297 Torah is the garment of the soul and

Torah is the garment of our souls and protects true believers.

The simple mention of the word Torah is enough to get some in Churchianity to cringe, without realizing that it serves a major purpose in the life of every true believer. Our heavenly Father is not an old killjoy who gave us laws to inhibit our way of life, as some believe, but gave us His Torah teachings for our good, as He told usin Deuteronomy 30: 19 & 20, saying: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, (20) by loving YHVH your Elohim, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which YHVH swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them,”What most do not realize is that YHVH promised our father’s in the faith, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob eternal life in the Promised Land and by obeying Him, He actually placed eternal life within the reach of every descendant of our father’s in the faith.

The reason why many believe that obeying Torah is difficult and detrimental to our lives, is because the whole world has been deceived by Satan to believe this major untruth, as recorded in Revelation 12: 9, as follows: ‘And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.’ This deception is ongoing and Satan and his agents are even at this time busy deceiving mankind to believe the diatribe that Churchianity is preaching regarding YHVH our Creator and loving Father and His Torah teachings for us, His children. Torah is Elohim’s instruction manual for both houses of Israel and a model to keep us from sinning. This fact was alsoacknowledged by Rav Yochanan in the Renewed Covenant where he wrote in 1 John 3: 4, saying: ‘Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness (i.e. Torahlessness);and sin is lawlessness.’ We see that Rav Shaul agreed with this statement in Romans 7: 7, 12 & 13, saying: ‘What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.” (12) ‘So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. (13) Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.’The truth is that Torah keeps us within the boundaries that YHVH has authorized, as instruction and also to help us control those areas in our lives where we are tempted to sin; namely the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.

It is understood that YHVH gives His Set-apart Spirit to those who obey Him. Torah observant Jews who have always obeyed Elohim’s Torah teachings for all Israel are given a portion of Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit because of their obedience, provided they continually repent of their sins on a daily basis, but the house of Israelas well as those Jews who started following other religions, need the blood of Messiah to be reconciled with Elohim, as we read from Acts 5: 30 – 32, in this way: “The Elohim of our fathers raised up Yahshua, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. (31) He is the one whom Elohim exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. (32) And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Set-apart Spirit, whom Elohim has given to those who obey Him.”We from the lost ten tribes, who are returning to Elohim after committing adultery with the false churches of the world, require the blood of Messiah to be reconciled to the Father. It is when we accept Yahshua the Messiah as our personal savior and Passover, that we are suitably immersed in the saving Name of Yahshua, when we are given a portion of Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit, with the laying on of the hands of the preaching elders in Elohim’s congregation of called out believers. This is confirmed in Acts 2: 36 - 39 where we read: ‘“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that Elohim has made Him both Master and Messiah—this Yahshua whom you crucified.” (37) Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Kepha and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” (38) And Kepha said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Yahshua Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Set-apart Spirit. (39) For the promise is for you and your children, and all who are far off, as many as YHVH our Elohim shall call to Himself.”’

It is evident that these verses are especially addressed at the house of Israel and more specifically those whom YHVH is busy calling to return to the faith into which Messiah was born, namely Judaism. The words ‘far off’ in verse 39 indicates that we only immerse people who are returning to YHVH from the lost ten tribes, as identified by the prophet Daniel more than 2500 years ago in his prayer for both houses in exile in Daniel 9: 7, as follows: “Righteousness belongs to Thee, O Adonai (Master), but to us open shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which Thou hast driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against Thee.”Rav Shaul confirmed this in Ephesians 2: 11 – 16, saying: ‘Therefore remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Un-circumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— (12) remember that you were at that time separate from Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without Elohim in the world. (13) But now in Messiah Yahshua you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Messiah.(14) For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,(15) by abolishing in His flesh the enmity (or punishment due to us for breaking Elohim’s commandments), which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances (or judgments detailing the punishment we deserve for sinning; for example not honoring our parents, or breaking the Sabbath), that in Himself He might make the two (Judah and Israel) into one new man, thus establishing peace,(16) and might reconcile them both in one body (or congregation) to Elohim through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.” Yahshua put away the enmity or punishment we deserve for breaking Elohim’s commandments, by dying in our stead. We from the lost ten tribes need Yahshua’s redemption to be able to return to YHVH and Brother Judah, since we have forgotten what sin is. Because the house of Judah remained Torah observant and know what sin is, they are able to return in repentance to our Father every time they sin, as witnessed in Ezekiel 18: 23, in this way: “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares YHVH Elohim, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? They do not have to be immersed to be cleansed from their daily sins, but have to return to Elohim in a repentant attitude, as they doas a matter of habit in the most.

