When we first get something that is new to us, it’s exciting and fresh. The entrance of this new thing seems to touch and enhance many facets of our life. But, as we all know, after awhile the newness wears off. It’s not quite as exciting as it initially had been. We then find our self back to our present reality with another new, old thing. And so …
We set out in search of new ways to enhance that experience. We buy a new accessory to go with, for example, the new outfit we just bought. It needs a little bling. In this way we can keep the experience new and fresh. Nothing wrong with that. It just needs to not get out of hand.
We in the Messianic/Hebrew Roots movement are excited about our new/enhanced understanding of Scripture. We believe that God has opened the eyes of our understanding to see things in Scripture that were always there, but we just couldn’t see them.
The discovery of the Sabbath, dietary instructions, the Feasts, Tzitzit has awakened within us the possibility and hope of discovering even more in God’s Word. Nothing wrong with that. It just needs to not get out of hand.
And … I’m a little concerned that it might be.
Could it be that, in our desire to see more of what may be in the Scriptures, we are subconsciously creating the need to keep the newness and excitement fresh? If so, could that help us understand why we, in the Messianic movement, keep seeking “new” teachers and teachings?
Recently I was informed about a teaching (apparently a familiar teaching in our circles) on The Woman At The Well passage in John chapter 4.
I think it goes something like this: The woman had 5 husbands; she’s now with number 6 (who is not her husband); and, she finds herself in the presence of Yeshua.
If I’m understanding correctly: The first five husbands were kingdoms that Israel had been married/subjugated to; the sixth one was Rome, whom they were under at the time of Yeshua; Yeshua, the seventh man in the narrative, represents the final and perfect husband/kingdom.
That’s all well-and-good, but here’s my concern. In our constant search to dig out so much from the Scriptures, it’s leading us down Alice’s Rabbit Hole to where we are losing sight of what is on the surface. We don’t need more “depth” about a passage like this. It’s deep enough on the surface. She meets the Saviour and gets SAVED! Is it really that basic? I think so. We’d do well if we were able to bring lost people to the Saviour in such a way as to see them get saved like she did — and the many others that came along after her.
The thing is — that’s not a new teaching that will attract a following of people to a specific Hebraic ministry. In order to do that, we have to keep offering more “new” teachings to our people in order to stimulate and titillate their Messianic Pleasure Senses. If we don’t, they just might go and find some other Messianic teacher's "new” insights to stimulate and titillate them. Then where will our ministry be??
While I was thinking about this teaching on John 4, I decided to see what I could come up with on my own. Here it is — my “new” teaching. {If you like it, please use the new DONATE button on our website}
5 is the number of grace; 6 is the number of man; 7 is the number of perfection. So … the woman under grace realizes her sin and receives the perfect Man as her Saviour.
Do I really believe my “new” teaching? Not really. I made it up on the spot, based upon some other knowledge I had. Then I pieced it all together. And if I do say so myself, I think it sounds pretty good :-)
What I’m saying is this.
We have the PLAIN sense of the Word of God staring us right in the face. Why do we need to keep looking for newer and deeper “truths”? Let’s look to the Scriptures alone, without looking to what every Messianic teacher has to say about it. If we do, perhaps we will see our own reflection in the Torah of God and allow it to personally penetrate to the very core of our being.
The woman at the well saw who and what she was as she looked at the Word made flesh — and it eternally changed her. Somehow, I don’t think Yeshua took the time to explain to her all this kingdom stuff. Maybe we shouldn’t either.
If we’ll stay in the Word and maintain close fellowship with Yeshua, He’ll give us all the fresh personal new insights that He knows we need. Then we’ll be freshly prepared when we meet our own “woman at the well.”
Proverbs 8:8-11 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all PLAIN to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
P.S. — I just started reading Proverbs 9. Verse 1 says: Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her SEVEN pillars.
There’s our “Seven” again. Hmm. Wonder if there’s anything there? I might have just found a “new” teaching … ;-)
“Men have produced strange creatures of their own brain by way of explanation.” Adam Clarke speaking about the many interpretations of the first few verses of Pr. 9. Thought he said it very well.