This is Chapter 20 of the book titled The Destiny of Israel and the Twilight of Christianity: In Quest of the Meaning and Significance of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures, by John Saggio.

CHAPTER 20

 

THE REIGN OF THE SON OF DAVID

JESUS THE MESSIAH

THE BOOK OF ACTS: PART VII

THE GROWTH AND TRIUMPH OF THE NEW NATION

ADULTHOOD: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SEED OF ABRAHAM

(1 & 2 Thessalonians, Galatians)

 

Table of Contents

     The Conclusion
     The Conclusion
          Paul's Use of Ironic Shame
          Paul's Ironic Rebuke
          The Great Abrahamic Nation
          A Righteousness of the Law
          The Righteousness of the Law
          The Redeemer-Kinsman of Israel

Table of Contents, Page 2

          The Blessings of Abraham
          The Coming of Sonship
          Hagar and the Sinatic Covenant
          Isaac and Ishmael



CHAPTER 20

 

THE REIGN OF THE SON OF DAVID

JESUS THE MESSIAH

THE BOOK OF ACTS: PART VII

THE GROWTH AND TRIUMPH OF THE NEW NATION

ADULTHOOD: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SEED OF ABRAHAM

(1 & 2 Thessalonians, Galatians)

 

Leaving those Greeks who had received the truth of the Gospel to the care and instruction of the faithful Messianic Jews of the synagogue in Athens, Paul travels to Corinth. Within the city of Corinth, he meets a Jewish tentmaker named Aquila, who, with his wife Priscilla, had recently come from Rome because of the edict of Claudius expelling the Jews from Rome (49 a.d.). Apparently, Aquila and Priscilla, aside from having tentmaking in common with Paul, also have their faith in common with Paul. The couple has already heard and believed the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. They may even have been in Jerusalem during the Pentecost festivities of Acts, chapter 2. This means they could have been participants in the birth of the New Born-From-Above Israel of Yahweh described in the early chapters of the Book of Acts.

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A Synagogue of Satan

Paul had probably met this couple while seeking work as a tentmaker. Recognizing the couple as fellow Messianics, Paul takes up employment and lodging with them. On every sabbath he attends the synagogue successfully persuading “both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 18:4b CV). When Silas and Timothy finally rejoin him, Paul, profoundly encouraged by their report concerning the Messiah-followers in Thessalonica and Berea, more enthusiastically proclaims to the Jews in Corinth that Jesus is the Messiah, arguing convincingly from the Hebrew Scriptures.

Like the earlier argument from scripture by Stephen (Acts 6:8-10), the rulers and elite members of the synagogue in Corinth “were not strong enough to withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke” (Acts 6:10 CV). They could not refute the accuracy of Paul’s interpretation of the Law and the Prophets. In spite of the power of his message inspired by the spirit, these apostate Jews finally resist and blaspheme the testimony of the spirit.

Paul, “shaking out his garments” (Acts 18:6b CV), pronounces the judgment of the faithful watchman of Ezekiel (Ezk. 33:1-5),

Your blood be on your head! Clear am I! From now on I shall go to the nations. (Acts 18:6c CV)

It is necessary to proclaim the Gospel to the Jew first. Paul has done this. Many Jews within and outside the synagogue have believed to the saving of their lives from the imminent indignation, wrath, of Yahweh and His Anointed Son/King. By analogy, Paul has been made a watchman to Israel and the nations as described by Ezekiel:

And the word of the Lord [Yahweh] came to me [in the present situation, Paul] saying, “Son of man [Paul My commissioned Apostle], speak to the sons of your people [Israel and the nations], and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land [the judgment of Yahweh’s indignation announced by John the Baptist and Jesus], and the people of the land [Jew and Gentile] hear the warning sound of danger that he [the Apostle Paul] blows on the trumpet [the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah] warning the people [Jews first, also Gentiles], then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword [the imminent judgment destroying Jerusalem and the Temple] comes and takes them away [into Roman captivity], his blood will be on his own head . . . But had he taken warning, he would have delivered his life.’” (Ezekiel 33:1-5 NASB modified)

The apostate Jews in Corinth (hearing the sound of imminent judgment trumpeted by Yahweh’s anointed Apostle, Paul, in his proclamation of the Gospel which, inspired by the spirit, they are unable to refute) refuse to heed the warning. If they continue in this blasphemous act of disobedience against and betrayal of Yahweh, their blood will be on their own heads, not the heads of Yahweh’s commissioned Apostles, the watchmen of Israel.

These apostate Jews will be cut off from their people, cut off from the promised Celestial Allotment available through the terms of the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant announced in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. They will suffer the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, the objects they will have chosen to worship and serve idolatrously rather than worship and serve Yahweh, the One, True, Living Elohim of Israel. They will suffer the termination of the covenantal relationship with Yahweh which they once, as a nation, had enjoyed. They will suffer through the final destruction of the Sinatic/Mosaic cultic system of worship which had made them a distinct, holy, exalted nation among the nations of the earth.

However, in contrast to these apostate Jews, the many Jews heeding the warning sound of the trumpet of the Gospel, together with those Gentiles (electively exposed to the Gospel) heeding the trumpet sound of the Gospel among the uncircumcised peoples inhabiting the territories of the Roman Empire, are being incorporated into the newly generated Born-From-Above Israel of Yahweh. They are heirs to the promises of Abraham, looking forward to the Celestial Allotment of the faithful sons of Abraham.

These faithful ones will not suffer the loss of Jerusalem and the Temple. They will not suffer the loss of the Sinatic/Mosaic cultic system of worship. They will not suffer the loss of the covenantal relationship with Yahweh provided by the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. They are already the enjoyers of the blessings of the superior covenantal relationship with Yahweh provided by the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant.

And, finally, they will not suffer the judgment of the indignation of Yahweh soon to come upon Apostate Israel, although they will suffer the sufferings of Jesus the Messiah on behalf of the righteousness of the New Davidic/Abrahamic Kingdom, the righteousness represented by the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. This suffering, however, will be to the glory of Yahweh.

Acknowledging the blasphemy of this Corinthian synagogue of Satan, The Adversary (see Rev. 3:8-11), Paul withdraws from this pseudo, Satanic synagogue of lying Jews. Entering into the house (adjacent to the apostate, Satanic synagogue) of Titus Justus (a Messianic follower of Jesus from among the God-fearing Greeks in the synagogue), Paul establishes an authentic, true, holy opposing synagogue of Jews worshiping and serving Yahweh in the truth of the Gospel together with the faithful Messianic Gentiles clinging to the One, True, Living Elohim and His Anointed Son/King, Jesus the Messiah. This new synagogue is recognized as a Jewish synagogue by the Roman proconsul Gallio when later the apostate Jews belonging to the synagogue of Satan, assaulting Paul, drag him before the judgment seat of Gallio, accusing him of breaking the law. Gallio, immediately recognizing this dispute to be between Jews, dismisses the case (Acts 18:12-16).

After Paul’s lethal judgment on the synagogue of Satan in Corinth and his establishment of an opposing synagogue (Acts 18:4-7), Crispus, at that time the chief of this doomed synagogue under the curse of Yahweh due to blasphemy, had turned from this idolatrous synagogue to Yahweh and His Anointed Son/King, believing the truth of the Gospel together with his whole household (Acts 18:8a). The Jewish community in Corinth is now in the midst of much turmoil. The choice has been made clear: choose you this day whom you will worship and serve, The Adversary and his minions, or Yahweh and His Anointed Son/King Jesus the Messiah. The warning words of Joshua, the great ancient savior of Israel, begin to burn in the hearts of those Jews recognizing the significance of blasphemy against the irrefutable testimony of the spirit of Yahweh:

When you transgress the covenant of the Lord [Yahweh] your God [Elohim], which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods [the idolatrous worship of a distorted Moses and idolatrous confidence in an apostate Jerusalem and Temple], and bow down to them [by rejecting the word of Yahweh trumpeted in the Gospel, thus resisting, blaspheming the spirit of Yahweh], then the anger of the Lord [Yahweh] will burn against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land which He has given you. (Joshua 23:16 NASB)

Yahweh must be worshiped in sincerity and truth (Josh. 24:14). His voice must not be denied. He is speaking to His people in the Gospel. Consequently, “many of the Corinthians [Jews], hearing [the voice of Yahweh the One, True, Living Elohim, recognizable through the power of His spirit], believed and were baptized” (Acts 18:8b CV). The intention of this account is to make clear the vital distinction between apostate Jews and faithful Jews, between an unholy synagogue (a synagogue of Satan) and a holy synagogue (a synagogue of Jesus the Messiah), between antimessianic Jews and Messianic Jews. Those hearing and believing are baptized. Only Jews are required to be anointed with water. Only the Gospel of the Circumcision included the command to be baptized with water in the name of Jesus.

Peter, together with the other eleven Apostles, could not say with Paul, “For Christ does not commission me to be baptizing, but to be bringing the evangel, . . .” (1 Cor. 1:17 CV). Peter and the eleven are commissioned to both evangelize and baptize (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:15-16). This is in accord with the Gospel of the Circumcision.

Paul’s apostleship is in accord with the Gospel of the Uncircumcision which applies to the gentiles, the uncircumcised non-Jews. He proclaims the Gospel of the Circumcision to the Jews, but not as the Twelve Apostles commissioned with the Gospel of the Circumcision. He proclaims the Gospel of the Circumcision to Jews as a Messianic evangelist commissioned by the spirit and the Ecclesia of Antioch. He proclaims the Gospel of the Uncircumcision to the gentiles as the Messianic Apostle commissioned personally by Jesus the Messiah.

The Gospel associated with his Apostleship does not command him to evangelize and baptize. The Messianic Gentiles are not participants in the Melchizedekian Priesthood associated with the priestly ministry of Jesus as the firstborn Son of circumcised Abraham. This priestly ministry within the New Born-From-Above Israel of Yahweh, the Ecclesia of Jesus the Messiah, belongs only to the Saints, the holy ones of circumcised Israel (see Dan. 7:25-27; 8:24; Rom. 1:7; 15:25-26, 31; 16:15; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:2). The faithful Jews (the Saints) are a holy kingdom of priests after the order of Melchizedek (Rev. 1:4-6; Heb. 5:6; Ps. 110:4; Ex. 19:6).

Following this separation from the synagogue of Satan and the triumph before the dais of Gallio, Yahweh (through Jesus the Messiah) once again speaks to Paul by means of a vision in the spirit. The opposing Adversary, though actively attempting to dishonor and disempower the Gospel, has been bound (Rev. 20:1-3), hindered from stopping the success of the Gospel. His very opposition has resulted in the increasing of those responding faithfully to the word of the Gospel. In this vision, Paul is encouraged to continue his boldness in the proclamation of the Gospel. He is commanded,

Fear not! but be speaking; and you should not be silent, because I am with you, and no one shall place hands on you to illtreat you, because there are many people of Mine in this city. (Acts 18:9b-10 CV)

In the city of Corinth, Yahweh has “many people.” The New Davidic Kingdom is not weak. Its Gospel of liberation is reaching the hearts of many people. It continues to conquer the opposing powers. Yahweh is sending His Gospel into the territories of the Roman Empire within which dwells a multitude of people who have prepared their hearts and minds as receptacles waiting to be filled with the truthful, saving words of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. These people, though not being the great majority dwelling within the empire, are nevertheless a vast number. Unfortunately, a great number of these will be sleeping (not becoming faithful to the end) and will forfeit their share in the soon-to-come Celestial Allotment.

Left behind, they will form the nucleus of the new religion destined to bring about the disintegration of the ancient world-order of the gods, liberating the nations from their infantile entanglements in the mythopoeic perception of the natural world. The nations making up humanity will leave behind the experiences and perceptions of the race’s infancy and childhood, gradually entering the experiences and perceptions of the race’s newly discovered adolescence. Liberated mankind will begin to climb out of the mythopoeic hole it had dug itself into as a result of its abandonment of the One, True, Living Elohim from Whom comes all breath and life. No longer would Yahweh Elohim be condoning (relegating the nations to the darkness of their ignorant, disqualified minds) the Times of Ignorance (from Abram to Jesus). The Son of Abram had come. He had already begun paving the way out of the deep idolatrous hole the nations had dug themselves into. This is the proleptic significance of the Gospel of the Uncircumcision which Paul has been commissioned to proclaim.

Thus, Paul is not to be silent. Although he will continue to be opposed and will continue to suffer affliction and persecution on behalf of the Gospel, he will not be harmed so as to keep him from continuing his commission to its successful conclusion. This had been evidenced in the accusation of the lying, pseudo, satanic Jews before the judgment seat of Gallio. This Roman proconsul had immediately driven these accusing Jews away from his seat of judgment without Paul having to open his mouth in defense of himself.

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Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians

Paul remains in Corinth for a period of one year and six months (51-53 a.d.). During this time, he is seated as chief in the new, faithful synagogue of Messianic Jews and Gentiles. As chief of the new synagogue, he is engaged in teaching the word of Yahweh. This encompassed the whole of the Hebrew Scriptures, the secrets of the kingdom, the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, and the secrets of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, that which Paul is later to refer to as “the entire counsel of God [Yahweh] (Acts 20:27 CV).

At this time, having received the report of Silas and Timothy concerning the affairs of the Thessalonian and Berean Messianic brethren, Paul decides to write a letter of encouragement to the assembly of Messianic Thessalonians. The letter is written sometime in 51 a.d., about 20 years after the crucifixion death of Jesus. The assembly of Messianic Jews and Gentiles in Thessalonica, although separated from the zealously jealous local synagogue of apostate, lying, satanic Jews, is still to be perceived as a synagogue of the Jews, even as the assembly of Messianics in Corinth continues to perceive itself as a Jewish synagogue.

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The Introduction

Paul praises the Thessalonians for their “work of faith and toil of love and endurance [steadfastness] of expectation of our Lord Jesus Christ, in front of our God and Father” (1 Thess. 1:3 CV). Their conduct is worthy of those serving Jesus the Messiah. They faithfully continue their labor of love expecting the imminent Parousia of Jesus and the accompanying entrance into their Celestial Allotment in the presence of Yahweh Himself. He reminds them that they have been elected by Yahweh to hear the Gospel which came to them in both word and power, the holy spirit providing much assurance (1 Thess. 1:5).

Although receiving the word of the Gospel in much affliction, they have with much spiritual joy become models to all believers throughout Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thess. 1:6-7). Paul then describes their salvation as turning “back to God [Yahweh Elohim, the One, True, Living Elohim of Israel] from idols” (1 Thess. 1:9 CV). This is true of both Jews and gentiles. For the Jews in their past had worshiped idols, and, in the present, the Jews are worshiping a distorted image of Moses and clinging to an idolatrous perception of Jerusalem and the Temple, making them suspicious of the Gospel at best and antagonistic to the Gospel at worst. Their own traditions and commandments developed since the Babylonian exile have obstructed their hearing and seeing, making it most difficult for them to hear the voice of Yahweh in the Gospel and to see the hand of Yahweh in the salvation of the Gentiles.

Again, continuing, Paul notes how turning back to Yahweh means slaving for the living and true Elohim (1 Thess. 1:9b) as Yahweh speaks and acts in His most recent visitation of His people and, just as important, “waiting for His Son out of the heavens, . . . our Rescuer out of the coming indignation” (1 Thess. 1:10 CV). Being faithful to the end requires steadfast expectation of the imminent Parousia of Jesus the Messiah, thus delivering the faithful conquering ones from the soon–to-come indignation of Yahweh upon Apostate Israel to the Celestial Allotment to be entered at the consummation of the Parousia (the Approach/Arrival) of Jesus the Messiah. The conquering one must remain faithful not only during the period of the Messiah’s Approach, but to the final day of His Arrival.

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Misunderstanding of the Parousia

A misunderstanding concerning this imminent Parousia had caused some Thessalonians to become idle, concluding that the Parousia is so imminent there is no need to carry out one’s daily economic and social responsibilities. To those of this conclusion Paul writes, “to be engaged in your own affairs, and to be working with your hands, according as we charge you, that you may be walking respectably toward those outside and you may have need of nothing” (1 Thess. 4:11b-12 CV). The Parousia is imminent, but not that imminent. It will occur during the present generation, but until that time, one is to be engaged in the customary affairs of life. One must work with one’s hands to provide for himself and his family, as well as for others. Each Messianic believer must conduct himself and herself in such a way as to draw the respect and honor of others, both within and without the Messianic social web.

Other Thessalonians had been concerned about their loved ones who had died. Paul answers their concern by informing them that they should not be grieving as those who have no expectation of the imminent Parousia of Jesus the Messiah. Those faithful, conquering ones who had died before the consummation of the Parousia process, will not be excluded from the Celestial Allotment. Yahweh, through Jesus, will “lead forth [those experiencing the sleep of death] together with Him [Jesus] (1 Thess. 4:14 CV).

Yahweh is the Elohim of the living (Matt. 22:31-32), not the dead. He promises to rouse to life the dead in Christ. Identification with the death of Jesus the Messiah assures resurrection with Jesus at the consummating Arrival of His Parousia (1 Thess. 4:14) to the ones faithful to the end. Those who remain alive to the final day of the Parousia (the day of His completed Arrival, during which He will lead His Ecclesia into her Celestial Allotment) shall not be led forth into this allotment either prior to or without those who had died before this gloriously triumphant day (1 Thess. 4:15).

Jesus the Messiah Himself will be literally, bodily, descending from heaven on that glorious day. With the figurative trumpet of Yahweh, He (Jesus) will figuratively shout out in the commanding voice of the newly appointed Chief Messenger (which He had recently become). By means of this celestial communication, those who belong to Him will recognize and hear His commanding voice.

The dead identified with the death and resurrection of Jesus will be the first to recognize and hear His voice commanding them to be rising out from among the dead. As they obey His commanding voice and begin to ascend into the heaven, those still alive will be recognizing and hearing His voice commanding them to ascend into the heaven. Together, the dead and living will ascend to meet Jesus their Savior, Lord, and King awaiting them in the heavens above. From that day forward, all the members of His spiritual Body will always be together with their Lord (1 Thess. 4:16-17). With these words of encouragement, they are to be consoling one another. Paul will later elaborate on this event in his first letter to the Corinthians.

In this passage written to the Thessalonians, Paul does not describe in detail this very sophisticated evacuation of the Ecclesia of Jesus out of the terrestrial realm. His picture only reveals within the atmosphere surrounding the earth all those involved in this magnificent evacuation. However, drawing from the literature of the Hebrew Scriptures, it is possible to describe speculatively a more sophisticated scenario based upon the present technological awareness of human beings.

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The Evacuation Interpreted Technologically

In 2 Kings, chapter 6, the prophet Elisha is surrounded by the army of the king of Syria who seeks to capture him. His servant warns him of the danger. But Elisha tells his servant not to fear, “for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (6:16 KJV). The prophet of Yahweh then prays that the eyes of his servant be opened. When Elisha’s prayer is answered, his servant observes that “the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (6:17 KJV). These “chariots of fire” refer to very sophisticated celestial spacecraft, beyond the descriptive capability of ancient man who could only describe them in terms of his own experience of moving vehicles, the horse and chariot.

When the prophet Elijah had completed his ministry, the prophet Elisha is present when Elijah is taken up into heaven by “a chariot of fire, and horses of fire” (2 Kings 2:11a KJV). His assent is described as follows: “Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kings 2:11b). This is no ordinary vehicle. This is an ancient description of a sophisticated flying vehicle operated by celestial beings. Ezekiel the prophet describes this same kind of vehicle in the first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel. Within this vehicle, he sees “the appearance of a man” (Ezk. 1:26b KJV).

In the Greek Scriptures, these celestial vehicles are associated with clouds. When Jesus ascends with Peter, John, and James into a high mountain to pray, the three disciples behold an unusual transformation of Jesus. Suddenly, they see Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus. A cloud then approaches and overshadows them. When the cloud ascends, Moses and Elijah are gone and Jesus stands alone (see Lk. 9:28-36; Matt. 17:1-9; Mk. 9:2-8). Later, at the final ascension of Jesus into heaven, He is “lifted up, and a cloud took Him up from their eyes” (Acts 1:9 CV).

In 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4, verse 17, Paul, writing of the ascension of the members of the Ecclesia, says that they would be “snatched away together . . . in clouds” (CV). This is metaphorical language describing the presence and function of celestial spacecraft operated by celestial beings involved in an intricate strategy to evacuate a vast multitude of human beings out of the terrestrial realm into the celestial realm, while remaining undetected by the rest of the human population inhabiting the terrestrial realm. Paul may be writing metaphorically, but he is describing a literal, spatial, temporal evacuation of human beings to occur during the latter part of the first century a.d.

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The Necessity for Watchfulness

This literal, imminent evacuation is so important to the significance of the Gospel that Paul reminds the Thessalonians that “you yourselves are accurately aware that the day of the Lord is as a thief in the night—thus is it coming!” (1 Thess. 5:2 CV). This necessitates watchfulness. As sons of light, sons of the day (sons of the New Davidic Kingdom of light in contrast to the darkness of Apostate Israel and the darkness of the uncircumcised nations), Messianic Jews and Gentiles should not be “drowsing [sleeping], even as the rest [the sons of darkness], but we should be remaining awake [continually watching] and sober [clear minded] (1 Thess. 5:6 my translation).

Drowsing or sleeping refers to an incompetent, disapproved, neglectful servant. His lethargic mind reveals a neglecting of the sound-mindedness (2 Tim. 1:7; 1 Tim. 1:10; Eph. 4:17-25) associated with the Gospel and the indwelling spirit. Such neglectful service hinders, quenches (1 Thess. 5:19) the dwelling spirit from indwelling, from taking full possession and control within the house of the body/mind. Such a servant does not belong to the enemy camp. He remains by mental ascent a Messianic. But by his conduct he is a worthless servant, though not a rebellious servant.

He serves his Lord, but fails to please Him in this service. He seeks the more comfortable life. He endeavors to avoid suffering on behalf of the righteousness of the Gospel. He is lukewarm in service, and so, will be spit out, metaphorically, by his Lord during his Lord’s Parousia (Rev. 3:15-16).

Those who drowse or sleep, neglecting to be vigilant on behalf of the righteousness of the kingdom of light and on behalf of their faithful, obedient service to their Lord, are characteristically of the night, the darkness of the then present era of Apostate Israel and the apostate nations. The light of the new day has already begun to rise above the horizon for all those in Jesus the Messiah, for all those who are sons of this light of this new day. Those who do not take seriously the imminent Parousia of their Lord, neglecting their duties required by the terms of the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant, neglecting their responsibilities as citizens of the New Born-From-Above Israel of Yahweh (“fellow-citizens of the saints,” Eph. 2:19 CV), are conducting themselves as children of the darkness and of the night and are about to come under the indignation of Yahweh. Though these neglectful, unvigilant, Messianics are not apostate, since they do not deny the Messiahship of Jesus, their inefficient, disreputable service disqualifies them from entering the Celestial Allotment at the consummation of the Parousia (see the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of the talents, Matt. 25:1-30).

Yahweh has not appointed the Messianic nation to experience His indignation (1 Thess. 5:9a) designed for and targeted at Apostate Israel (the Cainite nation and kingdom characterized as antichrist). This is the same indignation announced by John the Baptist and Jesus. It is surely coming. It is surely coming within the lifetime of the present faithful members of the Thessalonian Messianic assembly. This is why these disciples of Jesus the Messiah need to be vigilantly attending to “the procuring of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for our sakes, that, whether we may be watching [covenantally living] or drowsing [covenantally dying], we should be living at the same time [simultaneously] together with Him [at the time of the consummation of His Parousia](1 Thess. 5:9b-10 CV). Again, Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to console and edify one another on the basis of the expectation secured by the procuring of one’s salvation in the face of the imminence of the Parousia of Jesus the Messiah.

This “procuring” of the salvation provided by the death of Jesus the Messiah on behalf of all those believing into Him has to be accomplished by the disciple on whose behalf Jesus had died. Having then received this salvation by believing the truth of the Gospel, one must faithfully, obediently, “be walking worthily of God [Yahweh], Who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12 CV). Having entered into the New Davidic Kingdom, one is required to be responsibly walking worthily of the righteousness of this kingdom, serving Yahweh and His Anointed Son/King according to the will of Yahweh: “For this is the will of God [Yahweh]: your holiness [your vigilant separation from the thought and behavior of the children of darkness, the children of the night of Yahweh’s imminent indignation, to the sound mind and conduct of a son of the new light, a son of the new day of the Gospel of the New Covenant life]. You are to be abstaining from all prostitution” (1 Thess. 4:3 CV). Such holiness requires the disciple to think and act in such a way as to bring glory and honor to the name of Yahweh and Jesus the Messiah.

Failure to procure for yourself this salvation provided by the death of Jesus the Messiah results in the forfeiture of the Celestial Allotment entered into at the consummation of this salvation process. Such procurement is expedited by the Yahweh-authorized supervision-responsibility of the Jewish Messianics. Thus, Paul exhorts the less educationally informed among both the Jewish and Gentile Messianics “to perceive [give due recognition to] those who are toiling among you and presiding over you in the Lord and admonishing you, and to deem them exceedingly distinguished in love, because of their work” (1 Thess. 5:12-13 CV). The Jewish Messianics (the Saints, the priests after the order of Melchizedek) are responsible for the instruction and training of the Messianic Gentiles in the literature of the Hebrew Scriptures and the more complex truths of the Gospel. This is the honorable and esteemed burden placed upon the circumcision toward the blessing of the Messianic uncircumcised Gentiles.

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The Conclusion

Paul closes his letter with a final acknowledgement of the grave importance of the Parousia of Jesus the Messiah,

may your unimpaired spirit and soul and body be kept blameless in the presence [Parousia] of our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Thessalonians 5:23b CV)

It is possible to become blamefully rejected as a result of not walking worthily, not remaining watchful (covenantally vigilant), not taking seriously the imminence of the Parousia by neglecting to eagerly await His Parousia, by neglecting to “love His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8 KJV).

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Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians

While still in Corinth, Paul writes a second letter to the assembly of Messianics in Thessalonica. It is probably written during the beginning of 52 a.d. Paul has received word that a letter has been circulating among the Thessalonian believers claiming to have been written by Paul. In this letter, the writer informs the Thessalonians that the day of the Lord is now present. Paul’s primary purpose in writing this second letter is to correct this misunderstanding. It is correct to understand the day of the Lord as a period of time. It is incorrect to conclude that this period had already begun.

It is very possible that a pseudo Jewish Messianic belonging to the local synagogue of Satan which had persecuted Paul in both Thessalonica and Berea passed himself off as a believer in the Gospel, thereby infiltrating the assembly of Messiah-followers. Gaining their confidence, he then could compose and deliver to them a letter falsely claiming to be written by Paul and placed in his care to carry to Thessalonica on his return trip from Corinth. Such a tare planted among the wheat would not be surprising. Such an apostate Jew would consider such an intriguing and daring plot worth the risk, since these Messianics are considered by some Jews as blasphemous members within the community of Judaism. Such zealous jealousy would be very much like the same zealous jealousness displayed earlier by Saul in the holy land against these Messianics.

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The Introduction

Paul opens his second letter by congratulating these followers of Jesus the Messiah for faithfully enduring persecution and affliction on behalf of the Gospel. Such faithful endurance is a sign of the just judgment of Yahweh deeming them worthy of the New Davidic Kingdom. In sharing in the sufferings of Jesus the Messiah at the hands of His enemies, these Messiah-followers are walking worthily of the Gospel, vigilantly keeping their eyes, hearts, and minds on the imminent Parousia of Jesus the Messiah. Such faithfulness reflects their obedience to the warning of Paul given while he had been with them and repeated in his first letter: “For even when we were with you, we predicted to you that we are about to be afflicted” (1 Thess. 3:4a CV).

This faithful vigilance, watchful alertness, securing the maintenance of their faithfulness to the consummation of the Parousia is the very cause of their profound, disturbing excitement at the recent news that the Parousia had already begun. The false letter, however, seeks to mislead them into faithlessness, hoping to shake them from commitment to the sound mind of the Gospel.

To experience the sudden excitement of alarm is not necessarily bad. Jesus Himself had warned his disciples of the usefulness of being alarmed when He told them not to be alarmed when they heard of wars and rumors of war (Matt. 24:6; Mk. 13:7). The time for alarm, however, had not yet been reached. The trumpet sound of alarm warns those hearing the sound to prepare for the trouble about to occur. It can result in fear, immobilizing and breaking the mental will of the people to resist the coming danger, or it can mobilize and strengthen the mental will of the people to stand firm against the coming danger.

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The Problem of the False Letter

Therefore, Paul exhorts the Thessalonians “that you be not quickly [hastily] shaken from your mind [the sound-mindedness of the Gospel], nor yet be alarmed, either through spirit, or through word, or through an epistle as through us [Paul, Silas, Timothy], as that the day of the Lord [the Parousia] is present” (2 Thess. 2:2 CV). The time for alarm resulting from faithful vigilance, faithful watchfulness, had not yet been reached. The day of the Lord had not yet, in fact, begun. When that day would actually come, their vigilance would alert them to the authentic alarm trumpeted by the spirit. At that time, the alarm would warn them to focus their sound minds on withstanding “the stratagems of the Adversary” (Eph. 6:11 CV) associated with the last and more severe affliction and persecution executed by Apostate Israel against the Messianic Israel of Yahweh.

At the sound of the warning trumpet of the spirit, for the last time they would be taking up “the complete spiritual armor of Yahweh in order that you may be enabled to withstand [boldly and courageously] in the wicked day [of Apostate Israel’s final, all-out military thrust of her completely unified forces arrayed in full battle-gear against her perceived enemy. At which time, she unleashes her last vicious arsenal of weapons, inflicting her most extreme affliction and persecution upon the New Born-From-Above Israel of Yahweh, the Elect Ecclesia (called-out faithful sons of Abraham) of Jesus the Messiah]” (Eph. 6:13, my amplified translation).

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The Imminent Judgment Against Apostate Israel

Having praised the Thessalonians for their faithful endurance of present sufferings, Paul reminds them that Yahweh will inflict full justice on Apostate Israel, the source of their present affliction and the coming extreme affliction. To these fellow-sufferers sharing in the sufferings of Jesus the Messiah, Paul recommends resting (together with himself, Silas, and Timothy) patiently in their faithfulness while awaiting Yahweh’s imminent, though not yet present, just judgment against His stiff-necked, rebellious nation of Cainites. Paul describes this judgment against the apostate, pseudo nation as

the unveiling of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with celestial messengers administering His power, in the interest of flaming fire [the fiery destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 a.d.] dealing out justice to the ones not perceiving [through the eyes of faith] Yahweh, even the ones not obeying [after having heard] the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Messiah. (2 Thessalonians 1:7b-8 my translation)

This judgment refers to the culminating judgment of the Parousia directed against Apostate Israel. This judgment would overtake stiff-necked, disobedient Israel in 70 a.d. as a result of the madness of Apostate Israel in her insane revolt against Rome and the final flaming fire of the Roman army (the instruments through which the Messiah’s celestial messengers administer His powers in His execution of the just verdict of Yahweh against the unjust apostate nation) devouring both the sacred city, Jerusalem, and the sacred cultic place of worship, the Temple. In this way, those Jews rejecting and opposing the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah out of a zealously antichrist (antimessiah), uncircumcised heart “shall incur the justice of eonian extermination from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of His strength” (2 Thess. 1:9 CV).

In that day Yahweh would be elated over the obedient Messianic Nation, but would exterminate, from His covenantal Presence, the disobedient Apostate Nation after the likeness of the prophetic judgment of Moses:

for you did not hearken to the voice of Yahweh your Elohim. So it will come to be, just as Yahweh was elated over you to bring you good and to let you increase [as Yahweh has been doing in relation to the hearkening Messianic Nation], so Yahweh shall be elated over you to destroy you and exterminate you, so that you will be swept away off the ground where you are entering to tenant it. And Yahweh will scatter you among all the peoples . . . (Deuteronomy 28:62b-64a CV)

Thus, the imminent coming of “eonian extermination from the face of the Lord” is to be understood as the covenantal extermination of Apostate Israel from the covenantal Presence of Yahweh previously enjoyed under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. With the termination of this covenant, apostate Jews surviving Rome’s destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple would be scattered once again among all the peoples, suffering another exile.

This exile, however, would terminate completely their previous covenantal relationship with Yahweh which had given them supremacy over the nations. Terrestrial Israel would never again experience an elective relationship to Yahweh whereby it would be exalted over the nations. Terrestrial Israel would survive, but only as one nation among many nations.

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The Exaltation of the Bride

In Paul’s day, terrestrial Israel (the apostate nation) would imminently lose its elect, holy, covenantal status, never to have it restored. That unique status would belong to the nation of Yahweh’s elation, the Messianic Born-From-Above Israel drawn near to Yahweh in association with the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant. This holy nation, consisting of Jews and Gentiles accounted by Yahweh as Abraham’s faithful sons, is presently (in Paul’s day) betrothed to Jesus the Messiah as His Bride, but imminently to become His Wife, His Complement, His spiritual Body ruling beside Him, in His Celestial Exaltation shared by Her, as Queen over and Mother of the New Jesuic Humanity.

When would this exaltation of the bride begin? According to Paul,

whenever He [Jesus the Messiah] may be coming to be glorified in His saints and to be marveled at in all who believe . . . in that day [the Parousia, the day of the Lord]. (2 Thessalonians 1:10 CV)

At that time, imminent to their own generation, Jesus the Messiah would come to manifest His glory in His Saints (Jewish Messianics) and to be marveled at in all the ones believing the Gospel from among the uncircumcised nations (Messianic Gentiles). The Parousia of Jesus the Messiah emphasizes the glorification of the obedient Messianic Nation; the day of the Lord emphasizes the just judgment of the disobedient Apostate Nation. Both of these literary designations refer to the same period of time.

However, this glorious Parousia had not yet arrived. To be sure, it is imminent. But the Thessalonians are not to be deluded. They need to be testing every word, every claim to be spirit-influenced revelation, any letter purported to be coming from Paul. All these claims are to be put to the test of the Hebrew Scriptures and the sound, revealed teachings of the Gospel. For by such erroneous claims The Adversary’s servants, the apostate Jews opposing the Gospel, implement their diabolic strategies intending to deceive the Messianic brethren into turning away from the truth of the Gospel.

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The Counterfeit Messianics

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that while he had been with them, he had made known to them that the day of the Lord could not come prior to the arrival of the apostasy within the ranks of the Messianic assemblies and prior to the unveiling of the man of lawlessness within the ranks of Apostate Israel (2 Thess. 2:1-3). The apostasy which Paul refers to is the apostasy prophesied by Jesus in His Parable of the Tares (Matt. 13:36-43).

The Adversary (through his slaves, apostate Jews) plants within the field of Messianic Israel counterfeit seed (tares). These pseudo-disciples (apostate Jews passing themselves off as Messianic Jews) flourish among the ideal seed (wheat). Their purpose is to deceive the Messianic Jews (as well as, secondarily, the Messianic God-fearers who had been previously associated with the synagogues of Judaism, but not all the Messianic Gentiles) into returning to the Mosaic Covenant. These counterfeit disciples even accept Jesus as the Messiah, but they associate Him only with the Mosaic Covenant. They conform the Gospel and the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant to fit within the framework of the Mosaic Covenant, maintaining argumentatively the requirement that all Messianics keep the Sinatic/Mosaic Law, both Jews and Gentiles.

