FATIMA, NEXO MATEMATICO CON INDEPENDENCIA DE EEUU Y EL 11/11/11 (33) - DESENMASCARANDO LAS FALSAS DOCTRINAS

Freedom of Shavuot

On July 4, 1884 the people of France presented to the United States an amazing gift. This award would come to symbolize freedom and democracy to the all the world. In the waters of the New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty stands tall, shining its light as a beacon of hope for those in search of independence. The statue was originally named, “Liberty Enlightening the World.” This name accurately describes America’s purpose as ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave’, where opportunity is given freely to everyone who comes to the land.

In a similar fashion, the Creator has given to us His own symbol of freedom – His Word and His Will, as revealed in the first five books of the Bible. These writings are called the “Torah” in the ancient Hebrew language. However, Torah is often mistakenly referred to as “the Law” in English Bibles. The Torah is not some legalistic list of observances that should be followed to ‘earn’ salvation. On the contrary, the Torah is the Almighty’s instructions for living. The Torah describes how man should raise a family, approach the Holy One, and live a life that has meaning and abundance. Infact, it is the Torah that is quoted over 110 times in the New Testament. (The New Testament never quotes itself!) The truth is, that the Torah is the Bible the Savior used, and the foundation of our faith. The Torah is YHWH’s “Statutes of Liberty.” (YHWH is the ancient Hebrew name of our Maker, used over 8,000 times throughout the scriptures. This name is often replaced with the capitalized “LORD” or “GOD” throughout English Bibles. To learn how the great “I AM” gave His name for His people to use, read Exodus Chapter 3.)

Shine

Like the torch held by Lady Liberty, we were created to shine the Light of Torah in the darkness. And, the Torah, similar to the gift from France, expresses our purpose and guides us to our divine destiny of shining the Light of freedom to the world. “I YHWH have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Nations, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. “I am YHWH; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you,” –Yeshayahu/ Isaiah 42:6-9.

As with any gift, the Torah was given freely. The Sages of Judaism teach that “the living oracles of the Torah would be given in many tongues or languages, and that all 70 known nations at the time of the exodus would and could receive the grace that Israel was receiving at Sinai. It was Yahweh’s purpose to deliver His Word in tongues, so that all known nations could and should walk in the light of Torah, as ‘a lamp to their feet, and a light to their path’ (Tehillim / Psalms 119: 105). The idea and concept that Yahweh split His voice in 70 tongues, is a Hebraic concept based on both tradition and Torah. His split His voice in order to signify that Torah was for all nations of the earth, not just for the people today known as the Jews or Jewish-Israel. To signify this desire, He split His voice in a supernatural manifestation in 70 differing ways, so that all nations would have an inward desire to hear, walk, and receive the truths of Torah. In due course, they all would receive the exact same chesed/grace that Israel, His son was receiving in person on Sinai, through the nation of Israel. When Yahweh birthed the ecclesia at Sinai circa 1500 BCE, He supernaturally ordained the thunderings, so as to signify that the sound of the Torah was to encompass the globe, and not be limited to that one particular place, time or nation. Israel’s task was to take that same Torah to the nations that had previously rejected Torah, when Yahweh came personally knocking on their door,” wrote one Rabbi.

It was the nation, the people of Yisra’el that accepted the gift of the Torah. This newborn nation received their national constitution on a special day at Mount Sinai. From that moment on, we who associate with the faith of the Bible have bound ourselves to that gift. And, in Leviticus 23, we have even been called to celebrate the giving of Torah every year at this time. Like an Independence Day, YHWH has given us “Shavuot,” as a day to rejoice in our freedom. Shavuot is Hebrew for the “Feast of Weeks” and is often referred to as “Pentecost.” This set apart day is often called “Matan Ha Torah” or the time of the giving of the Torah.

It’s all about freedom

Shavuot is a special time to celebrate the giving of our freedom and the liberation of our lives. It is specifically when the 10 commandments were given to the world. Though some religious institutions teach that the Torah is full of legalism and bondage, the Torah is all about freedom. It is not some Law that binds us down. Rather, the New Testament calls the Torah the “perfect law of liberty!” “The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does,” — Ya’acov / James 1: 25. It is for freedom that Messiah has set us free. “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness,” — Romans 6: 18. King David prayed, “So shall I keep Your Torah continually le-olam-va-ed (forever). And I will walk in liberty for I seek Your precepts,” — Tehillim / Psalm 119: 44-45. To say that the Torah is bondage is to say that the Declaration of Independence traps people into slavery! It just isn’t so.

