During this last period of
time I have been challenged with the Biblical concept of being set apart for
the use and glory of YHWH Abba and His Son Yeshua our Messiah and a large part
of that challenge has been presented to my through the Marriage.
We, just like most families,
have been faced with the dilemmas and accompanying confusions caused by the
marriages of our progeny: And we, hopefully just like most parents, now having
had the advantage of experiencing marriage with all its’ highs, it lows, and the
innumerable challenges – some conquered and some not, are ourselves now being
confronted by what the marriage in essence truly represents as we try to
prepare our children for this merging of two lives, and this dear reader is good,
it is called GROWTH: This is also the time when the emotional pressures collide
and where the kids throw up all your past mishaps into your face and us, as the
parents, cannot deny many of their indictments. Eph. 5.
In our case & because of
the path we believe that YHWH Elohim has led Zanja and I down so far, we have had
reason to break “new-ground” and in many aspects truly upset the apple cart of
matrimonial and social conformity whilst in the process unwittingly given our children a whole
arsenal of ammunition to use against us, so accordingly this question of what
is a Biblical marriage has been the central theme of our lives for the last
almost 17 years now and has in no small way defined our very walk, warts and
all, with YHWH, with each other, with our families; with our Kahilahs’ & with
society & accordingly & understandably also affected our social and
religious acceptance by others.
As you all know back in 2000 I
received the revelation that Yeshua was to come back, but that before HE did
HIS “Church”, as spoken to me in my station within HIS Body then, was to return
to the Acts Church as HE had established and left it and that the denominations we were
all in were not of HIM BUT WERE OF
MAN!
In 2003 I was led to admonish
a respected group of theological, social and political leaders when having to inform
them at a public meeting that we today have two forms of marriage in our society – one
belonging to the State and it’s organs AND ONE BELONGING TO YHWH AND HIS
KINGDOM!
This statement obviously
caused a predicable and vocal result from some of those gathered at this meeting, but be
that as it may I STILL STAND BY THAT STATEMENT THAT I MADE THAT DAY!
As with any Revelation,
Prophecy etc. which if true is in fact A Word from YHWH HIMSELF and as such is
a Seed (Mat. 13) that will grow (progressive
revelation) and later produce it's fruit, and this progressive revelation is indeed
the case in Zanja and my life, and therefore it is no secret for any reading my blogs that
this growing revelation has led me to where I now cannot in all good conscience any longer accept the replacement
theological position posited and taught by the denominations, the offspring of
the RCC, primarily because almost their entire doctrine is based on a marriage
of State and Church, and this is reflected in their take and their rules
regarding matrimony as well.
Through the errors in the
Christian doctrines embraced by the denominational system we have lost the
ability to understand the fact that there are two very distinct rival K/kingdoms
striving for the dominance of the very soul of mankind – The Kingdom of YHWH
and the kingdom of darkness (the world), and because all of mankind is now
cursed with the fallen / dead spirit inherited from the first Adam (Eph. 2) we cannot but judge with our human minds which are impacted by our 5 fold senses, and consequently are blind to HIS Kingdom and
HIS Ruach. 1 Sam. 16:7; Prov. 3:5-6; John 7:24; 2 Cor.
5:5-7.
The world we are all born into
is completely and irrevocably built in its entirety upon this inherited fallen
and dead nature we now possess from birth, consequently all we are taught, and subsequently judged by is a system which
from day one of our lives has taught us fallen mans’ ways, methods and norms,
so when we are confronted by someone possibly living out the Spiritual Law of The
Kingdom of YHWH as led by The Ruach HaKodesh it presents a Way which is a deadly advisory of our worldly ways. Rom. 7:7-25; Rom. 8:1-9; James 4:1-4
We now arrive at the crux of
the matter – what the heart is full of (what we believe as true) cannot but demonstrate
itself in our day to day actions – plain and simple (Luke
6:44-46; Prov. 4:23; Matt. 12:35) and this is no better portrayed in a
Biblical fashion as through the Marriage.
I once heard a Messianic
teacher use this description of Marriage:
The only time we
are given authority by YHWH to change Creation is in the marriage of a man to a
woman, because through their choice and actions two of Elohim’s Created become
ONE!
