Last week we ended with Chapter 3 of the 12th commandment where the malach of repentance said:
“I say to him, “Sir, these commandments are great, and good, and esteemed, and fitted to gladden the heart of the man who can perform them. But I do not know if these commandments can be kept by man, because they are exceeding hard.” He answered and said to me, “If you lay it down as certain that they can be kept, then you will easily keep them, and they will not be hard. But if you come to imagine that they cannot be kept by man, then you will not keep them. Now I say to you, If you do not keep them, but neglect them, you will not be saved, nor your children, nor your house, since you have already determined for yourself that these commandments cannot be kept by man.”
The malach of repentance just crushed the entire doctrine of modern-day Christianity which states the commandments are legalistic and bondage, cannot be kept by any human being, and are exceedingly hard. Is this what the scriptures teach?
1 John 5:3
“For this is the love of ELOHIM, that we keep His commandments and His commandments are NOT BURDENSOME.”
Deuteronomy 30:11-12
“For this commandment which I command you this day is not hidden from you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, who shall go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may DO IT.”
Psalms 19:7-8
“The Torah of YAHWEH is PERFECT, converting the soul; the testimony of YAHWEH is trustworthy, making wise the young men. The statues of YAHWEH are right, REJOICING the heart; the commandment of YAHWEH is pure, enlightening the eyes.”
James 1:25 (Hebrew)
“But whosever sees with fullness in the LAW OF JOY, and ESTABLISHES it (Does it), and does not forget what he heard, but DOES IT, this one will be blessed in all his deeds.”
Jeremiah 15:16
“Your commandments have I kept and carried out, Your word was to me a DELIGHT and the JOY of my heart; for I am called by Your Name.”
So, we just read from the scriptures that the commandments are not burdensome and also that the Torah is PERFECT, The Law of JOY, and REJOICES the heart. These scriptures completely dismantle the legalistic and bondage false doctrine of Christianity, as we see the scriptures say the exact opposite. However, most Christians will quickly quote:
Philippians 4:16
“I have strength to do all, through Messiah who strengthens me.”
Then turn right around and say they can’t keep the commandments of the ONE who gave them! That does not make any sense does it? The same Messiah who gives you strength to do all things is the same One who said keep the commandments; therefore, it’s not too hard for you! Most people just refuse to obey them, because the flesh is winning the war over their spirit.
Luke 6:46
“Why do you call Me, My Master, My Master, and DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY?” And what does YESHUA say?
John 14:21
“He who has My commandments with Him and OBEYS THEM is the one who loves Me; He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
Revelation 22:14
“Blessed are those who DO HIS COMMANDMENTS, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”
Luke 11:28
“He said to her, “Blessed are they who hear (shema) the Word o ELOHIM and KEEP IT.”
Shema in Hebrew means to HEAR and OBEY! Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17) which is followed by actions, and the action is to obey the commandments that you heard.
Romans 2:13
“For NOT THE HEARERS of Torah are righteous before ELOHIM, but the DOERS OF TORAH ARE BEING MADE RIGHTEOUS.”
James 1:22
“But be DOERS OF THE WORD, and NOT HEARERS ONLY; and do NOT DECEIVE YOURSELVES.”
James and Paul clearly understand what Shema means to HEAR AND OBEY, not just be hearers only!
CHAPTER 4
“These things he said to me in tones of the deepest anger, so that I was confounded and exceedingly afraid of him, for his figure was altered so that a man could not endure his anger.”
The first thing I want to point out is that Hermas could not endure the anger of a malach (angel), so how can anyone endure the wrath of YAHWEH and YESHUA our ELOHIM who created the malachim (angels)? The angel that made Hermas afraid trembles in His presence of YAHWEH? Do you want this feeling on judgement day?
Testament of Levi 3:9-10
“Therefore when YAHWEH looks at us (malachim/angels), all of us are shaken; yes, the heavens, and the earth, and the abysses TREMBLE at the presence of His majesty. But the sons of men, not perceiving these things, transgress and provoke the anger of Most High.”
2 Esdras 13:1-4 (YESHUA)
“After seven days, I dreamed a dream in the night; and behold, a great wind arose from the sea so that it stirred up all its waves. And I looked, and behold, this wind made something like the figure of a man come up out of the heart of the sea. And I looked, and behold, that man flew with the clouds of heaven; and wherever He turned His FACE to look, EVERYTHING UNDER HIS GAZE TREMBLED…”
Revelation 6:16
“And said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath is come, and WHO SHALL BE ABLE TO STAND?
Shepherd of Hermas continued:“ But seeing me altogether agitated and confused, he began to speak to me in more gentle tones; and he said: “O feel, senseless and doubting, do you not perceive how great is the esteem of ELOHIM, and how strong and marvelous, in that He created the world for the sake of man, and subjected all creation to him, and gave him power to rule over everything under heaven? If, then, man is master of the creatures of ELOHIM, and rules over all, is he not able to be master also of these commandments?
