The Gospel of the Kingdom of God
Five Streams of Revelation - On the Unity of Believers
On to the New Garden of Eden
"And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said,
“O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy
with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments,.." Daniel 9:4
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Insight: "The believer in Messiah is free from the Law of Moses. This means that he is free from the necessity of keeping any commandment of that system. On the other hand,
he is also free to keep parts of the Law of Moses if he so desires.
The biblical basis for this freedom to keep the Law can be seen in the actions of Paul,
who was the greatest proponent of freedom from the Law.
His vow in Acts 18:18 is based on Numbers 6:2,5,9 and 18.
His desire to be in Jerusalem for Pentecost in Acts 20:16 is based on Deuteronomy 16:16.
The strongest passage in Acts 21:17-26, where we see Paul himself, the apostle of freedom from the Law, keeping the law. The believer is free from the Law, but he is also free to keep parts of it. Thus, if a Jewish believer feels the need to refrain from eating pork,
he is free to do so. The same is true for all the other commandments.
However, there are two dangers that must be avoided by any believer who volunteers to keep commandments of the Law of Moses.
One danger is the idea that by doing so he is contributing to
his own justification and salvation. This is false.
The second danger is in one’s expecting others to keep the same
commandments he has decided to keep. This is equally wrong and borders on legalism.
The one who exercises his freedom to keep the Law, must recognize and respect another’s freedom not to keep it." Arnold Fruchtenburg
Stream 4B: The Messianic Jewish Stream
Mitzvot (Commandments) & Covenants
Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn,
says the LORD,
because you have done this thing,
and have not withheld your son,
your only son— blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven
and as the sand which is on
the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Genesis 22:15-18
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse;
for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
Galatians 3:10
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Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise
of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:13-14
Rabbi Schneider - The Abrahamic Covenant
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You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which
God made with our fathers,
saying to Abraham,
‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ Acts 3:25
Rabbi Schneider - The Covenants of Scripture: The Mosaic Covenant
Dr. Michael Brown -
Is the Mosaic Law Obsolete?
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He declared to you His covenant,
which He commanded you to follow—
the Ten Commandments that He wrote on two tablets of stone. Deuteronomy 4:13
And I will make your (Isaac) descendants multiply as the stars of heaven;
I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
Genesis 26:4-6
Moses Parts the Red Sea
"And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:
‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings
and brought you to Myself.
Now therefore, if you will indeed
obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure
to Me above all people;
for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you
shall speak to the children of Israel.”
Exodus 19:3-8
You, through Your commandments,
make me wiser than my
enemies; For they are ever with me.
Psalm 119:98
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Trouble and anguish have overtaken
me, Yet Your commandments are my delights.
Psalm 119:143
My hands also I will lift up to
Your commandments,
Which I love, And I will
meditate on Your statutes.
Psalm 119:48
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Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
Psalm 119:66
"And I prayed to the LORD my God,
and made confession, and said,
“O Lord, great and awesome God,
who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who
keep His commandments." Daniel 9:4
Dr. Michael Brown -
The Commandments of the Torah
"Oh, that you had heeded My commandments!
Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the
waves of the sea." Isaiah 48:18
You shall not add to the word
which I command you,
nor take from it,
that you may keep the
commandments of the
LORD your God
which I command you.
Deuteronomy 4:2
I cling to Your testimonies;
O LORD, do not put me to shame!
I will run the course of
Your commandments,
For You shall enlarge my heart.
Teach me, O LORD,
the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
Psalm 119:31-33
Summary of the Covenants Arnold Fruchtenbaum
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1) To Israel: God made one Conditional Covenant (the Mosaic Covenant)
which was broken and annulled.
God also made four unconditional covenants with Israel that are still in effect today.
(the Abrahamic Covenant, the Land Covenant, the Davidic Covenant and the New Covenant). All of God’s blessings, both physical and spiritual,
are mediated by means of these four unconditional covenants to Israel.
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2) To the Gentiles: Three of the Eight Covenants were made directly with the Gentiles:
• The Edenic Covenant (conditional Covenant) Broken, no longer in effect
• The Adamic Covenant (unconditional covenant)
• The Noahic Covenant (unconditional covenant)
-When the Messiah died, the Mosaic Law was broken down.
-Now, by faith in the Messiah, Gentiles can enjoy the spiritual blessings of the four unconditional covenants that were originally made with Israel (see above).
-The Church is enjoying the spiritual blessings, (such as salvation), of these covenants, not the material and physical benefits, which belong to Israel.
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“Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to complete. Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah — not until everything that must happen has happened.” Mathew 5:17-18, 19
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To complete or fulfill meant to accomplish what prophecy demanded
while to “abolish” meant to fail to accomplish.
“So whoever disobeys the least of these commandments and teaches others
to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.
But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
"True, Jesus did come to fulfill the Law, but the Law of Moses did not end
with the coming of the Messiah or by His life, but by His death.
As long as He was alive, He was under the Mosaic Law and had to fulfill and obey every commandment applicable to Him, not in the way that the rabbis had interpreted it.
The statement of Mathew 5:17-19 was made while He was living."
Arnold Fruchtenbaum
"Therefore, if perfection were through
the Levitical priesthood
(for under it the people received the law),
what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called
according to the order of Aaron?
For the priesthood being changed,
of necessity there is also a change of the law. For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke
nothing concerning priesthood.
Hebrews 7:11-14
And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.
For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness,
for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God." Hebrews 7:11-19
"The point made in Hebrews 7:11-12 is that, under the Law, only one type
of priesthood was permitted,
the Levitical Priesthood.
But this priesthood could not bring perfection through animal blood,
only the Messiah’s blood could do that."
Arnold Fruchtenbaum
"The Law of Moses provided the basis for the Levitical Priesthood and
there was an inseparable connection between the
Law of Moses and the Levitical Priesthood.
Thus a new priesthood required a new Law under which it
could operate according to Hebrews 7:11-18.
With the Messiah, there is a new priesthood according to the
Order of Melchizedek not according to the Order of Aaron."
Arnold Fruchtenbaum
Continued From Arnold Fruchtenbaum:
"Since the Mosaic Law was the basis for the Levitical priesthood and it was done away with, and was to be replaced
by a new priesthood,
the Priesthood of Melchizedek,
this required a change of the Law.
If the Mosaic Law was still in effect,
Jesus could not function as a priest.
Thus the Law of Christ became effective upon Christs death on the cross and
Jesus became the head of a new Priesthood under the Order of Melchizedek."
