TORAH STUDIES: LINKING SCRIPTURES

THE WORD BECOMES FLESH

(John 1:1-5)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with YHVH, and the Word was YHVH. He was in the beginning with YHVH and all things were made by His Word, and without His Word, nothing was made. In His Torah is life, and that life is the Light of mankind. The Light shines in the Darkness but it cannot be comprehended.

"In the beginning was the Word"  (John 1:1) (Genesis 1:1)

Whose word was it that spoke into the darkness?

It was YHVH's word that spoke into the darkness. (Hebrews 11:3) says, "By faith, we understand that all creation was created by the Word of YHVH, so  what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."

The Word was with YHVH.

 Who is the word that was with YHVH?

After YHVH spoke into the darkness saying, "Let there be Light" (Genesis 1:3), that first light was Y'shua. He is the embodiment of YHVH's Torah.

Y'shua who, being in the very likeness of YHVH, did not consider  himself equal to YHVH or something to use to gain his own advantage;  rather, he made himself nothing more by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on the tree!

Therefore YHVH exalted Y'shua to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,  that at the name of Y'shua every knee will bow, in Shamayim and on Adamah and under Adamah, every tongue will acknowledge that Y'shua is Ha-Mashiach, to the glory of YHVH the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11)

The Word was YHVH: If we look at Y'shua as a son to a father, then we understand that Y'shua is the word that came from YHVH who spoke into the darkness creating Y'shua, the first light, which is the Orh that brings order. The embodiment of YHVH's Torah. YHVH created Y'shua, who had no sin, to become sin for us so that in Y'shua, we might become the righteousness of YHVH (2 Corinthians 5:21).

We have Y'shua as our high priest. He can understand our weaknesses because he faced the same temptations as we do, but he did not transgress. So, we can confidently approach YHVH's throne of grace, asking for His help, to receive mercy and find grace to assist us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Therefore, the Word was from YHVH's mouth from the beginning. Oh, YHVH, it is you who have made Shamayim and Adamah by your great power and your outstretched hand! Nothing is impossible for you (Jeremiah 32:17).

He was with YHVH in the beginning: Who is the He that was with YHVH in the beginning? The He was Y'shua, who was in the beginning with YHVH after He spoke into the darkness. "You alone, YHVH, have made Shamayim with all the malakhim, and Adamah, all that are within her, and within the seas that dwell within the waters" (Nehemiah 9:6). "Worthy are you, YHVH, King of Creation, to receive glory and power, for you created all things, and by your will, they all existed and were created" (Revelation 4:11).

Through him, all things were made; without him, nothing was made that had been made: Who made all things that were created? YHVH at various times in strange ways had spoken to his people, and in times past, He spoke to our fathers through His Nevi'im (the Prophets). Likewise, in these last days, YHVH had spoken to us through his Son, Y'shua, whom He has appointed as His heir to all things, and it is through Y'shua's hands that all things in creation were created through the Word of YHVH (Hebrews 1:1-2).

In Y'shua is life, and that life is the light of all mankind: What does it mean that in Y'shua was Life? Several elements are required to sustain life. Among the top are food, water, air, and light. In Scripture, Y'shua is the source of each of these things. He is the "bread of life" (John 6:48), the supplier of "living water" (John 4:10), and through YHVH, who fills every creature with the "breath of life" (the Chayim) (Genesis 2:7); (John 3:8; 20:22). John's Gospel says, "In Y'shua is life, and the life is the light of men (the Ohr)" (John 1:4).

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has no power over it: What is the Light? The light represents the Commandments of YHVH, and the darkness symbolizes the absence of His Commandments. Y'shua is the living Torah, who obediently followed the Commandments. In reality, Y'shua was saying that he came to fulfill the Torah, not to destroy the Word of YHVH. He used a common Hebrew idiom to convey that he came to teach and show the true and correct meaning of YHVH's Torah, correcting the faults doctrines of men and showing how we are to observe it properly. He did not come to abolish his Father's Torah, nor to teach its meaning incorrectly or violate it. (Matthew 5:17).

"Y'shua is the Salvation of YHVH. He was given to us freely without credit. Y'shua is the Grace of YHVH, and if it weren't for Y'shua's obedience to His Father's will, we would be destroyed due to our selfish nature. Therefore, if we love YHVH, we will obey His Commandments (Exodus 20:1-26). Y'shua says, 'If you love me, keep my commands' (John 14:15). The Commandments he is referring to are YHVH's Commandments.

The two commandments that Y'shua was speaking of are the Ten Commandments, divided into two. The first is to 'Love YHVH with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength' (Deuteronomy 6:5) (Mark 12:28-30) (Luke 10:27) (Matthew 22:37).

If we love the Father of Creation, YHVH, then we will not create idols and worship them as gods, which is prohibited. We will not misuse YHVH's name to pervert His Holy Name or use His name for personal gain under false pretenses. We will observe the weekly Sabbaths and the proper feast days. We will refrain from working for financial gain during these Sabbaths, unlike those who do not follow the Torah. We will honor our Father and Mother, giving priority to YHVH, followed by our biological parents. We will not commit adultery or fornication. We will honor YHVH by maintaining purity, refraining from idol worship, and indulging in fleshly pleasures. Death befalls the lands that engage in adultery.

The second commandment that Y'shua speaks of is no less significant than the first: 'Love your Neighbor as yourself' (Leviticus 19:9-18) (Mark 12:31) (Galatians 5:14). In other words, to love your neighbor is the second half of the commandments that Y'shua summed up. If you love your neighbor, you will not: Commit murder, whether in thought, word, or deed. You will forgive and show mercy to your fellow neighbor. 

You will not steal from your neighbor; you will return what is not yours. You will not lie to harm your neighbor or take a bribe to exploit your neighbor's misfortunes. You will not covet (desire) your neighbor's possessions; instead, you will be content with what you have and rejoice in your neighbor's blessings.

If we genuinely love YHVH and our neighbors, we will not boast or make our temples higher than those around us, nor will we flaunt our wealth to gain favor or fame. We will be meek and compassionate toward one another, extending a helping hand when able.

If we follow Y'shua as we are supposed and walked as he walked, he says, "You may ask me for anything in my NAME, and I will do it" (John 14:14). In other words, He will go to the Father on your behalf, for he is the great intercessor, (2 Timothy 2:4-6) (Deuteronomy 11:1) tells us clearly that if we love YHVH and we serve Him by keeping His commandments, which He gave to us for our benefit. "Therefore, you will love YHVH your Father and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always.

As followers of Messiah Y'shua, we are to be like our King, who loved YHVH with all his heart, mind, and strength, and he loved us his neighbor by giving us his life so that we may return to our Father YHVH. In other words, we are to walk like Y'shua with selfless love toward our neighbors. We are not greater than Y'shua. If Y'shua can keep the commandments, the covenant of Abraham, and the appointed feast days, then so can we because we are not greater than the king.