O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE
LORD IS GOOD!
“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for
mine own sake,
and will not remember thy sins.
“Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.” Isaiah 43:25,26
April 30, 2002 (Passover Season)
GOD said, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” HE also said, “I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.” This All-Mighty GOD was speaking about HIS Covenant People Israel – the Seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And HE has kept us HIS Chosen People unconditionally even though we rejected HIM and HIS Book of the Law, which is HIS Paths of Righteousness. Even unto this day, HIS “Hand is stretched out still” and awaiting the Dry Bones to awake and return to HIM to follow HIS Ways. How fortunate we are to have the Creator, the Most High GOD of the Universe that chose us to be HIS Holy People above all other Nations. HE did not abandon the Children of Israel or disappoint us. Our forefathers forsook HIM, and unfortunately this dilemma has not changed!
“Thus saith the LORD, What
iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have
walked after vanity, and are become vain?”
“…my people have forgotten me days without number.” Jeremiah 2:5,32
“Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children’s children will I plead.” Jeremiah 2:9
O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!
Who was it that vowed a vow saying, “If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God?” That was our Patriarch Jacob (Genesis 28:20,21). Actually, he didn’t ask for much – only to be kept safe, food, raiment, and to be returned to his father’s house. That’s all he wanted from the Most High GOD of Israel. And for just the fulfillment of this request, he vowed to make his father’s GOD his own.
How many of us would make such a seemingly insignificant determination regarding following the Holy ONE of Israel? Right! We would ask to win the lottery, a car, a home, a million bucks in the bank (U.S. bank, nonetheless), etc., etc., etc. And then maybe we would do GOD’s Will. More realistically, we’d still renege on our promise before or after all evidence of GOD’s goodness would be completely spent.
You might ask, “How do you know?”
I know My People, and “WE” have always been stiffnecked and rebellious and our own worst enemy. I know my forefathers and the history of Israelites past and present. I know that my forefathers took precious gold and silver that GOD lavished on them, and put them on their idols. I know that we caused Our GOD of Israel to bring all this destruction and captivity upon our heads. I know that too many of our present day leaders teach the imaginations of their hearts. Oh, and I know that only a handful of us are even considering returning to our heritage, the land of our fathers. I know because too many Israelites are saying that it is not time to return and are seeking ways (futile though these attempts may be) to maintain a prosperous existence in the lands to where we were scattered purposely to suffer at the hands of our enemies. However, in one respect, they are correct: “It is not time” for them to return if they are not ready to live and do GOD’s Book of the Law in Righteousness!
When Our Holy ONE had good reason to cause our absolute demise for forsaking HIM and HIS Law and good reason to choose for HIMSELF another People, HE DID NOT!
After Our Holy ONE of Israel saved our forefathers countless times from oppression and the wrath of their enemies, they still chose to worship false gods and to their detriment.
In spite of their rejection, the GOD of Israel was yet there waiting and pleading, sending HIS “Servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them” to plead with Israel to return to HIM for HE was ready to forgive them for their iniquity.
“Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.” Jeremiah 7:25,26
O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!
“…I will cause the captivity
of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the
first.
“And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
“And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honor before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.” Jeremiah 33:7 – 9
What more could we want from Our Holy ONE than for HIM to cleanse us from our sins against HIM, to forgive us for forsaking HIM and HIS Law, to return and restore us to our heritage, and to rid us of our enemies? If the Holy ONE of Israel can and will do all this for us, then indeed HE is our Savior. Therefore, we must be obedient to HIM and live and do HIS Book of the Law, as HE has required of us (Deuteronomy 10:12,13). After all, HE has proven HIMSELF to be a GOD of Promise: HE did give the Children of Israel the Land of Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey. HE did cause the surrounding Nations to fear them, and HE did make our forefathers prosperous and wealthy with all manner of riches, foods, and substance.
O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!
Our GOD of Israel is there just waiting for us to return to HIM! HE wants us to Fear HIM to do HIS Will which is to follow HIS Paths of Righteousness that HE set before our forefathers in the Wilderness. This All-Mighty GOD of Israel craves attention and demands OBEDIENCE. Remember HE is a Jealous GOD, and HIS “Name is JEALOUS.” Therefore, let’s seek HIS Counsel to serve ONLY HIM. Let’s be obedient to HIS Law. Let’s do what our forefathers would not – let’s seek to please our Holy ONE, so that we can live in HIS Truth and HIS Peace on this globe and be rid of all evil, corruption, greed, affliction, sickness, all manner of criminal activity, and our enemies. Let’s turn to Our GOD and ONLY Savior with all our heart and soul and keep HIS Book of the Law, as it is written and as it was given to our forebears in the Wilderness. We can do this! All we need is the sincere desire to do so.
“For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, IF YE RETURN UNTO HIM.” II Chronicles 30:9
O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!
“Oh that men would praise the LORD for HIS goodness, and for
his wonderful works
to the children of men!
“For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry
soul with goodness.”
Psalm 107:8,9
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the
righteous forsaken,
nor his seed begging bread.”
