And thou shalt love the LORD thy G-D with all thine
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
(D’varim)Deuteronomy 6:5
Seems cliche, does it not? Loving G-D with all your heart, soul and strength, the question becomes do we really do that? Sure we can say we do, but our actions prove other wise...it’s like the saying;
“Actions speak louder than words”
Kind of puts a new perspective on (James 2:18) if you think about it...you know; “Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works”. This all goes hand and hand with “Love and Repentance Part-1”
You can claim to accept Messiah, and even claim to love Him...but where’s the proof? where’s the fruit?
Where’s the brokenness? Where’s the change, and the daily surrendering of self, and putting Him above everything else.
How dare we claim to love Him with all our heart and soul, and yet cling to the world...
How dare we say we are His children and we call Him Abba...but don’t show Him honor or give any reverence to His Torah(law). (Malachi 1:6)
But displaying grace unto thousands of them that LOVE me and keep my commandments.
(D’varim) Deuteronomy 5:10
exactly what Yeshua(Jesus) said;
“If you love me, keep my commandments”
John 14:15
Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.
Psalm 119:165
We are so confused about what LOVE is, and yet we claim to have the author of life...We say we know His word but somehow miss the definition of it, we miss the context and the meaning between the lines. If ever we are in a quandary about what love is, we have the directions, we have the manual right at our finger tips.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, if you want to know what real love is than go read your Bible...because it does nothing but scream self-sacrificing love. I could also tell you to just go and read 1 Corinthians 13
Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful,
not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered...
ect ect ect..
And of course again, just look at our passover lamb Yeshua. But you see, the reason Love and repentance go hand in hand, is because we may know love when it is given to us, but how do we respond to it? How do we show love back becomes a key element. This is what I mean by Love and Repentance are a perfect marriage, For we wouldn’t know what real LOVE is if we didn’t know G-D, the author of love and creator of it, who first loved us before we even knew how to make a response. You see, G-Ds response is Love ours should be REPENTANCE, we show love in return to our Abba(father) by honoring what He honors, walking in His light, being led by His spirit, cherishing His torah(law), and abhorring what He abhors.
For those that don’t know this is Passover week, This is the time we are called to remember what happened in Egypt with G-Ds chosen people(Exodus 12:14). Specifically G-D tells us in Exodus 12 that they were to slaughter a lamb or goat without defect on the 14th day of the month at dusk, and than they were to smear the blood on their door posts, and G-D would go through out Egypt slaying all the firstborn but passover the houses whose door posts were covered by the blood.
You may be asking:
“And this has to do with Love and repentance..because?”
Well did G-D not show His love to His people by freeing them from slavery? Did they do anything to deserve it? Most people say the “Old Testament” is full of an angry Holy god and the “New Testament” is full of a god of mercy and love...
I find that idea to be completely stupid, because I see G-D as exactly the same in “both” Testaments, and the bible makes it absolutely clear that He doesn’t change.
He is merciful to forgive and yet righteous and Holy at the same time, we absolutely see this in the sacrifice of the lamb of G-D Yeshua Ha’Mashiach. You see, Passover is symbolic of the crucifixion of Yeshua, passover should mean the world to us. Through the blood of the lamb we are freed from slavery of sin!
Through the blood of the lamb we see the absolute Holiness and Righteousness of G-D by fulfilling His wrath by crucifying His Son on a Tree, and His mercy,LOVE, and forgiveness by the same action.
So finally...and again I ask, what should our response to this be?
He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and FORSAKES [them] will have mercy.
Proverbs 28:13
I don't care who you are, everyone is in need, and everyone wants change in some form or another. I tell you though, don't ever, don't you ever... say;
“I’d come to messiah but I have to change my life first. I have to deal with this sin, or this issue, or this problem.. before I come to Him.”
A lot of preachers or christians would then go into a dialog about “Repentance” to someone who would say that, and I would be for that.. if they(meaning the preachers) understood what repentance was. Your life does need to be cleaned up, and you do have to deal with your issues, but the fact of the matter is.. if you wait until your issues are cleaned up then you will be waiting your whole life! You will never come to messiah because you will never be able to change! Only messiah can change you..
Messiah is the one who gives you new eyes to see, and a new heart that seeks after Him, He is the one who makes you holy and able to flee from sin! If you could do that by your own power then you don't need HIM!
If you honestly want Messiah then get on your knees and repent, but be fore warned! Repentance isn't just being sorrowful. Repentance also brings change, seeking Messiah and accepting His mercy whole heartedly isn't a one time event, and it will produce a change in you that will not be by your own hands. His mercy should open the flood gates, His love and forgiveness, His sacrifice should overwhelm our very being and produce His likeness in us! If it does not, then you do not have Him! no matter how much you claim to accept Him
Many claim to have "accepted him" but no real change of heart has come! Preach repentance and it falls on deaf ears! Because its a word that doesn't hit home in this generation of lawlessness! "Repent you shout!" But this generation says "we have!" Foolishness! A bunch of whitewashed tombs, like in Jeremiah’s time! people have turned their backs on G-D but not their faces! Nor their hands asking for blessing when they deserve wrath!
“Roam the streets of Yerushalayim(Jerusalem) look around, observe and ask in it’s open spaces: If you can find anyone (If there is anyone!) who acts with justice and seeks the truth, I will pardon her. And though they say, ‘As Adonai lives,’ the fact is that they are swearing falsely.”
Yirmeyahu(Jeremiah) 5:1-2
Following Messiah is more than “I’m sorry”...if you claim to love and “accept” Him, then why do you hold onto what He abhors? Why do you look on what He says is good and perfect, and Holy as something disgusting and burdensome? You claim that He died so you can have freedom to SIN, you have totally missed the part of repentance in turning away from what G-D abhors. There’s no turning from the flesh and looking unto Messiah, and thus there is no renewal of heart and mind! You stay in your chains of sin while claiming you’re free...HERESY!
They refused correction. They made their faces harder than rock, refusing to REPENT.
Yirmeyahu(Jeremiah) 5:3-4
“Why should I forgive you? Your people have abandoned me and sworn by non-gods.
When I fed them to the full, they committed adultery, thronging to the brothels.
They have become like well-fed horses,
lusty stallions, each one neighing after his neighbor’s wife. Should I not punish for this?” asks ADONAI
Yirmeyahu(Jeremiah) 5:7-9
If you don’t understand true repentance, then you surely can’t understand Holiness, nor the fact that G-D is righteous, you wont understand His righteous judgements. G-D to you, will just be someone who is required to forgive you, and your part is to continue living as you wish. You will have absolutely no FEAR of G-D because why should you? your god doesn’t punish, and your god isn’t holy which thus makes your god NOT the G-D of Abraham,Isaac, and Jacob.
“Hear this, stupid, brainless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear: Don’t you fear me?”-says ADONAI.
Won’t you tremble at my presence?
Yirmeyahu(Jeremiah) 5:21-22
False sheep claim they have repented, they say they are sorry, but are they? Are they really? you ask them do they know the cost of their transgressions, and they say; “Surely we do! It cost Messiahs life!” Then again I ask, why do they continue to live as if they are crucifying Messiah all over again!? They don't live by His mitzvah(His commandments) they say they love Him, but only love Him when he blesses them! They say they are sorry, but are only sorry because they got caught! They don’t wish to turn from evil at all, and they openly hang on to their idols and wickedness while claiming to be a child of G-D
(that’s called mocking kiddies and G-D doesn’t take kindly to it.) don’t tell me Ezekiel 8 doesn’t peg a lot of Christianity today that hangs onto paganism in one way or another.
“Human being, did you see what the leaders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each one in the room of his own carved image, because they say, ‘ADONAI can’t see us; ADONAI has left the land.’ ?” He also said to me, “You will see even worse abominations that they are doing.” He brought me to the entrance of the north gate to ADONAI’s house; and there before me were women weeping for *Tammuz*.
Yechezk’el(Ezekiel)8:12-14
*(“Tammuz” by the way means “Sprout of Life” and was a sumerian deity of food and vegetation, and so hence in Ezekiel we see that Hebrew women were following the ritualistic mourning to “Tammuz”. Whoring after other gods..)
