The Torah begins with the words, in the beginning God, and it ends with great blessings on the twelve tribes of Israel. From beginning to end, the Bible is the Word of God.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 CJB “All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living; 17 thus anyone who belongs to God may be fully equipped for every good work.”
Hebrews 4:12 CJB “See, the Word of God is alive! It is at work and is sharper than any double-edged sword — it cuts right through to where soul meets spirit and joints meet marrow, and it is quick to judge the inner reflections and attitudes of the heart.”
David wrote his longest Psalm (119) about the Word of God. When Jesus was tempted, He responded with Scripture. The Word of God is the very life of a believer. The Jewish people celebrate a holiday called Simchat Torah, which means rejoicing in the Torah. This great day of rejoicing marks the conclusion and the beginning again; of the annual reading of the Torah. It’s not an ending; it’s a continuation; that’s why when they finish Deuteronomy, they roll the scroll back and start again at Genesis 1:1.
We will never exhaust the fullness of the Word of God. We could study for fifteen lifetimes and still barely skim the surface of its richness. The Rebbe, Rabbi Schneerson, said of this great holiday that it “is to infuse the spiritual service of Torah study and mitzvah fulfillment during the entire year.”
Many in the Church are taught a lie. We are taught that we are not under the law and that the Old Testament doesn’t matter. The first Scripture we looked at debunks this lie. The law of God is the teaching of God, the pathway of God. When we see the word law in the New Testament, it means legalism. We are not under legalism but grace. Jesus said, “I did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it.” To fulfill is a Hebrew phrase meaning; to rightly interpret and show you how to live it.
God commanded Joshua, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is full of blessings for our benefit! So let’s take a cue from our Jewish brothers and sisters and celebrate the great gift of the Word of God.
- Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 33 details Moses’s blessings on the twelve tribes and chapter 34 records his death.
- Matthew 4:1-11 [CR: Deut. 8:3; 6:16; 6:13].
- The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Likkutei Sichot, vol. 9, pp. 237-243.
- Matthew 5:17-20
- Joshua 1:8-9
Casey D. Bell 