Many have the notion that the Law was not known until Sinai. However, what if there were examples of the Law being found before Moses received the Torah on Mount Sinai? In this article we review several eye-opening occurrences showing not only that the law was known but also observed prior to Moses.

Seventh-day Sabbath
Let’s begin with the Sabbath. Many believe this command was first given to Moses on Mount Sinai, but as we see in Scripture, it was established long before Moses.
The earliest evidence for the Sabbath goes all the way back to creation in Genesis 2. “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day Elohim ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And Elohim blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which Elohim created and made” (Gen. 2:1-3).

Yahweh, our Father in heaven, created the heavens and earth in six
days and then rested on the seventh, blessing and sanctifying this day. The word “blessed” here comes from the Hebrew barak and means to “kneel or bless.” “Sanctified” comes from the Hebrew kaw-dash, meaning, “to be set apart or consecrated.”

We find that our Father in heaven blessed and set apart or consecrated the seventh day as a day of rest. Today we call this day the Sabbath, coming from a primitive root meaning “to cease from labor or exertion.”

It’s important to realize that Yahweh established the seventh day as a day of rest more than 2,000 years before Moses. According to biblical chronology, from Genesis 1 to the time of Moses was around 2,400 years. Contrary to popular belief, many of Yahweh’s laws were known before Sinai, some by more than 2,000 years. This shows that many of Yahweh’s commandments were established from the beginning and were given not only to the Israelites, but to all of mankind.

Isaiah 66:23 says that all flesh in the Kingdom will worship Yahweh from one Sabbath to another. This will happen when our Savior returns to establish His Father’s Kingdom here on earth. In the case of the Sabbath, that edict was established at the beginning of creation, given to Moses and Israelites, kept by the Messiah and the apostles in the New Testament, and will be kept by all of mankind in the coming Kingdom.

Another instance of the Sabbath before Sinai is found in Exodus 16:25-30. “And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a sabbath unto Yahweh: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And Yahweh said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? See, for that Yahweh hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day.”

Where in Exodus do we find Moses receiving the commandments from Sinai? We find it in Exodus 20, occurring after the time of this passage. This is important because it shows the Sabbath was known prior to Sinai. But if the Law were known before Sinai, what would be the purpose of Moses receiving it at that time?
First, after 400 years of slavery, Israel had probably forgotten many of the commandments.

Second, this was a way to write down or codify the law, making it more transmissible for the future.

But again, in the case of the Sabbath, we find ample evidence showing this day was known more than 2,000 years before Moses.

Law of the Passover
In Exodus 12:11-12, we find another command that was known prior to Sinai. “And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is Yahweh’s passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the mighty one’s of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am Yahweh.”

Here is the first description of Yahweh’s Passover. Keep in mind that the Law was given to Moses in Exodus 20. This shows that the Passover was known before the commandments were given at Sinai.

Recall that in the Old Testament the Passover entailed the passing over of the death angel and the release of Israel from slavery. In the New Testament this day remembers the death of Yahshua the Messiah, our Savior, and the remission of sins through His blood. The Passover is one of the most solemn days in Yahweh’s calendar and it was known before Sinai.

It’s important for believers to understand that the laws of our Father in heaven were known long before they were codified at Sinai and not just given to Moses and the Israelites.

Before moving on, we read that Yahweh would execute judgment against all the mighty ones of Egypt. This was done through the ten plagues of Egypt; each of the plagues was an attack on a different Egyptian mighty one. Below is a chart showing the connection between the plagues and how they correspond to various Egyptian deities.

For example, the 5th plague, which killed the cattle of Egypt, was likely an attack on the Egyptian deity Apis, which was depicted as a bull. This is probably where the Israelites got the idea of the golden calf they built at Sinai.

Feast of Unleavened Bread
Another time of worship mentioned is the Feast of Unleavened Bread in Exodus 12:15-16. “Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.”

As we know, the Passover is on the 14th day of Abib and the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th of Abib. Also, this Feast is seven days long and forbids the eating of leavening. In Hebrew, “leavening” comes from two words, seor and chamets, one referring to the starter dough and the other referring to leavened bread or to a leavened food product.

Like the Passover this Feast was also decreed even before Moses received the commandments at Sinai. In fact, we find it first mentioned in Exodus 5:1, where Moses told Pharaoh to let his people go so they could keep a Feast in the wilderness. Again, the fact that we find evidence of this Feast prior to Moses’ receiving the law at Sinai verifies that commandments were in effect before that time.

Murderer Cain
Another commandment that was known long before Moses is in Genesis 4:8-10. “And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And Yahweh said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.”

Here we find the murder of Abel by his brother Cain. As we know from the story, Yahweh looked more favorably upon Abel’s offering, and because of this Cain became jealous of his brother. This jealousy eventually led to Cain killing his brother.

This is important because it shows that the Sixth Commandment not to murder was understood even at this time. This occurred around 2,000 years before Moses, and even here we see that murder was understood as a sin. Cain knew what he did was wrong; this is why he tried to conceal the murder from Yahweh. But he was unable to hide his crime against his brother Abel. Yahweh declared that Abel’s blood cried out from the ground. This notion of the blood crying out is a Hebraic metaphor; blood does not literally cry out, but was simply Yahweh’s way of saying that He knew what Cain had done.

Two lessons are worth noting here. First, nothing good comes from jealousy. James 3:14-16 says, “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” As believers, we should do our very best not to allow strife or jealousy within our hearts. Those who do so risk being found unworthy of Yahweh’s Kingdom.

And second, we see that it is impossible to deceive our Father in heaven. We might be able to deceive our family or friends, but we will never deceive the One we worship. He knows every action we make and every word we speak. In Galatians 6:7-8 Paul says: “Be not deceived; Elohim is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

A command specifically against murder is also found in Genesis 9:5-6. “And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of Elohim made he man.”

We find here a law against murder, 2,000 years before Moses. This shows beyond a shadow of doubt that Yahweh’s commandments were NOT first given at Sinai, but were known long before that. Again, the difference we find before and after Sinai is the codification of the Torah or law. Before Sinai, Yahweh’s laws were either given directly from Yahweh or passed down orally. It’s also worth mentioning that Adam and Eve may have received this knowledge through the tree of good and evil. Whatever the case, the Law or Torah was known long before Sinai, but was not codified or written down for Moses to impart to the people.

This is the only difference between what we find here and what we see in Exodus 20. But in both cases, Yahweh condemns those to death who would commit murder. Some believe the death penalty is incompatible with Scripture; this account shows otherwise. Remember, Malachi 3:6 says that Yahweh does not change and neither does His Word.

