Part 5

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Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty in which Moshiach has made us free, and be not harnessed again under the yoke of slavery.

Liberty to covenant Torah, not lawlessness;  nor a return to the Judaism’s one Torah, torah, torah doctrine either!

Galatians 5:2-4 Behold, I Shaul say to you, that if you become britmilah, Moshiach shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is brit-milah, that he is a debtor to do the whole Torah. 4 Moshiach has become of no effect to you…

To keep the whole torah is used as a negative assessment by Shaul/Paul  equivalent to Yahusha being of no use to you, you have been severed from Messiah! How do you deal with that as a Messianic?

Messianic’s have to admit to ‘Two Torah’s’, or at minimum a ‘division of Torah’, the problem is they use extra biblical theory: ‘Written Law’ vs. ‘Oral Law’ to sooth this verse and accomplish that means! 

There is “Two Torah’s”  but it’s the Book of the Law and Book of the Covenant based upon textual evidence – it’s in the bible; Torah and Brit in Hebrew and Greek, Masoretic, LXX and NT Greek!

Shaul/Paul states that we’re not obligated to keep the whole Torah as understood by the Jews of the day,  but to keep the whole Torah as understood by Abraham.

Galatians 5:3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Torah.

Because Galatians demands your hermeneutics connect back to Abraham and we know Abraham was righteous and kept YHWH’s torah – ‘Book of the Covenant’ torah and never knew a Levite and never encountered the ‘Book of the Law’ torah!

Circumcision

YHWH had attached physical circumcision (Genesis 17) to that Genesis 15 ‘Promise-Guarantee’ Covenant.

Once the ‘Answer’ which came 430 years later at Exodus 19 – the Book of the Covenant, was broken;  it broke the ‘Promise’ also taking out the Covenant sign of circumcision required as the entrance sign – into what? These now broken covenants?

Look at the evidence:

Joshua 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 (Exodus 32 till Joshua 5:5), them they had not circumcised.

Joshua 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 Exodus 32 (prior to the 40 year wilderness lapse Joshua 5:5)

Physical Circumcision is the Premier Covenant entrance sign – you’re not in the covenant without it. They had broken the Covenant – there was no point. There was no point to circumcise. There was no un-defiled covenant requiring circumcision to enter into!

YHWH’s Genesis 12 ‘oath’ didn’t require any human responsibility on their part (including circumcision) and not by the covenant at Genesis 15 (now broken) that did – connected to Genesis 17. Observing Passover, wearing Tzitzit for the next 40 years with uncircumcised Kids.

There is a very Torah reason why Shaul’s/Paul’s New Testament position on uncircumcision is correct:

10 points:

1. Genesis 12 is YHWH’s ‘Oath’ to the uncircumcised Abram that required nothing from Abraham or his descendants (including circumcision).
2. Genesis 15 is the ‘Guarantee’ Covenant guaranteeing ‘The Promise’ already made at Genesis 12.
3. The Genesis 15 Covenant carried a ‘death position’ and was then attached by YHWH to a ‘covenant sign’ circumcision (Genesis 17).
4. The Genesis 15 ‘Promise’ required an ‘Answer’ which was ‘The Book of the Covenant’ that Abraham’s descendants accepted and agreed to was that ‘Answer’.
5. The ‘Book of the Covenant’ made Israel a nation ‘of’  Melchizedek Priests.
6. They broke the Covenant in just about 40 days.
7. They defiled themselves and were no longer eligible to be Melchizedek Priests.
8. In lieu of complete annihilation – YHWH granted them to be a nation ‘with’ Levitical Priests from one tribe and put them under the ‘Book of the Law’, the school master.
9. The ‘Book of the Covenant’ was the ‘Answer’ that came 430 years after the ‘Promise’ given to Abraham (Galatians 3:17). You cannot break a 430 year removed ‘Answer’ without breaking the ‘Promise’ itself.
10. The proof is that Genesis 15 carries a condition – a death position –  we can see that was played out at Yahusha’s crucifixion (looking like the halved animals at Genesis 15).

The circumcision point

The ‘Answer’/‘seal’ to the promise given to Abraham, the ‘Book of the Covenant’ required circumcision as an ‘entrance sign’. The Israelite descendants of Abraham ‘broke’ the ‘Answer/seal Covenant’ that required circumcision as an ‘entrance sign’.

Breaking the ‘Answer/seal’ also broke the Genesis 15 ‘Promise’ (actually the ‘Guarantee’ Covenant; guaranteeing ‘The Promise’ already made by oath at Genesis 12.).

Now there was nothing to enter into. The point of the ‘physical circumcision sign’ is now a mute issue. This is Shaul’s/Paul’s very point;

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

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

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

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

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

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

To circumcise or not to circumcise?

Know that you’re being obedient to the 2nd command of Joshua 5:2 (after a 40 year circumcision lapse) under the Levitical Priesthood and not obedient to the 1st command of Genesis 17 under the Melchizedek Priesthood.

Joshua 5:2  2 At that time vuvh said to Yahoshua, Make yourselves sharp knives and perform brit-milah again upon the children of Yisrael a second time. 3 And Yahoshua made a sharp knife, and performed britmilah upon the children of Yisrael at the hill of the foreskins.4 And this is the reason why Yahoshua did perform britmilah upon the people: All the people that came out of Mitzrayim, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness, in the derech after they came out of Mitzrayim. 5 Now all the people that came out had received britmilah: but all the people that were born in the wilderness in the derech as they came out of Mitzrayim, had not received brit-milah. 6 For the children of Yisrael walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the people that were men of war, who came out of Mitzrayim, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of vuvh: to whom vuvh swore that He would not show them the land, which vuvh swore to their ahvot that He would give us, a land that flows with milk and honey.7 And their children, whom He raised up in their place, upon those did Yahoshua perform brit-milah: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not performed britmilah on the derech. 8 And it came to pass, when they had done performing

brit-milah upon all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, until they were healed.

