בס״ד

By Baruch LoveIsrael.org

Parashat Bechukotai (In My decrees) Leviticus 26:3-27:34

Haftarah: Jeremiah 16:19-17:14

Shabbat Chazak

In this week’s Torah reading, one encounters a puzzling statement. HaShem tells the people that He will establish His covenant with them. I thought this covenant had been established long before this time, at Mount Sinai. The point is that there is a major difference between making a covenant and establishing this same covenant. If the covenant is going to be established, then certain conditions have to be met. The making of a covenant only gives the potential for the terms of this covenant to become a reality. Let us take for example the New Covenant that Messiah Yeshua made with believers. This covenant has several aspects to it. First and foremost is salvation. According to this covenant, it is solely the work and responsibility of Yeshua to save. Salvation is rooted in forgiveness and because this forgiveness is available through the work of Messiah Yeshua, once a person accepts the Gospel, the foundation of the New Covenant, the forgiveness of his sins, is accomplished. In other words, salvation takes place as part of the making of the covenant.

When one reads the New Testament, he will find many other promises associated with the New Covenant. These other promises are usually associated with sanctification. Ultimately, when one receives his new body he will be fully sanctified. However, while in this body, it is spiritual growth and maturity that produces a sanctifying influence in the believer’s life. In the same way that the Children of Israel had to walk in the decrees of G-d and keep His commandments for the covenant to be established with them, so too must the believer submit to the teaching of the Apostles and the rest of the Bible to experience the promises of the New Covenant in fullness.

In light of this, I would like to suggest one verse of Scripture to you,

“Therefore, having these promises beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit completing holiness in the fear of G-d.” 2 Corinthians 7:1

Although this verse does not offer any specific dos and don’ts, it does admonish each believer to rid himself of all kinds of filth, whether they are carnal in natural or spiritual. The key truth in this passage is the phrase “in the fear of G-d.” The Biblical word “fear” is related to priority. Therefore, if one truly wants to see the various promises of the New Covenant to be established in his or her life, then this one will give Yeshua absolute priority and submit every aspect of his life to His L-rdship.

Shabbat Shalom