"Be Ye Holy, for I AM Holy" (Lev 19:2) what does this tell us?

[Jimmie]

Leviticus 19:2 "BE YE HOLY FOR I, THE LORD YOUR GOD AM HOLY"

To take an original look at this verse, we need to go back to the Hebrew, which reads;

"Kad_shim ti-heyu Ki Kadosh Ani YHVH Eloheikhem"

This is Adonai's command to the Children of Israel during their time in the wilderness. It is a strong statement, yet it also is a message and a command to us all. We are all commanded to be HOLY because our LORD and God is HOLY.

But what does it mean to be HOLY? The word Holy means "set apart" for a certain reason, the reason being to serve our LORD and God while we are on this planet called earth. Yet firstly, to come into a personal relationship with Adonai through Yeshua/Jesus. From this point, we are commanded to be HOLY, set apart to study his WORD, his TORAH (instructions) and obey them, putting them into action throughout the days of our life.

But, there is a difference between the Holiness of God and the holiness of redeemed mankind. In the original Hebrew, the word "Kadoshim" means "holy ones" (us) yet, it is spelled in the original Hebrew without the "o". The letter "o" in Hebrew is called "Vav" It looks like an upside-down hockey stick looking to the left. But when we see the word "Kadosh" meaning "God's Holiness, it DOES have a VAV. Why the missing "Vav" in our holiness?

Our holiness is incomplete. It is lacking perfection. Adam was created "perfect" being the "Shadow' (Tzelem) of Elohim. Yet when he sinned, the creation was marred, and now, the creation is imperfect. We are born with a sin nature and therefore, our "holiness" is lacking that which God has.

The "Vav" also symbolizes the "nail". Adonai in human form, in the person of Yeshua received the "nails" in his hands and feet. He received the nails in our place. When he lifted himself up as a sacrifice for sin, his holiness was given to us, and our sins given to Him. Yet our holiness can not be complete while on earth, only after we get to Heaven, and in our new bodies can we be beings of perfect holiness. In the meanwhile, we need to live each day perfecting and maturing in our holiness (without the "o') or "h_liness" and become more Christ-like in our daily walk, putting into practice the commandments that YHVH left us.

The word "will be" or "be" in the Hebrew is "ti-heyu" it is very interesting that the spelling in Hebrew has 4 letters. "Tav" "Hey" ""Yod" and "Vav"
Each letter has symbolism. The "Tav" symbolizes "Covenant" the "Hey" symbolizes "revelation" the "Yod" = hand, and the "Vav" = nail. The infallible name of God has the letters Yod, Hey, and Vav, and the "Tav" is the covenant.

What might this tell us? That Adonai wants us to be like HIM, yet He was the one who fulfilled the covenant with his own blood. We are given His holiness through our faith and through the blood of Yeshua. So, "Ti-heyu" can tell us; "Revealed is the covenant of the hand which received the nail"
Even though our "holiness" is still full of "holes" Adonai looks upon us as if we had never sinned, being imputed His righteousness.

Also, the word "Eloheikhem" means the "God of all of you." Sometimes, the word "Eloheikha" is used meaning "Your God" in which Adonai is speaking to the nation of Israel as ONE unity. Together as ONE. Here, the word "Eloheikhem" means the "God of all of you individually" In Texan it would be "Ya'all"

What can we understand by this? God is saying that each and every one of us is responsible for his or her holiness. It is an individual relationship that we have before our creator God. We will each be judged separately. My holiness is different from your holiness. It might be more or less. We each have our own individual spiritual maturity in the faith, which, is our "k_desh"

So, let us grow in our holiness, in our spiritual maturity, that is our goal to be more Christ-like. As our days progress, may our "holiness" have fewer "holes" until when we get to the World to Come, when there will not be ANY holes.

Shalom


Ben Avraham

 

[GodB4Us]

Thank you for sharing;

A question; What is the TORAH to you?

It is defined on internet search engine as :

1. (in Judaism) the law of God as revealed to Moses and recorded in the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures (the Pentateuch).
   • a scroll containing the Torah.

Is that what you are referring to regarding believers in Jesus Christ to do?

If so; then another question; Do you believe Christians are to keep the sabbath day?

If yes, what message is Jesus giving below when He was defending His disciples for profaning the sabbath?

Matthew 12:1At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Thank you for sharing and participating in the forum here at Talk Jesus.

May the Lord bless you & keep you. May He shine His face upon you & give you His peace.

 

[Jimmie]

Hello and Shalom Godbe4Us,

Thank you for your questions. I am happy to give an answer.

The word "Torah" comes from the root word "Yara" which can mean "focal point, pointing toward something, instructing, " The word "Torah" in the pure Hebraic meaning is "Instruction". Yes, it began with the 5 books that Moshe wrote through the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit" then included the Prophets, and now, the entire New Covenant" So, in all understanding, "Torah" is the complete Bible, with its 66 books! Because ALL of God's Word is "Instruction" which "points us to Messiah Yeshua" The whole focal point of the Torah is to get man to repent, and get a new relationship with his creator through the "born again" experience in Yeshua/Jesus. I know that the rest of the Jewish denominations only believe that the Torah is the Old Testament, as Messianic believers, we know that it is the Whole WORD of God.

Keeping the Sabbath Day:

The scripture says that the "Sabbath was made for man" so that he might "rest in it". It is a day when we rest from our labors, spend time in God's Word, in the synagogue, and not engage in unnecessary acts of labor. Yeshua defended his disciples because "They were hungry" and they "ate". There are quite a few "labors" that, through common sense. can be performed on the Sabbath, like helping someone in dire need, life-saving activity, getting needed medicine, etc.. if we work 5 days a week, then, we ought to rest the weekend I would say.

Sunday is also, the day we worship the LORD, since it is the day of His Resurrection, and the Sabbath is also a day when we rest and worship God, and read His Word, So, for me, both Saturday and Sunday are very blessed days. When the Word says that the disciples meet the "First Day of the Week" (to break bread) it isn't talking about a change from the Sabbath day to Sunday, it is just "adding" Sunday as a day to celebrate the LORD. the "First Day of the Week" actually starts Saturday night at sundown, known as "Havdalah" (the ending of the Sabbath day). When three stars are visible in the sky, it is the "next day". My wife and I attend our synagogue on the Sabbath, and we also visit a church on Sundays, but our membership is with our synagogue.

All believers should celebrate the Sabbath Day as well as Sunday. (my opinion)