Christianity today is essentially whoring after other gods, because they seek to make the G-D of the bible into their own image, they take G-D and His commandments and take the parts they like while ignoring the parts they don’t. Either G-D is everything the bible says He is...or He is not...you don’t get to pick and choose what works for “you”.
Here’s a question for you, since when have such important words like Repentance and LOVE lost complete meaning?
You may be asking yourself, what does Love have to do with Repentance? My reply would be; “it has everything to do with it.” I’ve tried explaining true repentance, and I’ve tried explaining love before...but it seems like a good time to do it again.
Not understanding love is why there is so much divorce in this world today! And among christians who are suppose to know what love is! They get into relationships that they think were built upon love, but in reality it was built upon the flesh, and so they think all love is about is take, take, and take, and when trouble or disagreements come in the marriage (and they will!) They are quick to say things like "oh well...we fell out of love". Or"I'm not feeling this anymore"and they get a divorce and walk around telling people "I just fell out of love, just don't love him or her anymore"
How the hell do you "fall out of love"..??? I’m completely serious, it seems love has been brought so low that it’s now just some whimsical feeling that you can fall in and out of. True love isn't a light switch you can turn on and off, once its on, its on, and there's no falling out of it! I'm glad G-D doesn't fall out of love for us, and actually knows the meaning of it! He is the author of Love after all.
How quickly the world wishes to tell you about love, how quickly the world interjects it’s opinions. Yet, the world and the flesh are both equal in the fact that they are ignorant of it. Love is more than yearning, it’s far more than a primal urge. Love is simply put willful surrender, willful change, Yeshua(Jesus) was the perfect example of Love(and obedience). Yeshua wasn’t about simplistic fleshly carnal desire, blind by some happy sappy love. Yeshua was all about the Father, only cared to do His will, and willfully surrendered Himself to DEATH, that is real LOVE.(John 15:13)
Real Love doesn’t think about what has to be changed, doesn’t think about personal gain, it doesn’t think about surrendering...NO...Real Love just does! it’s not about what is being given up, the thought doesn’t really enter the mind, it’s like everything is considered a loss without the person and a total waste, and we willfully give everything up for the person. When truly in love we want the very best for the person, even if that means we get nothing in return, and even if that means letting the person go.
Again it’s willful surrender for the betterment of them, that’s LOVE!
So why do we not love G-D like this? I’m convinced we don’t know true love, we have listened to the biggest talkers giving us wrong advice on what love is, we listen to the flesh and the world, and they say love is all about take, there’s no give, only take....So we view G-D and love for Him exactly the same way...
Hence...Love & Repentance go hand and hand, it’s a beautiful marriage.
Part 2... coming soon
You “choosing G-D” isn't the miracle to glory in, the miracle is G-D unveiled your eyes too choose Him, even though you were wicked from the start.
Here's a fun little factoid for you, did you know Chanukah is in your bible?
don't believe me huh?
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
John 10:22
You may be saying to yourself; "Um…I see winter and dedication, I don't see the word Chanukah at all."
Well my friend, it's because you don't know the meaning of Chanukah or the fact that it's the only feast in "winter" that is celebrated by jewish people. Chanukah is the "Feast of dedication" that is its meaning, it is more than what you see on the surface level, it is more than lighting some candles for eight days. Yeshua(Jesus) found Chanukah important enough to be in the temple, at the time of it's celebration.
And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.
John 10:23
What did Yeshua say in John chapter 8? He called Himself the "Light of the World",
do you not see the symbolism of lighting the chanukiah?(Chanukah Menorah) it goes much deeper than that. A chanukiah(a menorah specifically used for Chanukah) has a total of 9 candle holders, usually one candle holder on the chanukiah is raised a little higher than the others, this is called the "Shammash candle" this is the candle that is lit and then lights the other candles on the menorah. Shammash means "Caretaker" or "helper"or a better way to put it is "Servant", this is usually a title given to a person in a jewish synagogue who takes care of temple duties, in christianity this would be called a "Deacon".
