When the God of Israel decided to give the Torah (the Law) to Moses, He gathered the people at a mountain and came down upon the mountain with a furnace of fire and smoke. It was a very frightful thing. God’s voice thundered off the rocks, splitting them. His words rattled the bones of the people and caused the animals to calve suddenly. The people appealed to Moses for him to go to the Lord and not to have the Lord speak in such a manner again. They feared that they would die. The agreement was made. Moses went up the mountain to bring down the Torah and a promise was made by God that the Messiah would be dispatched from heaven to them. The Messiah would speak the word of God and it would be required of us just like the Torah from Moses.
The majority of the New Testament letters were written by the Apostle Paul (Saul of Tarsus). Paul’s journeys throughout the Roman world were the backdrop to his teachings and activities. As he aptly put it, he was able to be a Roman with the Romans and a Jew with the Jews. In hindsight we can easily see the logic of God’s choice in Paul. His knowledge of Roman law and the Torah made him an adept and passionate spokesman for the message of God.
How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, they shout joyfully together; for they will see with their own eyes when the Lord restores Zion. Break forth, shout joyfully together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God.
The Webster’s New World Dictionary defines a "custom" as being a usual practice for something; whereas, a "tradition" is a practice that is handed down from others. Distinguishing between a custom and a tradition, therefore, can be difficult for people. On the other hand, most people do know the definition of a "commandment" and its imperative stance. They know that commandments of God must be kept, whereas customs or traditions are optional. However, in the Messianic movement with the Gospel message of redemption standing side-by-side with Jewish customs and Biblical tradition, the lines blur and are indistinguishable for many. We are going to review several common things to Messianics and try to distinguish what is custom, tradition, and commandment in a series of articles. In Part 1 of this subject we discussed the Kippah (Yarmulke) and the tallit (the prayer shawl). In Part 2, we will address mezuzahs, shofars (trumpets), the Torah Scroll (Sefer Torah), and reciting the Shema (Hear O’Israel). There are of course other symbols, but these are the most visible for new Messianics coming into Messianic assemblies.
Our faith is filled with customs, traditions, and commandments. We have a host of symbols that help us to remember why we believe what we believe and to define what is holy in our observance. The Messianic movement employs both Christian and Jewish symbolism. Both religions share many truths about God but use differing symbols. However, many Messianics use the Jewish symbols to enhance the Hebrew truths of the faith but lack the understanding as to whether it is a custom, a tradition, or an actual commandment of the Lord.
Have you ever driven by a car wash in progress? I’m talking about the car wash where some kids are on the side of the street with "Free Car Wash" written on neon poster board. They are also jumping up and down trying to get your attention. Maybe it is a church youth group wanting to raise funds for camp or a local band wanting the resources for their upcoming band trip. If you take them up on their "Free" offer, you will hear the story of their future goal and before you know it, you are making a "donation." You leave with a good feeling of having done a "good deed" and "Hey, you got your car washed!"
It is now the summer of 2006. Our present world has evolved beyond the imagination of all of the previous generations. In fact, the present truth of today would be a shock to all previous generations if they were simply told of it. I have warned people of our day that they better pray that no one is able to make a "time machine" to go back a generation or more. The poor soul that travels back would surely be burned at the stake by noon for the penalty of being the "devil." They would not be able to accept what is common today. Since we have seen the changes occur, we have accepted the technology and resulting changes to our world. Previous generations have not and would consider the only reasonable explanation to be illusion and lies; it would have to be the work of the devil.
When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, the traditional picture of the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is an apple. However, those who study the Bible believe another common fruit is a much better picture of the forbidden fruit. As you are about to discover, there are aspects to the fig tree and its fruit that many simply do not know. Like Eve who first considered the forbidden fruit, not understanding the consequences, there is another side to the fig and its fruit.
The Lord has used many things here on earth to explain heavenly things. The sowing of seed and the resulting harvest is a powerful picture of our faith. The olive tree and its fruit is another. However, there is one picture in the natural world that stands out to represent Israel and the kingdom of God. It is a vineyard, and the growing of grapes to make wine. Yeshua the Messiah taught it this way.
The olive tree and its fruit are an incredible part of God’s creation. The olive tree can withstand incredible damage and still remain alive. In fact, an olive tree can be completely cut off at the base of the ground and still spring up with new branches. The key to the life of the olive tree is its durable root system. Olive trees are indeterminate plants, lasting as long as they continue to receive nourishment. "Sun, stone, drought, silence and solitude: these are the five ingredients that, according to Italian folk traditions, create the ideal habitat for the olive tree." The olive tree pictured on the cover of this article is hundreds of years old, growing in Israel on the mount of olives. Its gnarled trunk testifies to past struggles with heat and cold. The swirls in the bark tell the history of how it has been twisted by the wind and harvested by men. It is the ideal tree for a land with warm dry summers and rainy winters, the climate around the Mediterranean. Today, Italy and Spain are the most prolific producers. There are more than 30 different types of olive trees in the Mediterranean. In recent years, California vineyards have begun to develop olive orchards. They even have an expression for it that compares the maintenance of grapevines to the stamina of the olive tree, "Blend grapes for your kids and olives for your grandkids."
In every home with children, there is a firstborn. The firstborn grows up with a special destiny. Firstborns are thrust into the role of trailblazers and natural leaders. They represent the future hope of the family and its name. They are also regarded as the first heirs of the family. According to ancient tradition found in Scripture, all of the children of a family should receive an equal share of the inheritance, but the firstborn receives a double portion. The Scripture speaks of this blessing of the firstborn as the birthright blessing.
Jacob, the son of Isaac, and grandson of Abraham is one of the few men in the Bible with a full life description. By that I mean, he is introduced to us before his birth, the significant events of his life are well documented, and he is laid to rest in his grave. All of his life cycle events are found in the Scripture. You would be hard pressed to find others in the Bible described in such a manner. For the most part, it is distinction only shared by Moses and the Messiah.
Jacob’s life presents a case study in walking before God through all the life cycles: from birth to youth, from young man to father, from grandfather to his death and burial. Jacob presents all of the struggles that life brings and yet defines the spiritual end results.