Let’s examine the events surround the giving of Torah and use this understanding to celebrate the feast of Shavuot. As we study how our lives should reflect His Light, we will see exactly how YHWH is rebuilding or fixing the world through His statute’s of liberty.

The purpose of Freedom

One purpose of the Torah’s is to bring about Tikkun or “fixing.” This Hebrew idea of Tikkun literally means “rectification, change, or restoration.” Through the teachings and instructions of the Torah we can Tikkun, or fix, our world to be as it was first created to be. By faithfully obeying the precepts and principles of Torah we can tikkun our lives. Remember that mankind was created within the boundaries of a perfect relationship with the Creator. However, because of the fall, sin entered the world, and broke our fellowship with YHWH. The Torah is an antidote to our sinful desires. “My children I have created the evil impulse, and I have created the Torah as an antidote to it. If you occupy yourselves with the Torah you will not be delivered to the power of the yetzer hara (flesh),” says the Talmud. It is through Messiah’s life that we can experience true tikkun. Indeed, the Living Torah, the Messiah, is the full remedy for our sin. And with the giving of Torah during Shavuot, YHWH was allowing Yisra’el to do tikkun. He was giving this newborn nation a chance to erase the sins of their past. Through the spoken words of Torah, the Almighty was restoring Creation for His people and giving them a fresh start.

Passover and Shavuot are connected

It all started at Pesach, or Passover, when YHWH called Yisra’el out of the bondage of Egyptian slavery. The people witnessed devastating plagues, including one final act of judgment. Finally, Pharaoh released the Hebrew people to travel to their own Land for worship. The slaves were freed after they smeared the blood of a Lamb upon their doorposts and were passed over by the death angel. This day of judgment is remembered each year with the feast of Passover. And from that day forward, the Hebrew nation was to count fifty days to the time of the wheat harvest, (Vayikra / Leviticus 23: 15,16). This is called the counting of the Omer. This counting was to build daily, instead of counting down, the Hebrew were to add to their number daily. The number of days and the anticipation of their hearts were to grow. Finally, the count would culminate with the festive day of Shavuot. On that first Shavuot, fifty days after Yisra’el was released from Egypt, YHWH freely gave His Torah.

The number fifty (50) is important to consider as we look at Shavuot. This number symbolizes freedom, as every fiftieth year would be set apart as a yovel or “jubilee” year. Torah teaches that the yovel year is a time of getting a new start. During this year of rejoicing, all debts are forgiven and land is returned to the original owners. For those who are granted a yovel, life begins again. (You can read more about this in Vayikra / Leviticus 25.)

Well, Shavuot, which is fifty days after Passover, is a type of jubilee, or new beginning. As Pesach celebrated the release from bondage to Pharaoh, Shavuot celebrates being set free from the bondage of sin and self. Passover and Shavuot are more closely connected than any other Biblical holy days because of their emphasis on Freedom, or “cherut” in Hebrew. The Torah was given for freedom. And at the first Shavuot, some amazing things occurred.

“And YHWH said to Moshe, Go to the people, and set them apart today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes, And be ready by the third day: for on the third day YHWH will come down in the sight of all the people upon Har Sinai. And you shall set borders for the people all around, saying, Be careful, that you go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whoever touches the mount shall be surely put to death: There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast, or man, it shall not live: when the shofar sounds long, they shall come near the mountain. And Moshe went down from the mount to the people, and set-apart the people; and they washed their clothes. And he said to the people, Be ready for the third day: approach not your wives in intimacy. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the shofar exceedingly loud; so that all the people that were in the camp trembled. And Moshe brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with Elohim; and they stood at the foot of the mountain. And Har Senai was altogether in smoke, because YHWH descended upon it in fire: and the smoke of it ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount shook greatly. And when the voice of the shofar sounded long, and became louder and louder, Moshe spoke, and Elohim answered him by a voice. And YHWH came down upon Har Senai, on the top of the mount: and YHWH called Moshe up to the top of the mount; and Moshe went up,” — Shemot / Exodus 19: