WisconsinChristianNews.com
Page 17
Volume 26, Issue 3
By Barbara L. Klika, MSW, Undershepherd, Set Apart Ministries Division and Witness from Genesis to Revelation
The prophesied restoration of a way back to the Father was accom- plished through the atonement work of Messiah Yeshua, though both finished and ongoing in sanctification. Mankind has the opportunity to choose to accept it or not. His words, known as “the High Priestly Prayer” of John 17 have to do with a yearning toward that final restora- tion when all would be one yet again. I believe we have the final picture in the Feast of Sukkot/Tabernacles, the Ingathering, which is also ul- timately, the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. The adversary has worked from even before the beginning in the Garden to destroy that possibility for restoration. He was unable to stop Yeshua, fully God and fully man, from completion of the atonement, though he has been successful in keeping many from accepting the work. He has been more successful with impeding the restoration of the two separations identified here, among mankind. Even so, the restoration of witness from division will proceed because YHWH has declared it. The people who kept the Torah but missed Messiah have been in the process of restoration with those who kept Messiah but lost Torah for several decades now, at least, though there has always been a remnant. Though this involves thousands of people all over the world, it is still a small percentage of each of the two people groups: those who claim belief in Messiah through all the many variations of Christi- anity and those who are in one form of Judaism or another. Those who are seeing the entirety of the message of the Word from Genesis to Revelation also see that Messiah and the Father are One, that their teaching is one and the same, otherwise, Yeshua couldn’t be Messiah per the Word. (John 17:17; Jude 3) The long period of exile is coming to an end as this separation is being brought together in Yah’s timing, to ultimately provide two witnesses to the Truth of the Whole Word. Grammatical and linguistic interpretations have left room for misin- terpretations that I believe were allowed for a season, perhaps in order to have this restoration of two witnesses’ voices at this time. I further believe that the adversary has fanned the flames of these misunder- standings to increase enmity and division among people of the Book as long as possible. Still, it is all within YHWH’s sovereignty and will conclude as He has foretold, with the restoration of the two sticks as one in His Hand. (Ezekiel 37:17). The remaining basic division of the enmity between mankind, male and female, is being recognized by only a few voices within traditional Christianity and I have yet to see recognition of this needed restoration among the voices of Messianic or Hebrew Roots leaders. This remain- ing division and the need for it to be made tov — fully functional and good — is the focus in this work.
Very generally speaking, Papa’s teaching involves knowledge of the Word while Mama’s teaching involves character development and re- lational skills, though in maturity, each must also walk in both teachings. One without the other is not effective and does not utilize the full image of YHWH as created in mankind, male and female. This ongoing enmity has been maintained partially on the basis of interpretations and linguistic translation errors that do not accurately represent the intended meaning; specifically the underlying definitions of “kephale”/ “head” and “ezer knegdo” /“helpmate,” among others. There are also errors in recognition of grammatical indications that refer to women, being misrepresented as referring to men only, true in both “Old” and “New” Testament examples. This justification of silencing women’s voices is an outcome of an eisegetic misinterpretation (reading into text) of a very small number of text references as overriding the primary message of the dignity and worth of all of YHWH’s creation; in this case, specifically all of mankind, male and female. The irony of this being that those who support the equality of worth of both male and female are often accused of using eisegetic interpretation! Only exegesis does justice to the text. This misinterpretation has been nurtured and fed by the adversary through institutional, cultural, familial, and individual strongholds for the purpose of maintaining a power and control model of relationships. It matches the adversary’s ways to maintain such an attitude. It does so by furthering the errant belief that men are somehow superior to women in YHWH’s eyes. This is another aspect that abolishes Torah and tarnishes Yah’s name and character. This division has been permitted for a long season but I believe the time is here for restoration to become one again; and witness to the glory and character of our Elohim. Behold! A new thing…a woman shall encompass a man. Just as I believe He is about the completion of His plans to restore all things in these days leading up to Messiah’s return, I see that He is working to remove the enmity between all of His people in their two camps, Jews and Gentiles, and that it is time to remove the enmity be- tween mankind — male and female — so that He can present to Him-
Summer 2025 This full study does not intend to replace other theologies but to provide YHWH honoring addi- tional insight from a relational viewpoint. Each chapter will provide deeper sources and insight. The unabbreviated version is on our website, as well as a PowerPoint presentation. The God of Israel, YHWH, is an Elohim in Whom there is no shadow of turning, a covenant keeping God. He is not a man that He should lie. His intentions toward His creation are for good and not for evil. He created all things with purpose and desire to fulfill that purpose. Mankind was created with a special place above all else, bearing the nephesh/Breath of Elohim, for relationship with Him, and ultimately for the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. YHWH provided His Written Word and His Living Word to teach us His ways. Known to man as the Written Word, before the Living Word came, “Torah” is often inadequately referred to as “Law,” carrying con- notations in Greek/Western thinking that it does not have in Hebrew where it would more accurately be translated as “Yah’s Teachings on Righteousness.” Yeshua/Jesus is known as both the Written and the Living Word, through Whom all things were created. The host of heaven and mankind were created with a will, and the opportunity to choose to fulfill His purposes or not, to walk in righteousness as YHWH defined it or to walk in unrighteousness or sin. All of history is about the struggle of will to be honoring to YHWH or to another god, whether it be material or spiritual, all too often being self. The host of heaven, both holy and unholy, have