These counterfeit messianics reject the Celestial Allotment associated with Abraham and the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant, expecting instead the terrestrial restoration of the Davidic Kingdom under the rule of the returning Jesus. The day of the Lord, for them, is associated with the defeat of the Romans and the religious, political, social, and economic exaltation of Israel over all the nations currently under the rule of Rome. They reject the glorification of the cross of Jesus the Messiah as a sharing of the sufferings of Jesus the Messiah, because it contributes to the nullification of the Mosaic Covenant. From their perspective, the only validity of the sufferings of Jesus is associated with the resistance against Roman rule in order to restore Israel to her ancient greatness which she previously had under David and Solomon. These counterfeit messianics believe that Yahweh will send Jesus the son of David back to the terrestrial realm with the mighty angels of Yahweh to militarily defeat the Romans in battle.

They, thus, proclaim, teach, and zealously defend a counterfeit gospel and a counterfeit new covenant. Appearing to be authentic Messianics (wheat), they in actuality are counterfeit messianics (tares). The time is coming (and is imminently coming) when these tares will be separated from the wheat. These antichrists will eventually abandon the Messianic assemblies in order to join forces with Apostate Israel when she organizes for her revolt against Rome.

The Messianic assemblies will reject such a revolt, refusing to associate themselves with Jerusalem, the Temple, the ruling powers of the Jewish nation, and the synagogues of the Jews committed to open, military revolt. The counterfeit messianics, choosing open, military revolt, will be apostate messianics, electing to defend and wait upon the Elohim of the Mosaic Covenant, Whom they believe will fight on their behalf as He had done under Moses and Joshua. This apostasy had not yet manifested itself.

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The Parousia of the Man of Lawlessness

The unveiling of the man of lawlessness (2 Thess. 2:3-5) would occur within the ranks of Apostate Israel during her open revolt against Rome. This man of lawlessness would be a Jew who makes a mockery of the law by defiling the Temple cult and the Temple priesthood in the course of the revolt against Rome in the name of Yahweh, Apostate Israel’s Elohim. Paul characterizes him as the son of destruction; for he represents the essence of the insane, mad revolt and its destined destruction of the nation. He will declare himself the king of Israel, a royal priest, exalting himself above all those in Israel ruling and judging as elohim, gods (see Jn. 10:34-36; Ps. 82:6; Ex. 21:6). Seating himself in the Temple, he presents himself as a god, an elohim, the Judge, the Priest, the King over all Israel. All this Paul had told the Thessalonians while he was still with them.

According to Paul, the Thessalonians were also aware of the factor (Greek, , the things, neuter, 2 Thess. 2:6) contributing to the detainment of the man of lawlessness so as not to unveil him before Yahweh’s predetermined era (season, time; 2:6). This had already been revealed to the Messianic Saints in the Book of Revelation already written and disseminated among the Messianic assemblies (see Rev. 20:1-3, the binding of The Adversary, Satan). Paul had shared this revelation with the Thessalonians.

Paul continues by declaring that the secret of this lawlessness represented by the man of lawlessness is already operating (2 Thess. 2:7). This lawlessness is already operating in the opposition to the Gospel by apostate Jews. However, this opposition is unsuccessful. It cannot hinder the success of the Gospel among the uncircumcised Gentiles being called in by Yahweh. It cannot bar the circumcised-in-heart Jews from turning to Jesus as their Messiah, turning away from the idolatrous traditions and commandments of apostate Jewish shepherds opposed in heart to both Yahweh and His Anointed Son/King.

Presently, the operation of lawlessness is ineffectually opposing the Gospel. Its ineffectualness will end as the Gospel completes its intended purpose: to call out a people for Yahweh’s name from among Apostate Israel (Messianic Jews) and from among the idolatrous nations (Messianic Gentiles). The apostate Jews of lawlessness stir up persecution and affliction, but such opposition only increases the effectiveness of the Gospel in the increase of those entering the New Davidic Kingdom, the Born-From-Above Israel of Yahweh. However, the seasonal time is coming (and is coming imminently) when the operation of lawlessness will wreak havoc on the Ecclesia of Jesus the Messiah throughout the territories of the Roman Empire (see Rev. 20:7-10, the unbinding of Satan; see also Matt. 24:19-22).

This intensification of the operation of lawlessness will begin to occur when the celestial messenger, who had bound Satan unbinds him, “Only when the one [Greek, ò, masculine] presently detaining may be withdrawing out of the midst [the realm of the submerged chaos, the land of Palestine], then will be unveiled the lawless one . . .” (2 Thess. 2:7b-8a my translation). This lawless one will be representative of the apostate nation as a corporate man. He (the individual and the corporate nation he stands for) will be lifted up (Greek, anelei, to lift up) in the eyes of apostate Jews by Jesus the Messiah Who holds authority over The Adversary, Satan, who will do exactly what he is commissioned to do by Yahweh. This lawless one will be lifted up (glorified, honored, magnified as a god, a judge, a king in the eyes and hearts of apostate Israelites) by the words of his mouth inspired by The Adversary commissioned by Jesus the Messiah.

These words will consist of blasphemies toward Yahweh, blasphemies against His Holy, Elect Nation, against His Holy, Elect People (the Ecclesia of Jesus the Messiah). This lawless one will be speaking the great things of the Mosaic Covenant and the Elohim Who will fight on Israel’s behalf. He will speak The Lie that Apostate Israel chooses to believe (see Rev. 13:5-8; Dan. 7:8, 25).

As Jesus will have lifted up the man of lawlessness to receive the admiration of his apostate people, so Jesus will humiliatingly defeat him by the very glorious manifestation of his (the man of lawlessness) parousia, a parousia energized by the operation of Satan producing powerful pseudo signs and miracles in the interest of every unrighteous seduction meant to deceive those apostate Jews who are perishing because they refuse to receive for their salvation the love of the truth of the Gospel. Since they prefer the lie rather than the truth, Yahweh gives them up to their preferred lie which He clothes in a robe of glorious seduction.

Thus, the pseudo, hypocritical, seductive glorious manifestation of the parousia (revealed presence, process of approach/arrival) of the man of lawlessness (individual and corporate) results in the destruction of all apostate Jews, which destruction they prefer to the salvation of Yahweh:

[The individual and corporate man of lawlessness] the Lord Jesus will lift up by the inspired words of his [the man of lawlessness] mouth and will humiliatingly defeat by the glorious-manifestation of his [the man of lawlessness] parousia, whose parousia is in accord with the operation of Satan producing powerful pseudo signs and miracles in the interest of every unrighteous seduction meant to deceive those [apostate Jews] who are perishing because the love of the truth [of the Gospel] they refuse to receive for their salvation. (2 Thessalonians 2:8b-10 my translation)

Rejecting and opposing the truth of the Gospel, they are completely seduced by their love of the lie, which Cainishly proclaims, “The keeper of my brother am I?” (Gen. 4:9 CV).

Apostate Israel (the Lawless Man), arrogantly refusing to share his covenantal glory and privilege with his brother nations, in essence attempts to murder his brothers, but fails as a result of the Conquering Son of Yahweh. Face to face, he (the individual and corporate man of lawlessness) listens to the word of Yahweh’s Gospel of life and arrogantly replies, I am not my brother’s keeper! Apostate, Cainite Israel fails his brothers, but not so Messianic, Abelite Israel. Hearing the life-giving word of Yahweh, he (Messianic, Abelite Israel) declares, I am my brother’s keeper, and proceeds to act accordingly.

Therefore, concludes Paul, with the arrival of The Day of Yahweh,

Yahweh will be sending them [the Apostate, Cainite nation of Jewish rebels] an operation of deception [the Satan-inspired, pseudo glorious-manifestation of the parousia of the man of lawlessness], for them to believe the falsehood [the lie], in order that all [these apostate rebels] may be judged [receive justice, just retribution], the ones not believing the truth [of the Gospel], but delighting in the injustice [of clinging idolatrously to a distorted image of Moses and opposing in arrogant jealousy the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah]. (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 CV modified)

The Day of the Lord brings destruction on Apostate Israel, Yahweh giving up this lawless corporate man to the desire of his heart, The Lie, which to his uncircumcised heart appears to be a glorious manifestation of his own exalted parousia by his own covenantal Elohim (supposedly Yahweh the Elohim of the Mosaic Covenant) arriving to avenge his long day of humiliation at the hands of the arrogant, idolatrous, ignorant, uncircumcised nations. This seductive, evil spirit of madness, national insanity, will end in a mad rage of self-inflicted, abominable, abhorrent human horror, followed by the flaming-fire destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple inflicted by Yahweh’s instrument of justice, the Roman army, in 70 a.d.

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The Parousia of the Man of Righteousness

The Parousia of Jesus the Messiah, on the other hand, brings the completion of salvation to the Messianic Israel of Yahweh. Jesus the Messiah evacuates His faithful conquering ones from the terrestrial realm, leading them into the place He had gone to prepare for them (Jn. 14:1-3), the Celestial Allotment promised to all those servants of Yahweh faithfully attaining to the prize of His calling-above in Christ Jesus (see Phil. 3:13-14).

In the midst of the Approach aspect of the Parousia of Jesus the Messiah, His Ecclesia will be manifested in His glory (Rom. 8:18-25), resulting in the salvation of the rest of circumcised-in-heart Israelites previously deceived by the apostate traditions and commandments of the Jewish sons of Cain. The combination of the apostasy within the Ecclesia/Messianic Nation (the abandonment of the counterfeit messianic Jews to the revolutionary cause of the apostate nation, whereby the tares are separated from the wheat) together with the manifestation in glory of the Messianic Nation (her exodus out from association with the revolting Jerusalem aristocratic rulers, Temple priesthood, and Jewish synagogues, her refusing to join the patriotic revolt, whereby her authentic identity as the people of Yahweh is confirmed in the now opened eyes of the previously deceived circumcised-in-heart Israelites) achieves the final salvation of all Israel (Rom. 11:25-28).

Consequently, Paul exhorts the Thessalonian brethren to “stand firm, and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, whether through word or our epistle” (2 Thess. 2:15 CV). He encourages them to pray “concerning us [Paul, Silas, Timothy], that the word of the Lord may race and be glorified, according as it is with you also, and that we [Paul, Silas, Timothy, and all Messianic Jewish evangelists] should be rescued from abnormal and wicked men [apostate Jews, abnormal and wicked by the standards of the word of Yahweh, given only to them, and the Gospel sent to them first], for not for all is the faith [offered by the Gospel] (2 Thess. 3:1-2 CV).

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The Elect Generation of the Gospel

The Gospel of Jesus the Messiah is neither sent to all men everywhere throughout the centuries nor is it meant for all men. It is sent to all Israelites (Jews) dwelling in Palestine, the Land of Promise, and to all those Jews scattered throughout the remaining territories of the Roman Empire, as well as the gentiles inhabiting these same territories. This is, indeed, an elect generation, for only this generation dwelling within the boundaries of the Roman Empire is sent the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. And though all those hearing are called, only many hear and believe, and out of those many, few remain faithful to the end, enduring faithfully and courageously the full sufferings of Jesus the Messiah, thus, attaining to the prize of Yahweh’s calling-above in Christ Jesus.

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The Conclusion

Finally, Paul concludes his letter by exhorting the Thessalonian brethren to walk worthily of the Gospel, separating themselves from those among them who are “walking disorderly and not in accord with the tradition which they accepted from us” (2 Thess. 3:6b CV). The faithful must be imitating Paul, Silas, and Timothy in their orderly walk, working with their hands to provide their basic needs and responsibly carrying out their social duties in accord with the Law of Jesus the Messiah. Though the Parousia of Jesus the Messiah is certainly imminent, until its ordained season arrives, the Messianic faithful brethren are to take up their daily responsibilities to the glory of Yahweh and His Anointed Son/King. Paul, then, signs the letter with his own hand, thereby making any forged letter purporting to come from him easy to detect.

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Paul’s Letter to the Assemblies of Galatia

The Crisis of the Current Situation

After writing his two letters to the Thessalonian brethren, while continuing his one-and-a-half-year ministry in Corinth, Paul receives word concerning the rise of a crisis among the Messianic assemblies in Galatia (about 53 a.d). The nature of the crisis is not unexpected, but disappointing. Paul confidently is convinced of the Galatian brethren’s commitment to the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. He is fully aware of the opposition of non-messianic Jews and counterfeit messianic Jews.

The history of Israel has been a history of civil war, a history of two nations, in the eyes of Yahweh. The nation is now in the process of becoming historically aware, in her own eyes, of this civil and national division. The nation is presently being confronted with an either/or choice. She will either choose to worship and serve Yahweh in accordance with His proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah or choose to worship and serve the distorted image of Moses in accordance with the traditions and commandments of her apostate forefathers.

She will either come out from under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant superseded by the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant or remain under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant, tenaciously clinging to a covenant which is in the process of being terminated, a covenant “growing old and decrepit” and nearing its disappearance (Heb. 8:13 CV), a covenant administering death to its members rather than life, a covenant under the just verdict of Yahweh’s imminent indignation. Jesus had predicted the manifestation of this civil/national division as one of warfare:

You should not be inferring that I came to be casting peace on the earth [the territories of the Roman Empire within which Israel resided]. I did not come to be casting peace, but a sword. For I came to pit a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And the enemies of this man [the Jewish man] are those of his household [fellow-Jews]. (Matthew 10:34-36 CV)

For roused shall be a nation [Messianic Israel] against a nation [Apostate Israel], and a kingdom [the New Davidic Kingdom] against a kingdom [the decrepit Saulite kingdom], . . . (Matthew 24:7a CV)

Israel is once again confronted with the words of Joshua, “choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Josh. 24:15a KJV). Jesus the Messiah is confronting Israel: choose you this day whom you will serve. The choice is either Yahweh and His Gospel or their forefathers and their gospel, either the new invigorating Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant or the old and decrepit Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. As Jesus had declared, “You can not be slaving for God [Yahweh] and mammon” (Matt. 6:24b CV).

The Jewish nation and kingdom is in the process of recognizing this either/or choice. She is in the process of recognizing her civil and national division. But at this point, she has not made the crucial break by declaring war.

The Gentile Messianics in the territory of Galatia had heard and believed the Gospel as announced by Jews. These Jews had claimed to be sent with the authority of Yahweh and His Anointed Son/King Jesus the Messiah. Therefore, these believing Gentiles had been taught that they now were full-fledged members of the commonwealth of Israel, the elect people and nation of Yahweh. Thus, they became associated with the synagogues of the Jews, joining the non-messianic Jews, the counterfeit Messianic Jews, the Messianic Jews, and the gentile God-fearers in the worship and service of Yahweh and in the fellowship of the Jewish Community.

The Messianic Jews and Gentiles are at this time a subgroup within the larger Jewish Community. They attend the synagogue on the sabbaths and on the intervening days meet in house assemblies. In these gatherings, they continue to worship and serve Yahweh and Jesus the Messiah, studying the holy Hebrew Scriptures and interpreting them in accord with the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah.

The Messianic Gentiles are being instructed in the Law and the Prophets and the Law of Jesus the Messiah by the Messianic Jews. These Messianic Jews are responsible for the edification and growth of the Messianic Gentiles. This meant instruction in the Hebrew Scriptures as now understood in the light of the Gospel and its secrets being revealed by the spirit. It is precisely in this new understanding that conflict develops.

The Jewish Community is now confronted with internal differences concerning the status of these Messianic Gentiles recently joining its ranks. In addition, the Jews continue to discuss the status and significance of Jesus the crucified prophet. Was he a prophet? Why was he crucified? Was he raised from the dead? Is he the promised Messiah?

The Jewish Community throughout the territories of the Roman Empire, and especially in Jerusalem and the land of Palestine, was divided concerning the identity and significance of this Jewish rabbinic prophet, especially as he had been proclaimed by his apostles and disciples in their announcement (throughout the empire-wide Jewish Community) of the gospel concerning this man Jesus of Nazareth. Some Jews had already judged this gospel as being blasphemous. Other Jews had received it joyfully. Some Jews, like Gamaliel, advised waiting and seeing. Other Jews, like Saul of Tarsus, had already taken action against this gospel and its Jewish adherents. Discussion and debate continued in the synagogues.

Yet, to many Jews, the Messianic Gentiles seemed to be a boon to Judaism. To many others, they seemed to be a dangerous boon. Their entrance into the Jewish Community, even if as new God-fearers, could endanger the integrity of Jewish religious distinction, of the communal norms and values which secured her covenantal identity in the midst of a foreign Greco-Roman idolatrous culture.

Others, however, pointed out that these Gentiles believing in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel had been taught to perceive themselves as full-fledged members of covenantal Israel apart from the covenantal requirement of circumcision. This threatened the divinely decreed superior status of the circumcised Jew. It was interpreted by many as a negating of the Mosaic Covenant. Those Jewish Messianic adherents of the New Covenant view were considered blasphemous by loyal traditionalists.

This disagreement (concerning the status of Jesus and the Messianic Jews and Gentiles) among the devout Jews committed to Jerusalem, the Temple, the synagogues, and the superior, Mosaic covenantal status of the nation among the nations resulted in much perplexing confusion. Many in the Jewish communities in Galatia perceived the situation as a crisis which demanded immediate attention.

This is the specific situation within which the crisis of the Galatian Gentile Messianics arose. It would not long remain unique to the Jewish communities in Galatia. As the Jewish Community begins to take clearly defined sides throughout the synagogues located in Syria, Cilicia, Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia, and eventually Asia Minor (Ephesus), and Rome, the civic/national division between the two nations, the two kingdoms, the two peoples, the two communities (the synagogues of the non-messianics and the synagogues [assemblies, ecclesias] of the Messianics) become more clearly visible. The two nations, two kingdoms, two peoples, two communities become completely severed as the Jews in Palestine commit themselves to revolt against Rome in the name of Yahweh and His holy, elect nation destined to be restored to her ancient, glorious supremacy over the nations. The apostate nation chooses against Yahweh. The Messianic Nation chooses to worship and serve Yahweh, the One, True, Living Elohim of Israel.

