A Privilege to Serve

You have chosen us from among all peoples; you have loved us and have taken pleasure in us. You have exalted us above all tongues and have set us apart by your commandments. You have drawn us near to your service, and have called your great and Holy name upon us. (Festival amidah prayer)

To be chosen by God is both a privilege and a responsibility. Some people think that they can enjoy privileges without equal responsibilities. There is a law of living which much be accepted: There are no privileges without accepted responsibilities.

When it says: "You have set us apart with your commandments and have drawn us near to Your service." The obligation to diligently observe His will is the responsibility that goes with the selection as God's chosen people.

We are proud to be chosen, but we also must realize that our actions and behavior reflects not only on us as individuals, not only on us as a nation, but also on us as a chosen people of God. We must fulfill the obligation that this situation demands.

Luke 12:48 ... From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

God has given us His Torah which is much in the sense that it is a privilege to have so that we can be set apart from the rest of the world, as Yeshua states:
John 17:16-17 They (those who have been chosen) do not belong to the world just as I do not belong to the world. Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth.

Yeshua is asking the father to set us apart by the Torah i.e. the word, that he has given us. This is what keeps us from belonging to the world and gives us the privilege to belong and serve God.

To show that the Word is the Torah we find in scripture where the Torah and the Word are used to define Truth.
Psalm 119:142...Your Law (Torah) is truth.
Psalm 119:160...Your word is truth

So here we have it,

Torah = Truth
Word = Truth
Torah = Word
Word = Torah

Pretty neat when the Word of God is used to define the words found in the scriptures.

We have been given the Torah, which is a privilege that requires much in a way, that it’s a gift that we are excited to have and use for our well being and relationship with God. It’s not that we have to keep its demands, it’s that we get to and want to to show our love to God. We have been entrusted with the Torah; therefore, much will be asked, but not asked in the sense of duty but asked in the sense of separate living from the world. We are chosen, we have no right to take what God has given us and use it for our own benefit, we have no right to change it, we have no right to make it sound the way we want it to sound. The word is the same as it was from the beginning and will be the same forever. Torah and Yeshua is why we are different.

Our fight is to be able to obey and serve God. He has set us apart by His commandments He has set us apart by Yeshua. Those who claim this will be challenged by HaSatan (The accuser). Satan is enraged with us who diligently keep the privilege and the responsibility of the divine service, and our holding on to the witness and testimony of Yeshua.
 Revelation 12:17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman (Israel) and went off to make war against the rest of the remnant of her seed which is those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

When we are caught up in the war that Satan has waged against us by those who oppose keeping the commandments like the dietary laws, Sabbath, the festivals, and many other commandments then ..Revelation 14:12 ¶ This is when perseverance is needed on the part of God's people, those who observe his commands and exercise Yeshua's faithfulness.

Did you see that--- God's people are those who keep the commandments and practice Yeshua's faithfulness which is keeping the Torah and the Prophets? What an amazing revelation. This is so exciting in these last days. We have such a great God and a great Messiah that loves us so much to give us such instructions and examples to live, and celebrate, and be full of joy in such a corrupt world.

He has chosen you and I to follow His will and His plan. WOW! Have you ever had anyone give you the secrets to become rich? God has given us his secrets an entire book of secrets of living a successful life with Him, that is so amazing.

Here is some more comforting words from YHVH himself.

Isaiah 51:7 "Listen to me, you who know justice, you people who have my Torah in your heart (and do it): don't be afraid of people's taunts, don't be upset by their insults.


So what is so wonderful about living in a Sukkah (small booth) this week which is the remembrance of the Israelites that dwelt in them in the desert for 40 years?

We celebrate Passover in remembrance of the wondrous miracles that God performed in our deliverance from the enslavement in Egypt. We celebrate Shavuot  in observance of the great revelation at Mt. Sinai and the receiving of the Torah. Compared to these events that are so epic, what significance are our little booths (Sukkah's)?

The point is that we must learn to be grateful for the small things in life as well as the great gifts we receive. It was not beyond God to create luxurious homes and palaces in the desert. He wanted us and wants us to learn that we must be grateful and appreciative of everything given to us, regardless of how little it may be.

Sukkot is the festival of harvest and the time of our rejoicing. Our harvest might be abundant or it may be small and meager. Either way, we must be appreciative and grateful for what we are given.

Psalm 100:1-5  AS Psalm 100:1 A Psalm for Thanksgiving. Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.  2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.  3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name.  5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, And His faithfulness to all generations.

Have a great Sukkot this year and a good Sabbath this week. Chag Semeach.

Betzalel Magen