(H 259 - Echad = ONE;
once; united; original, alike; altogether)
Obviously an existing Supreme Authority permits this union, this changing of His Creation, and this same Supreme Authority (YHWH The Creator, Yeshua) founded on YHWH's Eternal and Divine unchanging
mandated Personage grants us the right to choose how we will live; in essence
HE, as we all know, in HIS Love (portrayed by HIS Obedience to His Law, Statutes and
Institutions) grants us, in turn, the right to choose under which A/authority
we will live!
1. Marriage, was instituted by
The Creator in The Garden (Gen. 2) as a visual
portrayal of HIS Kingdom and HIS Relationship with HIS Bride (Eph. 5:22-33; Rom. 7:1-6),
obviously we fell into sin and eternal death – a complete separation from The Tree of Life
and man kind is now feeding exclusively from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:15-17 arw Gen. 3:1ff).
The rest of the Recorded Word represent
how we, Gomer (the whoring bride), are to be wooed back to YHWH our Creator Husband –
back to eternal life through The Tree of Life and to full acceptance of HIM (Yeshua) as our Husband (Incredible prophecy of love and forgiveness - Hos. 2:14-23) AND IN THE PROCESS BEING LED AWAY FROM THE POISONOUS FRUIT OF
THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL FOR ETERNITY – Rev. 22:12-14.
After the fall, man needed to
find an authority under which he could live and function, obviously this
authority could now take on any or many forms just as man decided upon without the
Divine help of YHWH and His inspired Law (TORAH) – BUT ALL THESE AUTHORITIES,
WHATEVER THEY MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN, ARE ULTIMATELY UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF
THE ANTI-MESSIAH, THE GOD OF REBELLION (The instead of Messiah Yeshua, the
instead of HIS Authority and Rule of Law) AND HAVE NOTHING WHAT SO EVER TO DO
WITH YHWH ELOHIM, THE ELOHIM OF AVRAHAM, YITSAAK & YA’AKOB, THE ELOHIM OF
THE WORD, THE BIBLE – WE, BY UNREPENTANT HUMAN NATURE, HAVE ALL MADE OUR UNILATERAL & INDEPENDENT CHOICES,
NOW WE LIVE BY THEM!
So now we who claim the status
in life of declaring Messiah Yeshua as our Redeemer, King and Betrothed have
two choice before us when we feel we are being called to Holy and Set Apart Matrimony:
We can choose either the
Marriage of YHWH Elohim – The Marriage brought about by, and under the total
authority of YHWH Elohim Himself between a consenting, Covenant keeping, born
again man and women so designed as to fulfill the Covenant condition recorded in Genesis 1:26-28 arw Gen. 2:18-25.
NB: In
this Biblical model it is to be noted that YHWH Elohim, as The Father, presents
the wife to the man and they accept each other unconditionally – in this
pattern of the Biblical Marriage we see Elohim, as the Father, brings the
chosen woman to His son, the son and woman, both naked – no secrets, no
preconceived ideas, totally innocent, accept each other and consummate their
union – they become ONE (Echad) with YHWH, their Elohim, Father and Creator as
their Witness, Authority, Provider, Protector! The entire Marriage is kept
within the families of the betrothed couple – NEVER WERE THE ORGANISED CHURCH
AND / OR STATE BROUGHT INTO THE OFFICIATION OR VALIDATION OF A MARRIAGE OF YHWH
ELOHIM – SIMPLY BECAUSE THE MARRIAGE
OF MESSIAH TO HIS COVENANT KEEPING BRIDE, WHICH TRUE BIBLICAL MARRIAGE IS
SUPPOSED TO PORTRAY, WILL NEVER EVER NEED THE AUTHORITY
OF STATE, CHURCH OR ANY COMBINATION THEREOF – HE ONLY NEEDS THE AUTHORITY OF
HIS ABBA!
This is beautifully portrayed
in Gen. 24.
2. Or alternatively we then have
the second form of marriage, the ONE NOT OF YHWH ELOHIM: This is the one we all
see today, the one placing the authority of the State and/or the religious
denominations and traditions upon us and our marriages – the product of The Tree of The Knowledge of
Good and Evil – man made decisions and choices to alter and mutate Creation not
as YHWH Elohim permits and blesses – BUT AS MAN THINKS IS RIGHT (Humanism – I
can be my own god, make my own choices without my Heavenly Father and Bridegroom
– Gen. 3:1-7).
Today our warped and dying
society judges the Works of YHWH and HIS Kingdom building Reign here on earth,
and especially the Marriages of YHWH, by humanist social and religious laws and
norms.
The marriages officiated by
the Church and State are a perfect example and representation of where
the relationship of the Church and Society are in their rebellious walk against
The Creator of the Earth, and Marriage with its’ Covenantal sign, The Shabbat (Gen. 1:31-2:3; Ex. 31:13-18)
The Church and society (State)
now have built their own un-Biblical walls, a Tower of Babel of control and laws
to cage the children of YHWH into their systems (Shabbat – Sunday; Lev. 23
Festivals – pagan festivals; Biblical calendar – Gregorian (RCC) calendar; Lev.
11 diet – “St. Paul’s” diet and so we go on).
Now we were all born into this
worldly system and only through rebirth in Messiah Yeshua are we able to begin
our journey out through the leading of His Ruach HaKodesh back to the Torah,
The Covenant of YHWH, BUT ONLY IF WE
SO CHOOSE!
I would strongly suggest that John 14 be prayfully and thoughtfully read especially
vs. 7; 11; 12-13 (back to the Acts assemblies); 15-19 (Messiah tells us the definition of LOVE and
that HE WILL COME BACK AS THE RUACH
TO COMFORT HIS PEOPLE!!) and so much more!
But what does that mean for those now
born again but who may mistakenly have gotten married under the systems of the
State/Church/Babylon?
I believe that YHWH Elohim has
respect for those situations as well, reading 1 Cor.
7:10-20 sheds much light on this subject.
What advice, should they even
seek it, do we as parents give to our children wanting to marry today?
Here is my suggestion:
Firstly pray, pray, pray!
And then if they are born
again – I would suggest that they be advised according to Scripture and as
briefly outlined in 1 above.
If one of the partners is NOT
BORN AGAIN I would strongly suggest not marrying! Amos
3:3; 1 Cor. 15-16; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1
If neither of them is born
again and seek authority over their marriage I would really encourage you to
let them marry in a Civil Ceremony AND
NOT A RELIGIOUS ONE! The Blood of Messiah is NOT CHEAP and using HIS
Name by which to swear an oath if you are not cleansed through HIM and walking
in His Counsel WILL HAVE SEVERE CONSIQUENCES FOR THE MARRYING PARTY AND THOSE
PARTICIPATING IS SUCH A RITUAL! Ex. 20:7; Lev. 18:21; Lev. 24:16;
Deut. 5:11; Eze. 20:9,
14, 22, 39; 1 Cor. 7:14(b) specifically says that a couple not in Covenant with
YHWH mean nothing to HIM, not even their children – SO PLEASE DO NOT INVOKE HIS
NAME ON THEIR MATRIMONIAL UNION.
This having all been said I do
not believe that those already married under the Church/State system, or in any
other way which may have been contrary to His Word, and who now (or at the time
of their marriage) both serve/d the Messiah have a marriage that is not accepted
by HIM (See again 1 Cor. 7:10-16 in context) –
but I would again counsel that you both sit before YHWH Elohim and ask HIM how
HE would now want to go forward with your marriage to bring it closer to HIM
and HIS BIBLICALLY MANDATED AUTHORITY SO AS TO BE A WITNESS TO HIM AND HIS BETROTHAL.
A final point or two I would
wish to touch on now has to do with the attendance of Christian ceremonies:
If one accepts the fact of
being Set Apart for the exclusive use of YHWH Elohim and His Son’s Kingdom here
on earth as emissaries (ambassadors/representatives) of His Kingdom and Laws (Heb. 3:1-2 arw Rom. 1:1-6);
that we need to walk as Yeshua walked (1 John 2:2-7
arw 1 John 3:4) and guard His Law and
Commandments (i.e. preserve, observe and keep them - TORAH), then one may need
to consider the habit we have of just going to the Sunday Church services and
attending special Church celebrations (Christmas, Easter etc.), celebrations
which also may include Shabbat wedding services confirmed most often between people (even
family members) making promises to an Elohim they do not know and have no allegiance
too.
The entire ethos of The
Shabbat is that it is an eternal sign of The Marriage Covenant between YHWH and
HIS people, Israel.
It is a sign that has eternal
significance and is of such importance that it is designated in Gen. 2:2-3 as an eternal, blessed and set apart day on
which to rest with YHWH Elohim.