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The Crisis Confronted

When Paul receives the report that the Messianic Gentiles of Galatia are seriously considering being circumcised, he knows he has a serious crisis on his hands. However, this crisis had not been unforeseen. Paul had been hoping that the instructional edification of the Gentile brethren by the Jewish Messianic brethren would have brought about sufficient Gentile maturity in the faith so as to avoid or overcome the invading threat of the non-messianic Jews. This was not to be.

Gentile immaturity and vulnerability (not ignorance of the Gospel which Paul had taught them) combined with the inferior knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures by the Messianic Jews of Galatia (as contrasted with the superior knowledge of these same scriptures by the chief scholars and rulers of the Jewish synagogues of Galatia) contributed to the wavering of the Messianic Gentiles. The Jewish argument from the Hebrew Scriptures had been very persuasive. Their competency in establishing from the Mosaic Law the requirement of circumcision for full membership in the covenantal nation in order to have access to all Jewish advantages, together with the fact that the secrets of the Gospel consisted of complexities too profound for even the Messianic Jews to understand and use against the persuasive argument of the well-educated rabbinic Jews of Galatia, overwhelmed the naiveté of the sincerely motivated Gentile Messianics. This complexity of teachings is later to be confirmed by the testimony of Peter himself,

our beloved brother Paul also writes to you, according to the wisdom given to him, as also in all the epistles, speaking in them concerning these things, in which are some things hard to apprehend, which the unlearned and unstable [counterfeit-messianic Jews among us] are twisting, as the rest of the scriptures also, to their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:15b-16 CV)

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The Authority of Paul’s Apostleship

Paul begins his ironic rebuke of the Galatian Messianic Gentiles by describing himself as an Apostle commissioned and empowered by Jesus the Messiah Himself, together with Yahweh His Father. His authority is not of men, as those who have persuaded them to seriously consider circumcision. Paul reminds these brethren that as they had believed the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah Who had been resurrected from the dead, this same exalted Jesus had authorized him to proclaim to them the Gospel of the Uncircumcision. Such authority associated with such special knowledge is not possessed by the Jewish rabbinic scholars who are authorized not by Yahweh and His Anointed Son/King but by mere men lacking the legitimacy of Yahweh’s confirming spirit.

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Paul’s Use of Ironic Shame

Paul writes this letter to ironically shame these Gentile brethren into realizing how foolish they are thinking, having been given and having received knowledge of the significance of the crucifixion death of Jesus on their behalf. They should know better than to even consider being circumcised. By wavering in relation to the truth of the Gospel which they know, they have given themselves up to an unsound mind, thereby making themselves vulnerable to the bewitching teaching of men unauthorized by Yahweh, men using the persuading arguments of an unsound mind, men deaf to the voice of Yahweh in the Gospel, and men ignorant of the Hebrew Scriptures as illuminated by the light of the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus the Messiah of Whom these same scriptures speak and to Whom these same scriptures look for the salvation of Israel.

This same Jesus is the One Who has given Himself up to death for the sins of His people, of whom these Gentile Messianics have become a part as a result of their receiving in faith the Gospel of the Uncircumcision. This they all know, for Paul had taught them concerning that aspect of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah concerned with His salvation of the Gentiles (the Gospel of the Uncircumcision committed officially to Paul). This Gospel saved the Gentiles as uncircumcised gentiles. As uncircumcised gentiles, they had become incorporated into the people of Yahweh, the commonwealth of Israel. Circumcision is not required.

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The Misappropriation of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant

This salvation, however, is not based upon the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. Their faith in the Gospel has been shaken by their having been deceived into believing that their salvation is in association with the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. The Jewish teachers authorized by the synagogues recognize only one covenant, the Mosaic Covenant.

For those counterfeit messianic Jews who are aware of the New Covenant associated with Jesus, this new covenant is understood as a restoration of the Mosaic Covenant, even as Moses himself, as a result of his intercession on behalf of the nation, had brought about a restoration of the Sinatic Covenant. Therefore, these ignorant, unauthorized-by-Yahweh Jews had attempted to persuade the Messianic Gentiles of the necessity of circumcision (in order to become full-fledged members of the elect, holy nation) by expounding the Hebrew Scriptures from the perspective of the one most important covenant, the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant.

From this perspective, their scriptural arguments appear profoundly accurate and, thus, persuading. These Gentile brethren had been mesmerized into doubting the distinction between the Mosaic Covenant and the New Davidic Covenant of Jesus the Messiah. The blending of the two covenants into one had shaken the faith of those believing Gentiles who sincerely sought to become authentically integrated into the holy nation of Yahweh. Like Peter, earlier in Antioch, these Messianic Gentiles are attempting to avoid any unnecessary disturbance in the holy, elect Jewish Community.

The Jewish power-elite, however, are seeking to maintain the normative traditional boundaries of the Jewish Community, securing their holy, elect identity as the special nation of Yahweh. They welcome these new gentile converts, but they cannot be received into full covenantal citizenship unless they become circumcised. If not circumcised, they will be accepted as gentile guests sharing the rich blessings falling from the covenantal table of the Jews.

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The Quandary of the Messianic Gentiles

Here, then, is the quandary of those believing Gentiles. They have been taught by Paul, Silas, and Timothy that they are full-fledged citizens of the nation of Israel as gentiles, not needing to be circumcised, and have been claiming this status for themselves in the Jewish Community represented by the synagogues located in the territory of Galatia. The power-elite of this community, however, through its official emissaries, has indicated that full citizenship requires circumcision. The Jewish authorities are divided, from the perspective of these Messianic Gentiles. Who are they to believe?

Paul, Silas, and Timothy have been absent for some time and are located a relatively long distance from them. The Messianic Jews of Galatia do not seem to be able to resolve the crisis. These Messianic Jews, realizing their inability to deal with this crisis, may have been the ones to report the crisis to Paul. In any case, the crisis has not yet been decided one way or the other. The Gentile Messianics, still considering the matter, remain troubled, disturbed. They believe the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah announced and taught to them by Paul; however, at the same time, the arguments of the Jewish emissaries of the Galatian Jewish communities are most persuasive. Yet, these Messianic Gentiles remain reluctant to abandon Paul and his Gospel (the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah as applicable to Yahweh’s call of the nations, thus, the Gospel of the Uncircumcision committed to the Apostle Paul).

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A Gospel of Another Kind

The Social Situation of the Gentile Messianics

The death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah on behalf of His people established a new covenant, the terms of which guaranteed the extrication of the new Messianic Community, the New Born-From-Above Israel of Yahweh, out of the present malignant eon (Gal. 1:4 CV). This is a secret concealed in the Hebrew Scriptures but revealed to the Jewish Messianic Saints by the spirit. Paul’s use of the word extricate (exaireo, to lift out) confirms that which he has just previously written to the Thessalonian Messianics (1 Thess. 4:17, “snatched away together . . . in clouds”). The expectation, the hope, of the Messianic Community of the New Israel is the imminent lifting out of the terrestrial realm into the celestial realm of the Ecclesia of Jesus the Messiah at the consummation of His Parousia. This, the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant had never promised. It is this Celestial Allotment which is at stake if these Gentile Messianics submit themselves to the process of circumcision which will incorporate them into the Mosaic Community, bringing them under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant from which the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus had rescued them.

From the terrestrial point of view, these Gentile Messianics had strong reason to consider circumcision as entrance into the Jewish Community with full rights and advantages. Committing themselves to the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, they had severed, to a great extent, their cultural and social ties with their ethnic families and ethnic web of social and religious relationships. Thus, they had placed themselves on the margin, the outer circumference, of their former relationships.

Believing themselves now to be incorporated into the Jewish Community, the Gentile Messianics had expected to be granted all the rights, privileges, advantages, and responsibilities of active participation in the intricate social and religious web of Jewish life. In this way, though they had severed themselves from their ethnic networks of relationships as idolatrous gentiles, they would replace that inferior network (immersed in the darkness of idolatry and having no hope in this world) with the superior network of Jewish relationships.

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The Evangel of the Larger Apostate Jewish Community

However, aside from the acceptance of the Messianic Gentiles by the Messianic Jews, the larger Jewish Community (into which the Messianic Gentiles had been taught they had been incorporated without the necessity of circumcision) did not recognize the incorporation of these gentiles into the Jewish nation. The power-elite of this Jewish Community of Galatia did not recognize the right of these gentiles to participate in the Jewish Community, the Jewish nation, as full-fledged members, as proselytes (Gentiles who have become Jews) having access to the entire intricate network of relationships. Such incorporation required the process of circumcision consisting of instruction in Jewish history, social and cultic practices, ethical responsibilities, the Hebrew Scriptures (etc.), culminating for all males in the rite of circumcision.

Thus, the foregoing represents what Paul calls “a different evangel” (Gal. 1:6b CV), a gospel of another kind. This alien gospel is that proclaimed by the power-elite of Apostate Israel, a power-elite proclaiming the alien, pseudo-gospel of Moses, a power-elite now oppressive (since the death, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Jesus the Messiah and the accompanying New Covenant consecrated with His blood), a power-elite which now must be conquered, liberating both Jews and Gentiles from enslavement to the terms of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of death.

From the perspective of Apostate Israel, this proclamation of her power-elite is good news for these gentiles seeking to worship and serve Yahweh the Elohim of Israel. They are ready to welcome these gentiles into the rights, responsibilities, and hope of the holy nation of Yahweh. But not without the rite of circumcision, not without the securing of their ethnic identity within the holy community and outside the holy community, in relation to the community’s special privileges granted by the Roman authorities.

From Paul’s perspective, this gospel distorts and opposes the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. This gospel enslaves and eventually kills (both metaphorically and physically) those under its oppressive power. This gospel either denies or distorts the death and resurrection of Jesus and His accompanying New Covenant. It rejects a celestial allotment and rejects the current eon as being malignant, necessitating an extrication, an evacuation, out of it.

This alien gospel proclaims the present age as a mere prelude to, preparation for, the coming age. During this present eon the Jewish nation, the holy people of Yahweh, serves the nations by her righteous living in accordance with the Mosaic Law. She, by her unique identity and religion, is a light to the nations until the arrival of the age to come, at which time her kingdom would be restored to her, her rightful place of supremacy and authority over the nations, finally restored. Thus, the hope of this alien gospel is completely terrestrial.

This means that even if Jesus is the Messiah (and some apostate Jews consider this a possibility), His return and rule on the throne of David will occur under the authority of the restored and purified Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. His rule will take place in the terrestrial realm. He will reign over Israel and through Israel over all the nations, which, though being blessed, will remain inferior to the Jewish nation of restored Israel.

According to the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, this erroneous view is alien to the Hebrew Scriptures and alien to the true significance of the sufferings of the cross, the death, the burial, the resurrection, the ascension, and the exaltation of Jesus the Son of Yahweh, the Son of Adam, the Son of Abraham, the Son of David, the Son of Israel. The erroneous view of this alien gospel does not appropriately consider the salvation which Jesus provides in relation to the problem of the death common to all men which Adam had brought into humanity. It does not appropriately consider the salvation which Jesus provides in relation to the problem represented by the call of uncircumcised Abram. It does not appropriately consider the salvation which Jesus provides in relation to the purpose associated with the covenant of circumcision made with Abraham. It does not appropriately consider the salvation which Jesus provides in relation to the failure of Israel at Sinai (the worshiping of the golden calf). It does not appropriately consider the salvation which Jesus provides in relation to the divided kingdom of David (the unifying restoration of the Northern Lo-Ammi Kingdom with the restoration of the Southern Kingdom of Judah).

This gospel of another kind is the product of the traditions and commandments of men. Its creators are men unauthorized by Yahweh. Its creation is a distortion of the Law of Moses, a misinterpretation of the Law and the Prophets, resulting in the worship of a distorted image of Moses. Those Jews presently proclaiming it are the distant children of the forefathers of these human traditions and commandments, children proclaiming this pseudo-gospel as the blind leading the blind.

The Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, in contrast, is the creation of Yahweh Himself, authorized by the revelation of Jesus and His spirit. Paul, himself, received this Gospel directly from the resurrected and exalted Jesus and has been empowered by this same spirit to announce it and demonstrate its truthfulness (Gal. 1:10-12; 3:5). This, neither the Jewish power-elite nor the Messianic Gentiles are able to deny. Thus, Paul is confident that his letter will correct the foolishness of the Gentile believers in the assemblies of Galatia.

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The Gospel to Abraham

In contrast to the gospel of another kind is the Gospel sent to Abraham. This Gospel is a Gospel of the same kind, that is, it is a true Gospel from Yahweh. In this same classification are the Gospel of the Circumcision and the Gospel of the Uncircumcision. Both of these Gospels are Gospels authorized by Yahweh. Each of these Gospels reflects an eminent facet of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah.

Paul’s Ironic Rebuke

Paul ironically rebukes the Gentile Messianics of Galatia: “O foolish Galatians! Who bewitches you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was graphically crucified?” (Gal. 3:1 CV). He rhetorically asks them whether they received the spirit by works of law or by the hearing of faith. The answer obvious to the addressed Galatian Gentiles is by the hearing of faith.

Therefore, Paul continues, if you began by receiving the spirit by faith, what makes you think you can achieve completion by performing works of law, which would be the case if they became circumcised. They had begun well by seeing through the eyes of Yahweh the significance of the crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah revealed in the Gospel. Paul accuses them of refocusing their eyes away from the crucified Messiah on to the Jewish Rabbinic scholars of the Jewish power-elite, thereby causing them to consider what is right in the eyes of men rather than what is right in the eyes of Yahweh.

Doing what is right in the eyes of Yahweh, receiving the truth of the Gospel, resulted in their reception of the spirit with its accompanying powerful works. If Yahweh has given them His spirit and demonstrated the power of His spirit in their lives, how can they believe that Yahweh has not incorporated them into His Household, His Nation, His Kingdom, His People! In truth, they are full-fledged citizens of the commonwealth of Israel, even if many in the elect household are blind and ignorant concerning this new reality, and, as such, refuse to recognize the Messianic Gentiles’ divinely authorized and endowed rights as authentic, true, legitimate Israelites.

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Faith as the Faithfulness of Yahweh

The house of Israel is presently in the process of becoming divided. The issue causing this division is the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. This Gospel is in complete accord with the Gospel sent to Abraham. For the Gospel sent to Abraham accounted him righteous on the basis of his faith. By faith Abraham entered into an elective relationship with Yahweh. This relationship had been consecrated by his faith in the Gospel, the good news, Yahweh had sent him, “In you shall all the nations be blessed” (Gal. 3:8b CV).

Paul interprets this good news as meaning “Now the scripture, perceiving before that God [Yahweh] is justifying the nations by [out of] faith [faithfulness], brings before [announces before the actualization of the present Gospel of Jesus the Messiah] an evangel [Gospel] to Abraham” (Gal. 3:8a CV). What had Yahweh brought? He primarily had brought His faithfulness to Abraham’s attention by promising He would bless all the nations in Abraham. Abraham, believing this Gospel, places his faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh to keep His promise.

Therefore, the Gospel sent to Abraham is out of the faithfulness of Yahweh (not out of works of law, works of flesh), requiring of Abraham, the recipient of this Gospel, only an authentic commitment of faith in the truthfulness of this Gospel. As Yahweh’s faithfulness had sent this Gospel to Abraham, so His faithfulness would send a similar Gospel (the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah) to the nations (including Israel) by which Yahweh would fulfill His promise made to Abraham in the Gospel He had originally sent to Abraham.

Since Abraham believed this Gospel of Yahweh, he conducted himself in a manner manifesting his belief in Yahweh’s promise. Therefore, Abraham’s faith is manifested in faith-obedience. He becomes a servant of Yahweh obeying Yahweh’s voice whenever, wherever, whatever.

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Faith as the Faithfulness of Jesus

As Yahweh had accounted Abraham righteous on the basis of his faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh as expressed in the Gospel Yahweh sent him, so also, Yahweh is accounting righteous all those becoming recipients of the present Gospel of Jesus the Messiah on the basis of their faith in the faithfulness of Jesus as expressed in the Gospel Yahweh sends them. Thus, the Gentile Messianics, like Abraham, have become full-fledged members of the Household of Yahweh by their faith in the faithfulness of Jesus His Son.

This Household, however, is the Covenantal Household of the New Davidic Kingdom, the New Born-From-Above Israel of Yahweh. Only those believing in the faithfulness of Yahweh and Jesus His Son as expressed in the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah are being accounted by Yahweh as righteous members of this Household. Only this Household will be allowed to enter His promised Celestial Allotment in fulfillment of His original, primary promise to Abraham, In you [your SEED, Jesus the Messiah] shall all the nations be blessed (see Gen. 12:1-3).

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The Great Abrahamic Nation

The nations would be blessed through the great nation (see Gen. 12:2) that Yahweh would make of Abraham. That nation, according to Paul and the Gospel of Christ, had now been generated and was in the process of becoming a great spiritual nation belonging to Yahweh and His Son. This great nation was incorporating both Jews and Gentiles as its legitimate, righteous citizens bringing glory and honor to Yahweh and Jesus His Son/King. Thus, this nation is an elect nation. The Gospel sent is only sent to the faithful children of Abraham scattered among the nations. These faithful children and only these faithful children are the intended recipients of this Gospel, even as only faithful Abraham had been the original recipient of the Gospel Yahweh sent the nations after the occurrence of the Tower of Babel.

That Gospel given to Abraham had been sent on behalf of the future blessing of the nations, but it had been given and sent only to Abraham. The Gospel of Jesus the Messiah is sent on behalf of the future blessing of the nations, but is given and sent only to the elect, faithful children of Abraham alive and within the hearing of this Gospel during that final generation of the Mosaic Eon. Thus, the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah is not sent to all humanity over many centuries and is not concerned with the eternal destiny of every single human being. Within this Gospel, however, is the Gospel concerned with the ultimate destiny of every single human being. Paul is to reveal this secret of the Gospel in his Letter to the Romans (5:12‑21).

Paul, then, concludes this theme by declaring, “So that those of faith are being [presently] blessed together with believing Abraham” (Gal. 3:9 CV). The then present salvation is associated with the promise to Abraham. This is important because Abraham did not receive the promised terrestrial land. His blessing is associated with the promise of a Celestial Allotment (see Heb. 11:8-16 CV, NGEINT). The hope, the expectation, offered by the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah is associated with the Celestial Allotment promised to Abraham, together with all his faithful children. Those believing the faithfulness of Yahweh and Jesus as expressed in the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah are imminently to be blessed together with Abraham. Thus, they are considered Abraham’s faithful children blessed in Jesus THE SEED of Abraham.

Those Jews rejecting the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah are no longer recognized by Yahweh as either Abraham’s children or citizens of His Holy, Elect Nation. The very ones refusing to recognize the citizenship of the Messianic Gentiles in Galatia are themselves not recognized by Yahweh as members of His Holy, Elect Household. Therefore, these Messianic Gentiles are to faithfully endure the rejection of the larger Jewish Community and the social dissonance this entails, knowing their Celestial Allotment is not far off, as later Paul would write to the Messianic brethren in Rome, “For I am reckoning [accounting] that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve [are far less worthy to be compared to] the glory about to be revealed for us” (Rom. 8:18a CV).

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The Curse of the Law

For the Messianic Gentiles to submit themselves to circumcision means their coming under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. Under this covenant they would be obligated to keep the whole Mosaic Law. They would be obligated to produce the works of the law, and, as such, would then come under a curse (Gal. 3:10). Blessing under the Law of Moses comes out of the works of law, unlike Abraham’s blessing which comes out of Yahweh’s faithfulness. The law can bless in the terrestrial realm; it cannot bless in the Celestial Realm.

When any work of the law is not carried out, there is a curse which must be dealt with if one is to continue to receive its blessings. The law as covenant is contractual. Blessing under contractual (covenantal) law is based on obedience; disobedience under contractual law results in a curse. One’s faithful covenantal relationship to Yahweh depends on one’s obedience to all the requirements of the contract. Yahweh is bound to bless those under contractual/covenantal law only if His contractual/covenantal partner carries out all his obligations as set forth in the covenantal contract.

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A Righteousness of the Law

Such a relationship can and does produce a righteousness of the law. When both parties maintain their obligations, righteousness characterizes the relationship. When either party fails to uphold his end of the contractual terms, unrighteousness characterizes the relationship, until the failure is amended in some satisfactory way. The Mosaic Law provided for such amending by means of various sacrifices and rituals which restore one’s righteous relationship to Yahweh. These sacrifices and rituals represent works of law.

Thus, the Mosaic Law could and was kept, obeyed. But covenantal blessing is always out of works of law. Failure to produce the various works of law results in a curse, a penalty, which can be amended by producing the appropriate work.

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A Righteous Standing as Abraham’s Child

Right standing with Yahweh (justification, being accounted righteous by Yahweh as a faithful child of Abraham), however, is based upon one’s faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh’s mercy, compassion, graciousness, even as Abraham’s faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh had been accounted to him as righteousness by Yahweh. The faithful children of Abraham under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant are still justified by their faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh. Even though they sin, fail to produce an obligation of the law, transgress by stepping over a line of the law, as long as they continue to operate on the basis of their faith in Yahweh’s faithfulness, they will not become lawless, but rather will repent and produce the appropriate work of the law which will amend, forgive, their transgression, restoring a righteous Sinatic covenantal relationship to Yahweh.

The man of the faith of Abraham writes Yahweh’s Law upon the tablet of his heart. The man of Abraham’s faith whom Yahweh accounts a faithful, legitimate child of Abraham, loves Yahweh with all his heart, soul, and mind. The lawless man, the hypocrite, the pseudo-child of Abraham under the Mosaic Covenant, seeks to manipulate the law for his own welfare. He attempts only to obey the letter of the law; and when it is to his advantage, he will overlook his lawful obligation to either Yahweh or his neighbor.

This Israelite has not written Yahweh’s Law on the tablet of his heart. He does not love Yahweh with all his heart, soul, and mind. He is not accounted by Yahweh a faithful, legitimate child of Abraham. He is, thus, lawless, forfeiting his share in the promise given to Abraham, the Celestial Allotment in the age (eon) to come.

Those Israelites not loving the voice of Yahweh wherever, whenever, whatever are lawless ones. These are those described in the fourteenth Psalm,

The decadent one says in his heart [upon which, the law has not been written], There is no Elohim [Elohim is not faithful, He will not judge me for lawlessness]. They have become corrupt and abhorrent with iniquitous deeds. There is no one [of these decadent Israelites] doing good. . . . All [these] withdraw aside; together they are spoiled. . . . Have they no knowledge, all those contrivers of lawlessness [yes, they have the knowledge of Yahweh’s law, but choose to hold it up to ridicule in their hearts], Who are devouring My people [the lawful ones, the faithful children of Abraham] . . . They do not call upon Yahweh [thus, they are apostate, yet]. . . . Elohim is with the generation of the righteous one. . . . Yahweh is his [the righteous one’s] Refuge. (Psalms 14:1-6 CV)

This is a description of the very Israelites rejecting the status of the Messianic Gentiles given to these Gentiles by Yahweh Himself.

Thus, it is not the law, the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant which justifies an Israelite. It is the faith of the Israelite who trusts in the faithfulness of Yahweh to keep His promise made to Abraham which justifies that Israelite in the eyes of Yahweh, Who looks not at the outward appearance alone, but also at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7);

Now that in [the interest of] law no one is being justified with God [Yahweh] is evident, for the just one out of faithfulness shall be living. (Galatians 3:11 CV modified)

In the sphere of contractual law, no Israelite is being justified (accounted righteous, accounted a faithful, legitimate child of Abraham), in the eyes of Yahweh, out of works of law. This is evident, says Paul. It is not a mystery; it is not a secret. It should be known by every Israelite, every Jew who understands the law.

Why? Because the one justified in the eyes of Yahweh must be justified on the same basis as Abraham had been justified, and Abraham preceded the law. He was never under law. Therefore, justification (as defined by scripture) cannot be provided by law. It is a relationship with Yahweh which exists apart from law. It is not dependent upon law.

The justified Israelite in the eyes of Yahweh is he who is accounted righteous by Yahweh on the basis of his faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh. Therefore, the just one’s justification proceeds out of the faithfulness of Yahweh and is accounted his as long as he continues believing the word of Yahweh sent to him. Thus, justification as a righteous relationship to Yahweh proceeds out of the faithfulness of Yahweh, not out of works of law. Yahweh’s faithfulness precedes the law, remains active throughout the age (Mosaic Eon) of law and continues to operate after the termination of the Sinatic/Mosaic law.

This is precisely what Paul had to remind Peter:

We . . . Jews . . . having perceived that a man is not being justified out of works of law, but only through the faithfulness of Messiah Jesus, we also believed into Messiah Jesus in order that we may be justified out of the faithfulness of Messiah and not out of works of law . . . (Galatians 2:15-16a my translation)

The works of law can and do provide a righteousness of the law, but cannot and do not provide justification (a righteous relationship with Yahweh based upon one’s faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh’s word wherever, whenever, whatever, which includes prior to, during, and after law).

Justification in the eyes of Yahweh always is apart from works of law. Thus, justification (Yahweh’s accounting of one’s faith as righteousness in His eyes) must, and always does, precede works of law. As long as one is believing in Yahweh’s faithfulness, so long will one continue living in the eyes of Yahweh.

This is why it was possible for Israelites undergoing the judgment of national exile to continue living as righteous ones in the eyes of Yahweh in spite of the fact that they could no longer produce works of law (see Hab. 2:4). The cultic system of worship and service in the land by means of the Temple and Aaronic priesthood no longer existed. Yet, the just one by his faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh’s word continued living in the eyes of Yahweh and before the presence of Yahweh Who continued with His people exiled in Babylon, a people cut off from the works of law associated with the Land of Promise, the holy city of Jerusalem, the holy Temple, and the holy Aaronic Priesthood.

The law itself is not out of the faithfulness of Yahweh which requires faith. Any Israelite performing the works of the law will receive the blessings of the law whether or not that Israelite has faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh. Any gentile (foreign) resident in Israel producing the works of the law will be blessed whether or not he or she believes in the faithfulness of Yahweh, whether or not he or she is a justified one in the eyes of Yahweh. The one condition for receiving the blessing of law is the production of the works of the law. One need not believe in Yahweh; one need not be justified after the likeness of Abraham.

Thus, Paul writes, “Now the law is not out of faithfulness [faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh], but the one who does them ‘shall be living in them’” (Gal. 3:12 CV modified). Here, Paul quotes from either Leviticus 18:5 or Nehemiah 9:29, or both. The issue in both cases is obedience to the terms, the requirements, of the law. Such necessary obedience for all those under law produces a righteousness of the law, but not necessarily the justification attributed to Abraham on the basis of his faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh’s word, Yahweh’s promise.

Justification by faith is associated with the elective call of Abram and the covenant of circumcision which changed his name from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of a great multitude). Circumcision is a sign in the flesh representing Abraham’s faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh rather than confidence in the flesh, confidence in the arm of men, the ability of men to bring about the promise of Yahweh (Rom. 4:11). Justification by faith, therefore, is to be distinguished from the righteousness of the law.

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The Righteousness of the Law

Every Israelite justified by his faith which is in the likeness of Abraham’s faith and which is in relation to the promise made to Abraham will always be seeking the righteousness of the law while under the administration of law. However, not every Israelite outwardly producing the righteousness of the law possesses the justification that comes by way of faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh’s promise to Abraham. Therefore, one can possess the righteousness of the law, but not possess the righteousness, the justification, which Yahweh attributes, accounts, to those who, after the likeness of Abraham’s faith and in relation to the promise made to Abraham, manifest faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh. Thus, the justification which comes by faith is not dependent upon the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant or the righteousness associated with its law.

When a faithful, law-abiding Israelite fails to meet a certain requirement of the law, he comes under an appropriate curse. Being committed to the Law of Yahweh in his heart, he follows, carries out, the prescription of the law for amending, forgiving, covering over, his transgression in order to maintain his Sinatic covenantal righteous relationship with Yahweh. Thereby, he annuls the effect and the unrighteous standing resulting from the activation of the corresponding curse.

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The Sure-Mercy Extended to David

There are, however, some transgressions which cannot be amended. Under the command of Joshua, Achan commits a transgression which brought down upon him and his family the curse of death by stoning. For this transgression there was no prescribed emendation.

Though David the elect king is an Israelite justified by his faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh in relation to the promises made to Abraham, nevertheless, under the Mosaic Covenant, he commits the transgressions of murder and adultery which activate the curse of death. This curse, however, is rescinded by Yahweh. Yahweh, the Lawmaker and Lawgiver, the Sovereign Judge, chooses to graciously extend His mercy to David. His mercy overrules, abrogates, the normal activation of the appropriate curse, in this case, death.

However, before being shown such mercy, David, upon being accused of his criminal transgressions, repents, acknowledging Yahweh’s righteous accusal. He acknowledges the authority and the righteousness of the law. This sure mercy shown to David is claimed by Paul to accompany the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah:

And as concerning that he [Yahweh] raised him [Jesus] up from the dead, . . . he [Yahweh] said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. (Acts 13:34 KJV)

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The Necessary Abrogation of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant

The sure mercies of Yahweh occur, however, as a result of the nullification, the abrogation, by Yahweh, of the entire Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. Thus, Paul announces in the letter to the Galatian brethren,

Christ [the Messiah Jesus] reclaims [recovers Yahweh’s rightful claim over] us [Israel under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant] from the curse [the worshiping of the golden calf] of the law [the Sinatic Covenant], becoming a curse for our [Israelites] sakes, for it is written, Accursed is everyone hanging on a pole, [in order] that the blessing of Abraham may be coming to the nations in Christ Jesus [Messiah Jesus], [in order] that we [Israelites under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant] may be obtaining the promise of the spirit through faith [in the faithfulness of Yahweh in His relation to the promise made to Abraham]. (Galatians 3:13-14 CV)

Jesus the Messiah, by His obedience carried out throughout His terrestrial ministry, concluding with His crucifixion death on a pole, has reclaimed, has recovered Yahweh’s rightful claim to a curse-free Israel. By bearing in His body the full blow, the righteous execution, of the curse of the Sinatic Covenant, death, Jesus has terminated, annulled, abrogated the authority of the Sinatic Covenant over the nation Israel.

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The Entrance Into and Breach of the Sinatic Covenant

Notice Paul’s use of the definite article before the word curse in Galatians 3:13. This is in direct contrast with the absence of the definite article in Paul’s reference to curse in Galatians 3:10. “The” curse of the law in Galatians 3:13 refers to the curse of death resulting from the breach of the Sinatic Covenant (the contract entered into by Jacob/Israel at Sinai when Jacob/Israel heard and agreed to the Ten Words of Yahweh). This transgression had been a national transgression. The nation as a corporate man had entered into this covenant with Yahweh when Jacob/Israel agreed to the terms by the swearing of an oath:

Then all the people responded with one voice and said: All the words which Yahweh has spoken [the Ten Words heard from the heights of Mount Sinai] we shall do. (Exodus 24:3b CV my emphasis)

The terms of the Sinatic Covenant to which the nation agreed consisted of the Ten Words heard by the entire nation as a national man: “These were the words Yahweh spoke to your whole assembly at the mountain, in a loud voice from the midst of the fire, . . . He [Yahweh] added no more. He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me [Moses] (Deut. 5:22 CV). Thus, on that day the national man entered into a covenant with Yahweh by which Jacob/Israel was given covenantal life in the presence of Yahweh, “This day we have seen that Elohim speaks with the human [Israel as a national corporate man] and he [Israel the corporate man] lives [covenantally] (Deut. 5:24b CV modified).

On that day Israel as a corporate man entered into a covenant with Yahweh (the Sinatic Covenant) making him an elect nation drawn close to Yahweh on the basis of this elect covenant, giving him supremacy over the nations. Notice, the holy text records that Yahweh “added no more” (Deut. 5:22) to the Ten Words of the covenant at that time. This will become important in understanding the double entendre of Paul’s explanation (as to the purpose of the added-law covenant) given in the 3rd chapter and 19th verse of the Letter to the Galatians under discussion/analysis.

When Moses ascends Mount Sinai to receive from Yahweh the stone tablets containing the Ten Words of the covenant written with the finger of Yahweh, the nation, the national man, concluding that something awful has happened to Moses (since he had been gone for 40 days and 40 nights), crafts for himself a golden calf and proceeds to worship this image. This decision and deed amount to a breach of contract. The covenant has been broken by the national man.

The curse activated against the nation is covenantal death. The nation as a corporate man, a corporate body, is now doomed to corporate death. The nation’s elect status is annulled. The nation’s corporate physical life and covenantal life are standing under the verdict of death.

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The Restored Sinatic Covenant (the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant)

However, as a result of the intercession of Moses, Yahweh grants the nation a reprieve. He restores His covenant with the second generation of Israelites coming out of Egypt. The curse of corporate physical death is pronounced upon the first generation coming out of Egypt. This generation is responsible for the actual breach of contract. This corporate physical death would take place over the course of the next 40 years, during which the nation would wander in the wilderness, culminating in the physical death of every member of the first generation, except Joshua and Caleb.

The curse of corporate covenantal death, however, is to be spread out over the course of the generations undergoing the aging process of the covenant, now designated as the Mosaic Covenant, even though representing the Sinatic Covenant. Covenantal death would take place at the appointed conclusion of the Mosaic Eon. The Mosaic Covenant, the restored Sinatic Covenant, now becomes a ministry under the power of covenantal death. This covenant will age over time, finally terminating in the decrepitness of old age. Thus, this covenant is doomed to the corruption of old age. This corruption, decrepitness, would be encountered by the last generations of the Mosaic Eon as the traditions and commandments of the fathers.

The restored Sinatic Covenant, under the headship of Moses the successful intercessor, is now designated the Mosaic Covenant. This covenant has the authority to provide covenantal life or covenantal death in the terrestrial realm. Obedience to the terms of this covenant (including works of law) continues the nation’s covenantal life in the presence of Yahweh and assures the nation of supremacy over the nations and terrestrial social, political, economical, agricultural, and fertility blessings exceeding that of the nations. Disobedience to the terms of this covenant will result in the discontinuance of the nation’s covenantal life in the presence of Yahweh.

This means the nation’s corporate relationship to Yahweh is one of covenantal death. The nation, though still closer to Yahweh than the nations after she defiled the laws of the Mosaic Covenant, would no longer have political, social, and economic supremacy over the nations. The nation as a corporate body would sustain the pain and suffering of an unrighteous covenantal relationship to Yahweh. Thus, the nation would come under the curse of the Mosaic Covenant, thereby coming under a double curse, the curse of the Sinatic Covenant (final, ultimate termination of covenantal life by the arrival day of covenantal death) and the curse of the Mosaic Covenant (religious and political exile under the rule of the nations). The national man would suffer religious exile due to the absence of Yahweh’s Shekinah glory and political exile due to the presence of Gentile domination (the Times of the Gentiles, see Lk. 21:24 KJV).

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The Redeemer-Kinsman of Israel

Jesus the Messiah, born under law (Gal. 4:4b), thus, is THE Seed representing the nation. He is uncontaminated by either the curse of the Sinatic Covenant or the curse of the Mosaic Covenant. He is, therefore, qualified as redeemer-kinsman to bear the curse of the Sinatic Covenant and the curse of the sins committed under the Mosaic Covenant by His people, His kinsmen after the flesh. Thus, He is the savior of His covenantal brethren.

