“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart”
(Proverbs 27:19).
Just as the Moon reflects the light of the Sun, so we are called to reflect the image of our Messiah in the earth.
What we reflect through our lives is visible to those around us and that reflection includes what we say and what we actually do. In fact, our actions are usually thought to speak louder than our words. That is why the above Proverb says that our “life” reflects our heart; that is why Proverbs 23:7 tells us, as a man “thinketh in his heart, so is he…” (KJV). We are called to reflect both the heart and the actions of our Messiah….
Silver similarly gives off a reflection and Malachi 3:1-3 says of it, “‘The Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.”
A silversmith applies fire to silver so as to rid the silver of its impurities. He carefully watches over the silver, and when he can see his reflection in it, he knows that it is ready. In the same way, our God will apply enough heat, and watch over us so as to rid us of our impurities. He does this because He wants us to truly reflect the image of our Messiah.
In our day, many Believers in Messiah are returning to the faith of our fathers and have begun to honor the eternal truths of Torah. However, there is more, and Shavuot is about receiving that something more.
According to Jewish tradition, the Law was given to Israel on Mt. Sinai on Shavuot. Most Jewish celebrations focus on that aspect. But, on the Shavuot that followed Messiah Yeshua’s Resurrection, the Holy Spirit was poured out on His Disciples and they were thus empowered to walk in the Law, to honor it, even as He had honored it while here on earth.
In our celebrations we need to remember this vital point: The Holy Spirit empowers us to walk in the Father’s Way. The “Signs of the Spirit” were given to help direct us in that path, to affirm to us that we are on the right road, to confirm that we are headed toward the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel. (For more information please see the companion article: https://redeemedisrael.com/
We desperately need the power of the Ruach HaKodesh. He is given to be our “Helper.” It is He Who will “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” He will also teach us all things, remind us of the Words of Yeshua, and tell us what to say in times of trouble. He will give us insight into how to minister to people – and, He will convict us of our own sins and help us to overcome them (Mat 10:19; John 14:26; 16:8-9; Jude 1:15). Receiving the Holy Spirit is not about doing crazy things that oppose Scripture, but about helping us to more effectively walk in its truths. As we seek to return to our Hebraic Roots, we need to realize that there is more to our walk than just outwardly “keeping Torah.” Messiah Yeshua took everything a step further. He warned us to carefully guard our hearts against so much as a sinful thought (Mat 5:21-30). And the Holy Spirit can help us to that. That is why we need Him. He will help us to demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and help us take captive every thought and make it obedient to the Messiah (2 Cor 10:5).
Again, we are called to be melted and molded into Yeshua’s image. We are supposed to reflect His character to hurting people. Romans 8:29 says, “Those whom Yah foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” So, what are the primary attributes of our Messiah? What do people need to see in us?
Yeshua went “throughout Galilee… proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.”
The Good News that He proclaimed was the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel!
Yeshua came to reunite Israel’s divided house, to restore both of Israel’s stumbling houses; to gather all of Israel’s lost and scattered sheep and make them one people in His eternal commonwealth (Isa 8:14; John 2:19-22; Rom 11:25; Eze 34; John 10:11; Eph 2:11-22).
Moreover, Yeshua said that His “Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Mat 4:23; 24:14; Mark 1:39). We therefore need to preach that Gospel, and we need to have His signs and wonders follow us, even as they followed Him. Moreover, the signs, the wonders that gave testimony to Yeshua’s Messiahship were, casting out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead. Most important, He did these things because He “felt compassion for them” (Mat 9:33,36; 10:8; 14:14; Mark 1:34; 6:34; 8:2).
If we mistakenly seek to do these things to draw attention to self, we will become part of the problem and ultimately be chastened by a Holy God. He wants us to do these things out of love for our fellow man. 1 John 4:20: “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
Friends, if these things are not in our hearts to do, if we are not at least hoping to learn how to walk in them, and to help others to walk in them, then we are not offering the world a proper reflection of our Messiah. Our lack of action is instead reflecting the truth about our own life, our own heart intent.
It is wonderful that we have learned that the truths of Torah are eternal; it is good that we have begun to walk away from all errant teachings – but we need to move on even further down this road that leads to Zion. We need to learn the value of compassion.
Like our Messiah, we need to have compassion for those who do not yet see the truths that we have been granted the mercy to see. We need to remember from whence we came, and truly care about those who have been left behind. We need to stop beating up on those who do not yet know what we know. If we think some of the things the people teach are “spiritually sick,” then let us remember that once, when Yeshua was questioned about eating with sinners and publicans, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mat 9:10-13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:31-32).
We are supposed to help heal sinners, not belittle them with condescending appraisals of their mistakes – all of which are declared in the name of “telling them the truth.” Neither can we choose to avoid them, or just leave them lying wounded on the side of the road. Messiah Yeshua spoke against such behavior in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). Yes, we are called to speak the truth, but our heart motivation must always be one of mercy.
There is supposed to be something more to our walk, Friends. Shavuot is coming, and we need to ask for an abundance of new wine so we can pour it on the wounds of the needy. We need to be eagerly counting these last few days, we need to be crying out to our Father, asking Him to please come and fill us to overflowing with His love, compassion, and power!
May it be so!
May great change come to us. May we become a people who are known for their mercy and yet walk in the life-changing power of our Messiah! When it comes to our selves, let us determine that we will have commitment without compromise, but when it comes to others, let us show mercy without measure!
Fall on us, Ruach HaKodesh! Fall on us!
Amen and Amen!