Genesis 1:26
“Then ELOHIM said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have DOMINION over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild beasts of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
2 Esdras 6:53-54
“On the sixth day You did command the earth to bring forth before You cattle, beasts, and creeping things; and over these You did place Adam, as RULER over ALL THE WORKS which You had made previously…”
Being that ELOHIM gave us dominion over His creation, why would He not give us the power to walk in the commandments that He personally gave?
Wisdom 2:23-24
“For ELOHIM created man to be immortal and made him to be an image of His own eternity. Nevertheless through the envy of Satan, death came into the world; and those that take his side find it.”
Those who do not walk in the commandments of YAHWEH are taking the side of Satan and they will find death in the end.
Did ELOHIM give us commandments we couldn’t keep?
As we see the malach of repentance has answered this question and the answer is no! We were created to rule over the creation of ELOHIM, so how can we not master the laws that He gave?
Luke 1:5-6 (The parents of John the Baptist)
“In the days of Herod the king of Judah, there was a certain priest whose name was Zechariah, from the order of the house of Abiya. And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisheba. And they were both RIGHTEOUS before ELOHIM, BLAMELESSLY WALKING IN ALL THE COMMANDS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF YAHWEH.”
Yes, this is a New Testament example for those who say the law cannot be kept. Looks look at some more examples:
Genesis 7:1
“Then ELOHIM said to Noah, enter into the ark; you and all your household, for you alone have I seen RIGHTEOUS (Deuteronomy 6:25) before me in this generation.”
Sirach 44:17
“Noah was found PERFECT and RIGHTEOUS (Deuteronomy 6:25), in the time of anger he was taken in exchange for the world; then he was left as a remnant on the earth, when the flood came.”
Genesis 17:1
“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, YAHWEH appeared to him, and said to him, I am the Almighty ELOHIM; walk well before me, and be FAULTLESS.”
Genesis 26:5
“Because that Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statues, and My LAWS.”
Sirach 44:19-20
“Abraham was a great father of many people: in esteem was there none like him; who KEPT THE LAW OF ELYON (EL MOST HIGH) AND WAS IN COVENANT with Him…”
The Torah can be kept, because YAHWEH is not going to purposely give us commandments that we cannot keep. The problem is that the world has gotten so far removed from the ways of our ELOHIM that transgression increased heavily upon the earth; and we all broke the Torah at some point and the wages of transgression is death. This is why we need a Savior in YESHUA! So, being that YESHUA came to die because we broke the Torah, how do you go on continuing to break the Torah when that is the reason why He died? The commandments are how we know Him (1 John 2:3-4 and how we love Him John 14:21 and 1 John 5:3).
Romans 3:31
“What, then? Do we nullify the Law through faith? FAR BE IT; on the CONTRARY, we UPHOLD THE LAW.”
We deserved to die for transgressing against YAHWEH’s commandments, but He chose not put us to death, rather He sent His Son YESHUA to die in our place, this is the real meaning of GRACE which is defined as unmerited favor that we did not earn or deserve.
1 John 4:9-10
“By this was the love of ELOHIM toward us made known, for ELOHIM sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved ELOHIM, but that ELOHIM loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our transgressions.”
It must be understood that without the shedding of YESHUA’s blood we would not be saved, we needed a Savior because of our transgressions, but that is not a license to go on breaking His laws as stated in the previous messages. There is a difference between ignorant transgression and willful transgressions of the commandments. We obey the commands because this is how we love Him and know Him.
Numbers 15:30-31
“But the person who commits transgression DEFIANTLY, whether he be of you or the proselytes, the same BLASPHEMES before YAHWEH; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has DESPISED the word of YAHWEH and has broken the commandments, that person shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.”
Shepherd of Hermas continued: For,” says he, “the man who has YAHWEH in his heart can also be master of all, and of every one of these commandments. But to those who have YAHWEH only on their lips, but their hearts hardened, and who are far from YAHWEH, the commandments are hard and difficult.”
Mathew 15:7-9
“O you hypocrites, the prophet Isaiah well prophesied concerning you, saying, this people honor Me with THEIR LIPS, but their HEART is far away from Me. And they worship Me in VAIN when they teach the doctrines of the commandments of men.”
Isaiah 29:13
“Therefore YAHWEH said, forasmuch as this people draw near Me with THEIR MOUTH, and with their LIPS do honor Me, but have removed their HEART FAR FROM ME, and their reverence toward Me is taught by the precepts and doctrine of men.”
Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Put, therefore, ye who are empty and fickle in your faith, YAHWEH in your heart, and ye will know that there is nothing easier or sweeter, or more manageable, than these commandments. Return, ye who WALK in the COMMANDMENTS OF THE DEVIL, in hard, and bitter, and wild immorality, and fear not the devil; for there is no power in him against you, for I will be with you, the malach of repentance, who am master over him. The devil has fear only, but his fear has no strength. Fear him not, then, and he will flee from you.”
Acts 26:18
“To open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to ELOHIM and receive forgiveness of transgressions and a portion with the saints who are of the faith in Me.”
1 John 3:8
“He who commits transgression (1 John 3:4 which is breaking Torah) is OF THE DEVIL, because the devil has been a transgressor from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of ELOHIM appeared, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
Those who say the law is done away with are walking in the commandments of the devil, in doing so your heart becomes hard and you say the commandments are too hard to keep, legalistic and bondage, which means you are honoring YAHWEH with your lips but your heart is FAR FROM HIM.
CHAPTER 5
I say to him, “Sir, listen to me for a moment.” “Say what you wish,” says he. “Man, sir,” say I, “is eager to keep the commandments of ELOHIM, and there is no one who does not ask of YAHWEH that strength may be given him for these commandments, and that he may be subject to them; but the devil is hard, and holds sway over them.” “He cannot,” says he, “hold sway over the servants of ELOHIM, who with all their heart place their hopes in Him. The devil CAN wrestle against these, overthrow them he cannot. If, then, ye resist him, he will be conquered, and flee in disgrace from you. As many, therefore,” says he, “as are empty, fear the devil, as possessing power. When a man has filled very suitable jars with good wine, and a few among those jars are left empty, then he comes to the jars, and does not look at the full jars, for he knows that they are full; but he looks at the empty, being afraid lest they have become sour. For empty jars quickly become sour, and the goodness of the wine is gone. So also the devil goes to all the servants of ELOHIM to try them.”
Revelation 12:17
“And the dragon was enraged at the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of ELOHIM and have the testimony of YESHUA.”
In Mathew 4 we see that after YESHUA was led to the wilderness after 40 days of fasting then Satan appeared to tempt him. YESHUA tells us that:
John 15:20
“Remember the word which I said to you, that no servant is greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will also keep yours.”
We are servants of YESHUA; therefore, He is our Master and we are not greater than He is. The devil tried Him as he also tries us, YESHUA was persecuted, just as we will be persecuted. But, just as the malach of repentance said is that the devil will wrestle with you but not overcome you, and YESHUA also said:
John 16:33
“These things I have said to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but have courage, I have conquered the world.”
Shepherd of Hermas continued: “As many, then, as are full in the faith, resist him strongly, and he withdraws from them, having no way by which he might enter them. He goes, then, to the empty, and finding a way of entrance, into them, he produces in them whatever he wishes, and they become his servants.”
John 8:34
“YESHUA answered them, “Yes, indeed! I tell you that everyone who practices transgression is a SLAVE to transgression.”
Romans 6:16
“Don’t you know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, then, of the one whom you are OBYEING, you are SLAVES- whether of transgression, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to being made righteous?”
If one is practicing transgression it is become Satan has entered into them, he produces in them whatever he wishes, and they become HIS SERVANTS, just as the malach of repentance says which matches the words of YESHUA and Paul.
CHAPTER 6
“But I, the malach of repentance, say to you Fear not the devil; for I was sent,” says he, “to be with you who repent with all your heart, and to make you strong in faith. Trust ELOHIM, then, ye who on account of your transgressions have despaired of life, and who add to your transgressions and weigh down your life; for if ye return to YAHWEH with all your heart, and practice righteousness (Deuteronomy 6:25) the rest of your days, and serve Him according to His will (Psalms 40:8), He will heal your former transgressions, and you will have power to hold sway over the works of the devil. But as to the threats of the devil, fear them not at all, for he is powerless as the sinews of a dead man. Give ear to me, then, and fear Him who has all power, both to save and destroy, and keep His commandments, and ye will live to ELOHIM.”
Mathew 10:28
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but who cannot kill the soul; but above all, be afraid of Him who can destroy both the soul and the body in Gei-Hinnom.”
Shepherd of Hermas continued: “I say to him, “Sir, I am now made strong in all the ordinances of YAHWEH, because you are with me; and I know that you will crush all the power of the devil, and we shall have rule over him, and shall prevail against all his works. And I hope, sir, to be able to keep all these commandments which you have enjoined upon me, YAHWEH strengthening me.” “You will keep them,” says he, “if your heart be pure towards YAHWEH; and all will keep them who cleanse their hearts from the vain desires of this world, and they will live to ELOHIM.”
Mathew 5:8
“Blessed are the PURE IN HEART, for they shall see ELOHIM.”
This concludes the 12 commandments of the Shepherd of Hermas which all align with the scriptures. Remember to do them all so that you can live to ELOHIM. As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!