Daily Bible Portion (Friday)
Daily Bible Portion - 6 of 7
"GET YOURSELF OUT"
(Weekly Reading>>Genesis 12:1-17:27, Isaiah 40:27-41:16, Romans 3:19-5:6)
Thirteen Years Later
The Sign of the Covenant of Abraham - Circumcision
Upon hearing this Abraham fell on his face and Yahweh continued to speak His side of the Covenant…
God’s promises of the Covenant…
•“As for Me, behold, My Covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.
•No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham;
•For I have made you a father of many nations.
•I will make you exceedingly fruitful;
•And I will make nations of you,
•And kings shall come from you.
•And I will establish My Covenant between Me and you
•And your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.
•Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession;
•And I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:4-8)
Abraham’s side of the Covenant…
•"Walk before me and be blameless."
•“As for you, You shall keep My Covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.” (Genesis 17:9)
Yahweh gave the Covenant to Abraham thirteen years earlier, now Yahweh was confirming that same Covenant to him. If we think the Covenant is conditional, it is. Yahweh however carries the greater weight by authoring the covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant is conditional to Abraham and his descendants forever both Jews and Gentiles alike. It is a gift. Our part is to KEEP it!
The Covenant Yahweh made with Abraham promised:
•A people – an identity
•A land – the Commonwealth of Israel
•A blessing - prosperity
This gift to Abraham is also a gift for believers[obeyers] in Yeshua[The Way] as we are the sons of Abraham (Galatians 3:7,29).
Thirteen years later, to confirm the Covenant, Yahweh commanded Abraham to undergo circumcision, which was to be the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant. From that time forward every Hebrew male was to be circumcised. With newborn babies, it would be performed on the eighth day after the birth when the baby’s blood had developed sufficient clotting agents.
Paul and the Works of the Law
The Ritual Application of the Law
There were some newly converted Jewish believers who were improperly teaching Torah in Paul’s day. They were teaching the way to salvation was through works only[specifically by the blood of animals], rejecting the very need for Messiah.
These principles of Yahweh were never intended to be "works" of salvation but are given for the purpose of receiving blessing. We choose (by free will) to walk in them in the Spirit of Yeshua to receive the blessings they hold.
Many of these new enthusiastic Jewish believers in Yeshua, in Paul’s day (who knew a little Torah, enough to make them dangerous) were trying to teach new believers and returning believers (the akrobustia – Strong’s #G203) coming in from the nations (who remembered no Torah) saying this is the way to salvation. By doing this they were individually able earn their own salvation through works of the law instead of understanding that all have fallen short and therefore need the salvation/redemption Yeshua gave us as a free gift.
Torah contains Yahweh’s principles that govern the earth - a series of teachings and instructions designed to bless us. Of these principles many are applicable to those who are part of Israel (in the Abrahamic covenant) living outside the land, in the nations [like us]. The principles are to teach the way of the Lord to Abraham's descendants. To be outside the sanctified (set apart) life that the teaching and instructions produce will bring about curses (Deuteronomy 28; Deuteronomy 31:19, 26).
Redemption is about Covenant relationship with the Creator of the universe. It brings two parties into agreement with mutual benefits should the contract be binding. However when the contract is broken only the author can issue grace in order to restore the contract. This is precisely what our Heavenly Father did in our case with His Son.
continues tomorrow...
"GET YOURSELF OUT"
(Weekly Reading>>Genesis 12:1-17:27, Isaiah 40:27-41:16, Romans 3:19-5:6)
Thirteen Years Later
The Sign of the Covenant of Abraham - Circumcision
Genesis 17: 1-2 “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abraham saying, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.’”
Upon hearing this Abraham fell on his face and Yahweh continued to speak His side of the Covenant…
God’s promises of the Covenant…
•“As for Me, behold, My Covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.
•No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham;
•For I have made you a father of many nations.
•I will make you exceedingly fruitful;
•And I will make nations of you,
•And kings shall come from you.
•And I will establish My Covenant between Me and you
•And your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.
•Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession;
•And I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:4-8)
Abraham’s side of the Covenant…
•"Walk before me and be blameless."
•“As for you, You shall keep My Covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.” (Genesis 17:9)
Yahweh gave the Covenant to Abraham thirteen years earlier, now Yahweh was confirming that same Covenant to him. If we think the Covenant is conditional, it is. Yahweh however carries the greater weight by authoring the covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant is conditional to Abraham and his descendants forever both Jews and Gentiles alike. It is a gift. Our part is to KEEP it!
The Covenant Yahweh made with Abraham promised:
•A people – an identity
•A land – the Commonwealth of Israel
•A blessing - prosperity
This gift to Abraham is also a gift for believers[obeyers] in Yeshua[The Way] as we are the sons of Abraham (Galatians 3:7,29).
Genesis 18:18-19 "For Abraham will become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD and do what is right and just. Then I will do for him all that I have promised."
Thirteen years later, to confirm the Covenant, Yahweh commanded Abraham to undergo circumcision, which was to be the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant. From that time forward every Hebrew male was to be circumcised. With newborn babies, it would be performed on the eighth day after the birth when the baby’s blood had developed sufficient clotting agents.
“My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant” (Genesis 17:13).
Paul and the Works of the Law
The Ritual Application of the Law
There were some newly converted Jewish believers who were improperly teaching Torah in Paul’s day. They were teaching the way to salvation was through works only[specifically by the blood of animals], rejecting the very need for Messiah.
These principles of Yahweh were never intended to be "works" of salvation but are given for the purpose of receiving blessing. We choose (by free will) to walk in them in the Spirit of Yeshua to receive the blessings they hold.
Many of these new enthusiastic Jewish believers in Yeshua, in Paul’s day (who knew a little Torah, enough to make them dangerous) were trying to teach new believers and returning believers (the akrobustia – Strong’s #G203) coming in from the nations (who remembered no Torah) saying this is the way to salvation. By doing this they were individually able earn their own salvation through works of the law instead of understanding that all have fallen short and therefore need the salvation/redemption Yeshua gave us as a free gift.
Torah contains Yahweh’s principles that govern the earth - a series of teachings and instructions designed to bless us. Of these principles many are applicable to those who are part of Israel (in the Abrahamic covenant) living outside the land, in the nations [like us]. The principles are to teach the way of the Lord to Abraham's descendants. To be outside the sanctified (set apart) life that the teaching and instructions produce will bring about curses (Deuteronomy 28; Deuteronomy 31:19, 26).
Redemption is about Covenant relationship with the Creator of the universe. It brings two parties into agreement with mutual benefits should the contract be binding. However when the contract is broken only the author can issue grace in order to restore the contract. This is precisely what our Heavenly Father did in our case with His Son.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
continues tomorrow...