The Sacrificial Systemand the New Testament

Shaul (Paul) & the Nazirite Vow

• To our knowledge, Shaul took the Nazirite vow at least twice:

• Acts 18:18

• Acts 21:17-26

Elements of Vow: Numbers 6

• No grape products: verses 1-4

• No cut hair: verse 5

• No going near dead person: verses 6-8

• Sacrifice offerings after vow completed - verses 13-21:

Sacrifices of Nazirite – Numbers 6

13 `Now this is the law of the Nazirite when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall bring the offering to the doorway of the tent of meeting.

Burnt Offering (Olah) – verse 14

“He shall present his offering to the LORD: one male lamb a year old without defect for a burnt offering

Olah - Burnt offering – Leviticus 1

Sin Offering (Chata-at) – verse 14

“and one ewe-lamb a year old without defect for a sin offering

Chata-at - Sin offering – Leviticus 4

Peace Offering (Shlamim) verse 14

“and one ram without defect for a peace offering,

Shlamim - Peace offering – Leviticus 3

Grain & Drink Offering – (Minchah) verse 15

“15 and a basket of unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil and unleavened wafers spread with oil, along with their grain offering and their drink offering.

Minchah - Grain offering – Leviticus 2

16 “Then the priest shall present them before the LORD and shall offer his sin offering and his burnt offering. 17 `He shall also offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, together with the basket of unleavened cakes; the priest shall likewise offer its grain offering and its drink offering. 18 `The Nazirite shall then shave his dedicated head of hair at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and take the dedicated hair of his head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings. 19 `The priest shall take the ram's shoulder when it has been boiled, and one unleavened cake out of the basket and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his dedicated hair. 20 `Then the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. It is holy for the priest, together with the breast offered by waving and the thigh offered by lifting up; and afterward the Nazirite may drink wine.‘”

Did Shaul DO This?

He did so without objection!

“23…do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law… 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.” Acts 21

Why?

• Couldn’t he have argued with the other Disciples and said:

“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.” Galatians 5:18

“…you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:14

“For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM."

Galatians 3:10

Yes!

Both Epistles had been written by that time!

He simply did what he was asked!

But he didn’t!

Which now brings up a Dilemma:

• Christian theology for the last 1800 years has taught that the Law, particularly the sacrificial system, has been done away by the death and resurrection of Yeshua!

“Once for All” Passages

• New Testament passages seemingly indicating that sacrificial system was ended by the death of Yeshua:

The “Once for All” sacrifice of Yeshua

“For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.” Romans 6:10

Hebrews 7:27

“…who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the {sins} of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”

Hebrews 10:10

“By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

1 Peter 3:18

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, {the} just for {the} unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;”

So, if Yeshua IS the “Once for All” Sacrifice…

Why is Shaul offering Sacrifices over 20 years AFTER the Death & Resurrection of Yeshua?

Need an Explanation!

• The very fact that he did so without objection demands an explanation!

We Cannot Ignore What He is Doing! He is speaking volumes by

his actions!

• Last Shabbat we talked about possible motives behind Shaul’s doing this!

Shaul’s Motive?

• Deception?

• Lying?

• Hypocrite?

• People Pleasing?

• Legalist?

None of these!

• If he was, we could not trust a single epistle of this Apostle of God!

• Only conclusion: Shaul did not believe that his offering sacrifices violated his faith or practice as a believer in Yeshua as the Messiah or the efficacy of Yeshuas’ sacrificial death on behalf of the nation!

A Choice to Make

• Either Christian theology over the last 1900 years is wrong about end of the Law and the sacrificial system, or the Apostle Paul (from whose writings most anti-Law theology is quarried) and the other Disciples are wrong.

• Can’t have it both ways.

Even Greater Dilemma!!!

• Why, during the Millennial (thousand year) Reign of Messiah Yeshua on Earth, does Yeshua allow the Sacrificial System to Continue!

Outreach Judaism: “Anti-Missionary” Group

“If in fact…there was thus no longer any need for animal sacrifices, why then are the same animal sacrifices coming back? Christians have very little room to maneuver on this matter because the Bible is quite clear that the animal sacrificial system will be restored in the messianic age. In fact, in the last nine chapters of the Book of Ezekiel, the prophet describes in vivid detail the elaborate rituals and lofty ceremonies which will occur in the third and final messianic Temple. In chapters 43-44, Ezekiel clearly states that the animal sacrifices will be reinstated in their full glory.”

http://www.outreachjudaism.org/Yomkippur.html

Ezekiel 40-43

• Millennial Temple. Such a Temple with these dimensions has never yet been built!

Lord will Come to this Temple – Ezekiel 43

• And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east. 5 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. 6 Then I heard one speaking to me from the house, while a man was standing beside me. 7 He said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever.”

The Offerings – Ezekiel 4318 And He said to me, "Son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, `These are the statutes for the altar on the day it is built, to offer burnt offerings on it and to sprinkle blood on it. 19 `You shall give to the Levitical priests who are from the offspring of Zadok, who draw near to Me to minister to Me,' declares the Lord GOD, `a young bull for a sin offering. 20 `You shall take some of its blood and put it on its four horns and on the four corners of the ledge and on the border round about; thus you shall cleanse it and make atonement for it. 21 `You shall also take the bull for the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place of the house, outside the sanctuary. 22 `On the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish for a sin offering, and they shall cleanse the altar as they cleansed it with the bull. 23 `When you have finished cleansing it, you shall present a young bull without blemish and a ram without blemish from the flock.

Ezekiel 4324 `You shall present them before the LORD, and the priests shall throw salt on them, and they shall offer them up as a burnt offering to the LORD. 25 `For seven days you shall prepare daily a goat for a sin offering; also a young bull and a ram from the flock, without blemish, shall be prepared. 26 `For seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it; so shall they consecrate it. 27 `When they have completed the days, it shall be that on the eighth day and onward, the priests shall offer your burnt offerings on the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you,' declares the Lord GOD."

Jeremiah 33 – A Still Future Time

• 14 `Behold, days are coming,' declares the LORD, `when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 `In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. 16 `In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she will be called: the LORD is our righteousness.' 17 "For thus says the LORD, `David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 18 and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to prepare sacrifices continually.' "

As Sure as Day & Night!

19 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 20 "Thus says the LORD, `If you can break My covenant for the day and My covenant for the night, so that day and night will not be at their appointed time, 21 then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant so that he will not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levitical priests, My ministers.

False Prophets???

• These two prophets (Ezekiel & Jeremiah) are stating that during the Millennial reign of Messiah the sacrificial system will be resumed.

• If they aren’t correct, then these prophets are false prophets according to Scripture:

Deuteronomy 1817 "The LORD said to me, `They have spoken well. 18 `I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 `It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. 20 `But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.' 21 "You may say in your heart, `How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?' 22 "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

They are True Prophets

• I believe that these men ARE true prophets of God and that the sacrificial system will resume during the Millennial reign of Messiah, just as they said!

Why Resume Sacrifices?

• Some Christian commentaries say that this will be in memorial for the sacrifice that Yeshua made on our behalf on the Cross (Unger’s Bible Handbook).

• Other Christian commentaries “spiritualize” this away as “spiritual sacrifices” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary; Halley’s Bible Handbook).

Literal Resumption

• I believe this is a literal resumption of the sacrifices, not a memorial nor a “spiritual” sacrifice.

Why Resume the Sacrificial System?

My Opinion, In Brief: As long as there is 1) a Temple, 2) a priesthood acting in the Temple, and 3) sinful man coming before a holy God, there will be a sacrificial system.

No Temple/No Priesthood = No Sacrificial System

• Happened before:

• Antiochus Epiphanes, stopped sacrificial system.

• Babylon, stopped sacrificial system.

Restoration & Resumption

• After restoration of the Temple in these examples, resumption of sacrificial system occurred.

Restored Temple = Restored Sacrifices

• So, too, will the sacrificial system be resumed in the Millennial Temple!

Why the Continuation and Resumption of Sacrificial system if Yeshuas’ Atoning Death Ended that System?

Evidently, His Death Did NOT End the Sacrificial System!

• My Understanding: It just ended the Efficacy of ONE sacrifice only – once for all and for all time:

• The permanent priesthood of Yeshua FOREVER and Perfectly ended this sacrifice! (Hebrews 5 - 8)

• Yom Kippur Sacrifice

Book of Hebrews

• Motif of the Book relates to the Yom Kippur Sacrifice. Not the other sacrifices.

Yom Kippur Sacrifice

• Did not do away with the need for the other sacrifices (Leviticus 1-5).

• Individuals still offered other sacrifices daily in the Temple. (Such as what Shaul was doing!)

On the obverse: Daily sacrifices did not do away with the need for the Yom Kippur Sacrifice.

Yom Kippur Sacrifice

Leviticus 16

• Once a year sacrifice

• On behalf of the Entire Nation of Israel

34 "Now you shall have this as a permanent statute, to make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once every year." And just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so he did.

“Once”• Yeshua’s sacrifice “Once,” not yearly

"Now you shall have this as a permanent statute, to make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once every year."

Yom Kippur is a Perpetual yearly sacrifice – Leviticus 16:34

Leviticus 2326 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 27 "On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the LORD. 28 "You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the LORD your God. 29 "If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. 30 "As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 "You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 32 "It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath."

Levitical Sacrifice

but into the second, only the high priest {enters} once a year, not without {taking} blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. Hebrews 9:7

Then Aaron shall offer the bull for the sin offering which is for himself, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household. (Leviticus 16:6)

Hebrews 10:3

• But in those {sacrifices} there is a reminder of sins year by year.

Yeshua’s sacrifice is Permanent/Eternal

• Completes FOREVER the Yom Kippur sacrifice.

• Because it Stands outside of time…

Permanency of Messiah’s Sacrifice – Hebrews 9

24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many…

Hebrews 10

11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

Messiah’s Sacrifice

• nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Hebrews 9:25

Hebrews 10:1

• For the Law, since it has {only} a shadow of the good things to come {and} not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

Extra-Biblical Proof of Ending of Yom Kippur Sacrifice

• Yom Kippur Sacrifice no longer accepted by God.

THE MIRACLE OF THE CRIMSON WOOL

These lengths of wool were specifically dyed crimson on account of the verse which reads, "Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall whiten as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be white as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). It is related that a great miracle occured concerning this crimson-colored wool: For in addition to the piece which was tied to the scapegoat, a similar length was tied to the entrance of the Sanctuary where all could behold it, high up like a banner. The sage Rabbi Yishmael taught (Yoma 6, 8) that when the scapegoat reached its destination in the desert, this wool miraculously turned white before the eyes of all Israel, in keeping with the words of the prophet - and thus providing a Heavenly sign that the sins of the people had been atoned for.

Isaiah 1:18 - Rashi 

Our Rabbis taught: During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple the lot [‘For the Lord’] did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson-coloured strap become white; nor did the westernmost light shine; and the doors of the Hekal would open by themselves, until R. Johanan b. Zakkai rebuked them, saying: Hekal, Hekal, why wilt thou be the alarmer thyself? 5 I know about thee that thou wilt be destroyed, for Zechariah ben Ido has already prophesied concerning thee: 6 Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. 7 12) Which was tied between the horns of the bullock. If that became white, it signified that the Holy One, blessed be He, had forgiven Israel's sin. Cf. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.

What Happened 40 Years BEFORE the Destruction of the

Temple?

• Destruction of the Temple occurred in 70 CE. by Titus

• 70 – 40 = 30 CE.

Yeshua Crucified!

• And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.

Matthew 27:51

Veil of Temple

• Opened only ONCE a year (Yom Kippur), ONLY High Priest entered!

Hebrews 10

19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Only ONE Sacrifice NOT Mentioned by the Prophets During

Millennial Reign of Messiah!

• Yom Kippur Sacrifice!

• This is the only sacrifice made on behalf of the nation!

All Others Repeated! Made on Behalf of the Individual!

• Ezekiel 43 & Jeremiah 33

Explains Sacrificial System

• Usage by Rabbi Shaul

• Resumption During Millennial reign of Yeshua.

“Take away sins” – Hebrews 10

11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;

Hebrews 10:4

For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

John 1:29

The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Yeshua “takes away sins”

• You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.

1 John 3:5

1 John 2

• 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

By A Permanent Priesthood

• Melech (King) Tzedekh (Righteousness) – Hebrews 5-7

• Yeshua could not be a priest on this earth – tribe of Judah – Hebrews 7:14

One More Thing…

• The sacrifice of Yeshua also had one more advantage – it was complete!

• At the time of Yeshua, the full Yom Kippur sacrifice could NOT be carried out completely!

What’s Missing?

In the Temple of the First Century?

The Ark of the Testimony did not stand in the Second Temple.

In the Ark's absence in the Second Temple era, the High Priest would place the shovel down on the foundation stone itself, in the place where the poles would be extending had the ark been there.

Leviticus 16 13 "He shall put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the ark of the testimony, otherwise he will. 14 "Moreover, he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; also in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. 15 "Then he shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering which is for the people, and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat.

1 Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. 3 Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Hebrews 9:1-5

Contrasts in Priestly MinistryLevitical (Heb. 7:11) Yeshua – Melchizedek (Heb.

7:1-3)

Imperfect priests (Heb. 7:27) Sinless (Heb. 7:26)

Imperfect sacrifice (Heb. 10:4)

Perfect Sacrifice (Heb. 9:25)

Imperfect Tabernacle (copy) – (Heb. 8:4)

Heavenly Tabernacle (Heb. 9:11, 24)

Priests die (Heb. 7:23) Yeshua lives forever (Heb. 7:24)

Inferior (Heb 7:9-10) Superior

Better Covenant/promises (Heb. 8:6)

Year-by-Year (Heb. 9:25) Once (Heb. 10:11-15)

“Once For All”

• All What???

• Sacrifices???

• Was Yeshua the sacrifice to end ALL Sacrifices???

• No!

Else, why the sacrifices of Sha’ul (Paul) and during the Millennial Reign of Yeshua?

For “ALL”

• For the sins of ALL the people who would believe in Him!

Yom Kippur Sacrifice

• Sins of the people

34 "Now you shall have this as a permanent statute, to make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once every year." Leviticus 16

On Behalf of the Sins of the People – Hebrews 2

17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Yom Kippur Sacrifice

• Made on behalf of the people (nation Israel), not individuals!

• ALL other sacrifices (Leviticus 1-5) are individual sacrifices!

Atonement for All the People of Israel:

The Nation as a Whole

“Israel”

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Individuals can choose to be a part of this Covenant Nation Israel

“Israel”Individual

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Or not…(cut off)

“Israel”The “Saved” or

Covenant Community

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Free Will of the Individual: can choose to belong to the Covenant

Community• Predestination as a people: plural: those,

these – NOT as Individuals28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8

We’re too used to thinking “Individuals”

• Western thinking: “I”

• Hebraic thinking: “We”

Even New Covenant made with the Nation (“We”) Not Individuals (“I”) – Jeremiah 31/Hebrews 8

31 "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 3133 "But this is the covenant which I will make with

the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 "They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, `Know the LORD,' for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."

Individuals (“I”) Join the Covenant Community (“We”)

• It is with the House of Israel (“We”) and Judah that God makes His New Covenant (Jeremiah 31/Hebrews 8).

• Individuals (“I”) can choose to be (or not to be) a part of this covenant community (“We”). Like Ruth & Rahab (“I’s”).

• No one “saved” outside of that covenant community (“We”/“Israel” – Romans 11). All individuals (“I”) “grafted in.”

Romans 1117 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

“Cut off”

“Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.” Exodus 12:15

Exodus 31:14

“Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.”

Leviticus 7:20

“But the person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, in his uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from his people.”

Leviticus 7:27

“Any person who eats any blood, even that person shall be cut off from his people.”

Leviticus 23

• 29 "If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. 30 "As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people.

Many other “Cut off” Passages

• Strong's Number:  0377 - Karath 

•  Definition - to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill– to cut off – to cut off a body part, behead

• to cut down • to hew

Individuals can choose to be a part of this Covenant Nation Israel

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Criteria to belong to Covenant Community?

• A Biblical Faith

• Faith in God determines whether one is a part of the saved community or not.

Romans 3:28

“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”

Ephesians 2

• 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Even in “Old Testament” Righteous shall live by faith

"Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith. Habakuk 2:4

James 2:24

• “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

Balance Between Faith & Works

• Both are part of a believers life

True Biblical Faith

• Koine Greek: Pistis

“Now faith is the assurance of {things} hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

1st Element of a True Biblical faith: Belief that God exists and

Rewards those who Seek Him

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

Not just “Head” Knowledge

19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. James 2

2nd Element of True, Biblical Faith: Give Yourself to Him

• Accept His provision for you and give yourself to Him as a Living Sacrifice.

• Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, (which is) your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1

This the Demons Won’t Do

3rd Element of a True Biblical Faith: Works

20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? James 2

James 2

22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Body = Faith

26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

James 2

Works = Spirit

• Would have thought that the body would be the works and not the spirit.

• By this Scripture we see that it is the person’s works that cause their faith to be alive.

• It is NOT their faith that cause their works to be alive.

Faith: Hebraic Understanding

• Hebrew = Emoonah – “Faith”/ “Faithfulness”

• Emoonah – Battle with Amalekites – Exodus 17:12

But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady (emoonah) until the sun set.

Belonging to Covenant Community

• Takes a Biblical Faith: Head knowledge (belief system), living sacrifice, AND faithfulness in walking out that faith!

• Remember: We belong to a “Faith- Community.” We’re NOT walking this faith out simply as individuals (alone).

Gentiles Brought Into that Covenant Community by Faith in Yeshua – Ephesians 2

11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands-- 12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 213 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

Ephesians 2

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Romans 1117 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being

a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

Covenant Community

• Not separate from Israel

• But part of Israel - the people of faith -descendants both by physical descent of Israel (remnant) and by spiritual engrafting (non-Jewish believers) World-wide

• Not local community of believers ONLY

Ruth

• Your people shall be my people, your God shall be my God.

We MUST identify with Israel in the Land and Scattered Abroad

• They are OUR people, too!