By Jesus’ death, He (Jesus) has terminated the authority of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. By His death, He (Jesus) has reclaimed Israel as a corporate national man from the curse of the Sinatic Covenant and has reclaimed all individual members of national, corporate Israel from the curses resulting from their individual sins committed under the Mosaic Covenant. By Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, Yahweh has assured His people of the validity of this deliverance, this salvation.

However, the effectiveness of the salvation for individual Israelites depends on their faithful response to the Gospel. Only those accounted as in Christ, in Messiah Jesus, are accounted as reclaimed members of the New Born-From-Above Israel of Yahweh under the jurisdiction of the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant providing immortal life in the age imminently coming. This new, spiritual Israel is the curse-free Israel reclaimed as Yahweh’s rightful possession. This Israel of Yahweh was then presently in the process of faithfully executing the responsibilities of “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6 NASB).

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The Blessings of Abraham

This reclaiming of corporate, national Israel from the curse of the Sinatic Covenant is necessary if the nations are to be coming into the blessings of Abraham. Unless Israel is reclaimed from the curse of the Sinatic Covenant, the promise of the spirit cannot be fulfilled. If the promise of the spirit cannot be fulfilled, the blessings of Abraham cannot become a reality. For the blessings of Abraham come on the basis of Yahweh’s promise, not Yahweh’s Law established at Sinai.

The Sinatic Covenant was never intended to bring the immortal life of the spirit. The Sinatic Covenant could only provide covenantal life and blessing in the terrestrial realm. It could only enhance or diminish life in the flesh, that is, soulish life, the life generated by the first man, Adam. Before the blessings of Abraham could be shared by the nations, Israel had first to share in them. This could not occur while Israel was still under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant.

Thus, since only Israel had been under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant, only Israel needed to be reclaimed from the curse of the Sinatic Covenant. The nations, never having been under the covenant, did not require such reclamation. However, if they were to participate in the blessings of Abraham, Israel had to undergo such reclamation.

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The New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant

Rescued from the curse of the Sinatic Covenant, Israel could now be placed under the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant with its provision of the spirit of Yahweh and His Anointed Son/King. Possessing this spirit of immortal, abundant life, the Saints of the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant, the circumcised Jewish Messianics, the holy nation and kingdom of priests after the order of Melchizedek, are now authorized and empowered to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, the Gospel of the Uncircumcision, to the nations. Consequently, the nations are allowed to share in the blessings of Abraham through their faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh’s Gospel sent to them as Abraham’s children of faith.

For the Gentile Messianics to submit to the proselyte process of circumcision is to remove themselves from the life and blessings of the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant, thereby effectively placing themselves under the curse of the Sinatic Covenant from which Jesus the Messiah through His crucifixion death, burial, and resurrection had agonizingly delivered, freed Israel. Thus, submitting to circumcision results in a return to another form of enslavement for these Messianic Gentiles. There is no advantage for them in becoming full-fledged members of the apostate Jewish nation.

This apostate nation, rejecting the Gospel of New Covenant Life, remains under the curse of the Sinatic Covenant of death, stubbornly refusing to participate in the reclaimed, holy, curse-free Israel of Yahweh. Instead, these Jews choose to remain unreclaimed, unholy, curse-burdened apostate Jews under the wrath of Yahweh.

These Gentile Messianics, recognizing their enslavement to the idolatrous world of the gods, had rejoicingly turned to the One, True, Living Elohim of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah in order to be reclaimed from the enslavement of idolatry. How foolish, then, to return, through circumcision, to an enslavement of a different kind, a Jewish enslavement to the decrepit and dying Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant.

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The Seed of Promise

The celestial promises made to Abraham do not come through the Sinatic Covenant. They do not come through Moses; they do not come through David as king under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. The celestial promises made to Abraham come through the New Covenant as associated with Abraham. Thus, the New Davidic Covenant is also associated with Abraham and can be described as the New Abrahamic Covenant. As associated with Abraham this New Covenant fulfills the celestial promises made to Abraham: the promise of the spirit and the promise of the Celestial Allotment.

The terrestrial promises made to Abraham (fertile progenitor and possessor of the deed to the land of Canaan) are worked out through the election of Jacob and his sons (Israel) and the Sinatic Covenant made with the offspring of these sons (Israel). However, though these promises come to fruition under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant, the promises are given, not on the basis of law, but strictly on the basis of Yahweh’s promise to Abraham. This is one of the reasons why, in spite of the breach of contract at Sinai, the nation is not deprived of the land promised to Israel. However, once the promise of the land and increased progeny are fulfilled (see Ex. 1:8-12; Deut. 1:9-10; Josh. 21:43-44), the blessing of continued fertility and continued tenancy on the land is dependent on the basis of obedience to the terms of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant.

The failure of Israel to fulfill the Law and the Prophets while under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant in no way can annul the celestial promises made to Abraham. These celestial promises and the covenant of circumcision made with Abraham preceded the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant by 430 years. The covenant of law cannot annul the greater and prior covenant of promise.

Whereas the covenant of law requires works-of-law obedience, the covenant of promise requires faith-obedience. Whereas the covenant of law is made with slaves, children needing a pedagogical guardian and instructor, the covenant of promise is made with free men, sons needing no pedagogical guardian and instructor. Thus, the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law is inferior to the circumcision covenant of promise which is founded upon the elective call of Yahweh to Abram (exalted father) requiring only faith-obedience, the act of sons, not the act of children still relegated to the status of minors under a pedagogical guardian and teacher.

The Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law is temporary (having a time of termination) and limited to Israel. The circumcision covenant of promise made with Abraham is temporary and exclusionary. This circumcision covenant of promise applies only to circumcised Jews believing the Gospel. The covenant of promise includes both those chosen called-ones out of circumcised Israel and those chosen ones called out of the uncircumcised nations.

The Gospel of Jesus the Messiah is not a universal Gospel. It was initiated within the year 30 a.d. and completed its course within the year 70 a.d. It did not return to Yahweh void. The results of its successful completion remain with us to this very day. Paul continues by arguing that

a human covenant likewise having been ratified, no one is repudiating or modifying it. Now to Abraham the promises were declared, and to his Seed. He is not saying “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of One: And to “your Seed,” which is Christ [the Messiah Jesus]. (Galatians 3:15-16 CV)

Again, Paul uses double entendre (the Jewish ultra-literal Peshat reading). The word seed means both Abraham’s long line of descendants and his ultimate, chief descendant, THE SEED of Abraham, Jesus the Messiah. Jesus is a biological descendant, Seed, of Abraham, as well as a circumcised descendant. But most importantly, Jesus is THE Faithful Seed of Abraham. He is obedient to Yahweh as a mature, adult Son.

His faithfulness corresponds completely to the faithfulness of His Father, Yahweh. As the faithful Son of Abraham and Yahweh, He faultlessly submits Himself to and carries out Yahweh’s will; thereby becoming the instrument/agent through Whom Yahweh fulfills His celestial promises to Abraham.

As a result of His faithfulness, His faith-obedience unto a crucifixion death, He reclaims the circumcised faithful seed of Abraham from the curse of the Sinatic Covenant, as well as reclaiming the uncircumcised faithful seed of Abram from the curse of idolatry. Jesus reclaims for Yahweh the circumcised faithful children of Abraham and the uncircumcised faithful seed whom Yahweh electively chooses to account as Abraham’s seed on the basis of their like faith in the faithfulness of the word of Yahweh sent to them (the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah as relevant to the new relationship of the uncircumcised Gentiles to Yahweh).

Yahweh, therefore, has appointed and accounted Jesus to be The Seed of Abraham through Whom the blessings promised Abraham would be fulfilled. The Faith-Obedience of Jesus warrants His reception of the promises. Thus, all those believing the Gospel are perceived and accounted by Yahweh as in Messiah Jesus, as in His Faithful, Anointed Son, as identified in Jesus’ resurrection Sonship, and, as such, joint-enjoyers of the Celestial Allotment promised to faithful Abraham.

All those in Christ Jesus, therefore, share in that which is allotted to Him: the gift of the spirit and the Celestial Allotment. Why, then, would the Gentile Messianics even consider submission to circumcision? For by such submission they would be severing themselves from Jesus the Faithful Seed of Abraham, the Chief Allottee of the promises and blessings of Abraham.

Those under the present authority of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law remain under the curse about to be executed upon this rebellious, stiff-necked, disobedient, apostate nation of apostate Cainite Jews clinging to and boasting in the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant and the idolatrous image of both Moses and Yahweh created by their perverted imagination. Thus, the enjoyment of the Celestial Allotment is not out of law but out of promise. And the promise is to be found and shared only in Christ Jesus, in Jesus the Messiah, the Seed of Abraham, The Seed to Whom the promises and blessings belong.

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The Purpose of the Law

The four main purposes of the law are described under the following sections titled (1) “An Addition on Behalf of the Transgressions,” (2) “Restore Access to the Two Trees,” (3) “Lock Up Under Sin the Seed of Promise,” and (4) “Act as Pedagogical Guardian and Escort Leading to the Messiah.”

An Addition on Behalf of the Transgressions

If the promise to Abraham and his seed is not out of law, then what is the purpose of the Sinatic Covenant of law? According to Paul, this covenant was added “on behalf of the transgressions” (Gal. 3:19 CV). Note, Paul does not write that this covenant was added because of transgression (singular). He also uses the definite article (the). The Sinatic Covenant was added on behalf of, or, because of, “the” transgressions.

The circumcised children of Abraham, through Jacob’s twelve sons, had come to be enslaved in Egypt. When Moses is sent to them with Yahweh’s word of deliverance, salvation, from Egyptian slavery, he has nothing but trouble with them from the time he announces Yahweh’s command to depart from Egypt, “When Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel [Jacob], they did not hearken to Moses because of shortness of spirit [despondency, NASB] and hard service” (Ex. 6:9 CV), to the time the people arrive at the border of the land of promise,

May Yahweh see you [Moses and Aaron], and may He judge since you have caused our scent to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants, giving a sword into their hands to kill us. (Exodus 5:21 CV)

Is it for lack of tombs in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the wilderness? . . . for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than for us to die in the wilderness? (Exodus 14:11-12 CV)

Then the people grumbled against Moses, saying: What shall we drink? (Exodus 15:24 CV)

Then the whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness; . . . O that we had died by the hand of Yahweh in the land of Egypt . . . for you have brought us forth to this wilderness to put this entire assembly to death with famine. (Exodus 16:2-3 CV)

So the people contended with Moses . . . Why are you contending with me? Why are you probing [trying, testing] Yahweh? (Exodus 17:2 CV).

These people are the product of the ancient world of the gods. They have not been immune to the darkness of the age. They have not been unaffected by the culture of the gods. When Moses sends twelve men into the land of Canaan to explore it, ten of the twelve return and report,

We are not able to go up against the people, for they are more courageous than we . . . it and all the people whom we saw in its midst were men of great measure. . . . And we became, in our own eyes, like grasshoppers; so we became in their eyes. (Numbers 13:31b-33 CV)

These people measure the strength of Yahweh by the stature of the men of Canaan. They conclude in their hearts that the gods of the Canaanites are greater than their own god. They still perceive and think in terms of this ignorant culture of mythopoeics. They quickly dismiss the mighty hand of Yahweh displayed in Egypt and in the wilderness. Yahweh is perceived as capricious. How can he be trusted, especially against the local god of Canaan (Baal) which has endowed the Canaanites with great physical stature?! In spite of the contradicting report of Joshua and Caleb,

We should go up, yea up and tenant it, for we are able to prevail against it. (Numbers 13:30 CV)

the whole congregation laments through the night, desiring to return to Egypt. The people, thus, continue to transgress the command of Yahweh to leave Egypt and go into Canaan (the land promised to Abraham’s seed) to tenant it according to His authorization:

All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron. . . . O that we had died in the land of Egypt or in this wilderness! . . . And they said each to his brother: Let us appoint a head, and let us return to Egypt. (Numbers 14:2-4 CV)

In response to this transgression against Yahweh, Joshua and Caleb, tearing off their garments in great distress, boldly testify,

The land through which we passed to explore it is a very, very good land. If Yahweh delights in us then He will bring us into this land, and He will give it to us. . . . Only against Yahweh do not revolt, and you, do not fear the people of the land, for they are our bread. Their protecting shadow [which they attribute to their gods] has withdrawn from over them [by the hand of Yahweh], and Yahweh is with us. Do not fear them. (Numbers 14:7b-9 CV)

Their testimony is rejected by the whole congregation which would have stoned them to death had it not been for the appearance of the glory of Yahweh.

Finally, when speaking to the nation concerning Yahweh’s command to enter into and conquer the power-elites of the land, Moses testifies to the fact that the sons of Jacob as a corporate body of people are not more righteous than the nations which they are to conquer and expel:

Know then that it is not because of your own righteousness that Yahweh your Elohim is giving to you this good land to tenant it, for you are a stiff-necked people. (Deuteronomy 9:6 CV)

This stiff-necked people of transgressors of Yahweh’s command, for the safeguarding of the promises made to Abraham and for their own welfare as a nation, is placed under the Sinatic Covenant. Thus, the Sinatic Covenant of law is added to the promises given to Abraham because of the transgressions of the unrighteous, stiff-necked sons of Jacob called out of Egypt by Yahweh. The character of this nation as a nation of transgressors is manifestly illustrated at Sinai with the crafting and worshiping of the golden calf.

The Sinatic Covenant of law, therefore, is an addition to the promises until THE SEED should come (Gal. 3:19). With the coming of THE SEED to whom the promises are made, the added covenant of law would no longer be needed. Its purpose will have been fulfilled.

Because of the nation’s character as transgressor, the law at Sinai had required mediation. Moses, therefore, became the mediator between the celestial community (celestial beings, representing the celestial community of the sons of Yahweh, through whose hands Moses receives the Sinatic Covenant of law, the two tablets containing the Ten Words) and the terrestrial community (the nation Israel receiving this law on behalf of the human [terrestrial] community of the sons of Adam). The mediation is required because of the righteous character of the celestial community of Yahweh’s created sons as contrasted with the unrighteous character of the terrestrial community of Yahweh’s generated sons.

With the fulfillment of the promises by Jesus the Messiah (THE SEED of Abraham), mediation is no longer required. The headship of Adam associated with the unrighteous character of the terrestrial community of Yahweh’s generated sons is terminated. The Headship of Jesus the Only-Begotten legitimate Son of Yahweh over the celestial and terrestrial communities unites the two communities. The Human Community, as a result of the redeeming death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus THE Son of Yahweh, is no longer perceived as unrighteous in the eyes of Yahweh. Thus, the promise, creating a New Man (Jesus together with His Ecclesia, His Body, His Complement), unites the two communities, making them one. The ancient world of the gods (the world of Noah) and the preceding world (the world of Cain) are terminated, having completed their purpose in the process of the progression of humanity toward its divine destiny.

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Restore Access to the Two Trees

From this perspective, the Sinatic Covenant of law is not against, or contrary to, the promises of Yahweh. The Sinatic Covenant of Law was never intended to provide the righteousness, the justification, out of which would come immortal life. It was intended to produce a righteousness which would restrict, constrain, guide the free activity of Israel so as to avoid the consequences of sin resulting in the destruction of her relationship with Yahweh and the destruction of her inter-human and inter-national relationships.

The Sinatic Covenant of law provided Israel with a knowledge of Good and Evil as perceived through the eyes of Yahweh. The Ten Words, the statutes and judgments, the instructions and testimonies of Yahweh given only to Israel were meant to give her a wisdom and understanding resulting in terrestrial blessings in a world-order characterized by death and sin. This, indeed, was an advantage the nations did not have. Obeying Yahweh’s Law would exalt Israel in human wisdom, understanding, and knowledge associated with political, social, religious, economic, and moral endeavors. Yahweh’s Law was not a burden, but, in fact, a blessing, a great advantage over the nations, if Israel would obey it.

Unfortunately, the nation as a corporate body failed to keep it, though a remnant throughout her history did keep it. Thus, the nation had always consisted of two nations: the dominant Cainite nation and the oppressed Abelite nation. The faithful Abelites always bore the burden of the sins of the unfaithful Cainites, confessing the sins of the national body as their own and repenting on behalf of the corporate nation. Daniel is a primary example of this covenantal identity of the righteous on behalf of the unrighteous corporate whole. Because of the righteous, the unrighteous corporate whole had not been abandoned by Yahweh. However, that would not always remain the case. That treatment would be terminated with the arrival of the Seed of Promise, Jesus the Messiah.

There is a righteousness out of law. Paul writes, “For Moses is writing of the righteousness which is out of law, that a man who does the same [keeps, obeys the terms of the law] shall be living in it [Lev. 18:5; Deut. 30:11-16](Rom. 10:5 CV). This righteousness is associated with the world-order of Sin and Death, the world-order initiated by the sin of Adam and identified with Cain and Abel. It is a righteousness associated with Yahweh’s political, social, economic, religious, and moral laws inherent in human relations. When and wherever these laws are practiced, man is living in conformity with that which is best suited to his nature. The welfare of mankind in the terrestrial realm is tied to the performance of this righteousness.

It is this righteousness which had been discarded by the nations, resulting in their entanglement in a world-order of darkness and ignorance, the ancient world-order of the gods. This abandonment of the truth, for the lie, necessitated the call and election of Abram, the covenant of circumcision, and the added Sinatic Covenant of law. The nations, having abandoned Yahweh, determined for themselves what was to be considered good and evil, establishing for themselves their own independent legal codes associated with their mythopoeic perception of the world.

Yahweh, calling and electing Abram and establishing with him the covenant of circumcision based upon a righteousness of promise, added to that covenant the Sinatic Covenant of law. This additional covenant established for the circumcised children of Abraham through Jacob a righteousness out of law based upon that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh, that which Yahweh determines as good or evil, as contrasted with that which is right in the eyes of men, that which men of unsound, disqualified minds, determine as good or evil.