Notice why Yahweh is opposed to murder: “…for in the image of Elohim made he man.” This makes man special and connected with His Creator and for this reason, murder is not only an attack on the person, but also on Yahweh, in whose image we are made.

Prohibiting Consuming Blood
In Genesis 9:4 we find another com-mand in effect before Sinai. “But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.” Here we see an important truth: the life of an animal is found in its blood. The same is obviously true for human beings.
As we know from medical science, blood provides many critical life functions. These include:
• transporting oxygen and nutrients throughout the body;
• protecting against disease; and
• removing carbon dioxide and other waste from metabolism.

This is why Yahweh says that life is in the blood. For those who question the existence of Yahweh, how is it possible that people 2,000 years ago understood the importance of blood? This, along with so many other facts, proves the existence of a Creator and the inspiration of the Bible.

The Benson Commentary provides two reasons for this command: “The principal meaning…of the passage, is to prohibit the eating of blood in any way, the eating of which seems to have been forbidden especially for two reasons: 1st, To be a token to mankind in all ages, that they would have had no right to take the life of any animal for food, if [Elohim] had not given them that right, and who, therefore, to remind them of it, and impress it on their minds in all generations, denied them the use of blood, and required it to be spilled upon the ground: 2nd: In honour of the blood of atonement, Leviticus 17:11-12. The life of the sacrifice was accepted for the life of the sinner, and blood made atonement for the soul, and therefore must not be looked upon as a common thing, but must be poured out before [Yahweh], 2 Samuel 23:16. And it ought to be observed, that this prohibition of eating blood, given to Noah and all his posterity, and repeated to the Israelites, in a most solemn manner, under the Mosaic dispensation, has never been revoked, but, on the contrary, has been confirmed under the New Testament, Acts 15; and thereby made of perpetual obligation.”

The second reason given is the most important, as blood was used for the atonement of sin. For this reason Yahweh commands that we refrain from eating blood. Not only do we find this prohibition repeated in the law given at Sinai, but also in the New Testament in Acts 15:20. This was in reference to those things the gentiles were immediately to abstain from when coming into the truth. Now for them, consuming blood was likely connected to pagan worship.

But again, the point here is that this law was known prior to Sinai. Not only do we see this law given to Moses, but also in the New Testament.

Clean and Unclean Animals
Let’s transition to another command we find before Sinai and that is the law of clean and unclean animals. “And Yahweh said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female” (Gen. 7:1-2).

Many believe that Noah brought a pair of each kind of animal on the ark, but this is not entirely true. Noah was commanded to bring two of every unclean animal and seven of every clean animal. So, we see that long before Moses, Yahweh’s instruction regarding the clean and unclean was already known.

What we find in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 was simply a codification of what was already known. Some might say that the clean and unclean was not a reference to animals for food but to the sacrificial system. Even if that were the case, we still see that the understanding of clean and unclean was already known. With proofs like these, how can anyone say that Yahweh’s law was first given at Sinai?

There were probably commandments that were new or specific to the time of Moses, but many fundamental laws were already known and in force before then.

Tithing Commanded
We’ve already seen pre-Sinai laws pertaining to the Sabbath, Passover, Unleavened Bread, murder, the eating of blood, and the command relating to clean and unclean animals. In Genesis 14:18-20, we find yet another command given before Sinai and that is tithing.

“And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high El. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high El, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high El, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.”
In this account Moses is return-ing from battle and he comes to Melchizedek, king of Salem. Beyond believing that this was a man or being similar to Yahshua the Messiah, I don’t believe we can know who exactly Melchizedek was. According to Hebrews 7, he was “like unto to the Son of Elohim” or Yahshua the Messiah. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines the word “like” as “to cause a model to pass off into an image or shape like it to express itself in it.” Strong’s defines it as “to assimilate closely.”

We see that Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, king of Salem, a name meaning “peace,” and priest of the Most High. According to most scholars, Salem is another name for Jerusalem.

The word tithe is from the Hebrew maaser and refers to a tenth. It’s the same word used in reference to the Levitical tithe. Many who oppose tithing might say this was only for the Levitical priesthood, but we find this command about 300 years before the Levites existed.

This solidifies the command of tithing. Again, the evidence clearly shows that it was found and practiced before Moses and the Levitical priesthood. Those who withhold the tithe or even part of it are guilty of robbing Yahweh.

Malachi 3:8-11 states, “Will a man rob Elohim? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith Yahweh of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith Yahweh of hosts.”
Another case of tithing before Sinai is seen in Genesis 28:20-22. “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If Elohim will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall Yahweh be my Elohim: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be Elohim’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.”

Here is Jacob vowing to give Yahweh a tithe of all that he would receive. This was a turning point in Jacob’s life. In this same passage is the dream that Jacob had of angels ascending and descending from heaven. This dream lit a fire under Jacob and motivated him to fully commit his life to Almighty Yahweh. From this experience we see that tithing is not only a command holy to Yahweh, but is a sign of our commitment and devotion to Him. For many there is nothing harder than giving 10% of their income to Yahweh, including many well-intended Torah observant believers.

Abraham’s Example
If these illustrations are not enough, in Genesis 26:4-5 we find a passage specifically saying that Abraham obeyed Yahweh’s commandments. “And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

Here is undeniable verification that the commandments were known and obeyed by Abraham long before Moses, a span of many generations.

Let’s take a few moments and delve into how the Hebrew defines three key words. The word “commandments” comes from the Hebrew mitsvah and according to Strong’s refers to “a command, whether human or divine.” We know that the commandments were of divine origin and not the commandments of men.

The word “statutes” comes from the Hebrew chuqqah and refers to “an appointed, custom, manner, ordinance, site, statute.” The primitive root of this word can also refer to an appointment of time. It is possible this word is describing days of worship that were known during the time of Abraham.

The word “laws” comes from the Hebrew Torah. Here we find verification that Abraham obeyed the Torah some 300 years before the law was given to Moses at Sinai. Can there be any doubt that Yahweh’s commandments were known before Sinai?

Have No Other Mighty Ones
In our final case, in Genesis 35:1-4 we find that idolatry was known before Sinai. “And Elohim said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto El, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange mighty ones that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto El, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange mighty ones which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.”

Jacob is telling those of his house-hold to put away their strange mighty ones. This is a reference to the false deities that some of the people were still holding on to.
Here is the most important com-mandment in Yahweh’s Word: the first of the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:3 declares, “Thou shalt have no other mighty ones before me.”

Jacob removed and purged the false mighty ones in his household; he understood this decree, even though the Ten Commandments had not yet been written in stone. This shows, as with many commandments, that the First Commandment was known long before Sinai.

The belief that Yahweh’s laws were first given at Sinai is simply not true. As we’ve seen from the Word, many of the commandments were known before Moses, and in some cases by more than 2,000 years.

