April 20, 2014 / Day 5 of the Omer, 20 Nisan, 5774

Dear Berean,

Ruminations

Rumination #30: My love is measured by how well I listen. How well I listen is measured by how I respond.

In its modern usage, love is rarely spoken of in relationship to listening.

In the Bible, love is different. It speaks of husband and wife; of parent and child; and of HaShem and His people. It is there that we learn what real love is - and it always involves listening. If we were speaking Hebrew, that might be enough to make the point - but English makes listening passive. Love is not passive, and it does not simply "go in one ear and out the other." In Hebrew, to sh'ma is to respond. It is not merely hearing – it is reacting to what is spoken. We cannot claim to love G-d, and not respond positively to what He says. To sh'ma is to hear and obey. It is why in Hebrew, the words for "hear" and "obey" is the same: sh'ma.

Followers of Messiah should not wonder if some "obscure commandment" from the "Old Testament" applies to them (there are no "obscure commandments to those who love G-d).

If you love Me, keep My commandments.
John 14:15

He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.
John 14:21

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
John 15:10

You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
John 15:14

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1John 2:3-4

By this we know that we love the children of G-d, when we love G-d and keep His commandments. For this is the love of G-d, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
1John 5:2-3

Do you have ears? Did you hear what the Almighty spoke? Why are you not responding in love, by obeying Him? Sh'ma!

Parashat K'doshim - 'Holy ones' (Leviticus 19:1-20:27)

Parashat K'doshim is named for a word in the second verse:

Vayedaber HaShem el-Moshe lemor:
Daber el-kol-adat b'nei-Yisrael v'amarta alehem k'doshim tihyu ki kadosh ani HaShem elokeichem:

And HaShem spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy [ones], for I HaShem your G-d am holy.'"
Leviticus 19:1-2

Let's look at that stunning command again:

...You shall be holy [ones], for I HaShem your G-d am holy.
Leviticus 19:2

There is a profound misunderstanding of the biblical word "holy" among some believers. Because G-d Himself is holy, we often equate holiness with sinlessness.  Although G-d is most certainly sinless, "holy" does not mean to be sinless in and of itself. Holiness is not a moral state, but it is to be and to act "other than."

Much of the Torah contains instructions for determining k'dosh from chol [holy from common]. These instructions were designed to teach us to be able to tell the difference. It is no wonder then, that a people who out of hand dismiss a huge part of G-d's Holy Word do not understand what the word "holy" means.

G-d is distinct and separate from man, and He wants His people to resemble Him in what we do. It is interesting that Peter quotes this command in 1Peter 1:15-16:

...He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'
1Peter 1:15-16

Where is the "it is written" reference that Peter is quoting from? There are three places where G-d tells His people that He wants them to act holy. The three passages are all in the book of Leviticus:

Notice the context:

What do all of these three places have in common? Well, to be fair most modern commentators would say, "nothing" - since the only parts of G-d's instructions they believe are valid for us today have to do with things that don't look too "Jewish." The moment you mention "Sabbaths" (the plural is speaking of the weekly Sabbath and the yearly Sabbath "feasts" outlined in Leviticus 23), or diet, many "Christians" start looking for the theological exits. How odd, because if you begin to understand the word "holy" [kadosh] you will begin to understand why some Bible things look "Jewish."

The word kadosh [holy] is a word that denotes someone or something not looking or acting "the same." G-d is other-than mankind. He is separate and distinct. This is what theologians like to call G-d's transcendence. In our study of Scripture we discover that the reason for the Mish'kan [Tabernacle] was so that G-d could dwell with man. This dwelling with man theologians refer to this as G-d's immanence. There is a very real problem that the Mish'kan illustrates: How can a holy G-d dwell among common men? The answer is repeated throughout the Torah: to approach G-d (in His holiness), men and women must leave the common behind.

When G-d commands us to be holy, He is telling us to act like He does. This week's parasha is a primary source for the Master's "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 5-7.   G-d's people are to look and act differently from the rest of the world. Now, for some of us that is not too difficult (I am often seen as "odd"), but it is not enough to merely be different from the world - it is to be different in the way that G-d Himself has defined. G-d declared that He was holy - He wants His people not only to be different than those around them - He wants them to resemble Him.

Now, back to those Bible things that "look Jewish" - maybe 1,900 years of "church" anti-Semitism has clouded our minds. If in your mind, G-d's standards of holiness look "Jewish" maybe you are confused about exactly Who your Master is. Is he the Sabbath-breaking, Pharisee-kicking, Temple-destroying, blond-haired, blue-eyed "messiah" in many people's minds - or is He the Torah-observant, spotless Lamb of G-d Who will one day rule the world from His throne in his capitol city Jerusalem?

As for looking "Jewish" by what I wear, what I eat, where I go, what I do, and when I worship, then so be it. Those are Bible things - and by the way, my Master is Jewish, and it is my duty to imitate Him.

eNews Archive

Our eNews commentaries are archived online. You can access those from our main page menu (www.bereansonline.org) on Bereans Online. Here is the page that will be available:  www.bereansonline.org/enews

Standing in Prayer with all Israel,

Rick Spurlock
Bereans Online
www.bereansonline.org