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From: 	 heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: 	 Thursday, May 22, 1997 12:39 AM
To: 	 Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup
Subject: The Torah before Mount Sinai


From:          Chabaq@aol.com
To:            heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject:       Re: Is Ephraim Christianity ???


I'm having a little difficulty understanding the concept of the "torah" prior 
to Mt. Sinai.  It is fairly evident that sacrifice was widely known and used
before Mt. Sinai but the "Law" was far more extensive than just a few
sacrifices and moral obligations.  To believe that it was known to Adam and
Eve ignores the details of the law and looks only at the general nature of
the "Law."  It has elements that are restricted by time.  For instance,  we
see no evidence of any Passover celebration until after the exodus... and
that makes sense.  Nor do we see any evidence of the Tabernacle until after
its description was given to Moses.  It is my understanding that the "Torah"
was a package deal.  It was all or nothing.  The only possible way that the
"Torah" could have been delivered proir to Mt. Sinai  is if it was given
incrementally and we have no authoritative evidence of that.  It is
conjecture.

Howard

>From Eddie:
**************

        The reason why you are having problems in understanding this is 
because you still have it in your mind that TORAH means "law". You 
have  defined "Torah" by Passover and a Tabernacle and sacrifices etc.

         So in order to help you understand what Torah really is from 
a Hebraic and Biblical perspective, I will attempt to explain it.

#1) TORAH means INSTRUCTION.   The word Torah is the Strong's word (8451). It comes from the Strong's Word (3384) which is 
    the Hebrew word "Yarah". The Hebrew word, "Yarah", means:

    "To point out as aiming the finger, to teach"

     Torah DOES NOT mean LAW. Torah means INSTRUCTION.

     Now, where does  G-d's INSTRUCTION come?  It comes from the 
     WORDS that He speaks. G-d's INSTRUCTION to His people is 
     capsulized in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 as it is written:

     "SHEMA Israel Adonai Eloheynu Adonai Echad". 

     Hear, O Israel,  the Lord our God is one Lord. And you shall love 
     the Lord thy  God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with
     all thy  might.   

     The word SHEMA which is the Strong's word (8085). SHEMA  
     means "to hear and OBEY". 

     In Genesis 26:5 it is said about Avraham as it is written:

     "Because Avraham OBEYED (SHEMA ... 8085) my voice and kept 
     my charge, my commandments, my statutes and my TORAH (8451)"

     In Exodus 19:5-6 it is written:

     "Now therefore, if you will OBEY (SHEMA ... 8085) my voice 
     indeed and keep my covenant ..."

     Deuteronomy 11:22, 27:

     "For if you shall diligently KEEP all these commandments 
     which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your 
     God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him ... a
     blessing if you OBEY (SHEMA ... 8085) the commandments of the 
     Lord your God which I command you this day"

     Therefore, God's INSTRUCTION (Torah) to His people was 
     to love Him with all their heart, mind, soul and strength  and 
     keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Mark 12:29-30) 
     (Deut   11:22, 27, John 14:15)

     When G-d told Adam and Eve to NOT eat of the tree of 
     the knowledge of good and evil this was G-d's 
     INSTRUCTION (Torah) to Adam and Eve.


THE TORAH IS THE TREE OF LIFE

If you have ever been to a Jewish synagogue, you will 
almost always see a "tree". This tree is the "tree of life". It is 
understood by all the Jews in the synagogue to be the Torah. 
Whenever, the Torah is taken out of the Ark, a blessing is said. The 
blessing that is said is: "The Torah is a tree of life to all those 
who cling to it and follow it".

This can be seen in Proverbs 3:1, 17-18

"My son forget not my TORAH (INSTRUCTION) but let thine 
heart keep my commandments ... Her ways are the ways of pleasantness 
and all her paths are peace. She is a TREE OF LIFE to them that lay 
hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her"

The TORAH (G-d's Instruction) is given for the 
healing of the nations (Psalm 1:1-3, Revelation 22:1-2).  Those who 
keep the commandments (INSTRUCTION OF GOD ... GOD'S WORD) will be the 
GREATEST in the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who don't will be the LEAST 
(Matthew 5:19).  Those who KEEP G-d's commandments (INSTRUCTION or 
HIS WORD) will have right to the tree of life (Revelation 22:14).

#2) In the Bible and to the Jewish mind, the word TORAH and WORD OF 
    GOD are SYNONYMOUS terms. Most Christians have a religious 
    idea that the LAW is (Genesis through Deuteronomy) but WORD OF 
    G-D is the entire Bible. However, Biblically and from a Hebraic 
    mindset,  TORAH  = WORD OF GOD.  WORD OF GOD = TORAH.

Therefore, if G-d tells me to do something and I do it then I 
am following His TORAH (INSTRUCTION). Let me give you several
examples in the Bible, where TORAH and WORD OF G-D is 
used interchangeably.

In Psalm 119:17-18
  
"Deal boutifully with thy servant, that I may live and KEEP 
thy WORD. Open my eyes that I may behold the wondrous things out of 
thy LAW"

Psalm 119:97, 105

"Oh how I love thy LAW! It is my meditation all the day ... 
thy WORD is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path"

Isaiah 2:3
 
"... for out of Zion shall go forth the LAW and the WORD OF 
THE LORD from Jerusalem"

This is Hebrew parallellism.

Out of Zion shall go forth the LAW = Word of Lord from Jerusalem.

Zion = Jerusalem.   LAW = WORD OF THE LORD.

So, did the Torah exist before Mount Sinai? If G-d ever 
spoke and gave any instruction to any human being then it existed 
because G-d's Word = G-d's Torah = G-d's Instruction.

We are called to SHEMA (hear and obey) what G-d tells 
us to do.  When we do, we keep His commandments (His Word).

Therefore, your confusion is not knowing what Torah 
means from a Biblical and Hebraic perspective. I hope that this 
answer has helped you to understand better.  This is more fully 
explained in my new book, "Who is the Bride of Christ?" in the 
chapter entitled, "What is the Purpose of God's Torah?". I can only 
give you several pages of instruction in a forum like this but in a 
book things can be more fully explained and taught. I hope that I 
have helped you to understand better how the Torah existed before 
Mount Sinai because the Torah is G-d's spoken Word to His people in 
whatever forum it comes.


Eddie Chumney
              

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