love”.
In vv. 12-13, Yeshua reduces His Torah to the second of the two greatest commandments. "This is My commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Without a solid understanding of Torah regarding redemption—the surety of Judah for Benjamin being one example (Genesis 43: 8-9)—one will never grasp the deepest meaning within this statement of Yeshua, or receive the greatest reward found within His Living Torah. It truly is as Messiah said of the two greatest commandments—“All the law (Torah) and the prophets hang on these two”.
To be in Messiah is to abide in His love, reaping the rewards of His blessed presence. To choose not to abide in His love is as Yeshua said through John in 15: 6. “If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”
To be a partaker of Messiah is to be a partaker of the Abrahamic covenant. To be a partaker of the covenant of Abraham is to abide in Torah. Our reward is as Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 7: 12, “Wherefore it shall come to pass, if you hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD your Elohim shall keep unto you the covenant and the mercy which He swore unto your fathers”.
For our part, if we keep his Torah, the covenant remains in effect and we remain beneficiaries of His mercy. Further, if we abide in His love, we are blessed (v. 13). He blesses the fruit of our land and makes us to increase, even if no more than in the richness of His immense love. We will be blessed above all people (v. 14). We will also walk in divine health (v. 15).
There are two sides to every coin, as I've heard it said. As there is blessing for covenant keepers, there is judgment for those that refuse to honor His Torah. Moses concluded v. 15 by saying, “I will lay them (diseases) upon all that hate you”. It will be as Moses wrote in Leviticus 26: 17. “I (YHVH) will set My face against you.” To understand the full scope of judgment for not keeping His Torah, I suggest a reading of the 26th chapter of Leviticus, vv. 14-39.
One might say, “These judgments were for the children of Israel. They disobeyed and were subjected to brutal captivity. They can't apply to us today.” It is true these were written for our ancient Hebrew brethren. Yet, they most certainly apply today, as has been proved in previous sections. Sooner or later, the disobedient will face their day of judgment.
As with our early Hebrew brethren, so it was with those of Yeshua's day. Mark quotes Messiah in 7: 6, “He answered and said unto them, well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, this people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me”. They worship in vain, teaching the doctrines of men (v. 7). They “rejected” Torah in order to keep their “own traditions” (v. 9).
As it was with those of Yeshua's day, so it is in ours. The Living Torah of YHVH is completely rejected by nearly every mainline christian denomination or independent fellowship. They follow the “Golden Rule” of Matthew 7: 12, giving “lip service” to Torah, but enter the wide gate of v. 13 and drink the cup of their own destruction.
There will be those standing before Adonai on that day thinking a profession of faith and life of service in the name of Yeshua will get them into His kingdom. They will stand before Adonai and say as in Matthew 7: 22. “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? And, in Your name cast out devils? And, in Your name done many wonderful works?”
There will be evangelists, pastors, deacons, and sunday school teachers attempting to give account of their choice to disregard Torah. Even worse, these will be very conscious of the presence of those standing there with them whom they led astray by teaching abolition of Torah.
At very best, for them, it will be as Yeshua said in 5: 19 of Matthew. “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
At the very worst, it will be as Yeshua said in Matthew 5: 20. “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.” These will hear the saddest words in all the universe. It will roll over them like a giant tsunami. They will be totally crushed to hear the words of Messiah in v. 23, “I never knew you: depart from Me, you that work iniquity (are Torahless)”.
Click Here To Continue In The 19th Psalm
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