This is important because it shows Yahweh’s commandments existed from the beginning. Also, that Yahweh was the author of these commands and not Moses, who was simply the conduit between Yahweh and Israel. Lastly, it proves that the commandments were not only for Israel, but for those before and after, including those in the Messiah.

Scripture shows Yahweh’s com-mandments in effect at creation, during the time of the Israelites, during the New Testament, and even in the coming Kingdom. They are just as relevant today as they were for the Israelites of Old. As believers in the Messiah let us honor the One we worship by obeying His eternal and ever-abiding commandments.

In a time when many men shun the responsibilities of fatherhood, the question is, how necessary is the father in today’s family? One researcher was very surprised to find out. Fathers, front and center!

A university professor set out to write a book showing that single-parent families, meaning those headed

by the mother only, do just as well as two- parent families in rearing children.

She was surprised to find that girls living without fathers at home were twice as likely to drop out of school, were doubly prone to emotional problems, and twice as likely to become pregnant as those families with fathers in the home.

Boys with absentee fathers had a two times greater chance of getting into trouble, especially with the law. In fact, statistics reveal that seven out of ten men in prison today grew up without the regular guidance of their fathers.

‘Father Forgive Them’

Beginning in the 1970s when the feminist movement gained popularity, the male in the family and society was increasingly attacked, belittled, and deprecated. Situation comedies would portray the typical father as

a passive, dimwitted dolt who was always being manipulated and outsmarted by his far more clever wife and children. And if he showed some assertiveness, he came across as Archie Bunker-like in his bias and bigotry.

Traditionally the father has been the one to bear the burden of providing stability and corrective training to his children. Yet in recent years fatherhood has been undermined, along with other institutions that for centuries have given moral steadiness to our culture.

In the last 50 years certain forces have tried every conceivable way to dispense with principled and ethical guidelines and Bible-based absolutes. The rallying cry of the 1960s was, “question authority.”

Today we are reaping the results of this relentless attack on traditional beliefs, and particularly on fatherhood as the primary authority in the family.

Increasing numbers of citizens carry weapons for protection because they fear being assaulted by young males who grew up without responsible fathers. We can’t build prisons fast or large enough. Child crime is a growing problem for law enforcement today, along with illegal drugs.

Life is becoming less valued today, and the natural fear of taking another life is waning. How much worse can it get

when seven-year-olds are murdering their playmates? Yahshua prophesied in Matthew 24:12 that because iniquity (sin) would abound the love of many would grow cold.

Roots of the Problem

We human beings cannot exist without firm standards of righteousness to guide us. Absolutes are critical, as given by Yahweh in His laws. That in a nutshell is the antidote to the sins and ills of society.

Back at creation in Genesis 2:16-17, Yahweh gave to Adam mankind’s first moral instructions. “And Yahweh Elohim commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.”

In a subsequent conversation with Eve, notice how the Adversary responded: “And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die: For Elohim knows that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as mighty ones, knowing good and evil.” In other words Eve, you must question His authority! Who is He to tell you about right and wrong? It’s a ploy to keep you from becoming wise and powerful like Himself.

The Evil One knew the principle clearly:

take away authority and respect for it and you initiate the destruction of the human race. Yahweh knew it too, and had to deal with their sin quickly and forcefully by shutting them out of the garden and rendering swift punishment.

A deliberate defying of Yahweh and His established limits of behavior was what caused the first man and woman such misery. And it’s the same curse that is destroying us today. Biblical law is ignored by the masses. Morality has suffered as the milk of human kindness has been spoiled. The destructive results are all around us.

As the Bible and laws of morality lose their impact on a culture, the evils and the tribulations of mankind increase proportionately. It is a truth demonstrated repeatedly in declining civilizations throughout history.

But the greater problems of our society are just an extension of serious distresses that have developed in deteriorating families. After all, nations are but a collection of individual families. As families go, so goes the country.

Seat of Authority

From the time of Eve’s sin, Yahweh spelled out how headship would function in the family relationship. Notice:

“Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in sorrow you shall bring forth children; and your desire shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you,” Genesis 3:16.

Paul confirmed this sacred order in his first letter to the Corinthians:

“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Messiah; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Messiah is Elohim,” 1Corinthians 11:3.

The significance of the father in the family reaches beyond the fleshly into the spiritual realm. Before the advent of the Levitical priesthood, the father represented the family in worship. He acted as its priest (see Gen. 12:8 and Job 1:5).

Being head of the household, the father had full control over his unmarried children. His word was law. He was the judge. He arranged for their marriages. He could even sell his daughters into slavery if he was in dire financial straits.

Yahweh intended that the last word in the family rests with the husband and father.

Makings of a Good Dad

For whatever the reason, many children today are struggling without fathers and the guidance that a righteous father brings to a family. Good fathers are instrumental in instilling in their children clear limits, discipline, and respect for authority in their lives. These are basic to a successful life. Paul writes, “And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of Yahweh,” Ephesians 6:4.

A lack of a moral foundation typically leads a youth into run-ins with the law and other serious behavior problems such as are plaguing us today.

From the beginning of their lives, children need to know their boundaries – and they will constantly test a parent to see just where those limits are.

Parenting is not a part-time job. With only one parent active in the family, the task is doubly difficult.

It is crucial for parents to be well-versed in biblical principles and to practice the principles themselves. In so doing they will not only train their children for success in this world, but more importantly will also prepare them to be worthy of the coming Kingdom.

Children learn best by observing. The hand is a much more effective teacher than the mouth. How often have you heard a misbehaving youngster justify himself with, “But my dad does it!” Never mind that dad has TOLD him differently.

A principle every father and mother must grasp, therefore, is that to teach a child properly they must first set a good example in their own lives. Parents can give their children the best lectures in the world but without practicing what they preach, they are

just working against the teaching. A child may know what is right, but he’ll likely DO just what he sees his parents do. As one saying goes, “The believer must teach the scriptures every day, and sometimes even use words.”

Good, Constant Rapport

The evils of this world present some of the most difficult challenges ever faced in the successful upbringing of young people. With the entertainment industry obsessed with glorifying all the sinful and vile sides of life, it’s no wonder that society suffers so many evils.

The internet is today’s teacher and the secular world is the classroom where wayward youths learn to lie, steal, cheat, and solve their problems by pulling a trigger.

For True Believers, the knee-jerk reaction is to remove ourselves from the sources of corruption. But that is only a stop-gap solution. The only way to be totally free of permanent, harmful influences is to live on another planet. Barring that, what can a father do to help ensure that his children mature in the ways and love of Yahweh?

The Biblical Solution

Yahweh gave Israel the formula for successful child-rearing:

“And these words [His laws], which I command you this day, shall be in your heart: And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:6-7).

The most effective approach to neutralizing the harmful influences of society on a son or daughter is to be proactive. Anticipate what reactions might be. Counter damaging behavior before it can take hold. Explain good and bad, right and wrong before, not after the deed is done. This is accomplished best in Bible studies and discussions.

As Yahweh directs, a father must take a personal, loving interest in what is happening in the lives of his children. Be genuine. Children can readily sense the difference between sincerity and phoniness.

Talk with your children constantly. Learn what their issues are and give proper solutions. Especially at the dinner table. Explain why certain behavior is wrong.

Rearing a child is a day-in, day-out effort.

It takes unrelenting work and sacrifice. It is not a job for the weak, or the teenage mother who hasn’t grown up herself. Neither is it a once-in-a-while stint whenever the mood hits or a few moments allow. Sacrifice some of your own wants for the sake of your children. Look how Yahshua sacrificed for us.

Absentee parenting will never do the job.

Be Positive and Nurturing

Many fathers think discipline entails just a lot of don’ts. Don’t do this. Don’t say that. Don’t go there. Stop that. Don’t give me that attitude.

Positive training, however, provides the opportunity for real spiritual growth. Paul wrote in 1Thessalonians 2:11, “As you know how we exhorted and comforted and a husband and wife, the wife scripturally will defer to her husband.

Our Father in Heaven

Many children for various reasons are being raised in mother-only families. In the absence of a father, the Bible serves well. A loving and morally authoritative Father in heaven can be an effective substitute for an absentee father. In fact, nothing is better than to look to Yahweh as the Heavenly Father over all humanity, and who guides our lives each day as we walk with Him.

Mothers and fathers who use the Bible as the instruction book for life will find that their prospects for successful child rearing will be greatly enhanced. Furthermore, they have the unique opportunity to implant a love of Yahweh that won’t be forgotten. They can give no greater gift.

Consider. We have our children for only about 18 years and then they are gone. That gives us a relatively short time to inspire in them a love for Yahweh. Once past, that opportunity may never come again. How many parents in the faith have wished that they had instilled a love for Yahweh in their children before it became too late! Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

A father and mother with a love for Yahweh will do everything possible to pass on their faith to their offspring. The sooner they get started, the more effective and long-lasting will be the results.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law,” Galatians 5:22-23.

As mentioned in the previous installments, these nine attributes form the foundation or bedrock of what it is to be a believer in Messiah. If we desire to emulate and follow in our Savior’s footsteps, then we must adopt and live by the characteristics we find here. It’s not enough to keep the Sabbath and other commandments, but we must go beyond this and change who we are on the inside.
In Matthew 23 Yahshua refers to what He calls the weightier matters – judgment, mercy, and faith. I believe the attributes we see in Galatians 5 would also be considered the weightier matters. And as believers we should always be pursuing them.

Does this mean, then, that commandments like the Sabbath are not important? The answer is obviously no; Yahweh’s commandments are critically important. We know that Yahshua and the apostles, including Paul, faithfully observed the commandments including the Sabbath and Feast days. Is it possible to obey these commandments and yet NOT be found worthy of the first resurrection? Based on the examples of the scribes and Pharisees, I believe this is a real possibility. And for this reason we must not only focus on the outward commandments but also on how we’re to change inwardly.

Let’s now continue with this series on the fruits of the spirit and focus on the next one: Goodness.

The Virtue of Goodness
The Greek word for goodness is agathosune, and according to Strong’s Concordance means “goodness, i.e. virtue or beneficence.” Thayer’s Greek Lexicon tells us this word means “uprightness of heart and life, goodness, kindness.”

As for “virtue,” according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, this word refers to a conformity, to a standard of right, and to moral excellence. It also refers to strength or courage and to a commendable quality or trait.

I believe virtue here would refer to living according to good works that exemplify righteousness and moral excellence in the context of goodness. In short, it’s doing what is right and living a life that rightly reflects the morality and standards of Yahweh’s Word.

In some ways, goodness can be viewed differently from the other fruits we’ve looked at thus far. Previously we’ve looked at love, joy, peace, longsuffering, and gentleness—attributes that we show to our fellow man. While this is true for goodness, goodness is also something we do individually. Living a moral and virtuous life requires a sense of fidelity to our Heavenly Father apart from how we interact with one another.

Agathosune is found only four times in the New Testament, including Galatians 5. Let’s review the three other instances where this Greek word is found, the first being Romans 15:13-14.
“Now the Elohim of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”

Romans was written by the Apostle Paul. In this passage we see him refer to several important attributes, a few of which have been mentioned throughout this series. For example, we find here joy and peace. As a reminder, joy is a sense of happiness we find through the Holy Spirit that is not conditional or based upon our current situation. If we’re going through some sort of trial or tribulation, we should still be able to have a sense of happiness in Yahweh.

This passage also refers to unity within the Messiah’s body and the peace of mind we find through Yahweh’s promises. Peace is somewhat related to joy and for a moment, notice where we find these two characteristics.

Paul says here that the Elohim of hope fills us with joy and peace. So we see that these attributes are from Yahweh through the Holy Spirit.

Paul closes by saying that we should also be full of goodness, i.e., virtue or righteousness. This virtue leads to knowledge and the ability to rightly admonish one another.
Now what does it mean “to admonish”? Strong’s defines this word as, “…to caution or reprove gently.” As we learned in the “gentleness” segment, when we reprove somebody, we should do so with kindness.

Source of Goodness
The second example of agathosune is found in Ephesians 5:2-13. “And walk in love, as Messiah also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to Yahweh for a sweet-smelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Messiah and of Yahweh. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of Elohim upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in Yahweh: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto Yahweh. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.”

Paul begins this passage by saying we should walk in love, as Messiah loved us. Yahshua gave His life as a ransom for our sins. During His ministry He said there wasn’t a greater love than to lay down one’s life for another.

As believers, do we have this same sense of love? If we want to be like Yahshua the Messiah, we must exemplify what it means to show love and concern for one another.

Paul also refers to specific sins within this passage. He mentions fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, and other works of the flesh. He says that some within that assembly were in darkness, meaning that they were guilty of some of these sins, but now they are in the light of Yahweh, meaning that they are now walking in goodness and virtue.

We know that goodness and righteousness come from Yahweh’s Word. In fact, without the Bible we would have no way of defining what is good or virtuous.

Worthy of Our Calling
Let’s move on to the last example of agathosune in 2Thessalonians 1:11-12. “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our Elohim would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Master Yahshua Messiah may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our El and the Master Yahshua Messiah.”

Here Paul encourages the Thessalonians that Elohim would count them worthy of this calling. The concept of being found worthy has mostly been lost today. Many would even define this as legalism or trying to earn our salvation. We know that we cannot justify ourselves or earn salvation; this comes only through Messiah’s blood and the washing of water through baptism. But once we’re justified or free from our sin, we must then live a life of goodness or virtue.

What happens if we refuse to live a life of goodness, a life that reflects the morality and righteousness of Yahweh’s Word? We’re going to miss the mark and not be found worthy of our calling.
You know, being found worthy implies that we must act or do something, living a life based on Yahweh’s goodness and virtue. When we do this, we also glorify Yahshua the Messiah.

Walking in Integrity
So by living a life of goodness, not only will we be found worthy of our calling, but we’ll also bring praise and honor to our Savior. And I would hope that we would desire to glorify the One who died for our sins.

Let’s view a few passages on integrity from the Old Testament, beginning with Proverbs 10:9. “He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.” (KJV)
The New International Version translates it as, “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.”

From both the King James and the NIV we find that walking uprightly is the same as a man walking in integrity. The word “integrity” is essential. It conveys the ideas of honesty and reliability, both of which are important to believers. When we walk uprightly or in a way that shows integrity, our path will be sure. This doesn’t promise health, wealth, and prosperity, but it does promise a direction that provides stability, if nothing else, of right morals and values. Even if we’re going through some trial or tribulation, it helps to know that the life we’re living and the decisions we’re making are based on Scripture. When we live according to Yahweh’s Word, there’s a sense of stability and strength within our lives.

In Isaiah 33:15-16, we find a promise of blessing for those who walk uprightly and in goodness. “He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.”

This passage gives a few examples on how to obtain this blessing: We don’t oppress others for personal gain, we refrain from taking bribes, we do no hurt to others, and we remove ourselves from seeing or participating in evil. When we do these things, Yahweh promises that we’re going to dwell on high and He’s going to provide for our needs.

While this passage is multi-layered, much is a prophetic promise pointing to His Kingdom. This is why it’s so important that we as believers live a life of goodness and virtue, that we practice what is right according to our Father’s Word. Many today believe that goodness or virtue is either outdated or never really existed. Many will argue that virtue is subjective and that my virtue is as good as your virtue.

As believers in the Messiah, though, we know better. We know there is a one-core truth and that is Yahweh’s Word. As we read in Malachi 3:6, Yahweh doesn’t change: “For I am Yahweh, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”

Lessons from Daniel
We must never deviate from or compromise Yahweh’s Word. When it comes to uncompromising, I often think about three illustrations in the Book of Daniel.

The first is when Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refused to eat of the king’s meat (Dan. 1:8). Some believe the king’s meat was either unclean or possibly sacrificed to idols. I tend to think the latter was true, but either way we know that something wasn’t right about it. Daniel convinced the prince of the eunuchs to feed them only vegetables and after 10 days to compare their health to the others. And as we know from the story, this was done and “at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat,” (v. 15).

There’s a lesson here for us: Sometimes we must take a stand – whether it’s with our job or even our families. Maybe it’s refusing to work on Sabbath or not attending our family’s Christmas dinner. Like Daniel, when we stand on Yahweh’s Word we’re going to be blessed. Daniel could’ve upset the king by refusing to eat his meat, but in the end he was blessed for standing on virtue.
The second instance is Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s conviction when they refused to worship the golden image (Dan. 3). As the account goes, when the people heard the music, they were to bow down and worship this golden image.

But, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship this image, and so the King commanded they be thrown into a fiery furnace, which did not affect them. Yahweh not only protected them from the fire, but one like the son of Yahweh was in the furnace with them. This was likely Yahshua the Messiah in His preexistence. Yahweh divinely protected these three men for their devotion. They showed goodness and virtue in their faith.

In the last incident we see Daniel defying the king’s command and openly praying to Yahweh (Dan. 6:10). Daniel’s enemies convinced the king to enact a law prohibiting anyone from praying to their mighty one for 30 days.

They did this because they knew Daniel would not comply and as we know from the story, he continued to pray somewhat openly to Yahweh with his windows open. After word got to the king, Daniel was thrown into a den of lions, but Yahweh protected Daniel. Just as the fire did not affect Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the lions did not hurt Daniel.

For me, these cases show that Yahweh can do all things and when we choose to walk in virtue and integrity, we will be blessed.

Sometimes we lack the faith to walk in goodness or uprightness; we fear the consequences more than our Creator. But we should never fear doing what is right. Whether it means losing our job, upsetting our family, or even losing our lives, we should always seek to walk in goodness and do what is scripturally right.

Yahshua spoke about this in Matthew 5:15-16. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.”

Yahshua encourages us not to hide our goodness, but to allow it to shine so that others can see and benefit from it.

When we are about our daily business, do we show ourselves to be different? One way we do this is by not cursing or using foul language. Recently one of my coworkers apologized to me for swearing in front me. I said or did nothing to prompt that response; he knew from my behavior that I was not one to use that kind of language.

It’s often not what we say but what we do that makes the real impact. Our behavior speaks far louder than anything we can ever say and that’s why it’s so essential we walk in goodness and virtue.
Others notice our behavior and the words we use. After all, we may be the only Bible some will ever read. In other words, the integrity that we show in our lives may be the only exposure to biblical truth that some will ever see. And that’s why Yahshua says to let our lights shine and why we must live a life of goodness, virtue, and uprightness of heart.

Kingdom Focused
Paul also speaks about the importance and blessings of doing good. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith,” Galatians 6:9-10.

What do you suppose Paul’s referring to when he comments, “we shall reap”? He’s indicating the promise of Yahweh’s Kingdom. The fact is, when we live a life based on the Word, we will often receive pushback and even experience trials and tribulations. Paul’s telling us that even though we suffer, it’s worth it; the journey is worth the destination.

I don’t believe we can fathom the greatness of Yahweh’s Kingdom. Not only will we live forever as spirit beings, but we’ll also do so in a kingdom without sin and all the trappings of it. Just as Paul does, I would encourage you to realize that no matter what you’re going through or may go through, it’s all worthwhile.

Paul also declares that we should do good to all men, especially to those in the household of faith or the assembly. According to Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon, the phrase “do good” implies to act in a way that is pleasant, agreeable, joyful, and happy.

Are we acting in ways that others would define as pleasant and agreeable? Do we bring joy and happiness to those in the assembly? If the answer is yes, that’s great, but we need to ask why and what we can do to improve and do better if the answer is no.

Goodness Begins the Journey
Ephesians 2:10 shows we have a special calling as believers in Messiah. “For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yahshua unto good works, which Yahweh hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

When we are immersed into Yahshua’s name, we rise as a new creature with newness of mind. It’s so important that after baptism we recognize we are a new person in Messiah.

