Today’s Blog: Can you hear it?
TODAY’S PROVERB: For the mitzvah [commandment] is a lamp, Torah [The Law] a light, and corrective discipline the way of life . . . Proverbs 6:23, TLV
Can you hear it? The collective groan. Here I go again talking about the dry, uncomfortable themes of discipline, laws, and commandments. Sigh. Who wants to talk about that? Guess what? I don’t. But, I love you. And these things are important to our spiritual, mental, emotional, and even physical wellbeing.
The context of this verse relates to adultery, fornication, and temptation. Yippee. But, here’s the reality: sin is sin. Big or small, it’s the same to our Father. So, as much as we don’t like talking about it, every once in a while we all need reminding. Me included.
What does it mean practically for us to use the commandments, the Law, and corrective discipline as our light and way of life? In order to fully understand that, we need to actively pursue the commands and law. Not as a means of salvation or redemption, but as acts of obedience to a loving Father who gave His only Son to atone for our sins.
It’s not a popular notion to study the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) as well as the New Testament/Covenant. Or study the rest of what is known as the Old Testament as well as Proverbs and Psalms. But, the Torah is the foundation for all of scriptures.
Jesus demonstrated this throughout His life on this earth. Probably the most profound example is His temptation after His immersion. In Matthew 4:1-11, Yeshua responds to satan’s temptations only using passages from the Torah (from Deuteronomy, as a matter of fact). Even when the enemy uses verses in Psalms, Jesus responds with Torah.
“If You are Ben-Elohim [the Son of GOD],” [satan] said, “throw Yourself down. For it is written, ‘He shall command His angels concerning you,’[Psalm 91:11]and ‘upon their hands they shall lift you up, so that you may not strike your foot against a stone.’”[Psalm 91:12]
Yeshua said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put Adonai your God to the test.’”[Deuteronomy 6:16]
YESHUA GIVING WHAT-FOR TO THE ENEMY, MATTHEW 4:6-7, TLV
Where Do I Begin?
If you feel a tug in your heart to begin studying those first, five, foundational books of the Bible, it may seem a bit intimidating. Fortunately, our Heavenly Father showed the Jewish people thousands of years ago how to do it. At the risk of sounding impartial, the Tree of Life Bible Society [the Tree of Life Version of the Holy Scriptures folks] have taken the ancient system of study and given us a way to explore the whole of scripture — Genesis to Revelation.
Just like reading a chapter of Proverbs each day is so beneficial, reading the Torah portion each week will establish a firm foundation for all areas of our faith. But don’t take it from me, here’s what Jesus said:
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. Amen, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or serif shall ever pass away from the Torah until all things come to pass. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps and teaches them, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
JESUS–NOT ME, MATTHEW 5:17-19, TLV
A lamp and light to our path (Psalm 119:105) and our feet. It’s what we all need — the strongest in faith and the weakest.
Please pray about adding the Torah portion to your reading, studying, living routine for 2020 — and perhaps, for the future. You won’t be sorry. In fact, it will change our life!
May we embrace the Lamp and Light, my friends.
Proverbs 6:23 Tree of Life Version – TLV, #tlvbible, #tlvproverbs
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