Various Articles
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Love for Jah and neighbour
Love for JAH and Neighbour
1. Love for JAH thy maker
Love is, arguably, the most popular subject in the world today. Millions of magazine articles, books, movies and TV shows are about love. But most are about `romantic love;' the well-known attraction between lovers and spouses. This article, however, is not about romantic or sexual love. Nor is it about maternal love; that wonderful bond that dwells in the heart of a mother for her child. This writing is about love for JAH The Maker and for one's fellow human beings. The Almighty Jah of Jahzrael's (Israel's) command concerning this type of love is as follows:
Deuteronomy 6:5 - And thou shalt love JAH thy Maker with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
An amazing command by any standard, you will agree. But what does the word `love' mean in this context? What must one do or feel towards JAH, to love Him with all one's heart, soul and might? Obviously romance and sex are totally excluded here. Sexual love and romantic feelings have absolutely nothing to do with the kind of `love' JAH is requiring of us. So what does the Almighty mean when He uses the word love? What does He want us to do, or not do to show our love for Him?
To arrive at the answer we must turn to other Scripture texts where JAH, and that is the Almighty's name (Psalms 68:4), couples this word `love' with certain actions and mental attitudes. Searching the Scripture we find many, many texts that help us understand what JAH means when He commands us to love Him with heart, soul and might. I will list just a few texts for the reader's benefit. Study them carefully: because this command concerning `love for JAH' is the most important commandment in the whole Scriptures. It is referred to as the `great commandment.' When the Saviour was asked which commandment was the greatest, he quoted this commandment. So you will agree it is important.
Matthew 22:36-38 - Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37: Jahoshawah said unto him, Thou shalt love JAH thy Maker with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38: This is the first and great commandment.
Now to those verses that explain what the Almighty wants His followers to do in order to show that they love Him with heart, soul and mind.
Deuteronomy 11:13 - And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love JAH your Adonay, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 11:22 - For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love JAH your Abbah, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him.
Deuteronomy 13:1-4 - If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2: And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3: Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for jah your Adonay proveth you, to know whether ye love jah your abbah with all your heart and with all your soul. 4: Ye shall walk after JAH your Maker, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
Joshua 22:5 - But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moshea (Moses) the servant of JAH charged you, to love JAH your Adonay, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Did you carefully read all those texts? If you did you will have noticed that to `love Jah thy Adonay with all thy heart and with all thy soul' means to keep His commandments. In other words to love JAH is to obey Him, to do what He says, to carry out His will. Before you can do this you must first acquaint yourself with His commandments; just as a motorist must first learn the highway code before he can obey it. In the New Covenant (Testament) the word `love' is used in exactly the same way as in the Old. Love means obedience.
Obedience proves that we love JAH. Disobedience proves that we do not love Him. Jahoshuwah said to his disciples:
John 14:21 - He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Abbah (Father), and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
1 John 2:4 - He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 5:2-3 - By this we know that we love the children of Jah, when we love Jah, and keep his commandments. 3: For this is the love of Jah, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
John 14:15 - If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Most Christians assume that the commandments Jahoshuwah refers to are different from those of his Abbah. They are mistaken. As mentioned above, Jahoshuwah didn't formulate a new set of commandments. When he spoke of `the law,' he always meant his Abbah's commandments - `the commandments of JAH.' In the New Covenant we find that the Assembly is advised to - and does keep - the `commandments of JAH.'
1 Corinthians 7:19 - Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of Jah.
Revelation 12:17 - And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of Jah, and have the testimony of Jahoshawah the Messijah.
Revelation 14:12 - Here is the patience of the Jahzarenes (Saints): here are they that keep the commandments of Jah, and the faith of Jahoshuwah.
2. Love thy Neighbour
The second most important commandment in the law of JAH is `love thy neighbour as thyself.' Many Christians suppose that this is a New Covenant revelation. They are mistaken. Jahoshuwah simply quoted this commandment from the Old Covenant. Here it is:
Leviticus 19:18 - Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am Jah.
The Saviour's words were as follows:
Matthew 22:36-40 - Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37: Jahoshawah said unto him, Thou shalt love Jah thy Adonay with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38: This is the first and great commandment. 39: And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40: On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
In other words, the Holy principle of love called for in those two commandments governs all the other rules and regulations in the Torah, the law of the Almighty JAH.
And thou shalt love Jah thy Adonay with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (Leviticus 19:18)
When we study the Ten Commandments, which also hang on these two great commands, we notice that the first four of the ten specify how we are to love JAH. The last six tell us how we are commanded to love our fellow human beings. True love for JAH has nothing to do with the sexual, gushy sentimentality portrayed in the movies.
True love for JAH and others is a holy, spiritual principle, which expresses itself in obedience to JAH'S commandments. Emotion may play a part in the process; but it is a small part when compared to holiness, obedience, respect for others, a sense of responsibility, self control, honesty, integrity, kindness, generosity, hospitality and contentment.
You will learn a lot about true love for the Maker and your neighbour when you study JAH'S law. It is the Spiritual formula for true love. If, with His help, you seek to practice it, you will be well on your way to “loving Jah thy Maker with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might ... and thy neighbour as thyself”. Those who reject JAH'S law are heading for disaster. That is what the Almighty Jah of Hosts says to all the peoples of the world. Here is His sobering warning.
Jeremiah 6:18-19 - Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. 19: Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
ONE LOVE
For more info contact:
The Mount Zion Assembly of Jah
5 Kanarick Crescent
Toronto, Ontario M3L 1P3 Canada
647-231-9466
Email: zionofjah@gmail.com
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