When I counsel for baptism, I stress the idea that after baptism we’re to think and behave differently. We can’t live like we did before, our decisions and actions must be based solely on Yahweh’s Word.

This is what it means to walk unto good works. Our lives should reflect Yahshua the Messiah in all ways. While Yahshua obeyed the commandments, He also showed by example how to live the weightier matters; we must do the same.

Second Peter 1:5-7 shows a progression that begins with faith and virtue. “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience holiness; And to holiness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”

Another word for virtue is goodness, which also refers to being upright in heart. He goes on to say we should add knowledge to our virtue, temperance to our knowledge, patience to our temperance, holiness to our patience, brotherly kindness to our holiness, and charity or love to our brotherly kindness. Notice that this progression begins with virtue or goodness and ends with love.

The Apostle Paul has an attitude that we as True Worshipers must possess if we are to endure to the end and enter the Kingdom of Yahweh.

Philippians 4:4-9 provides his valuable instruction:

“Rejoice in Yahweh always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Master is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto Elohim. And the peace of Yahweh, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Messiah Yahshua. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the Elohim of peace shall be with you.”

Paul was no hypocrite; he practiced what he preached. Here was a man who had much that he could have complained about. Second Corinthians 11 gives an account of his many trials:

“Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the assemblies. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities” (vv. 24-30).

Despite all his sufferings, rather than dwell upon the negative with grief and sadness, Paul instead chose to look on the bright side with joy and a positive attitude. He turned the sorrow and weakness of adversity into joy and strength.

We read in 2Corinthians 12:9-10: “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Messiah may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Messiah’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

The Forerunner Commentary describes Paul’s attitude this way: “Paul turned what could have sent him into deep bitterness and passivity…into a strength (humility and a deeper reliance on [Yahweh]). As painful, frustrating or hindering as it was, his circumstance never deterred him from being an apostle who by the grace of [Yahweh] labored more abundantly than all others.”

Finding joy in times of sorrow and strength in times of weakness was the hallmark of the Apostle Paul’s ministry.

Our Attitude

As sincere seekers of Truth, each of us should possess this same positive attitude and express joy in the face of all adversity and trouble. We must be a people with positive attitudes if we are to endure the difficult times that lie ahead.

Our Savior Yahshua the Messiah also instructed His disciples to have a forward-looking attitude regardless of the difficulties faced.

“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see Elohim. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of Elohim. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you,” Matthew 5:1-12.

Take special note of that last verse. Yahshua tells us to rejoice… for great is your reward! For those sincere seekers with an upbeat attitude, adversity will always motivate them toward great spirituality. They will be a people of joy who rejoice in their reward in the Kingdom.

We also see that joy and a right attitude is an important element of the fruits of the Spirit, as we read in Galatians 5:22-26. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Messiah’s have impaled the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

The Day of Destruction

Isaiah describes a very horrific time in the future, a day of trouble and distress, the day of Yahweh.

“Howl ye; for the day of Yahweh is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of Yahweh cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of Yahweh of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword. Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished,” Isaiah 13:6-16.

Our Reward

It may be quite difficult to think of having a positive attitude during such a gruesome time. However, by having joy in adversity and looking on the positive side, we will be better equipped to endure and thereby receive a reward; Jeremiah 31:1-9 gives us hope for such a reward.

“At the same time, saith Yahweh, will I be the Elohim of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus saith Yahweh, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. Yahweh hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto Yahweh our Elohim. For thus saith Yahweh; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Yahweh, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.”

As long as we possess an optimistic attitude, and remember the adage, “this too shall pass,” we have the ability to get through any difficulties that we may face.

Yahshua’s Advice

As a final thought, we rely on Yahshua the Messiah to be our guide in how to balance sorrow and adversity with the joy that shall ultimately come in the Kingdom of Yahweh. John 16:19-24 reads:

“Now Yahshua knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

May our joy be made full as we reflect the mind of Yahshua.

You will do well if you can find one in 10,000 who knows the fundamental biblical teaching on the afterlife, and even fewer who conform to its requisites.
In sampling common beliefs, I selected a few responses to an online blog asking the question of why humans exist. Why on earth am I here?

• “Ah, yes, the most mysterious question that everyone ponders. When this happens in your life, then you begin your journey to know your truth. Everything in your life is placed there to awaken you to your truth and nobody else’s. The truth reveals itself through many and not just one. It’s a puzzle just like we are many but from the one. All I can give you is to stay grounded in love and gratitude.”

• “Isn’t it to be remembered long after you are gone? There had been billions and billions of lives that have been completed before us but almost all of them are forgotten except a few whose names we still remember…That’s the worst fear I have…the fear that the world will forget that I even existed.”

• “I feel life is a test and we don’t know anything because that’s part of the test.”

• “If you don’t want a purpose that’s up to you. Having no purpose is the same as being dead. Life is too short to make just one decision, music is too large for just one station, love is too big for just one, and G-d is too big for just one religion.”

The answer that came closest to the truth was the following (except for the zinger at the end): “The purpose is to know your creator. Then connect to your creator and follow his commands. everything created on this earth had a purpose so how about us? who created us? He is Allah – Almighty the most gracious the most merciful.”
Of the many comments surveyed, not one gave a Bible-based response.

Your Kingdom Potential

Biblical ignorance has serious consequences. Nowhere is that more so than living without knowing why. Yahweh says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that thou shall be no priest to me…” Hosea 4:6.

The Bible gives us the clear answer to the purpose for life as Yahshua taught it. He said the goal in this life is to prepare to be a kingdom of priests in the coming rulership of Yahshua. Revelation 5:10 explains, “And hast made us unto our Elohim kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

Because they ignore and miss this simple truth, we see countless questions and uncertainties that have troubled the masses for millennia. Beyond this very plain teaching of Yahshua lie all the misconceptions, false notions, bogus doctrines, man-made creeds and traditional fallacies about what life is about and what follows it.

As a youngster in Sunday school class I once read to the class Revelation 2:26, “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.” The teacher just smiled, nodded to me, and continued his lesson praising the Emperor Constantine and his “conversion” to Christianity.

It is this goal of the believer as taught by Yahshua that is hidden in plain sight. It is this teaching that defines our life’s purpose and why we must strive to obey the Truth taught by Yahshua.
Today thousands of ministries spend billions of dollars – and most all of them totally miss the mark when it comes to understanding the destiny of the chosen and what is acceptable in worship and what is not.

The Greatest Story Never Told

What does it mean to become a priestly Kingdom, Revelation 5:10, and how do we fit into that divine plan of salvation now? Do we need to change from a life of sin or come “just as I am” without a plea?