influenced mankind in both directions. The phrase “abolishing Torah” was originally used in the sense of a teacher working with students learning the character and nature of Elo- him through His Written Word and their walk with that teacher. When an interpretation was given that upheld the reputation and good Name of YHWH it was said to “fulfill Torah.” If an interpretation was offered that maligned the character of YHWH, it was said to “abolish Torah.” YHWH and Messiah stated that the Torah would never be “abolished” or pass away until heaven and earth were no longer: it would never malign the character of God. Who can dispute that YHWH declared nearly all of His creation to be “tov” which means “good?” Yet, day two, in which the upper and lower waters were separated was not called “tov.” Ancient Rabbinical com- mentators interpreted it to mean that the separation wasn’t fulfilled/fin- ished until the third day. In the Hebraic sense, using a paleo Hebrew pictographic understanding, for something to be “good” meant for it to be “fully functional according to its purpose.” The Scriptural metaphor for the number “two” has to do with both witness and division. Both require at least two, whether individuals or groups, in order for there to be agreement in witness or separation in disagreement/division. YHWH Who is outside of time — omnipotent, omnipresent and om- niscient — knew that sin would enter in and bring division. He further knew that mankind would long walk in that division in various ways and that it would not be until the end times when the prophesied restoration from that walk of division would begin. Perhaps it can be said then, that the separation theme of day two was NOT yet fully functional or “tov.” Opportunities for division and witness would continue until the end, and indeed, Sha’ul/Paul wrote that divisions were necessary in order to determine the approved among people. (1 Corinthians 11:18- 19). Yet, nearly the first instruction given to mankind, after Eve was sep- arated out, was “And the Two Shall become One.” (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:8, Ephesians 5:31). Multiple separations occurred during the week of Creation: separa- tion of light and dark, upper and lower waters and dry land from the seas, the separation of mankind into male and female, and the sepa- ration of the seventh day as “set apart/holy.” Multiple separations oc- curred throughout Biblical history and of course, since then as well. Primary among them has been the division of mankind from God through the influence of the nachash/serpent in Gan Edan/Garden of Eden. Secondary to that, the separation and then enmity between male and female, and then the enmity of the People of the Book; with some maintaining Torah while missing Messiah, and others upholding Mes- siah while missing the Torah. Messiah did NOT come to deliver His people from the Jews or the Law, as it seems many Christian commentators/researchers see it, but to deliver His people from sin and thus restore the relationship with our Father. Sin entered in through primordial evil, the fallen angels and Adam and Chavah/Eve, which led to the various divisions, in this case, of division between Christians/Gentiles and Jews. He is a Redeemer, bringing restoration to YHWH’s original purpose/intent, Who came in bodily form through the lineage of Yehudah/Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. I suggest that after the initial separation between mankind and YHWH, two primary separations that have occurred, though permitted and perhaps even determined to occur by our Elohim, are currently straining toward restoration: When He declared to the newly separated couple that “the two shall become one” I believe there would be an immediate, intermediate and final fulfillment. What was not “tov” or fully functional, would ultimately be completed. The “2” of division will ultimately become the “2” of wit- ness toward the final restoration of echad/unity!
self a Bride without spot or blemish. And the two shall become One!
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Most people are aware of the division and essential exclusion of women from leadership roles in most as- semblies. Many women who try to express their spiri- tual gifts and callings have been treated shamefully in far too many situations over the centuries. This has caused untold pain and misery. It has silenced the input of half of mankind in carrying out the directives given to all. Headship does not mean silencing of all women. I submit that the subjugation of the voice of women within the assemblies of YHWH maligns His character and half of His creation and purpose in mankind. He created all things with purpose and gave direction to fulfill that purpose. To teach that women who share the same directives as men do not have a place to speak/teach abolishes Torah and tarnishes His Name. This division is a direct result of the nachash/serpent in the Garden. Rather than continuing argument as to who was more “at fault,” I submit that neither carried out their YHWH ordained role to preserve and protect the other as their strengths would allow. Whether de- ceived or willfully done, neither acted as YHWH had provided for them to do. There were consequences which have been misunderstood as YHWH’s decrees to change what He had established as good. The enmity, which was a result of sin entering in, has been used as justification for this enmity to continue, rather than recognizing it as an outcome of the sin. I believe this enmity has been used as justification for men sinfully dominating women and women subtly ma- nipulating men, and the view that relationships are es- sentially about power and control. I have heard a corresponding concern that to acknowledge women’s status on a par with men would somehow lead to god- dess worship. I believe this position to be based in fear. The restoration is not about leaping from one ditch into the other, but rather to find the correct balance. It is about the quiet power of mature authority, as exempli- fied in our Messiah, as we all grow to be more like Him. Enmity further empowers the people who have viewed women as inferior to men, dismissing the im- portance of balance between male and female strengths; excluding the gifts that God has given to women for the upbuilding of the body of the Messiah; ignoring the words of Solomon admonishing all to heed both Papa’s and Mama’s teachings. It has caused pain and ridicule for men who have recognized the impor- tance of women’s contributions and leadership within the Body of Messiah.
Having come to the realization that the WHOLE WORD of our God is still applicable today, many have made the determination to follow Messiah Y’shua, the Living Torah in all the ways He walked.
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Jeremiah 6:16
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