It is a day designated as an
appointed time of gathering for HIS people – Lev.
23:2-4:
A day in which not even the servants
(slaves) & animals are to labour, and if kept and guarded as per HIS
Instructions (TORAH) then blessings will follow - Ex. 34:21;
Ex. 35:2-3 (fires were made to cook on – not if fire is needed for
warmth and life support); Deut. 5:12-14; Is. 56:2; Is.
58:13.
Now if we look at a Shabbat
wedding (Christian or otherwise) there is usually a gathering of people not of
YHWH; there is always food being cooked and served, there is almost without
exception beverages for sale (alcoholic or not) at such events – all these
actions are in direct opposition to the TORAH mandated Shabbat observance!
In the case of all Christian
weddings THERE ARE NON-BIBLICAL PROMISES MADE TO A JESUS AND HIS FATHER WHICH MORE THAN OFTEN CANNOT BE SCRIPTURALLY SUPPORTED!
Please read Eze. 20 with an eye on the objections of YHWH to the
desecration of His Shabbat by His Covenanted people!
And now finally – EVEN THE
WORK ON & CONBTRIBUTIONS FOR YHWH’S TABERNACLE WERE SUSPENDED ON THE
SHABBAT – (Ex. 35:1-9) when taken in context we
see that Chapters 35-40 of Exodus deal with the building of The Tabernacle and
this particular portion kicks off with the need to observe the Shabbat and then leads directly into the Tabernacle contributions, construction and consecration. We see
that even Sha’ul, in 1 Cor. 16:2, contrary to
popular Church teaching that this was an indication that the Shabbat was
superseded by the Sunday (1st day), hallowed the Shabbat by
insisting that a collection for Jerusalem must be made on a Sunday (1st
day) – BECAUSE TORAH WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED HIM TO COLLECT OR WORK WITH MONEY
ON THE SHABBAT!
I know there is a thought that
Chavah (Eve) was presented to Adam on the Shabbat; HOWEVER I believe that the
Scriptures make a very solid case that YHWH our CREATOR created both male and
female on the 6th day – see Gen. 1:26-31,
and Gen. 2:2 very clearly says that YHWH HAD COMPLETED
ALL HIS WORK BY THE 7TH DAY AND
HE RESTED!
Now if we look at Yeshua
proving that HE was, is and forever shall be the Adon (LORD) of the Shabbat –
we can prove out of the Scriptures that Yeshua completed all HIS work, died on
The Stake, was buried and resurrected by the end of the 7th
Day weekly Shabbat.
Finally if we take these two
massive prophetic events and allow them to foreshadow His return before the
Millennial Rest (Shabbat Rest – Heb. 4:1-10 NB: vs. 2
arw Heb. 3:17 & Heb.
4:6 – our forefathers in the wilderness also had exactly the same Good
News and they too were saved by grace and not works BUT REJECTED THE MESSAGE
DUE TO LACK OF FAITH) I cannot help but deduce at this time of my understanding
of Scripture that all the wars and events leading up to HIS return must be
completed so that Messiah Yeshua, The Second Adam can receive HIS wife, just before the breaking of the
Sabbatical 7th millennium rest of 1000 yrs.
Search as I may I am at this
time unable to identify a single marriage recorded in Scripture having taken
place on a Shabbat; and as a final note observant Jews do not ever hold a
wedding on a Shabbat to this day….but here is something interesting –
In traditional Jewish communities,
Tuesday is considered an auspicious day to hold a wedding because it is a day
that a portion of the Torah
is not chanted in the synagogue.
John 2:1-12 records the wedding at Cana
that Yeshua attended on the 3rd day – the 3rd day is a
Tuesday on the Gregorian calendar.
There is much more that we can
write on this and associated matters, but for now I believe this shall suffice
– again I conclude with what I began with, The Marriage is the eternal
representation of the joining together of a set-apart & Covenant keeping
man and woman foreshadowing the Marriage of Messiah Yeshua and HIS Marriage to
His Bride.
The path of marriage and walking with Messiah in preparation for a Betrothal to Him, as many will know, is not at all easy and bathed with moonshine and scattered with roses, but the question we need to ask ourselves is this:
DO YOU WISH TO BE SET APART FOR HIS USE?
THE CHOICE IS EACH ONE OF OURS ALONE!
Shabbat shalom
Bo’az.
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