A primary example of a Jew who returned to YHVH in repentance after sinning, is given in Psalm 51 where King David sinned by committing adultery and then going further by also having Bathsheba’s husband killed. We read consequently from Psalm 51, how King David came to repentance and admitted to his sins in verses 1 – 4, saying: ‘Be gracious to me, O Elohim, according to Thy lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my transgressions. (2) Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (3) For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. (4) Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned, and done what is evil in Thy sight, so that Thou art justified when Thou dost speak, and blameless when Thou dost judge.” Like all Jews who were raised the Torah way, King David was circumcisedand were taught the Torah as can be witnessed through the many Psalms that he wrote, he had Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit indwelling him, without being immersed in Messiah’s saving name, as attested in the remainder of his prayer and in especially verses 10 & 11, where he begs Elohim, saying: ‘Create in me a clean heart, O Elohim, and renew a steadfast spirit (here he is talking about the human spirit[1], which is in all people)within me . (11) Do not cast me away from Thy presence, and do not take Thy Set-apart Spirit from me.’ Once we have a portion of Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit indwelling us, we must permit it to guide us into all truth. The question is: What is truth? We get the answer from Psalm 119: 142, as follows: ‘Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is truth.’ Here we are told that Elohim’s law or Torah is truth. However, Yahshua our Messiah broaden the definition of truth when He in prayer to the Father in John 17: 17, said: “Sanctify (or Set-apart) them in the truth; Thy word is truth.” Yahshua told us that the Tanach in its entirety, the only Scriptures available when He was on earth, is truth.

Nevertheless, the commandments are purposed by YHVH for a deeper reason. It is true that obedience and total surrender of our will to Elohim’s will are fundamental aspects of the Torah and the primary condition for any true worshipper of YHVH. The commandments are also intended to elevate the Nazarene Israelite worshipper to a higher level, through the act of worship and by obeying the commandments. The Torah is one way that YHVH has established to have a relationship with His people consisting of both houses of Israel. Similar to the way that personal contact or relationship of unequal status creates a sense of elevation in the meaning of the life of the person of lower status, we benefit tremendously and gain knowledge of our true purpose and meaning of our lives from our relationship with YHVH by Torah observance. The transliterated word ‘Mitzvah’ in Hebrew means commandment, butit also means companionship or even union. Accordingly, one who does a ’mitzvah’ become united with the essence of YHVH, as recorded in Jeremiah 7: 22 & 23, as follows: “For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. (23) But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your Elohim, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’” What greater reward do we want for obedience, but to be in union with YHVH that comes through obedience to Torah, which is His will for us? Rav Yochanan wrote about this in first John 1: 6 – 7, saying: “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; (7) but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yahshua His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Torah, Elohim’s will revealed to all Israel is also the wisdom of Elohim – the essence of YHVH and His will and wisdom from a single Oneness, since He is ONE with His Word, as Rav Yochanan witness in John 1: 1, saying: ‘In the beginning was the Word (the Torah), and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim.” The Holy One, blessed be He, put all His wisdom and will in the 613 commandments of Torah and it became flesh and dwelt among men, as recorded in John 1: 14, in this way: ‘And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.’ Yahshua our Messiah was the incarnation of Torah, Elohim’s will and wisdom for all Israel. The Jews become One with Elohim’s will and wisdom which is equal to His essence, whilst we from the lost ten tribes must be conformed to the image of Elohim’s Son, as witnessed in Romans 8: 28 & 29, as follows: ‘And we know that Elohim causes all things to work together for good to those who love Elohim, to those who are called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His son, that He might be the first-born (from the dead)[2]among many brethren.’ In agreement with our recent teaching regarding tzitzit – in wool or cotton, tefillin – in leather, mezuzah –in metal or plastic, and handkerchiefs – in cloth (as per Acts 19: 11 &12[3]); objects that seem so far removed from Elohim’s Being, we can be joined to Him and experience His presence. This union takes place through the study of Torah. We have to understand that the relationship of YHVH and Israel are three joined in One – Israel, Torah and YHVH, as Yahshua also explained in John 17: 20 – 23, saying: ‘I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; (21)that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send me. (22)And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; (23)I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.’ He continued this idea in John 14: 20 & 21, saying: ‘In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. (21)He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.’The union with YHVH exists in the soul (or life) of every returning Israelite, because they know Yahshua the Messiah.

Those who call themselves Christian/Messianic or even Nazarene Israelites, yet try to separate the people of Israel from the Torah commands of YHVH are attempting to divide the unity of Israel, Torah and YHVH. Instead we as Nazarene Israel should do everything in our power to strengthen this union. We do this by studying and observing Elohim’s Torah. In this way Torah becomes our protection as witnessed in Ephesians 6. Firstly; the Helmet of Salvation mentioned in verse 17, protects us from Satan’s primary tactic of accusation and is according to 1 Thessalonians 5: 8& 9 the hope that we from the lost ten tribes have in salvation through our Master Yahshua Messiah.Satan accuses us day and night according to Revelation 12: 10 and is the accuser of the brethren, but we see from Zechariah 3: 1 - 5 that healso accused Yahshua for wearing filthy garments. Yahshua was covered in filthy garments because He took our sins upon Himself and being the embodiment of Torah and the salvation of YHVH, He is our Helmet of Salvation. YHVH accordingly clothed Him in clean garments and placed a clean Turban on His head. Secondly; the Breastplate of Righteousness mentioned in verse 14 of Ephesians 6, protects us from Satan’s tactic of pride and temptation, another major tactic of Satan. Satan tempts us through pride, the same way he tempted King David when he took pride in Israel and numbered (or counted) them as witnessed in 1 Chronicles 21: 1, as follows: “Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.” We put the breastplate of righteousness on by obeying Elohim’s commandments and showing our faith by our works – keeping the Sabbath and Feast Days of Elohim, eating only kosher food, giving charity (transliterated in Hebrew as‘tzedakah’)to the poor in our familiesand congregations, as well as to the poor in the Land of Israel. Thirdly; the Belt of truth mentioned in verse 14 being Torah protects us from Satan’s tactic of deception. We read from John 8: 32, “and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” We put the Belt of Truth on by studying Torah on an annual cycle. Finally; putting on the Shoes of peace mentioned in verse 15, the true gospel about the coming kingdom of Elohim defends us from Satan’s tactic of oppression. Shalom means more than peace, it also means to be united, to be whole or complete and to be at peace. The shoes correspond to the feet which represents Kingdom. During the 1000 year rule of Yahshua we will have complete peace. The gospel of the coming kingdom of Elohim gives us peace, knowing that all the evil of the present age will come to an end.

If we from the lost ten tribes believe in Yahshua the Helmet of Salvation, practice righteousness by observing Elohim’s commandments, study Torah and believe in the true gospel, we will have put on the full armor of Elohim to protect us from all evil. This will help us to overcome Satan, the world and ourselves and ultimately after YHVH has perfected our spirits in Heaven (Hebrews 12: 23[4]), Yahshua will bring them backto resurrect our bodies to life, making us complete again as recorded in 1 Thessalonians 5: 23, in this way: ‘Now may the Elohim of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Master Yahshua Messiah.’ This will be when we will have become like Him when He returns, as witnessed in 1 John 3: 1 & 2, as follows:“See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of Elohim; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. (2) Beloved, now we are children of Elohim, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.” The soul or life of man has three forms of expression, thoughts, speech and deeds. These are the clothing or garments through which our lives are clothed. When we do righteous deeds (commandments), and study, discuss and teach Torah through speech, we grasp the deep things of Torah that our minds and intellect (the spirit in man) can understand by thought, then the spirit of man (the garment of his soul), gets washed by the Word and the person becomes united with Elohim. Similar to the way in which physical clothing can be changed, we may change the garment of our spirit, by cleaning up our speech, deeds and thoughts through studying and obeying Torah, as Rav Shaul wrote in Ephesians 4: 22 – 24, saying, ‘That, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, (23) and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (24) and put on the new self, which in the likeness of Elohim has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth (the Word of Elohim).’

The connection or union with YHVH through studying, contemplating and obeying Torah means for the Nazarene Israelite life (soul), what clothing means to his physical body. By putting on the garments of Torah and living a Torah lifestyle, you become one with Torah, Yahshua and YHVH. Man’s behavior can therefore bring his life to a higher level that cannot be achieved without Torah and Yahshua. To this end Yahshua told us through Yochanan in Revelation 22: 12 – 14, saying: ‘“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. (13) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (14) Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.’ The King James Version uses‘they that do the commandments,’ in place of the underlined words in verse 14, showing that we wash our robes by obeyingTorah. This also clarifies Yahshua’s parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22: 2 – 14, where He compares the kingdom of Elohim with a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. Initially the kingsends out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding. When they were not willing to attend, he sent out other slaves to tell those whom he invitedthat he has now prepared the wedding dinner and everything is ready for the feast, but again they paid no attention to his slaves and went on their way; one to his farm and another to his business, showing that they are too busy to be concerned about the wedding feast. The rest were so arrogant, that they grabbed and killed the king’s slaves. This enraged the king and he sent his armies to destroy the murderers and set their city alight. Then he told His slavessince the wedding feast is ready but those whom he invited were not worthy, they should go out into the streets and gather both good and evil to come to the wedding feast. They obeyed and filled the wedding chamber with dinner guests. However, when the king arrived at the wedding chamber, he looked over the wedding guests and saw a man not dressed in wedding clothes. He approached the man and asked him how he dare come to the wedding reception, without wearing wedding clothes. Then he instructed his slaves to bind this man hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Yahshua concluded the parable in verse 14, saying: “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

For us from the lost ten tribes, belief in Torah and Messiah, including the true gospel about the coming Kingdom of Elohim will ultimately be our saving grace, as witnessed in Mark 16: 15 & 16, in this way: ‘And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (16) He who has believed and has been immersed shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”’Our Jewish Brothers already believe in the coming of a Messiah to bring back the lost ten tribes, to rule over the restored commonwealth of Israel with King David and in the resurrection of the dead. Because Messiah’s death already atoned for (YHVH)’s chosen people, meaning Judah (as per Psalm 78: 67 & 68[5]) and those whom He is calling from the lost ten tribesand who become His chosen ones (as per Romans 11: 5[6])when they understand that Yahshua is the foundation stone upon which His congregation is being built (as per 1 Peter 2: 7 – 9[7]), as witnessed in John 11: 49 – 52, as follows: ‘But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,(50) nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” (51) Now this he did not say on his own initiative; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Yahshua was going to die for the nation, (52) and not for the nation only, but that He might also gather together into one the children of Elohim who are scattered abroad.’YHVH is presently hiding the identity of Yahshua to the house of Judah,similar to the way He hid His face from Yaa’cov asdetailed in Genesis 32: 29 – 31[8] and Hosea 12: 3- 5[9], to allow a predetermined number of us from the lost ten tribes to return to the commonwealth of Israel as per Ephesians 2: 11 – 13 (quoted earlier) and Romans 11: 25 – 27, in this way: ‘For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; (26) and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. (27) AND THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.”’ At Messiah’s return to earth, he will identify Himself to the house of Judah, as we read from Zechariah 12: 10, in this way: ‘And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.’ Despite the fact that He will also give them grace to be saved, their acceptance of Messiah will result in the dead in Messiah to be raised, as we read from Romans 11: 15, as follows: ‘For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?’ At that time the Torah observant Jews together with a remnant of the lost ten tribes will become one nation under the rulership of David, with Messiah as their shepherd, as recorded in Ezekiel 37: 22 – 24, in this way: “And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations, and they will no longer be divided into two kingdoms. (23) And they will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people and I will be their Elohim. (24) And My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances, and keep My statutes, and observe them.”

Even though those whom YHVH is calling at this time might not be the cream of the crop, He expects each one of us who come to Him, to clean up our old ways of life, by holding up Torah as a mirror to see where we fall short, and clean ourselves up accordingly, as Rav Yaa’cov explained in James 1: 21 - 25, saying: ‘Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. (22) But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; (24) for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. (25) But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty (that sets us free from sin) and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.’We read further that only those called and chosen, who remain faithful to the end will be with Messiah, as witnessed in Revelation 17: 14, as follows: ‘These will wage war against the Lamb (this is talking about the end-time kings of the earth who will gather themselves together in a place called Armageddon to make war with Messiah at His return to earth), and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Master of masters and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.’

However, before this will happen we will be pushed to our limits by Satan and his human agents and will have to persevere by obedience to Torah and the faith of Messiah, as we are warned in Revelation 14: 12, in this way: ‘Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of Elohim and their faith in Yahshua.’The KJV reads ‘faith of Yahshua’. Knowing what you and I have to do to qualify for our positions as rulers under Yahshua in Elohim’s coming kingdom on earth, let’s make Elohim’s will our will to ensure that we will be able to take up those noble positions. Think about it!

[1] Zechariah 12: 1, ‘The burden of the word of YHVH concerning Israel. Thus declares YHVH who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him.’

[2]Yahshua is the first-born from the dead, as recorded in Colossians 1: 18, in this way: ’He is also head of the body, the congregation; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.’

[3]Acts 19: 11 & 12, ‘And Elohim was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Shaul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.’

[4] Hebrews 12: 23, ‘To the general assembly and congregation of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to Elohim, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect.’

[5] Psalm 78: 67 & 68: ‘He also rejected the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.’

[6]Romans 11: 5, ‘In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to Elohim’s gracious choice.’

[7]1 Peter 2: 7 – 9: ‘This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, “THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,” and, “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ELOHIM’S OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.’

[8] Genesis 32: 29 – 31: ’Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen Elohim face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.’

[9] Hosea 12: 3 – 5: ’In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his maturity he contended with Elohim. Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; He wept and sought His favor. He found Him at Bethel, and there He spoke with us, even YHVH, the Elohim of hosts; YHVH is His name.”