The-Apostolic-Faith: Reflections on Shabat, 21st June 2024

torstai 20. kesäkuuta 2024

Reflections on Shabat, 21st June 2024

The Incarnate Son of the Most High, Yeshua HaMashiach, proclaimed
the message of salvation before giving himself up as the sacrificial Lamb.

How great Yeshua HaMashiach really is?

His origin is from eternity. He existed with Father Elohim even before the beginning of time and before any created thing existed. In him, through him and in him all the visible and invisible worlds with all their creations and ages were created and in him they remain valid.

Of him the psalmist wrote, saying: Psalm 110:1
>>A psalm of David. Here is Yehovah proclamation to my Adonai: "Sit down at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool!"<< Here Adonai is Yeshua HaMashiach.

David's son, Solomon, also wrote about him, with the wisdom he received from Yehovah, a whole chapter on the Wisdom of Yehovah, who is Yeshua HaMashiach. I have extracted only four verses from it: Proverbs 8:22-23, 34-35

>>22 Yehowah created me as the beginning of his works, before his deeds of long ago. 23 From eternity I was appointed, from the beginning, from before the world existed...

34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching at my doors day by day, waiting beside my doorway. 35 For the one who finds me finds life and receives favor from Yehowah.<<

Yehowah made Yeshua our Savior

When he was with his Father in glory, Yeshua HaMashiach fell in love with us the people he had made. After our ancestors fell into sin, Yeshua, at the request of his Father, agreed to come to people to redeem and save us from being lost. We read the dialogue between the Father and the Son before the Son came to earth: Psalm 40:7-9

>>7 Then I say, "Look! I come! What is written in the scroll pertains to me. 8 I want to do what pleases you, my Elohim. Your law dominates my thoughts." 9 I have told the great assembly about your justice. Look! I spare no words! O Yehowah, you know this is true.<<

On earth, Yeshua as an adult said the following about his Father: Psalm 2:7-8
>>7 The king says, "I will announce Yehowah's decree. He said to me: 'You are my son! This very day I have become your Father! 8 Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property.'<<

Yehowah made his Son Yeshua our Savior in such a way that he had to suffer sinless and innocent immeasurably on the cross to redeem us from being lost. Crucifixion was the most painful and long-lasting form of capital punishment at that time. The Prophet Isaiah prophesied about it about 700 years before it happened: Isaiah 52:14-15

>>14 (just as many were horrified by the sight of you) he was so disfigured he no longer looked like a man; 15 his form was so marred he no longer looked human - so now he will startle many nations. Kings will be shocked by his exaltation, for they will witness something unannounced to them, and they will understand something they had not heard about.<<

Why did our Savior have to suffer?

Let us read the following from the book of Hebrews: Hebr. 2:10, 2:18 ja 5:8-10

Hebr. 2:10 >>For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.<< Here the executor was Yehowah Elohim himself.

Hebr. 2:18 >>For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.<< It is generally known that only someone who has suffered himself can understand other sufferers. This ability is not learned in theory, but in practice.

Hebr. 5:8-10 >>8 Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered. 9 And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 and he was designated by Elohim as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.<< So we must be obedient to the Son, HaMashiach Yeshua, in order to receive eternal salvation.

That is the reason why the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matt. 7:14

The divine greatness of Adonai Yeshua

The following NT quotes show the uniqueness of our Savior compared to us humans and all the other created beings:

John 1:1-4, 9-13 (Novum: Textus Receptus: vv 1-2)

>>1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and Elohim was the Word. 2. This was in the beginning with Elohim.

3 All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.

9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him.

12 But to all who have received him - those who believe in his name - he has given the right*) to become Elohim's children 13 - children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband's decision, but by Elohim.<<

*) Additional meanings: power, lordship and authority (Textus Receptus)

Regarding verses 1-2, many Bible scholars hold that the Word and Elohim are one and the same person or that they are equal. However, the overall revelation of the NT shows that the Word mentioned in the verses is the Son of Elohim and thus Elohim is the Father of the Word. Therefore, they are two different persons, of which the Father is greater than the Son.

As for verse 10, we also find as a complement that by the will of Father Elohim and by his power the world was also created, though through and in Adonai Yeshua.

Verses 12-13 show that believing Yeshua to be the HaMashiach promised by the Tanakh, he gives us the right, power, lordship and authority to become children of Elohim. In that sense, he is our Father and Elohim, although he is also our elder brother, but His and our Common Father is Adonai Yeshua's Father, Yehowah. This is evident from e.g. verses John 20:17 and 20:17

John 17:3 >>Now this is eternal life - that they know you, the only true Elohim, and Yeshua HaMashiach, whom you sent.<<

John 20:17 >>Yeshua replied, "Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my Elohim and your Elohim.'"<<

The Father and the Son have a connection through the Holy Spirit. We also have a connection with the Father through Adonai Yeshua and with the other redeemed in the Holy Spirit, if we have asked for and received the Holy Spirit in faith. Anyone who has received the Holy Spirit as a gift knows that they have received Him, for He comes to us in a clearly perceptible way!
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John 3:13 >>No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven - the Son of Man.<< The Son of Man represents perfect man and Elohim in the same person. Adonai Yeshua is also the only mediator between man and his Holy Father. He is our Advocate in heaven.
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John 8:23-26 >>23 Yeshua replied, "You people are from below; I am from above. You people are from this world; I am not from this world. 24 Thus I told you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins."

25 So they said to him, "Who are you?" Yeshua replied, "What I have told you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the Father who sent me is truthful, and the things I have heard from him I speak to the world."<<

In verse 24 we find that without faith that Adonai Yeshua is the true HaMashiach (Messiah), every person will die in their sins and be excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven!

From verse 25 it appears that Adonai Yeshua is the same as the Truth and from verse 26 it appears that he is the Judge of people on the day of Judgment, on the end of times!
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Eph. 4:7-10 >>7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of HaMashiach. 8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he captured captives; he gave gifts to men." 9 Now what is the meaning of "he ascended," except that he also descended to the lower regions, namely, the earth? 10 He, the very one who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.<<

Those verses show how great a divine person he is: The only savior of mankind, who, having defeated all authority and power that stands in the way of our salvation, has ascended all the heavens, filling them all!
That's why He is for us the only, sure and reliable Savior!