Galatians 5:4 whoever of you are declared to be a tzadik by the Torah; you are fallen from unmerited favor. 5  For we through the Ruach Hakodesh wait for the tikvah of tzedakah by emunah.

Seeking to be justified by the ‘Book of the Law’ was seeking to find right standing and covenant status with יהוה through following a broken entrance sign;  a ritual which was no longer valid for the purpose that the Jew’s assumed –  I didn’t say it wasn’t valid anymore! I said it’s no longer valid for the purpose that the Jews assumed!

Galatians 5:6 For in gauvh ha Moshiach neither brit-milah is anything, nor akrobustia; but emunah which works by ahava. 7 You did run well before; who did hinder you that you should not obey the emet?

Galatians 5:8 This persuasion comes not of Him that has called you. 9 A little chametz leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you through vuvh, that you will not think any differently: but he that troubles you shall bear his mishpat, whoever he is.

A little bit of the ‘Book of the Law’ masquerading as blood rarified covenant Torah leavens your whole Torah walk!

Galatians 5:11 And I, Yisraelite brothers, if I still proclaim brit-milah, why do I suffer persecution? Then is the stumbling-block of the tree ceased.

5 points:

1. People were saying that Shaul/Paul was in agreement with their position, that the Galatians needed to circumcise into the community and follow the local Jewish halacha as interpreted through the ‘Book of the Law’ to be granted covenant status.
2. By use of the Greek word ‘eti’ ‘still’ Shaul/Paul admits to having once taught this doctrine too, sometime in the past.
3. He reasons, if he was still teaching that circumcision and ‘Book of the Law’ observance equated to covenant entrance;  there would be no good explanation for his never ending persecution, he would have been embraced by the majority.
4. Shaul’s/Paul view is that to teach circumcision and ‘Book of the Law’ observance would have sheltered him from persecution and would have nullified the centrality of Yahusha’s blood ratification of a New Covenant – given as Torah – connecting back to the Melchizedek promises of Abraham – ‘Book of the Covenant’Torah!
5. Shual/Paul addresses the two groups approaches to covenant status, (a) circumcision and ‘Book of the Law’ adherence or (b) Messiah’s blood ratification and subsequent establishment of the New Covenant given as Torah – emphasis on covenant and Torah!

These two views, and thereby groups,  a) and b) could never be stand in once accord because on nullifies the other!

The death of Yahusha had become a stumbling block to the Jewish community because it represented a completely opposite view to their own view of covenant membership.

If Yahusha’s death alone brought in covenant right standing;  then the Jews no longer owned the self appointed title of the ‘righteous elect people’ giving admission into covenant Israel!

Galatians 5:12 I desire that they who trouble you were even cut off. 13 For, Yisraelite brothers, you have been called to liberty; only use not liberty as an occasion for the flesh, but by ahava serve one another.

Galatians 5:14 For all the Torah is fulfilled in one word, even in this; You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by each other. 16 This I say then, have your halacha in the Ruach Hakodesh, and you shall not fulfill the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh craves what is harmful to the Ruach Hakodesh, and the Ruach Hakodesh opposes the desires of the flesh: and these two are contrary to one another: so that you cannot do whatever you please. 18 But if the Ruach Hakodesh leads you, you are not under the systems that pervert the Torah.

19 Now the works of the flesh are well known, among which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, indecency 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, quarrels, jealousies, rage, strife, selfish ambition, stubbornness, heresies, 21 Envy, murder, drunkenness, wild indecent parties, and all such things: about which I warn you again as I have also done in times past, that those who practice such things as the derech of their chayim shall not inherit the malchut of vuvh.

Believers are engaged in a conflict, we’re told what to avoid and oppose, and what we’re to cherish and cultivate

Four major classifications of the works of the flesh – what to avoid and oppose:

1. Sins of lust
2. Sins of lacking submission to יהוה and superstition
3. Sins of the temper
4. Sins of the appetite.

1. Adultery:
2. Fornication:
3. Uncleanness:
4. Lasciviousness

The next two sins are sins that involve superstition and a lack of knowledge of The Creator.

5.   Idolatry:

6.   Witchcraft:

There are 9 works of the flesh that deal with the temper:

7.   Hatred:

8.   Variance:

9.   Emulations:

10. Wrath:

11. Strife:

12. Seditions:

13. Apostasy:

14. Envying’s:

15. Murders:

The last two sins are sins of the appetite:

16. Drunkenness

17. Revelings:

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Ruach Hakodesh is ahava, simcha, shalom, patience, chesed, rachamim, trust worthiness, 23 Gentleness, self-control: there is no true Torah that is against this kind of tov fruit. 24 And they that are Moshiach’s have controlled the flesh with its affections and desires.

Conversely, here’s what we’re to cherish and cultivate:

Six Steps Toward Walking by the Spirit:

1. Faith:
2. Recognize:
3. Supplication:
4. Gratitude:
5. Walk:
6. Serve

Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Ruach Hakodesh, let us also have our halacha in the Ruach Hakodesh. 26 Let us not desire worthless tifereth, provoking, or ridiculing one another, or envying one another.