SHEMA

I have been reflecting on the conversation Yeshua had with the men who were trying to trap Him in their questions on the law of God. The Bible records that there was a Torah-teacher who came up to the Messiah and he asked, “Which is the most important mitzvah (or commandment) of them all?” When Yeshua answered the man, He quoted to him the Shema which the Sovereign One had given to Israel through the prophet Moses (Mk. 12:29-30):

Shema Yisrael! (Hear O Israel!) Adonai Elohenu; Adonai Echad. (The Lord is God. The Lord is one.) 

Vehahhavta et Adonai Elohekha, Bhekhol Levavkha, Oohvekhol Nefshehkha, Oohvekhol Mehohdehkha. (You are to love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength). 
[Deut. 6:4-5]

At this point I would like to state that the reason I am interjecting this writing with Hebrew words is because a lot is lost in the English translation. Besides, because we are so far removed from the culture that was prevalent in ancient Israel, we miss so much that is otherwise better understood when we meditate on why things were done the way they were, or said the way they were.

Now why the Torah-teacher asked such a question to the Master, I am still not able to fully comprehend. I say this because the man was fully aware of the way Yeshua had answered the previous groups of people. First, when the Pharisees and some of the members of Herod’s party tried to trap Him with a shaiyelah (or a question; while looking for a halachic ruling)—what the Torah says concerning taxes to be paid to the Emperor. Should taxes be paid or not? The next question from the Sadducees on the resurrection and the woman with seven husbands was equally tricky. The Torah-teacher and all who heard Yeshua answer them were amazed at His wisdom. 

Also, considering that the Jews recited the Shema twice daily—once in the morning and then in the evening—and still do even today, it appears that the Torah-teacher asked a seemingly simple question as compared to the other two. Yet I believe it wasn’t a simple question. The Rabbis have listed out 613 Mitzvahs (or commandments) as given by God in the Torah—some for the whole congregation of Israel; some that were meant only for the Levitical priesthood; some pertaining to niddah (for women in her menstruation); and some for kings. So could it be that he wanted to know if Yeshua could identify from all these 613 mitzvahs which was the greatest? Yet considering that Yeshua had already answered difficult questions on the Torah, I believe that what appeared a simple question actually would have had a deeper intent.

The point however is that the Messiah said that this is the greatest and most important mitzvah (Mt. 22:38) given in the Torah, the law of God that is to last from generation to generation. If we are redeemed by the blood of the Passover Lamb, Yeshua and by the mercy of Yahweh, have been grafted into Israel, the cultivated olive tree (I write as one who was formerly a gentile); it becomes important to examine whether we are keeping this foremost commandment or not. My attempt through this writing is to take a close look at the text that we know all too well, with the aim that we search our hearts before the great Law-Giver who has in overflowing love and perfect wisdom asked us to obey.

HEAR O ISRAEL! THE LORD IS GOD. THE LORD IS ONE.

If we were to reflect on this brief line, we could list a number of attributes that shows us the glory of Yahweh. Why is it important to do this? Because if we have to keep the next part of loving Him, we need to, with the little we can comprehend of His vast glory, know who He is.

Adonai is Yahweh, the eternal, everlasting I AM that I AM, who is from the beginning; the First and the Last; the beginning and the End; the Alef and the Tav (or as in Greek—the Alpha and the Omega). He is before all things and in Him all things hold together (Col. 1:17). He knows the end from the beginning and there is nothing that happens, which will take Him by surprise.

It is why He is Holy. Not just Holy, but Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh. The High and exalted One who is far above all else—whether in heaven or on earth or under the earth. No wonder He is called the Most High Elohim because like Him, there is no other. He alone is the Creator. Everything else from Seraphim and Cherubim to the smallest microbe that lives on the face of the earth is created—or has a beginning.

In power and sovereignty, He is ALL powerful. He reigns as the everlasting King. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; and His dominion endures from generation to generation (Dan. 4:3). In addition, His kingdom is without boundaries. There is not one thing, in heaven or on earth, or under the earth that is outside His authority. What He speaks comes to pass and there is nothing that comes forth from Him that is empty or void. He is also Adonai Elohim Tsevaot, the God of myriads and myriads of angels (Rev. 5:11) who are at His service and will do all of His bidding (Mt. 26:56).