Metaphorically and covenantally, Israel, on behalf of Adamic humanity, is given access to a restored type of Yahweh’s Tree of Life (the Ten Words) and His Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (His statutes and judgments) to which mankind had lost access. Thus, the Sinatic Covenant of law becomes a pedagogical escort, guide, and a discipliner of the allottees of the promises during their status as minors, children, needing a guardian from the dangers of the nations, a guide teaching them the ways of righteous living, and a discipliner correcting them when they stray from the way of righteous living. In this way, the promises given to Abraham are guarded, protected, and preserved for the One to Whom they were promised.

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Lock Up Under Sin the Seed of Promise

Thus, the scripture had locked up under sin all the seed of promise. The nations had been locked up under sin at Babel, while Israel had been locked up under sin at Sinai. However, the seed of promise (Israel) representing both the uncircumcised and circumcised faithful seed of Abram is locked up under the sin associated with the Sinatic Covenant of law, thus, preserving the promises from the idolatrous contamination of the nations by guarding, protecting, and preserving THE SEED of Promise until the appointed time of THE SEED’s arrival.

THE SEED, therefore, according to Paul’s argument in Galatians 4:4, is born of a woman (Mary) and born under law (the Sinatic/Mosaic Law) in order that He should be reclaiming those under law (first, those under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law, then those under the law established by the nations for themselves). Unless Israel is first reclaimed from the curse of the Sinatic Covenant of law, the promises cannot be received by the faithful circumcised children of Abraham locked under the curse of death of this covenant. If these faithful circumcised children of Abraham remain under the curse of this covenant, they are doomed to covenantal death and cannot be the chosen instruments by which Yahweh is to send the promises to the faithful uncircumcised children of Abraham.

The circumcised faithful children of Abraham must be the first to be reclaimed, because THE SEED of promise is THE CIRCUMCISED SEED having been guarded, protected, and preserved under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant and having been sent to “become the Servant of the Circumcision, for the sake of the truth of God [Yahweh], to confirm the patriarchal promises” (Rom. 15:8 CV). Thus, as the faithful Servant of the Circumcision, Jesus the Messiah (the Anointed One of Yahweh) must first be faithful in association with the truth of the promises made to the circumcised fathers.

Therefore, the scriptures (the Law and the Prophets) had locked up (placed, accounted, charged) all the faithful children of Abraham (circumcised and uncircumcised) together under sin “in order that the promise out of Jesus Christ's [out of Jesus the Messiah’s] faithfulness may be given to those [circumcised and uncircumcised] who are believing [the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah](Gal. 3:22b CV modified). It is out of the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah the Servant of the Circumcision that the promises come, not out of the works required by the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law.

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Act as Pedagogical Guardian and Escort Leading to the Messiah

This covenant of law had been added to the Covenant of Promise made with Abraham because of the danger inherent in the transgressions of the circumcised children of Abraham descended through the called and elect sons of Jacob/Israel. This covenant of law had been added to the Promise in order to establish a collection of guidelines by which sins could be counted up as transgressions, thereby revealing to Israel (the seed of promise) her sins in order to avoid becoming entangled in them, as the nations had been entangled in their sins. Thus, Israel is made aware of her sins in order to maintain the righteous way of living ordained by Yahweh for the welfare of humanity.

This covenant of law could be, should be, and had been obeyed. It did not call for perfection, sinlessness. It called for a heart committed to faithful pursuit of the requirements of the law, even when various requirements had been broken, transgressed. The righteous, faithful heart, being confronted with sin and transgression, repents and follows the instruction of the law concerning the cleansing and/or covering of such sin and transgression. Thus, for the faithful circumcised seed of Abraham, the law is respected and honored as a pedagogical guardian, guide, instructor, and disciplinarian corrector of unrighteous living in thought and conduct. From this perspective (the perspective of Yahweh), the Sinatic Covenant of law is not against or contrary to the promises made to Abraham.

Paul, continuing this line of thought, explains,

Now before the coming of this faithfulness [of Jesus the Messiah] we [Jews, the circumcised seed of Abraham] were garrisoned [guarded by a sentinel] under law [the Sinatic/Mosaic Law], being locked up together [the faithful and the unfaithful circumcised seed of Abraham] for this faithfulness about to be revealed [in our present generation]. So that the law has become our escort to Christ [Messiah], in order that we [Jews] may be [now, in this present evil age of Yahweh’s imminent indignation] justified [accounted righteous so as to receive the promise of the spirit and immortal life in the Celestial Allotment about to be entered into] out of faithfulness [our faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh displayed in the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah]. (Galatians 3:23-24 CV modified)

Before the resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Jesus the Messiah, Paul argues, we Israelites (the circumcised seed of Abraham) had been guarded under the sentinel watchfulness of the Mosaic Law. This guard had been appointed by Yahweh on behalf of the promise made to Abraham and on behalf of the covenantal welfare of Abraham’s circumcised seed through which THE SEED of Promise would come.

The entire circumcised seed (faithful and unfaithful) had been relegated (under the authority of this sentinel watchfulness, guardianship, of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law) to the status of a slave in the household of Yahweh, even though they were potential allottees of the promises, potential sons, rather than children, of Abraham. These circumcised children of Abraham had been placed under this guardianship in order for them to survive until the coming of the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah, which was about to be revealed to the present evil generation to whom Yahweh had sent John the Baptist and Jesus.

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Successful Fulfillment: Transference From Guardianship to Sonship

Thus, the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law (fulfilling its task, its purpose, its responsibility, its duty) has now become (since the resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Jesus the Messiah) the escort of all Israel to the Messiah Jesus in order for them to be removed from the status of slave to the exalted status of son in the newly established Household of Yahweh. The escort, fulfilling its obligation, is dismissed, being replaced, superseded, by the spirit representing the new Law of the Christ, the new Law of the Messiah Jesus, The Law of The Spirit of Life in Messiah Jesus (Rom. 8:2), the New Covenant of Promise consecrated by the poured-out blood of Jesus the Messiah in His faithfulness to the Father’s command to endure the humiliating death of crucifixion.

All Israel is now to bow the knee to Jesus the Son of Abraham, the Son of David, the Son of Yahweh in order to receive the promises made to Abraham. The justification impossible under the guardianship of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law is now possible out of the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah. This justification to the status of exalted son (as a result of Yahweh’s counting one righteous so as to receive the present promise of the spirit and the imminent immortal life in the Celestial Allotment about to be entered into) comes, not out of works of law, but out of one’s faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh as displayed in the faithfulness of Jesus.

If the circumcised Jews need to be justified out of the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah and not out of works of law, so must the uncircumcised gentiles. To turn from idolatry to the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law (now that the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah has dismissed, nullified, terminated, the service of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant) is to turn from one kind of idolatry to another kind of idolatry. It is to turn from one form of enslavement to another form of enslavement. For the present Gentile Messianics, it is even more pathetic and foolish. It is to turn from the freedom in Jesus the Messiah to the enslavement of a Jewish Community, an apostate nation, a foolish stiff-necked people under the condemnation of the One, True, Living Elohim.

Since the coming of the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah, Israelites (the circumcised seed of Abraham, the ethnic Jews) “are no longer under an escort” (Gal. 3:25 CV). The Jews are no longer, declares Paul, under the authority of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. To remain under this covenant in the presence of the resurrected and exalted SEED of Abraham is to remain a slave in a household no longer belonging to Yahweh. It is an outright, rebellious, dishonorable, and shameful refusal to step up to the honorable responsibilities of sonship. Thus, it is to dishonor and shame the Fatherhood of Yahweh their Elohim. They choose to remain children practicing infantile rituals and ceremonies no longer pleasing to Yahweh their Father as the means of maintaining covenantal relationship with Him. Remaining in such a state, Yahweh will soon disown them as His children, as children of Abraham. They will be accounted children and sons of The Adversary, children and sons of arrogant, rebellious Cain.

All Messianic Jews and Gentiles are now sons of Yahweh through their faith in the faithfulness of Yahweh as revealed in the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah (Gal. 3:26). Such faith in the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah identifies one with Jesus as Son of Abraham, Son of Yahweh, “For whoever are [spiritually, covenantally] baptized into Christ [into Messiah], put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27 CV). They put on the spiritual, covenantal, royal robe of the resurrected, exalted Messiah, identifying them with the covenantal life and reign of Jesus the Messiah as the New Davidic Warrior-King. They become spiritual warriors in the covenantal militia of the New Davidic Kingdom  in the process of liberating the elect, faithful children of Abraham out from the enslaved circumcised nation of Israel and the enslaved uncircumcised nations of the Roman Empire.

In Christ, in Messiah Jesus, these justified ones are members of the corporate Body of the Christ, members of the New Man, the New Creation, “in Whom [Jesus together with His Ecclesia, His Complement] there is no Jew nor yet Greek, there is no slave nor yet free, there is no male and female, for you all are one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28 CV). In this New Corporate Spiritual Man all ethnic, social, political, economic, and biological distinctions are removed. However, this becomes a reality only at the consummation of the Parousia with the completion of the corporate Body, Ecclesia, Wife of the Messiah (thereby forming the Spiritual New Man consisting of Jesus and His Ecclesia complement) and the entrance of this New Spiritual Man into His Celestial Allotment.

“In Christ,” therefore, points to the imminent future. It represents the then present spiritual standing not yet fully realized by the Bride of the Lamb and the Gentile joint-citizens of her new national commonwealth. All those belonging to the Messiah Jesus as THE SEED of Abraham are, consequently, Abraham’s seed, and as such, enjoyers, allottees, of the Celestial Allotment promised to Abraham and his SEED, Jesus the Messiah, and all these are sons in Jesus the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed Son of Yahweh (Gal. 3:29).

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Under Guardians and Administrators—Under the Elements of the World

The present enjoyer of the Celestial Allotment, though once a minor in status, is no longer a minor, declares Paul. While the present members of the faithful seed of Abraham (the enjoyers, the allottees of the Celestial Allotment in Christ) had been minors in status, their position had been no different than a slave in the household of the father. Though promised future enjoyment of the allotment, the child being treated as a minor, because of immaturity, is placed by the father under a pedagogical guide.

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Sinatic Covenant as Guardian and Administrator

The Jews (the circumcised children of Abraham) had been placed by Yahweh under the pedagogical “guardians and administrators” (Gal. 4:2 CV) of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law until the time appointed by Yahweh for them to be declared sons. During their time of minorhood (though covenantal children of Yahweh and children of the promise made to Abraham and his seed), they had been placed under the tutelage of the Aaronic and Levitical priesthoods, the political princes, and the social judges established under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law. These guardians and administrators had been held accountable by Yahweh for the religious, political, social, and economic welfare of Yahweh’s children. They were to teach and guide the children in the honorable ways of Yahweh, training them to conform to the righteous character of Yahweh.

As minors, this meant the children had to be guarded against the dangerous influence of outsiders; against behavior unbecoming to the honorable interests of Yahweh; and against unrighteous friendships, activities, and thoughts. When necessary, the guardians and administrators had to discipline by way of appropriate punishments inflicted in order to correct unrighteous behavior and thought, thereby reaffirming the righteous characteristics of Yahweh. Only when the children had become trained to perform the righteous ways of Yahweh without the influence of the guardians and administrators were they ready to take their place beside Yahweh as sons rather than children treated no differently than slaves in the household of Yahweh.

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Laws of the Nations as Elements of the World

Thus, the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law is a system functioning under the elements of the world-order (Gal. 4:3). Such a system is established to guide and direct slaves. Israel had been under the enslavement of the elements of the world-order as reflected in the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. This meant the holy, elect nation of Yahweh under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law had been enslaved to the worship and service of Yahweh through rituals, ceremonies, holy days, and holy festivals carried out by means of the physical elements of water, fire, air, and earth, even as the non-covenantal and non-holy nations had been worshiping and serving their gods.

The only difference between the worship and service of the two divisions of Yahweh’s National Household (a household consisting of Yahweh’s children [the nation Israel] and Yahweh’s slaves [the nations]) is that the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law is Yahweh’s divinely constructed, ordered, organized, and appointed system of worship and service through these elements of the world-order. The nations had constructed their own systems of cultic, social, political, and economic law out of their own disapproved, distorted, and ignorant minds having descended into the darkness of idolatry.

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The Coming of Sonship

Paul’s argument in this section of his letter is that the time appointed of the Father, Yahweh, for placement as sons (sonship) had now arrived with the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Jesus the Messiah. Israelites under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law had been minors under the elements of the world-order, “Thus we [Jews] also, when we were minors, were enslaved under the elements of the world” (Gal. 4:3 CV). However,

Now when the full time came, God [Yahweh] delegates His Son, come of a woman, come under law, in order that He [Yahweh, through the agency of His Son Jesus the Messiah] should be reclaiming those under law [first, the children under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law; then the slaves under their own systems of law], in order that we [Jews] may be getting [receiving, taking] the place of a son [first]. (Galatians 4:4-5 CV modified).

Sonship comes as a result of the faithfulness of Yahweh as revealed in the faithfulness of Jesus His Anointed Son. Why? Because Jesus the Messiah, the faithful Son of Yahweh, the faithful Son of Abraham, has reclaimed all the faithful seed of Abraham from enslavement to law. Worship and service of Yahweh is no longer under the elements of the world-order. True worship and service is now to be conducted in the sphere of the interest of the spirit of truth sent by the Father through the Son:

But coming is the hour, and now is [because of the presence of Jesus the Son], when the true worshipers will be worshiping the Father in spirit and truth . . . (John 4:23 CV)

Such worship and service is no longer dependent upon a pedagogical guardian, no longer dependent upon the use of the elements of the world-order (the fire of sacrifices, the water of cleansing, the earth of agricultural offerings, and the air). The element of air includes (1) the heaven (the space) of the presence of Yahweh for Israel and the presence of the gods for the nations; (2) the breath of the spoken word of Moses and the prophets for Israel; and (3) the breath of magical incantations for the nations. The Law of Yahweh is now written on the tablet of the heart by the spirit of Yahweh and His Anointed Son in association with a new covenant made with sons, not children of minorhood treated as slaves. In Christ, the faithful Messianic obeys The Law of Yahweh, The Law of Christ, as a son reflecting in his conduct and thought the righteous character of Yahweh, his Father, independent of the guidance of the pedagogical guardian. The son now stands alongside the Father and alongside, rather than under, the pedagogical guardian:

Do we, therefore, annul the law [of Yahweh, not the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant] through [as a result of] the faithfulness [of Yahweh revealed through the faithfulness of Jesus the Anointed One]? May it not be! Rather, we stand the law in its appropriate place [alongside Yahweh]. (Romans 3:31 my translation)

Those believing into Jesus as the promised Messiah, THE SEED of Abraham, receiving the spirit of Yahweh and His Son, are released from the status of slaves (Jews under the minorhood of children in the National Household treated as if slaves, and Gentiles under the status of slaves in the National Household) to the full, authoritative status of Sons. As such, they are called by Yahweh to stand alongside Him in Christ, and, thus, to stand alongside the essence, the spirit of His law associated with His righteous character, which law had been confined and constrained within the temporary guidelines of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. This law had always stood alongside the Father, but, as a pedagogical guardian, had restricted Yahweh’s children, the circumcised seed of Abraham, to the confines of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant in order to instruct them in the righteous characteristics of Yahweh.

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Standing Under or Alongside the Law

Under the pedagogical guardianship of Yahweh’s Law restricted within the framework of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant, all Israelites had been placed UNDER the jurisdiction of Yahweh’s righteous law which stands alongside Him. Now, however, in Christ, having been reclaimed, removed from under the authority of the law as Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant pedagogical guardian, the exalted sons of Yahweh in Christ have been authorized by Yahweh to come out from under the law as pedagogical guardian and stand ALONGSIDE it as this law stands alongside Yahweh. Thus, the circumcised faithful children of Abraham are no longer children treated as if slaves because of their status as minors.

Delivered from the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant, they have become Sons in the National Household of Yahweh under the grace of the New Covenant associated with Sons, rather than under the old covenant (Sinatic/Mosaic) associated with minors treated as if slaves. Thus, the Jewish Messianics are now Sons of freedom, rather than children of enslavement. As Sons, they manifest as freemen the righteous character of Yahweh their Father independent of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant as pedagogical guardian. This means they manifest the spirit of the Law of Yahweh and His Anointed Son (which law had been incorporated within the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant) as it is now incorporated within the New Covenant of Sonship and energized by the indwelling spirit of Yahweh and Jesus the Messiah.

Therefore, the spirit of the Law of Yahweh is to be distinguished from the letter of the Law of Yahweh represented by the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. The termination of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant does not terminate the spirit of the Law of Yahweh. It releases the spirit of the Law of Yahweh from the restrictive confines of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant, thus allowing the full power, the energizing work of the spirit, to operate within the mortal bodies of the Messianic Sons of Yahweh, the ones being accounted by Yahweh as the faithful sons of Abraham.

The Gentile Messianics, not having been placed under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law, have not been children of minorhood treated as if slaves. They are, in fact, slaves. Since Yahweh is the Elohim of all nations, but especially of Israel (“Or is He [Yahweh] the God [Elohim] of the Jews only? Is He not of the nations also? Yes, of the nations also, . . .” (Rom. 3:29 CV), His National Household consists of Israel His favored nation and the remaining unfavored nations. Israel had been graciously placed under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law after humanity, as a result of its rebellion at Babel, had been divided into nations by Yahweh. These nations, abandoning Yahweh Elohim, had created their own gods out of their own darkened imaginations and had created their own laws governing political, social, economic, and religious conduct and practices. Thus, the entire National Household of Yahweh had been under law, had been under the elements of the world-order.

If Israel is not reclaimed from under the curse of the Sinatic Covenant and from under the jurisdiction of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law, the promises made to Abraham cannot come upon his faithful seed. When Israel is reclaimed from the authority of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law, the circumcised faithful children of Abraham receive the promise of the spirit, nullifying, terminating, their status as children of minorhood and officially initiating their status as Sons freed to worship and serve Yahweh in the spirit of the New Covenant of Sonship in contrast to their prior worship and service of Yahweh in the letter of the old Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of minorhood.

Having now come of Sonship-age in Christ, as free Sons of Yahweh reflecting, through the spirit of His law operating in the members of their mortal bodies, his righteous character, they carry the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah to their uncircumcised brothers who are now being accounted by Yahweh as faithful children of Abraham. Indeed, these Messianic Jews have become in thought and conduct their brother’s keeper. They represent Abelite Jews sharing their Abrahamic blessings with their uncircumcised Abelite Gentile brothers inhabiting the territories of the Roman Empire coming under the elective hearing of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah.

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The Foolish Consideration of Circumcision by the Messianic Gentiles in Galatia

These Messianic Gentiles in Galatia, foolishly considering proselyte circumcision in order to enter into the Jewish Community on the terms of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant, are in actuality “turning back again to the infirm and poor elements” (Gal. 4:9b CV) of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. By doing so, they would be, argues Paul, exchanging their status of Sonship for the status of minorhood, relegating them once again to treatment as slaves. In their past they had been “slaves of those who, by nature, are no gods” (Gal. 4:8 CV) and had been under the authority of law constructed by men of disqualified minds. Having recently believed the Messianic Gospel associated with the uncircumcised, they had been acknowledged by Yahweh as free, adult sons of Abraham, joint-citizens with the Saints (Abraham’s circumcised sons) of the new commonwealth of the Born-From-Above Israel of Yahweh, and enjoyers of the imminent Celestial Allotment. Why would they want to exchange this adult status of Sonship for an inferior status doomed to destruction by the indignation of Yahweh?! (Gal. 4:8-11).

Under the elements of the world-order of the gods, these Messianic Gentiles had no perception of the One, True, Living Elohim; and the One, True, Living Elohim had denied them His acknowledgement. They had been disowned covenantally. Yahweh had rescinded His acknowledgement of them as children in His National Household. In His eyes, they had become poor, ignorant, useless, unworthy slaves whom He had removed from close association with Him. They still remained members of the National Household, but they were removed at a distance from the premises of the house as represented by the Covenant of Circumcision made with Abraham and the additional Sinatic Covenant.

The dishonor as unworthy slaves had been terminated by the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah. His faithfulness had restored their family honor. This now gave them the right to a place within the New Covenant House of Yahweh (the Ecclesia, the Spiritual House, the Spiritual Temple presently being built by Jesus the Messiah), but not on the basis of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. The status of sonship restoring their relationship to Yahweh had come from the New Davidic Covenant of Sonship which extended, opened, to them the honor and the Celestial Allotment belonging to the faithful seed of Abraham, which they had become in Christ.

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The Wisdom of Practicing the Works of the Law by the Messianic Jews

As adult sons, the Jewish Messianics (the Saints), though no longer under the works of law of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant, keep, obey, practice faithfully the works of this law in order to honor the word of Yahweh written in the law:

Now, if you shall hearken, yea hearken to My voice and observe My covenant [the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant] then you will become Mine, a special possession, above all the peoples, for Mine is all the earth. As for you, you shall become Mine, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Exodus 19:5-6a CV)

In so doing, they fulfill this aspect of the Law and the Prophets, bringing glory and honor to Yahweh Who made this promise, Yahweh Whose words do not return to Him void. The Messianic Jews practiced law faithfully to the end of the Mosaic Eon, during which the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant is running out its allotted time. Practicing the law faithfully in honor of Yahweh’s intended covenantal purpose is part of their responsibility as the circumcised seed of Abraham worshiping and serving Yahweh according to the terms of the Gospel of the Circumcision.

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The Allegory of Two Covenants—Sarah and Hagar

Paul, then, reminds the Galatian Gentile Messianics of their previous commitment to him and the Gospel he had delivered to them. They had received him “as a messenger of God [Yahweh Elohim] (Gal. 4:14b CV), a messenger of Yahweh’s Anointed Son, Jesus (Gal. 4:14c). If they could, they would have gouged out their eyes in order to make a gift of them to him. Has he become their enemy by remaining true to their interests, to their welfare?! Here, Paul uses rhetorical irony. He knows this is not the case with them.

In their sincere desire to be faithful to their newly acquired participation in the Israel of Yahweh, they have been misled by non-messianic and/or pseudo-messianic Jewish authorities of the larger Jewish Community who still cling tenaciously to the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. These Jews, refusing to leave minorhood, are zealously interested in the incorporation of these new God-fearing Gentiles into the elect, holy, superior Jewish Community. However, such entrance is barred against them, since they lack the necessary requirement of the Mosaic Covenant: circumcision. If these Gentile Messianics sincerely desire to enter the Jewish Community, the holy nation, with full rights of participation, they must submit to circumcision, thereby becoming proselyte Jews. In this zealousness, Paul declares, these Jews are seeking for themselves the zealous admiration, respect, and honor due the superior Jews by the inferior gentiles. In this way, they seek their own glory at the expense of the gentiles. Yahweh, however, in the Gospel proclamation, no longer requires the gentiles to become Jews in order to become full-fledged citizens of the commonwealth of Israel (see Gal. 4:17-18).

Paul desires that “Christ may be formed in you!” (Gal. 4:19b CV). These Gentile Messianics must conform their thought and conduct to the New Covenant of the Abrahamic promise established out of the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah. This New Covenant of the spirit supersedes the old covenant of the letter. Paul rhetorically asks, again ironically, “Tell me, you who want to be under law, are you not hearing the law [the Hebrew Scriptures, the Torah, the books of the law of Moses]?” (Gal. 4:21 CV).

Paul, then, proceeds to allegorically interpret a portion of the Book of Genesis. He selects from the Abrahamic history the significant relationship between Isaac and Ishmael and the relationship between Sarah and Hagar. Hidden in these two pairs had been a secret of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. Hidden in these two pairs had been the destiny of two covenants. His emphasis will be on the two women, whom he names. The two sons (Isaac and Ishmael) related to these two women he does not name.

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Hagar and the Sinatic Covenant

Both Hagar and Sarah give birth to sons, each sired by Abraham. The son of Sarah the free woman is begotten through the promise. The son of Hagar the maid servant is begotten according to flesh. These two women, writes Paul, represent the two covenants. Hagar represents the covenant made at Sinai, the Sinatic Covenant. This covenant is a covenant of slavery. The children of this covenant are slaves under the elements of the world-order associated with the Sinatic Covenant as pedagogical guardian and are slaves under the curse of this Sinatic Covenant.

Furthermore, Paul declares, this covenant of slavery (Hagar) generating children of slavery (Jews) is associated with the present historical Jerusalem existing in the land of Palestine, the land of earthly promise. Thus, the present earthly Jerusalem with her children, the Jews, is equivalent to Hagar and her son Ishmael. As Hagar and her son, Ishmael, had been cast out by the authoritative word of Yahweh, so also would Jerusalem and her children, the Jews, be cast out soon by the authoritative word of Yahweh declared in the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah.

As Hagar (the Sinatic Covenant) and her son according to flesh (the Israel according to flesh, Apostate Israel, children of Cain) had been excluded from the allotment of promise, so also would the earthly Jerusalem (the Sinatic Covenant) and her children (those Jews clinging tenaciously to the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant for covenantal life and salvation) be cast out soon. Consequently, they would be excluded from the Celestial Allotment of promise imminently to be entered into by the children of the free woman (Sarah and her son Isaac together with all those associated with Isaac as the son of promise).

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Sarah and the New Davidic Covenant

Sarah, on the other hand, represents the covenant made at Calvary, the New Covenant of Abrahamic promise. This covenant is a covenant of freedom. The sons of this covenant are freemen no longer under the elements of the world-order associated with the Sinatic Covenant and the idolatry of the nations. The circumcised sons of this covenant are no longer under the curse of the Sinatic Covenant. The uncircumcised sons of this covenant are no longer under the curse of idolatry.

This New Covenant of Abrahamic Promise of Sonship (Sarah) generating sons of freedom (Messianic Jews and Gentiles) is associated, identified with the present metaphorical Jerusalem, the Jerusalem above, the heavenly Jerusalem, which, declares Paul, is presently the “mother of us all” (Gal. 4:26b CV), that is, all Messianic faithful ones, both Jews and Gentiles. Thus, the present heavenly Jerusalem (the Jerusalem above in contrast to the Jerusalem below) with all her children, Messianic Jews and Gentiles, is equivalent to Sarah and her son Isaac.

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Isaac and Ishmael

As Sarah and her son, Isaac, had remained in the household of Abraham, and as her son Isaac had been declared the sole heir of Abraham, becoming the sole enjoyer of the allotment promised Abraham, so also, the heavenly Jerusalem and her sons (the Messianics) had become sealed with the spirit of promise and declared by Yahweh in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah to be enjoyers of the Celestial Allotment about to be entered into. Thus, all those in Christ, like Isaac, are children of promise according to spirit, in contrast to Ishmael, a child born according to flesh. Ishmael is conceived and born through Hagar according to the natural process of conception and birth. Hagar was young and within the years of childbirth when she conceived and gave birth to Ishmael.

However, Yahweh had not chosen Ishmael. He had promised Abraham a son. When years passed without the birth of a son, Abraham and Sarah concluded that the promise of a son might not be through Sarah, as they had both believed. Yahweh had not specifically said that the son would come through Sarah. Ishmael (the son of Abraham through Hagar) is, therefore, a son according to flesh.

After Ishmael’s birth, Yahweh reveals the promise of a son would be through Sarah in her old age, a period beyond the normal range of childbirth for a woman. Consequently, though Isaac is conceived and born within the natural process of conception and birth, he is a son according to promise because Sarah had been beyond the normal range of years during which a woman could conceive and give birth. Isaac, therefore, is both a son of promise and a son according to spirit.

All those in Christ are sons of promise and sons according to spirit, since their spiritual conception and birth are accomplished, achieved, by Yahweh through the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus the Messiah, Yahweh’s Only-Begotten Anointed Son. Thus, sons of spirit are conceived and born out of the faithfulness of Yahweh and His Faithful, Anointed Son, not out of works of law, not out of works accomplished by the hands of men, and not out of the faithfulness or faith of men.

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Waiting for the Expectation

As Ishmael, the son “generated according to flesh” (Gal. 4:29a CV) had persecuted Isaac, the son “generated according to spirit” (Gal. 4:29b CV), so also, concludes Paul, do the present children of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant (children generated according to flesh) now persecute the present sons of the New Covenant of Abrahamic Promise (the sons according to spirit). Therefore, those preaching the pseudo-gospel of circumcision, Israelites according to flesh, Jews committed tenaciously to the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law, are, from the perspective of the New Abrahamic Covenant of Jesus the Messiah, persecuting, opposing, the Messianics and the true Gospel these Messianics are conforming themselves to and proclaiming. The sincere appeal to the Messianic Gentiles to conform their lives not to Jesus the Messiah, but to Ishmael/Moses and the covenant of slavery, is, in reality, an appeal to make slaves out of free sons: “Wherefore, brethren, we [Jewish and Gentile Messianics] are not children of the maid [Hagar and the Sinatic Covenant of slaves], but of the free woman [Sarah and the New Abrahamic Covenant of adult sons](Gal. 4:31 CV).

If all in Christ are free sons according to spirit, then Jesus the Messiah has delivered all in Him out of slavery into freedom:

For this freedom Christ frees us! Stand firm, then, and be not again enthralled with the yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1 CV modified)

Paul appeals to the Gentile Messianics not to return to the condition of slavery Jesus the Messiah has delivered them from. By submitting to the process of circumcision, they would become proselyte Jews, children according to flesh, children treated as slaves under the now dismissed Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant as pedagogical guardian. For sons to return to childhood is shameful. For the Gentile Messianics, as well as the Jewish Messianics, to return to the childhood condition of the Jewish Community remaining under the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant is to become dishonored and estranged, cut off, exempted, from the Christ, the Messiah.

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The New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant and the Freedom in Christ

However, the Christ, Jesus the Messiah, has not just freed slaves in order for them to do as they please, to do what is right in their own eyes. When writing of freedom, Paul uses the definite article the. The Christ, the Messiah, frees those believing into His Faithfulness for the freedom. This specific freedom is the freedom to worship and serve the One, True, Living Master worthy to be worshiped and served, Yahweh Elohim. Such freedom empowers and authorizes the son to execute the will and work of The Father, to think and act in accord with that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh, thus, to walk according to spirit:

Now I am saying, Walk in spirit, and you should under no circumstances be consummating the lust of the flesh. . . . lest you should be doing whatever you may want. (Galatians 5:16-17 CV)

This means, that while the Messianic sons of Yahweh “are awaiting the expectation [the Parousia] of righteousness out of faithfulness [the faith in the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah] (Gal. 5:5 CV modified), they are to be worshiping and serving Yahweh under the authority, the kingship of Jesus the Messiah. They are to be fulfilling Yahweh’s Law (that law which is incorporated and constricted within the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant and contained/revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Law and the Prophets) according to the living interpretation of The Law of Christ as incorporated within the new terms of the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant of Jesus the Anointed Son of David, Anointed Son/Seed of Abraham, and the Anointed Son of Yahweh. This they are empowered to achieve according to the indwelling service of the spirit under which influence they are to be renewing their minds, thus producing in their thought and conduct the spirit of the law, as well as the letter of the law when appropriate:

For you were called for freedom, brethren, only use not this freedom for an incentive to the flesh [the prostitution of the mind and body], but through the love [exemplified by Jesus] be slaving for one another [serving one another]. For the entire law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your associate as yourself.” (Galatians 5:13-14 CV modified)

However, they are not to worship and serve Yahweh and His Anointed Son under the terms of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. They are not under the pedagogical rule of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. They worship and serve Yahweh their Elohim and Jesus their Lord as adult sons having the character of their Father inherently encoded in their hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits by the spirit of their Father indwelling them. They nullify the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant by sharing in the sufferings of the Cross of the Christ.

By boasting, glorying, “in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14a CV), “a world-order has been crucified to me [as a Messianic son], and I to a world-order” (Gal. 6:14b CV modified). By sharing in the sufferings of the cross of Jesus the Messiah, the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant world-order (as well as the Adamic world-order under the affect of the Law of Sin and Death) is crucified, disabled from affecting the Messianic son glorying in the cross. In turn, this Messianic son is crucified, disabled from serving in accord with the terms of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant world-order and the debilitating affect of the Adamic world-order distorted by The Law of Sin and Death.

Here is the freedom in Christ. Here is the freedom of sonship under the terms of the world-order of the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant. Here is the worship and service of the Father, Yahweh Elohim, by sons standing in Christ alongside the Father, inherently manifesting the character of the Father in word and deed apart from the pedagogical guardianship of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law or any other objective codified law.

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The Imminent Parousia and the Freedom in Christ

The Parousia is imminent. The Messianic sons of Abraham are eagerly awaiting this promised expectation. They must remain faithful to their calling to the end. This means proclaiming and living out the truth of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. It calls for sharing in the sufferings of Jesus the Christ, sufferings associated with the nullifying of the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant. Thus, the Messianics have been assured that they would surely have to endure the persecution and affliction associated with, on behalf of, the righteousness of the New Davidic Kingdom in the process of liberating all the faithful sons of Abraham being called and chosen by the elective proclamation of the Gospel.

Required is the walk in spirit, the walk by which each Messianic son would, through the love exemplified by Jesus the Messiah (see Phil. 2:1-8), be serving one another within the Messianic Community of the New Spiritual Israel of Yahweh and also serving in this love all their associates outside the Messianic Community. Faithfully, they must be walking in accord with the Gospel and the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant of Jesus the Messiah, enduring the opposition of the Jewish Community which is walking in accord with the flesh of the pseudo-gospel of circumcision and the nullified Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant.

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The Conclusion to the Galatian Letter

Paul concludes his letter to the assemblies of Galatia by reasserting the truth of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah:

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything, but a new creation [a new covenantal man, Jesus together with His Ecclesia]. And as many [of the Messianics] who shall guide their steps according to the standard [the rules, the terms of the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant], peace be upon them, and mercy, even upon the Israel of Yahweh. (Galatians 6:15-16 my translation)

Neither the Sinatic/Mosaic Covenant of law nor the various systems of law among the nations are authoritative in relation to the Messianic Community justified out of the faith which trusts in the faithfulness of Yahweh as revealed through the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah. The Ecclesia of Messianic Jews and Gentiles is Yahweh’s New Creation. This New Covenantal Man created out of the exalted Second Man, Jesus the Son of Adam, the Son of Yahweh, consists of Christ and His Ecclesia, His Bride, the spiritual complement of the resurrected, ascended, and exalted Jesus Christ.

Jesus the Christ, together with His Ecclesia, form a New Spiritual Man superseding Adam, together with his complement taken out of him (Eve), which creation had formed the first soulish man through whom soulish humanity had been generated. The members of this New Covenantal Creation, this New Spiritual Man, are to be guiding their steps, keeping the steps of their walk in spirit in line with the new standard, new rule, new elemental order, of the New Davidic/Abrahamic Covenant. Those Messianic faithful sons of THE SEED of Abraham who are obeying, through the inspiration of the indwelling spirit, The Law of Yahweh as interpreted and applied to the living relationships encountered during the last days of the Mosaic Eon will be experiencing the peace and the mercy of Yahweh and Jesus their Lord even while enduring the sufferings of the Cross of the Christ.

Those remaining faithful to the end will be composing the Israel of Yahweh, upon whom this same peace and mercy will have been abiding throughout the days of her spiritual growth and triumph. By such a manner of living should the faithful Messianics in Galatia be awaiting the imminent expectation of the consummation of the Parousia of Jesus the Messiah and their entrance, at that time, into the promised Celestial Allotment.