Yeshua was absolutely a servant, He only did the Fathers will, and like the "Shammash candle" that gives light to the other candles, is Yeshua not our light? without Yeshua we are nothing, and we must be shining beacons of light, and only by Yeshua is it possible for us to be light! Where is such symbolism, such biblical affirmation in Christmas? think about it, what does Christmas even have to do with Yeshua? sure, you say;
"it's when our savior was born!"
but really that's not even biblically accurate at all, and even if it were true…what exactly does santa clause and decoration of a tree have anything to do with His birth? none the less I'm not writing to talk about Christmas, I'm writing to share how biblical and important Chanukah is.
I did say it was more than lighting a menorah, some call it "the festival of lights" and I suppose it is, but its meaning is really "The feast of Dedication", the question becomes, what exactly is being dedicated? Well, you would have to know the story of the Maccabees, which oddly enough is in the Catholic cannon. The story of Chanukah is really found in the first book of Maccabees, I'd say if you want to know the whole story read chapters one thru four. Basically It's about the hellenization of Israel, the spread of greek culture and their philosophy forced down the throats of the jewish people.
This hellenization happened slowly, it really started with Alexander "the great" and only infected and spread after Alexander passed away and divided his kingdom up among his generals. To the greek mind set the jewish people were barbaric for they only "worshipped one GOD" and their laws and customs were looked down upon. Some jewish people welcomed the change, and had no problem adopting pagan customs, but most were really forced to change or they were put to death. King Antiochus attacked Jerusalem and pillaged the Temple, took all the gold out of the temple and defiled the temple of the LORD our GOD the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and made it a worship place for zues, turned the temple into a place of orgies and pagan sex practices to please their "gods".
They would gather up the jewish people and murder them if they didn't worship their gods, and murder them if they tried to hang on to any type of jewishness. It's even recorded that there was a mass slaughter of jewish people who refused to worship their gods and adopt pagan practices, they were keeping the sabbath and refused to take up arms against Antiochus's forces, so they were massacred without fighting back. Well a man named Mattathias and his sons were disgusted with what was happening with Jerusalem and their people being forced into hellenistic practices, and they were not going to stand for it any longer.
This small band of jewish men who were devoted to God and His commandments started up a revolt against Antiochus, they were vastly out numbered but it was shown that God was absolutely on their side. THe real leader and hero of the story is Mattathias's son Judah/Judas Maccabee who was steadfast,loyal and brave…a cunning warrior very much like Gideon.
Judah Maccabee took back Jerusalem and the temple, and they "re-dedicated" the temple back to the LORD, which took eight days, not only was it a miracle that they took back the temple but when they started to dedicate the temple and cleanse it from it's perversion they only found enough oil to last one day but the oil lasted eight days…hence the eight day celebration of Chanukah.
How is this not important? Shouldn't we as believers in our jewish savior Yeshua Ha'Mashiach(Jesus Christ) honor the days of Chanukah? It was apparently important enough to Yeshua that He went to temple during the feast. Don't the events of Chanukah parallel for us today?
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
1 Corinthians 6:19
As believers in Yeshua, full of the promised Ruach Hakodesh(Holy Spirit), our bodies are the temple, Chanukah is a time of declaring such, Chanukah is a time of clarification and dedication of our bodily temple to God. I mean, can you seriously not relate to the Maccabees? have our beliefs not been hijacked…has "Christianity" itself not become "hellenized" or to put it in todays terms "Westernized". We live in a culture that is saturated with unbiblical thinking, unbiblical theology and unbiblical living…and just like back in the days of the Maccabees some of us have no problem adopting paganism, and following the ways of the world while still claiming to be for God. Just like the days of the Maccabees we will come to a time where we will no longer be able to walk the fence, we wont be able to walk on the line of worldliness and Godliness, I promise you there will come a time where you are going to have to choose a side, and there will come a time where you will be faced with either surrendering your faith in the God of Abraham,Isaac and Jacob or being faced with death…..which would you choose?
I hope you would stand and fight, and refuse to surrender just like the Maccabees !
I will get political while remaining biblical (imagine that)
I will call out falsehood
I will not allow "emotionalism" or "fear" to sway me.
May the Holy spirit convict, and speak through this blog
and that goes for myself too.
***WARNING***
Yes, you will leave him too,
with your hands on yours heads(in shame).
For Adonai rejects those in whom you trust;
from them you will gain nothing.
Jeremiah 2:37
Good Ol' Jeremiah, my favorite book of the bible.
The time of Jeremiah and backsliding Israel,
reminds me of western christianity, specifically speaking
it reminds me of America, who considers itself a christian nation but is far from it. a verse that always is in the back of my mind is "They turned their backs to me but not their faces" that's Jeremiah, Jeremiah 2:27 and I think it's found elsewhere in Jeremiah too.
Tell me, have we as a country and culture stood by God and His principles? His commands? are we even seeking to? We've completely snubbed our noses at God, turned our backs to what He commands us to be, and at the same time have our hands out asking for His "blessing". It's abhorrible, we want God on our side but in no way shape or form want to live for Him.
I'm talking about "Christians", those who claim to follow, but have more concern for themselves and their lively hood than they do about God Himself, you know, those who refuse to die to themselves, but still want to claim to be united with Yeshua(Jesus). I'm not calling out unbelievers in America, that's not my job, after all unbelievers are just being what they are suppose to be. I'm calling out those who claim to be of the body of HaMashiach(The Messiah). Thought I'd clarify such before I get into this can of worms..
As we all know In America the elections are coming upon us, It's almost November already, and while some of us have lost hope and have chosen not to even vote, I've noticed an alarming trend amongst those who claim to be followers of Yeshua(Jesus). This trend I am speaking of is "FEAR", now obviously fear is nothing new, it's as old as creation, and political fear or the popular "Vote for the lesser of evils" is as old as politics. My question is, have we even really thought about "Vote for the lesser of evils"?
(this is where the apple cart upsetting starts)
What do you think God thinks about your choice to "vote for the lesser of evils" do you think He thinks its noble? Let me answer that for you…NO! God looks at evil as…well...EVIL! there is no distinction between "evils", it's like saying you told a "white lie"..God still looks at it as a lie, and it's like saying being a homosexual is wrong and at the same time saying it's ok to heterosexually sleep outside of marriage, to God both are a sin and both are equally wrong.
But wait…wait…wait..this is politics..right? what does God have to do with politics? we are not voting for a rabbi/pastor we are voting for a president..
Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who change darkness into light
and light into darkness,
who change bitter into sweet
and sweet into bitter!
Isaiah 5:20
We may not be voting for a rabbi/pastor but the fact of the matter is God isn't for evil(sin) He is abhorrently against it, the bible makes that crystal clear, The Son was crucified because of sin(our sinfulness), not to tolerate sin but to fundamentally ABOLISH IT! To answer the question of what does God have to do with politics? what doesn't He have to do with it? Is He not in control of all things? He's the one who puts people in positions of power, and we as a "free" country our privileged to be able to vote for the leader of the country.
Now some may say, if God's in control and puts people in power, then why even bother voting?
To me that's like saying "God's the one that heals and feeds the poor, why even bother trying to help?"
The fact is I know whoever wins the election will win because God has a purpose and a plan in it(It could very well be to pour out His wrath), but that doesn't mean that I don't get involved and vote for someone who stands by God and His word. My conscious before God will be clean in who I vote for, because I sought to stand by His word and not compromise with evil out of fear of the other party.
Romney is considered the lesser of evils compared to the democrat runner Obama, I suppose I could see how some people could think that…but the truth is there isn't much difference between the two. Asking me to choose between Romney and Obama is like asking me to drink either cyanide or nuclear waste…
Which is why I find it alarming that Christians in this country are supporting Romney, mainly it is out of fear of having another four years of Obama. First of all, like I just said if you honestly look at Romney and Obama they are not that different, second why don't you go read your bible and see what happens when you put FEAR ahead of God. That's the problem with people now adays, they run around with chickens like their heads cut-off basing their whole life on FEAR and not the good kind of FEAR…like the FEAR OF THE LORD, that's the only FEAR you should have. If Christians aka followers of Yeshua(Jesus) in this country actually had a fear of the LORD then they certainly wouldn't be voting for a mormon, and they would also be seeking to stand by Gods commandments, but thats a whole other story. Or maybe come to think of it it's not another story at all, this country is going to get what it deserves for mocking God, for claiming to follow Him but ignoring His commands.
Romney puts on a front that he's pro-life but he's far from it, he's also for homosexual marriage and the very "god" he worships isn't the one true God of Abraham,Isaac, and Jacob. But yet, you'll vote for him because he's not Obama? because he's white and maybe a little less socialistic? What is with Christians who just vote Republican and think they are doing God's will? they don't do their research…they don't check the fruit…they just vote R and think they are good christian Americans for doing so. I respect someone who chooses not to vote more so then one who just votes for one party because they put the party before the standards of God. Not that my respect means a thing, but seriously when are those who claim to be of Meshiach(Christ) going to start living like it? When are you going to wake up from your westernized entertainment driven selfish mind-set….and….
DIE TO YOUR SELF!(Matthew 16:24,Mark 8:34, Galatians 2:20)
For my people have committed two evils:
they have abandoned me,
the fountain of living water,
and dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns,
that can hold no water!
Jeremiah 2:13
Just like Israel at the time, I'm sure you will ask;
"How have we abandoned God?"
We are in a moral decline, God and His word is being mocked by those you support. Murder of babies has become just another "issue" same with gay marriage.
You sacrifice TRUTH for the sake of tolerance, because you think tolerance is love, wake up you have been infiltrated and you don't even realize it!
You may claim politics is a useless issue, but sitting
back and doing nothing is condoning the evil you are suppose to abhor. You let the world shape your biblical view when it is suppose to be your biblical view shaping your world view! I expect such from those without GOD but if you proclaim to be apart of the body... then where is the biblical shaping!? where is the change?! where is the love for God and His word?! the love of His TORAH!
You want this country to be better, you cry about the economy, and your wealth & prosperity, and you will seek anyone and everything to better that for you, except GOD. Because God has standards, because GOD sent the Son Yeshua(Jesus) to die for sin and make us Holy, not out of pity, but to make us HOLY… but you westernized American Christian just want His death for forgiveness and prosperity! not for Holiness, because your god isn't the GOD of the bible! your god is success and wealth…your god is money…
So you ignore what He abhors, and live contrary to His word making for yourself broken cisterns, like in Jeremiah's time. you live like the whore that Ezekiel 16 talks about and yet... still claim to be on God's side,
you walk on the proverbial fence/line when God says choose a side!
Woe to you who settle for less then God's standards!
Woe to you who don't FEAR the LORD GOD!
God wont be mocked!
I am voting independent. Tom Hoefling to be exact…I suggest you do your own research, instead of blindly following the media and wolves in sheep's clothing christian leaders.
Oh, and for the record…I don't HATE Obama or Romney, I abhor their policies yes, and the fact that people can't see through the bull, but I understand they don't have GOD so their actions don't surprise me, and all I can do is pray for GOD to open their eyes, before it's to late. God will have His way, His will… it will be done, all I can do is seek to stand by His word.
If there is found among you, in any city that ADONAI your God gives you, a man or a woman who does what ADONAI your God sees as wicked, transgressing His covenant by going and serving other gods and worshipping them, the sun,the moon, or anything in the sky- something I have forbidden- and it is told to you, or you hear about it; then you are to investigate the matter diligently. If it is true, if it is confirmed that such detestable things are being done in Israel; then you are to bring the man or woman who has done this wicked thing to your vita gates, and stone that man or woman to death.
-Deuteronomy[D'varim] 17:2-5
Have you had this verse thrown in your face before?
it's a verse that God mockers(Atheists/Agnostics)
love using. it's suppose to make God look cruel and at the same time make His word(The Bible) look like a "Contradiction"(trust me I know, I use to do the same thing they do with certain verses)
Claiming that The Bible is a "Contradiction" only comes when one is lacking of understanding, and doesn't understand the context of the scripture they claim is a "Contradiction". I'd say 90% of the time "contradiction" comes up when it has to do with Torah(Old testament) and this stoning one is a perfect example, it comes around because most people fail to realize what God was doing with His people.
