11th Response to Legalism
We begin again with the common understanding of what legalism is, doing works of the Torah, or law, to gain salvation, as defined by the bone of contention around the First Church Council: Acts 15:1, 15 (NKJV) “And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” . . . 15But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.””
Zechariah 14:16-21 (NKJV) “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which Yahweh strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 20In that day “HOLINESS TO YAHWEH” shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in Yahweh’s house [Temple] shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to Yahweh of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite [pagan] in the house [Temple] of Yahweh of hosts.”
I have yet to meet one Replacement Theology proponent who can answer the above passage of Scripture. Read all of Zechariah 14. This passage is post cross of Messiah. This passage is post Great Tribulation. This passage is post Yahshua Advent 2.0. This passage describes conditions on earth DURING the Millennial Reign of Yahshua on earth. If the whole Torah was nailed to Yahshua’s cross, why will Yahweh punish whole families and nations who fail to go up to Jerusalem from year to year to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles? The Feast of Tabernacles is so Old Covenant! Could it be that we will be celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles annually during the entire Millennial Reign of Messiah, simply because Yahweh is then tabernacling with mankind on earth?
Wow, this passage seems to be in direct contradiction to Paul’s teaching in Galatians 4. Let’s look one more time at Galatians 4:1-11 (NKJV) “Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world [not elements of Judaism]. 4But when the fullness of the time had come, Yahweh sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law [Torah], 5to redeem those who were under the law [Torah], that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, Yahweh has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of Yahweh through Messiah. 8But then, indeed, when you did not know Yahweh, you served those which by nature are not gods [not mighty ones, but are idols]. 9But now after you have known Yahweh, or rather are known by Yahweh, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements [of the world, which is idolatry], to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.”
Replacement Theology proponents would have you believe that in verse 10 Paul is talking about days = Sabbaths and Holy Days of Yahweh, months = New Moon Festivals, seasons = Yahweh’s Moedim, or Seven Holy Feasts, and years = Sabbatical Years or Jubilees. But in the context, you can see that Paul is talking about the Gentiles coming out of idolatry, the beggarly elements of the world (not Judaism), and then desiring to go back into such idolatry! That sounds just like the Israelites, when they came out of Egypt, built the golden calf, and immediately fell back into the idolatry of Egypt. Apparently, Paul is talking about pagan days, months, seasons, and years, on which to worship idols, not Yahweh’s Holy Days and Feasts. So, Paul is not in contradiction to Zechariah!
Read the rest of Galatians 4, Paul does say that wanting to live under the Torah is bondage, because you had to keep the whole law to get saved! We adopted sons of Yahweh are not under the Torah to gain salvation, we are sons of promise, sons of the New Jerusalem, which is above, the mother of us all. So, once the New Jerusalem comes down to earth, will we then still observe the Feast of Tabernacles? Yahshua said the Torah could pass away AFTER heaven and earth pass away, Matthew 5:18 (NKJV) “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law [Torah] till all is fulfilled.” But will it pass away? Revelation 21:1-3, 10 (NKJV) “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem [remember, this is our mother of all freedom!!], coming down out of heaven from Yahweh, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of Yahweh is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. Yahweh Himself will be with them and be their Mighty One. . . . 10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from Yahweh,” So, here’s the New Jerusalem, and Yahweh in His tabernacle on earth, AFTER the 1,000 years millennium. Revelation 21:27 (NKJV) “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” So, if the Torah is gone, how do you know what defiles, or causes an abomination, or what is a lie?
Revelation 22:3 (NKJV) “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of Yahweh and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.” Whoa, what did John just write? Oh yeah, no more curse in the New Jerusalem, what we’ve been saying all along!! That’s right, the curse from the Torah was nailed to Yahshua’s cross, just like Paul taught!! Amazing how all the Scriptures tie together! Don’t you just love Yahweh’s plan of redemption? I do. Revelation 22:4 (NKJV) “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.” Whose family are you grafted/adopted into? It does make a difference, for all eternity.
Revelation 22:12-14 (NKJV) “”And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work [works of righteousness done AFTER you’re saved]. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” Replacement Theologians, you can twist the Scriptures any way you desire, to your own destruction, but from the beginning of the Book, to its very end, one theme is the same, obey Yahweh’s commandments. Why did the Holy Spirit have John write this if the Torah is done away with, or nailed to Yahshua’s cross? Obedience to Yahweh proves our rights in His Kingdom, our right to the tree of life, and our right to enter into the New Jerusalem. Throw out verse 14 and His commandments if you want to, at your own peril, but please leave us Torah observing believers alone. Revelation 22:18-19 (NKJV) “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, Yahweh will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy [like 22:14], Yahweh shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” See you at the gates! But on which side of the gates will you be found? Revelation 22:15 (NKJV) “But outside are dogs and [drug] sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie [workers of iniquity, Torahlessness].” So, if you throw away the Torah, how will you know on which side of the gates you’ll be found? Praise Yahweh for the blood of Yahshua!
I just don’t know how Yahweh could have said it any plainer than in Revelation 22:3 and 14. It’s not rocket science, it’s a way of life. Yahweh’s plan of redemption for mankind will be filled full. Drink up! We’ll close with the words of James 2:17-20 (NKJV) “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19You believe that there is one Yahweh. You do well. Even the demons believe–and tremble! 20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” Choose life.
See you all at the gates,
Gene Benjamin II
February 23, 2013 CE
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