He knows the end from the beginning and whatever He has declared at the start takes place exactly at the time and precisely as He has declared (Isa. 48:3). His wisdom is perfect, flawless and manifold. By manifold, I mean that it considers not just one aspect but every aspect, so that there is no need for a revision, an update or an upgrade.

The fact that He is good reveals itself in everything He does. It overflows with love and kindness. Everything He does is always for our welfare. It is always to give future and hope. Not only that, everything He does is excellent. It is marvellous in His eyes. In what He does there is beauty and grandeur and splendour and majesty. In all that He does there is life and joy and rejoicing. We only need to look at His creation around us—fallen though it is, compared to what it was before Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden; waiting to be restored at the revealing of the sons of Elohim—and we will hear in the birds and see in the flowers the life and joy that reveals the goodness of our Creator.

Not only is He good, but overflowing with love and mercy and compassion—love so deep it is called, ‘fathomless and boundless and beyond measure’. For if while we were yet sinners—a rebellious, idolatrous, adulterous lot—He showed us mercy by sending His only begotten Son, Yeshua to die for us; and forgive us; and cleanse us from all unrighteousness; and make us as a cleansed, new creation in Him, set apart and sanctified; no longer to be called “not a people” but now reconciled into the cultivated olive tree of Israel, to whom is given the covenants and the promise (Eph. 2:12, 13; Rom. 11:17); now to be a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession (1Pet. 2:9, 10). What joy! What salvation!

Then there is His care. As a mother He watches over His people. His eyes are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry (Psa. 34:15). As a good Shepherd, He guides us into His best; with loving discipline He shows from His word the paths that lead to righteousness and life (Psa. 23:3). His commands are easy and His instructions are like a light load (Mt. 11:30)—not like the heavy load of sin and guilt and shame. His laws are for our good, every one of them. They were not just given to Moses for one or a few generations but to be an everlasting ordinance from generation to generation.

YOU ARE TO LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.

There is much that we can write concerning Yahweh, the great and awesome Elohim but having seen briefly who He is and caught a glimpse of His glory, He now commands us to love Him with all our heart, and all our soul; and all our strength. The order is interesting and worthy to be noted. It starts with the heart. This is where our devotion to the Father must begin. Any other order and we will be doing works that would be as filthy rags to the Most High; who makes us righteous through Yeshua alone. Once my heart is devoted, as a betrothed virgin to her husband (2Cor. 11:2); my soul and body—with all its feelings and intelligence and strength and commitment—will follow. Then we shall be, both, as a sanctified temple and priest, serving daily before Him who dwells in us. Of this I have much to say, but will not do so here.  

Oh that my love for Yahweh be with devotion that is undistracted, pure and blameless. Oh that in my heart there would be love for Him and only Him—not part Him and part the world; not part Him and part the desires of the flesh; not part Him and part the lust of the eyes (1Jn. 2:15-17)—but complete, undistracted, single-minded devotion that sets its eyes on where I am hidden in the Messiah, who is seated in heavenly places (Col. 3:2-3). Oh that I would purify myself to be pure just as He is pure knowing that I shall be like Him when He appears (1Jn. 3:2-3)—transformed from my humble, corruptible state to conform with the incorruptible body of His glory (Php. 3:21).

She-MA     Yis-ra-EL

Ah-do-NAI    Eh-LO-HEY-noo,    Ah-do-NAI    Eh-khad

Veh-ah-Hav-ta    Et    Ah-do-NAI    Eh-lo-HEY-kha

Beh-KHOL    Le-vav-KHA

Ooh-ve-KHOL    Nef-sheh-KHA

Ooh-ve-KHOL    Meh-oh-deh-KHA   

We can be certain that if we have His commandments and keep them, we love Him; and if we love Him, we shall be loved by the Father, and Yeshua will love us and disclose Himself to us (Jn. 14:21). He will not be standing outside the hearts of His redeemed knocking (Rev. 3:20)—remember Yeshua spoke this to a congregation of sanctified believers and not to heathens—but ever willing to shine the knowledge of His glory as precious treasure in earthen vessels (2Cor. 4:6, 7). 

Disclose Yourself to me Adonai. I eagerly desire to know You, for everything else, other than You, is worthless and can be considered as dung.