Part 21

Download Notes

The Acts of the Hebrews – Part 21

1. To be bound in the RUACH
2. To be circumcised
3. To be a Nazarene Israelite under vow

Act 21:9 And there were four virgin daughters to this one, who prophesied. 10 And as we stayed more days, a certain prophet from Judea named Agabus came down. 11 And coming to us, and taking Paul’s belt, and binding his hands and feet, he said, Thus saith the RUACH HA KODESH: So shall the Jews at Jerusalem BIND the man whose belt this is, and will deliver him into the hands of the nations.

ACTS 20:22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

21:12 And when we heard these things, both we and those of the place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Master Yahusha. 14 And he not being persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Master be done.

1. TO BE BOUND TO יהוה in the RUACH 

אסר’ âsar- ALEF-SAMECH-RESH, to begin the battle, of obligation of oath.

When we come to faith we begin the battle…we’ve taken an obligation of oath…if we’re truly converted!

The pictograph – SAMECH – a thorn representing a turning, RESH-picture of a head. Combined these mean “turn the head”. The turning of the head to another direction. One who rules turns the people to his direction. “The turning the head of the child to the ruler crowned in thorns.”

21: 20 And hearing, they glorified the Master, and said to him, You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe, and they are all zealous of the TORAH.

Act 21:21 And they are informed concerning you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the nations to forsake Moshe, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, nor to walk after the customs. 22 What is it therefore? At all events a multitude will come together, for they will hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do this, what we say to you: We have four men who have a vow on themselves. 24 taking them, be purified with them, and be at expense for them, so that they may shave their heads. And all may know that what they have been told about you is nothing, but you yourself also walk orderly and keep the Law.

2. TO BE CIRCUMCISED:

Psa 119:83 For I am like a wineskin in the smoke; I do not forget Your Precepts.

Lk. 5:37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskin will perish.

Rom 2:25 but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

Deut 10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

Deu 30:6 And יהוה thy Elohim will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love יהוה thy Elohim with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Jer 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to יהוה, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

YHWH had attached physical circumcision (Gen.17) to that Gen.15 ‘Promise’ of the book of the covenant. 

The fulfillment of that promise in Gen. 15 came 430 years later through the ratification of the book of the covenant (Exo 19) but it was broken a month later at the golden calf (Exo. 32). So once broken it broke the ‘Promise’; also taking out the Covenant sign of circumcision required as the entrance sign. There was nothing to circumcise into.  

Consider Jos. 5:5.

Jos 5:5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt (Ex.32 till Jos.5:5), them they had not circumcised. 5:6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed…

Think of it; before the Golden Calf Covenant break of Ex.32 (prior to the 40 year wilderness lapse Jos.5:5) physical circumcision is the premier covenant entrance sign – you are not in the covenant without it. Once they had broken the covenant there was no point to circumcise. There was no un-defiled covenant requiring circumcision to enter into.

YHWH’s Gen.12 ‘oath’ did not require any human responsibility on their part (including circumcision) and neither by the covenant at Gen.15 (now broken) 

Many in the messianic movement have trouble with this: Israel was observing Passover, wearing tzitzit for the next 40 years with uncircumcised children. 

There is a very Old Testament Covenant reason why Paul’s New Testament position on uncircumcision is correct.

• Gen.12 is YHWH’s ‘Oath’ to the uncircumcised Abram / Abraham that required nothing from Abraham or his descendants (including circumcision). 

• Gen.15 is the ‘Guarantee’ Covenant guaranteeing ‘The Promise’ already made at Gen.12. 

• The Gen.15 Covenant carried a ‘death position’ and was then attached by YHWH to a ‘covenant sign’ (Gen.17). 

• The Gen.15 ‘Promise’ required an ‘Answer’ – ‘The Book of the Covenant’ that Abraham’s descendants accepted and agreed to was that ‘Answer’. 

• The Book of the Covenant’ made Israel a nation ‘of’ Melkizedeq Priests. 

• They broke the Covenant in just about 40 days. They defiled themselves and were no longer eligible to be Melkizedeq Priests.

• In lieu of complete annihilation – YHWH granted them to be a nation ‘with’ Levitical Priests from one tribe.

• The ‘Answer’ came 430 years after the ‘Promise’ (Gal.3:17). You cannot break a 430 year removed ‘Answer’ without breaking the ‘Promise’ itself. 

• The proof is that Gen.15 carries a condition – a death position – that we can see was played out at Yahshua’s crucifixion (looking like the halved animals at Gen.15). 

The Book of the Covenant required circumcision as an ‘entrance sign’. The Israelite descendants of Abraham ‘broke’ the ‘fulfillment seal Covenant’ that required circumcision as an ‘entrance sign’. 

Breaking the ‘fulfillment seal’ also broke the Gen.15 ‘Promise’ (actually the ‘Guarantee’ Covenant; guaranteeing ‘The Promise’ already made by oath at Gen.12.). Now there was nothing to enter into. The point of the ‘physical circumcision sign’ is now a mute issue. This is Paul’s very point.

1 Cor 7:19 Circumcision is nothing – uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments…

Gal 5:6 For in Yahshua neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith…

Gal 6:15 For in Yahshua neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Col 3:11…neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free:

Gal 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet (still) preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution?…

To circumcise or not to circumcise? Just know that they are being obedient to the 2nd command of Jos.5:2 (after a 40 year circumcision lapse) under the Levitical Priesthood and not obedient to the 1st command of Gen.17 under the Melkizedeq Priesthood!

Later, the ordinances and laws of the Levitical priesthood were given. BoL.

Shall we live by works of the law (book of the law)  or works of the RUACH? 

Gal 3:2 This only I would learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing of faith?

Gal 3:5 Then He supplying the Spirit to you and working powerful works in you, is it by works of the law, or by hearing of faith?

3. TO BE A NAZARENE ISRAELITE UNDER VOW  

Over the years I have spoke with many in the Church and Messianic Movement about this passage and how it relates to the cusp of the law transition point from the Levitical to the  Melchizedek Priesthood, the book of the law – book of the covenant dichotomy.

Paul actually ended a Nazarite Vow (Numbers) here, in the only Torah way possible, as proof he honored ‘the Law.’ 

Well remember, he also said he would use ‘all‘ means to try and save some. What we fail to realize is that Paul was at the cusp of the law transition point – this is the key point and he will not jeopardize the salvific gospel over form, structure and tradition. 

1 Cor. 9:20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law (book of the law), as under the law (book of the law), 2 that I might gain them that are under the law (book of the law). 

To those still under the book of the law met them where they were at in their understanding (under the law) demonstrating that he was not totally lawless as some were saying (because they were not comprehending ‘the rightly dividing point‘ of Torah and ‘law change’ Gen 49;10/Heb 7:12). 

Gen. 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Until = impending change. Impending change when? Shiloh come.

Gal 3:19 ‘Wherefore then serveth the law? (the ook of the law v:10) It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made.

Heb 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Heb 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the book of the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the TORAH.

Once he gained an audience with them he could reveal ‘the rightly dividing point of the law’ (2 Tim 2:15)

2 Tim. 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto Elohim, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of Elohim: for if righteousness come by the law (book of the law), then Messiah died in vain.

Heb 7:21 (for those priests were made without an oath, but this one was made with an oath by Him who said to Him, “The Lord swore and will not repent, You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek,”).