Emor: Say! How long is Forever!?....

If you've been reading through the Torah schedule for any amount of time there may be a couple phrases that you have noticed repeatedly cropping up. One has to do with the eternal nature of HaShem's instruction and the other to do with the fact that whether native born or not, if one has the desire to follow HaShem, the decrees are just as binding to him/her(the one that joins Israel) as the native born who is walking in the ways of the Almighty.

"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine"

The "forever" really popped out to me again this year...I think especially since many times it's so explicitly tied to something tabernacle related. In the age of exile that we live in, it has become unfortunately impossible for us to keep a good portion of HaShem's instructions. We can become almost too comfortable entirely focusing on the "spiritual symbolism" of them that we can actually start to forget the numbers of times HaShem says that these should be "eternal decrees for you among your generations". Now before you start jumping to conclusions, I am not saying the symbolism isn't of value...as Paul would say: "G-d forbid!" But on the contrary Mashiach is the goal of the Torah!

For Mashiach is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. - Rom 10:4 

The words translated "end" is the word τέλος (tel'-os) in the Greek which means "goal or conclusion, point, result or purpose". He is the beginning("in the beginning was the Word") and the end - the point of the whole story. Everything is pointing or shadowing him, his work, and character. However we must guard ourselves from the apathy that drives the belief that "once I understand the meaning behind the deed, doing the deed doesn't matter"...for if this were the case HaShem would have said something like: "these things shall be for you to do, observe and keep....but only until you discover how they picture Mashiach, then you can just forget about the rest of the stuff."....Are we so afraid that somehow by doing something that would now have even more meaning to us become "legalism" or "earning our salvation"? That's ridiculous "logic"!

I know the question comes up a lot in Torah study "so how does Messiah fit into all of this?" and as innocently as it may be intended the phrase implies that we have to try to fit Messiah into the Torah like He wasn't there in the first place! And, let's admit it, it is much more comfortable to discuss the spiritual platitudes of the Tabernacle services then to discuss the nitty gritty-rubber meets the road of taking that animal of mine and bringing it up to Jerusalem and watching it go up in flames on the alter(cha-ching!)....not to mention making sure we are fit to go there in the first place....isn't it? I'll be honest, it is not a natural bend for me to make in my faith! But then again, is anything without the work of the Holy One in our life? Hmmm...

I guess what I am getting at is that even though we may not understand how something points to Mashiach, it does not mean that it doesn't, in fact, scream it from the hill tops! How arrogate to think that just because I don't see the benefit that there isn't one? Maybe it's not about me(whoa what a thought!)? Maybe it's just a matter of learning like a child and taking my Father at His word that this is what righteousness looks like, this is what Mashiach looks like, and if we are in Him this is what He wants us to look like too.

Whether you were born into a believing community or not is not the prerequisite, it has always been and always will be by faith alone so that no man can boast. Faith is a gift! So lets not waste it by missing out on walking in what points us(and others) to our Master Yeshua!

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear G-d, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. ~Ecc 12:13

For this is the love of G-d, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.  ~ 1Jn 5:3  

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ~Romans 12:1,2