BUT, before I get into that, lets just think logically for a second(something the atheist/agnostic throwing this verse in your face claims to do nothing but)
Lets imagine God is exactly who He says He is, crazy I know, but try to stay with me. So, God is one(Echad)
there is NO other, He is creator of all, the potter who can mold and destroy as He wishes. He demands, doesn't just ask for, but demands Holiness and worship of ONLY HIM, remember the 1st and 2nd commandment? they pretty much make that absolutely clear. So does...
Exodus(SH'MOT) 34:14
because you are not to bow down to any other god; since ADONAI -whose very name is Jealous -is a jealous God.
So, as He is molding His people, there comes one person who decides he/she will ignore all God asks and worship creation rather than creator. Now this ONE Holy perfect God is suppose to do what? tell His jewish people;
"Oh…that man or woman worshipping what I told you NOT TO, just ignore them, it's all good."?
This man/woman wouldn't just be effecting themselves, they are living in Gods Holy Land which He gave to His people, this person would corrupt others and lead others to do such wickedness. God isn't going to bless you if you completely ignore His mitzvot(Commandments) and He was blessing His people by giving the land He promised them. So God said get rid of the wickedness from you before it corrupts you all, provided there is two or three witness's to attest to the fact that the person is indeed worshipping a false god. (Deuteronomy[D'varim] 17:6)
God was establishing a Holy people & nation, He chose a people who were lesser then others, He showed His grace to the Jewish people by saving them out of Egypt! they did nothing to deserve saving from slavery, and did nothing to deserve Him choosing them as His people.
Now all God asks from them( and us by the way) is to put Him first, and that we don't worship His creation or false gods. What a cruel God to ask for such a thing! what a cruel God to show grace and only ask we acknowledge Him as ONE!(that's called sarcasm kiddies incase you missed it)
Now if you would say this to a person who throws the "stoning verse" in your face, what will they say next?
well, they will absolutely ignore all the "babble" about God being ONE and Holy and demanding we surrender to Him completely and they'll either go off into some other tangent or say something like;
"Ok…so then your "God" gives you permission today to go and stone people who don't believe like you."
Again they will ignore the fact that God was establishing His people in the Holy Land and thats who the verse was directed too. The fact is..NO that verse isn't for today, and no that doesn't mean God has changed in His Holiness or jealousy or that He still doesn't demand us to worship ONLY HIM nor does it mean that God doesn't still want us to be Holy. NONE of that has changed, the reason killing someone who ignores the truth has changed is because the promised Messiah/Prophet/Lord of Lords and King of Kings has come! Yeshua Ha Mashiach! (Jesus The Messiah/Jesus Christ) Moses talked about Him in Deuteronomy [D'varim]18:15
"ADONAI will raise up for you a prophet like me from among yourselves, from your own kinsmen. You are to pay attention to him,just as when you were assembled at Horev and requested ADONAI your God, 'Don't let me hear the voice of ADONAI my God any more, or let me see this great fire ever again; if I do, I will die!' On that occasion ADONAI said to me, 'They are right in what they are saying. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I order him. Whoever doesn't listen to my words, which he will speak in my name, will have to account for himself to me.
What Yeshua says is from Abba, and Yeshua paid the price we couldn't, the Prince of Peace our High priest who intercedes for us! Hallelu et ADONAI!(Praise the LORD)
Yeshua's yoke is easy, but His words and following Him isn't.
Deuteronomy[D'varim] 19:21 says;
Life for life,eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. As human beings wretched and wicked as we are that is probably the easiest thing for us to follow, HOWEVER Yeshua says;
"You have heard that our fathers were told, `Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too! If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him.- Matthew(Mattityahu) 5:38-42
You see, Yeshua doesn't destroy the law but fulfills it, He doesn't make it ok to worship other gods or to sin, He makes it so we can be forgiven of such wickedness, so those chains can be broken and we can be a new creation, and be Holy as God called us to be! All Glory to HIM! Holy Holy Holy is the one who was and is and is to come!