The Apostles and disciples were in training to take on leadership roles in Yahshua’s Work and ultimately to help govern the earth in the Kingdom. The called-out are in the same training now.
How could many overlook Yahweh’s overarching plan of expanding His family on earth? The same way they cannot see the clear Sabbath command, the numerous directives to keep His Feasts, His Name, and many other plain biblical teachings. Most are willingly ignorant.

A columnist in a commercial newspaper explained why so many firmly embrace false beliefs. Two reasons were given:

• Beliefs that are passed down by parents are tightly held to, whether they have a basis in truth or not.
• A person will hold firmly to beliefs that are internalized to become part of a person’s very identity.

Many respond viscerally if someone differs with their beliefs. Disagreements are often seen as a personal attack.

Yahweh has grand plans. The human family is a mere reflection of a far greater one to come. Paul wrote in 1Corinthians 2:9: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which Elohim hath prepared for them that love him.”

Half of Yahshua’s ministry was about His Kingdom coming to rule the earth. The other half was how to be included in that Kingdom. It’s today’s major truth never taught, even though it is clear as crystal in Scripture and openly seen throughout the New Testament.

Even Yahshua brings it out in His popular model prayer: “Thy Kingdom COME, thy will be DONE, on EARTH as it is in heaven.” His Kingdom is coming to earth and His plan will culminate on earth at that time!

Sweet Nothings Order of the Day

Useless tradition is what drives worship today, while the focus of billions is living to please number one. Lives are spent without direction or promise because of a refusal to obey Yahweh, disrespecting the only one who grants everlasting life.

Suppose you just started a new job. How long would it last if you told the boss that you would come to work whenever you pleased? What if you told your employer that you would decide yourself the tasks you would do? What if you told your boss that you didn’t need to do what he expects you to do? But you still expected a paycheck regardless?

Crazy? Sure. Unheard of? Absolutely. The subordinate doesn’t call the shots. But apparently millions of professing Bible believers think they do. They themselves determine how and when they will worship their Heavenly Father. They defer to fossilized traditions rather than to Yahweh’s Word. Many have the impudence to tell the Supreme Ruler of the universe what name they will call Him – or no name at all.

Biblical worship is never about pleasing the worshiper. It’s always about pleasing the One worshiped. Worship with a future promise of Kingdom rule means learning about and then doing Yahweh’s will.

Billions have no clue about the covenant Yahweh gave to His people. Billions never will until after the thousand years of millennial rule are finished and they are brought up in the Second Resurrection.

The True Believer must never be discouraged when criticized for following the faith. Just remember, a day of reckoning is coming. Today it is the believer who is up for judgment.
It was no accident that Yahweh called you to obedience. Answer the call as did Peter, James, and John at Galilee, who without hesitation or excuse dropped everything to answer Yahshua’s summons.

That means we must keep the same laws Yahshua did, including the Sabbath and Feasts.

The Evil One is well aware that Yahweh Himself wants you at His Feasts. Satan would not try so hard to make it challenging if these were just man-made celebrations like Xmas or the Fourth of July. Yahweh’s Feasts are holy times to Him and are called “His.”

Disobedience Is Sin

We sin when we know Yahweh’s days are obligatory but refuse to observe them anyway. James wrote in 4:17, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
At its core sin stems from ignorance of Yahweh. If man could see Yahweh in all His magnificence, in all His unfathomable power, all His glory, man would be as dumb as rocks not to humble himself instantly and obey without question.

Children who obey their parents have a healthy respect for their parents and know the consequences of rebellion. But those who ignorantly break Yahweh’s laws don’t know Yahweh and have no fear of the consequences.

Anyone who has ever held a job is familiar with one of the oldest excuses for not attempting something different: “But that’s the way we’ve always done it.” How does that make it right or better? For thousands of years people bowed to non-existent, pagan deities. Does that mean we should continue that pointless worship?

Proverbs 16:25 tells us: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

All that matters is what Yahweh dictates. Period. He makes the final ruling.

Where in the 66 books of the Bible does righteousness come by anything other than what the Bible says it does? Where does it say that righteousness comes by doing what we ourselves decide is best?

The very definition of righteousness means doing what is right. Yahweh sets the standard for what is “right.” How can we be righteous with Yahweh if we don’t measure up to His standard? Including the days He commands us to observe?

That is why from the very start in the very first Commandment He lays down an imperative. He says I am Yahweh and you must worship none else. Everything about proper worship emanates from that first commandment. There is no other way. Many still believe otherwise.

This is illustrated in a book on textual interpretation. The author was discussing a controversial verse with a fellow. The author realized the man misinterpreted the text because of the archaic English of the KJV and also because the verse misrepresented the Greek text. So the author gently suggested that the fellow was in error. The fellow’s response was that the Holy Spirit doesn’t lie and so his own interpretation had to be right, citing 1Corinthians 2:10-15, that spiritual things must be spiritually discerned, which left little doubt as to the status of the author. The author then asked, but what if Yahweh had given ME the proper interpretation? After a pause the fellow said, “I guess that would mean the Spirit says the Bible means different things to different people.”
Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:5 that there is “one Master, one faith, one baptism.” There is only one right interpretation.

Romans 6:16: “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Sin is doing what the Word prohibits.

Please Yahweh and Be Blessed

Nothing is more fundamental than honoring the one we worship in all things. It means following what Yahweh expects and not what we desire and decide. Biblical worship has a promise, a future, and His blessing.

This was no mystery to the pagans, who sought to please their deity in ways they believed were acceptable. Whether that meant sacrificing children to Molech, burning fires to the sun divinity Mithra, or coloring eggs in honor of the goddess Astarte – each was done specifically for their mighty one.

No doubt they learned the concept of worship itself from how Yahweh instructed man to worship Him soon after creation (Gen. 4:4-5).

The difference is that pagans are generally more dedicated in their false worship.

Paul asks in Romans 9:21, “Has not the potter power over the clay…?” Who put the clay in charge?

All of this is to say that a correct understanding of the Bible necessitates that we know its author. We cannot worship in truth unless we know the One we worship and what He expects. The more we know who Yahweh is, the more our worship will honor Him.

The less we know about Him, the more likely we will be living and worshiping in ways He does not accept. And that has been a problem through the millennia.

He says, “Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you, that you shall be no priest to me.” Do you want to be a priest in the Kingdom? If so get educated. Learn about Him. Why? Because in rejecting knowledge, you also reject knowing Yahweh, which is a basic expectation of His.

Once we humble ourselves before Yahweh the errors of our past worship end. Now we do it His way, all the way, and in no other way, or else have no part in the Kingdom reward.

If we are not pleasing Him by our conduct and worship, we are wasting our time. Our very blueprint for worship, Yahshua the Son, said He came to do His Father’s will, John 4:34. That’s also what we must do.

Peter wrote in 1Peter 2:21, “For even here unto were ye called: because Messiah also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps.”

To be free from your past life of sin takes action. Just praying the sinner’s prayer won’t cut it. Just saying I’m sorry is not enough without a permanent change.

Even though He lived a life without sin, Yahshua took on our sins. Our transgressions, which were placed upon Him, had to be dealt with. By His death and resurrection He showed that those sins were remitted permanently.

Yahweh is not taken seriously when we are not serious about our own destiny. Israel didn’t take Him seriously most of the time, either.

The prophet Jeremiah wrote in 5:2-4 (although this is a prophecy, it has had a prior fulfillment in the rebellion of Judah): “And though they say, Yahweh liveth; surely they swear falsely. O Yahweh, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of Yahweh, nor the judgment of their Elohim.”

Our desire is to present to the world the real Father in heaven. We do this by revealing what He expects of His people. He has a Name, He has a family, and He has a plan to expand His family to the far reaches of the very universe itself – starting with us, here on planet earth.

We find in the prayer of Hannah, in the writings of the prophet Samuel, “Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let [not] arrogancy come out of your mouth: for Yahweh is an Elohim of Knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.” (1Sam. 2:3)

All Our Actions Reveal Us

Why is He weighing actions? Because it takes more than faith alone. Two facts are key to our relationship with our Heavenly Father: He is: “An Elohim of knowledge” and “By Him actions are weighed…” Whose actions? OURS! Here the prophet applies Yahweh’s wisdom, His understanding, His knowledge to OUR actions.

To find out whether we are pleasing Him by our lives, we need to know how He looks at our behavior, what His desires are for His creation and what we can expect from our actions. We must know His standard of measurement and judgment. A reverential respect of Yahweh will lead us to greater knowledge still. He promises it.

“The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom” the Psalmist wrote, “a good understanding have all they that do his commandments” (Ps. 111:10). This being the case, the reverse is true as well. A person who will not obey and do His commandments will lack understanding.

The next time you are tempted to listen to someone claiming to be a minister of the Word, ask, does the man pattern His own life by Yahweh’s Word? Does he call on Yahweh’s Name (2nd-3rd Commandments)? Does he remember the Sabbath and Feast days to keep them holy? Does he live by the statutes of Scripture? Is his life moral and an example for others to follow?
We are in training to be a kingdom of priests, according to Revelation 1:6. A biblical priest is very well educated in the office he holds.

So, ask yourself again “Why on earth am I here?”

This life is a training ground. Doing Yahweh’s will is central to a future in His Kingdom soon coming to earth.

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No matter what age we are, we will always be considered by Yahweh as His children. Yahweh is sovereign in the heavens, the earth, and all of creation, and we are a part of His creation. It is Yahweh through Yahshua whom we trust who provides for our needs, just as a child looks to one’s parents for his or her needs.

We all have needs, and many times when those needs are not met when we believe they should be met, we get anxious and worried about life. Pray to Yahweh and ask that He provide for your needs. In Philippians 4:6-7 Paul says, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto Elohim. And the peace of Yahweh, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Messiah Yahshua.” Pray, believe, and have joy knowing that Yahweh is in control of all things and can provide for your needs.

Also, praying for our own needs is not enough; we must pray for the needs of others. Look beyond yourself and find out how you can help someone by saying a prayer for his or her needs. Praying for another’s needs is an act of love, and that love will yield joy within your heart.

Humility of Mind
Humility is more than just being humble toward Yahweh but also humble toward one another. In Philippians 2:3-4 Paul says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” To view oneself as less important than someone else is contrary to the mentality of this world. So much emphasis in this world is placed upon serving self rather than serving one another.

Yahshua came to this Earth to serve rather than to be served. He gave up everything that He had and emptied Himself because He had a desire to please Yahweh and to give us a way to eternal life through His life, sacrifice, and death. He did not do all these things for Himself or to serve Himself, but He served for Yahweh and for us. We ought to model ourselves after Yahshua’s example and give to others freely with humility of mind just as He did. Joy doesn’t come from merely fulfilling our own needs and desires, but real joy comes from forgetting about ourselves for a while and focusing in love on what can be done for someone else. As Paul says in Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Attitude
Joy can truly come from how one approaches a situation. In Philippians 2:14 Paul says, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings.” This type of attitude doesn’t mean the tasks that we are not so fond of must suddenly become fun, since everyone is different and everyone has certain likes and dislikes of what to do. But we are told that in all the things, even the not so fun tasks, that we must not complain.

Consider the example of Yahshua. When He came to earth He didn’t complain to Yahweh about coming. He came with a joyful spirit, even though He fully knew He would die a painful death. He didn’t squirm or try to get out of what He had to do. He came without complaint. Yes, there are many bothersome things in life, but complaining about every one of them will not make the situation better, but will only make us feel worse. Just the small effort of not complaining about every bad situation will assuredly increase the amount of joy in life. Someone said, “The antidote to negative thinking isn’t positive thinking, but gratitude.”

Thankfulness
Focus on the blessings that Yahweh has given and not on the things that we don’t have. We humans tend to have wandering eyes toward what we don’t have and forget about all the things that we do have. In Philippians 4:12-13 Paul says, “I know how to be abased and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to abound and to suffer need; I can do all things through Messiah which strengthens me.” Paul was content in all these situations because his goal wasn’t for comfort in his life but to glorify Yahshua through his life.

Life is not about what we own, but about living as Yahshua did, and realizing that the things we do have are blessings that Yahweh has given us. Be content and thankful for the blessings you have been given, and joy will truly follow.

Surroundings
Our surroundings are more than just what’s around us. They are also the thoughts we have and the people with whom we associate. These are the influences that can either erode the joy in our lives or create joy. In dealing with our thoughts Paul says in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

The characteristics in this verse are attributes of Yahshua and are a glimpse into the kind of thoughts He had. We become the thoughts that we think, so it is important for us to fill our minds with good things and forget all the negative thoughts.

In dealing with others Paul says the following in 1Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals.” Yes, we are to be lights to the world, but when you hang around someone too much who constantly has a bad attitude, that attitude tends to rub off on you. If at all possible, surround yourself with people who would rather encourage you than complain about everything. Peace comes from being around those of a like-minded faith and joy, and in turn will produce joy in our lives.

Our circumstances don’t have to regulate our joy, but the things we do, the things we think, and our attitude about life will regulate our joy.

To dovetail all these points, loving Yahweh and loving others really is the focal point of all these ways to create joy in your life. Focus on good things, do good deeds, and Yahweh will surely fill your heart with joy.

by Joel Wirl

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