Psalm 37:25
Usually when we hear the reading of the 23rd Psalm it is affiliated with death. But from this time forth, please know and realize that this Chapter is all about living: LIFE, PEACE, AND SERENITY in serving and worshipping the ONE True and Living GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. HE is Our Shepherd, Our Rock, Our LORD GOD of Israel, and Our ONLY Savior. Let’s finally give HIM an opportunity to be Our GOD, and let’s be HIS Righteous People.
Let us prepare ourselves to be worthy to give GLORY and PRAISE to the Most High GOD of Abraham and declare HIS Praise for all the World to know and see that Our GOD ALONE is the True and Living GOD. At all costs, our hearts must be prepared to Exalt Our GOD of Israel in Righteousness with our whole heart and soul, or plain and simple, we will be forever lost.
O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!
“Hear the word of the LORD, O ye
nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered
Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his
flock.
“For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.” Jeremiah 31:10,11
“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.” Isaiah 64:4
“Behold, at that time I will
undo all that afflict thee: and I
will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to
shame.
”At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.” Zephaniah 3:19,20
“Therefore, fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.” Jeremiah 30:10
Our return will bring new meaning to the significance of “Thanksgiving” for if Our Holy ONE can deliver us out of this subjugation, degradation, injustice, affliction, and heart wrenching sadness we endure, then truly we will be forever thankful unto HIM for SAVING us out of all this miserable life we face in the lands of our captors. Hence, let us Call unto YIHOVAH, and HE will answer us, and show us great and mighty things, which we know not (Jeremiah 33:3).
“And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they
shall increase and bring fruit: and
I will settle you
after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your
beginnings: and ye shall know that
I am the LORD.
“Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you [mountains of Israel], even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men.” Ezekiel 36:11,12
“Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.”
Psalm 150:6
“And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
“And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.” Joel 2:26,27
O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!
“Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
“For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places;
and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the
LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of
melody.
“Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.
Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
“Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” Isaiah 51:1,3,4,7,11
If the Most High GOD of Abraham fulfilled HIS Promises of old once, then HE can do it again. And indeed they are in the making…
“But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.” Ezekiel 36:8
O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!
“He restoreth
my soul: he leadeth me in the paths
of righteousness
for his name’s
sake.”
Psalm
23:3
WE MUST NOT FORGET OUR
PURPOSE IN BEING ISRAELITES!
“This people
have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my
praise.”
Isaiah
43:21
“The steps of
a good man are ordered by the LORD:
and he delighteth in his way.”
Psalm
37:23
There would never be a Nation called “Israel” if the
Most High GOD of Hosts had not “formed” and established this People and made and
Everlasting Covenant with them. And
what we must always remember is that we have a very special purpose in
life. We are GOD’s Chosen People,
the people HE established to show and prove to the World that HE alone is the
ONE and Only GOD, and we must never forget this. More importantly, this Phenomenal
All-Mighty GOD employed us, the Children of Israel – HIS Covenant People - to
disseminate HIS Righteous Way of Life (HIS Book of the Law) to other Nations
throughout the World, so that all Peoples would know HIM and be blessed for
serving and worshipping HIM, as well.
The Holy ONE in HIS infinite wisdom Created this Earth and all therein,
and as a result, it is HIS Right to want to see this planet exist in the
universe for HIS Praise and Glory.
This is our purpose and our reason for being. We, Israelites, must resign ourselves
selflessly to a life of living on GOD’s Paths of Righteousness and being an
ever-luminous and brilliant “LIGHT” to this World for the sake of this Creator,
Our GOD, the Holy ONE of Israel.
“…thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou
mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of
thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which
the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give
them.” Deuteronomy
30:20
“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob,
and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called
thee by thy name: thou art
mine.
”When thou passest through the waters, I will be with
thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou
shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon
thee.
“For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy
Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia
and Seba for thee.”
Isaiah 43:1 – 3
Thus, the reason why THE
LORD IS OUR SHEPHERD, and WE SHALL NOT WANT!
O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE
LORD IS GOOD!
GOD’s RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS
MUST BE PUT IN EFFECT!
“He loveth
righteousness and judgment:
the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.”
Psalm
33:5
“For I the
LORD love judgment, I hate
robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will
make an everlasing covenant with them.
“And their
seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the
people:
all that see
them shall acknowledge them,
that they are
the seed which the LORD hath blessed.”
Psalm
61:8,9
An important factor in being a “Light” to the World for
GOD’s Holy Name’s Sake is setting Righteous examples and using Righteous
Judgments. There can be no
“RIGHTEOUSNESS” in the absence of GOD’s Judgment! Think about it. If there is no one to tell us and show
us that we are doing wrong, how then can we know, or how then will we know GOD’s
Righteous Ways? And not only must
someone be there to judge us and reveal to us our wrongs, but he/she must also
show us the Divine Path we must take in order to eliminate unrighteousness and
all evil from among us. Thus, GOD’s
Righteous Judgments sustain equity, justice, and peace among
us.
“And I [Moses] charged your judges at that time, saying,
Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every
man and his brother, and the stranger that is with
him.
“Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall
hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man;
for the judgment is God’s…”
Deuteronomy 1:16,17
“Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy
gates, which the LORD THY God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with
just judgment.
“thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect
persons, neither take a gift: for a
gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the
righteous.
“That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that
thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” Deuteronomy 16:18 –
20
O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE
LORD IS GOOD!
“Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am
married unto you: and I will take
you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to
Zion:
And I will give you pastors
according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and
understanding.” Jeremiah
3:15
Thus, with GOD’s Book of the Law, HIS Pastors, and
Righteous Judgments, we have an opportunity to follow GOD’s determined and
organized Ways and in the process stay on HIS Paths that lead to Divine
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Some of us tend to think that ”If I do wrong, then I can
pray for forgiveness, and GOD will hear and pardon the iniquity.” But this is only true to a certain
extent. Never assume that we can
perpetually sin against the Holy ONE and ask for forgiveness without having a
price to pay.
“For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations
whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and
will not leave thee altogether unpunished.” Jeremiah 30:11
I
think that verse is specifically for those of us who like to play games with the
Holy ONE of Israel. And for sure,
Ezekiel has laid it out quite plain and clear that once the Righteous are
warned, and they turn to evil, then there is no returning to the Holy ONE. Obviously, HE wants nothing to do with
Israelites and the Stranger who are not serious about living and doing
Righteously. Can we blame
HIM?
“…When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness,
and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall
die: because thou hast not given him warning,
he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be
remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” Ezekiel 3:20
“Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should
die? Saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his
ways, and live?
“But when the righteous turneth away from his
righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the
abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath
done shall not be mentioned: in
his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in
them shall he die.” Ezekiel
18:23,24 (Please see Ezekiel
33rd Chapter.)
Although the Holy ONE teaches us a little at a time, as
we learn HIS Ways, we should change our thinking, activities, and dealings
immediately upon learning about HIS Truth. For
example, if we are on our way to work and realize that we are wearing our shirt
or blouse on the wrong side, we don’t continue out the door. We IMMEDIATELY correct the problem, and
then proceed on with our day. With
learning about GOD’s Book of the Law, we should also act accordingly. We learn about having and worshipping
ONE GOD - the GOD of Israel - and then we start serving and worshipping HIM and
Only HIM IMMEDIATELY. We learn
about HIS Holy Sabbath Day of Rest, and we then start observing the Seventh Day
for Rest and not “Sunday.”
And it is likewise for ALL TRUTH that Our Holy ONE takes the time to
reveal to us. Why delay,
anyway?! If we are sick and want
the Holy ONE to heal us, the sooner HE acts the better. Perhaps now this reasoning makes more
sense.
Our GOD of Israel is Fair, Just, and of infinite
Mercy. If it is in our hearts to live according
to HIS Ways, HE takes notice and rewards us. When we sin against HIM, HE lets us know
it and chastens us - “For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth” (Proverbs
3:12). And those who hate HIM and
HIS Ways will most certainly be destroyed.
“Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish
judgment in the gate: it may be
that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.” Amos 5:15
O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE
LORD IS GOOD!
“And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy
counselors as at the beginning:
afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful
city.
“Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts [those who change to GOD’s Ways] with
righteousness.
“And the destruction of the transgressors and of the
sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be
consumed.” Isaiah 1:26 –
28
According to the “New Testament” it’s taught, to “Judge
not, that ye be not judged” (Matt. 7:1).
As you can see and from what you have read, this is a direct violation
and contradiction of what the Holy ONE has Commanded that we must do, and no
doubt a very good reason why X-tianity does not solve the problems of the
World. If it’s in our hearts to
follow GOD’s Book of the Law, and we are desirous of serving and worshipping the
Holy ONE according to the teachings HE assigned to HIS Servant the Prophet
Moses, then we shouldn’t have any problems being advised of what we should and
should not do. And we should even
encourage Righteous Judgment for those among us who unknowingly do not follow
GOD’s Ways. It makes so much sense
to wish to be joined with Israelites who strive to be numbered among the
Righteous Remnant that Our Holy ONE will call (Joel 2:32).
O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE
LORD IS GOOD!
“Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue
it.
“The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his
ears are open unto their cry.
“The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to
cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
“The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth
them out of all their troubles.
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;
and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them
all.”
Psalm 34: - 14 -19
“For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God
himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it
not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none
else.
“I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the
earth: I said not unto the seed of
Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the
LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.”
Isaiah 45:18,19
In addition to the many, many evil acts our forefathers
did against the Holy ONE of Israel, they profaned HIS Holy Name and mocked and
misused HIS Prophets. Let’s cause
Our Holy ONE to return to us hurriedly before we are influenced by the
ubiquitous evils that are the makeup of this cruel and lethal World System.
Let’s do all that’s necessary to be returned to the Most
High GOD, Our Holy ONE of Israel, and to our heritage. Whereby, our forefathers
rejected the Most High GOD and Creator of Israel, let us choose to live for HIM
according to HIS Book of the Law and for HIS Praise and Glory with Righteous
intentions to show the World that HE ALONE IS THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD, and that
HE ALONE is to be Exalted and Worshipped above all else! Let’s be this Righteous Remnant that is
in the making – the one that GOD will call.
O
TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!
FEAR AND GLORY YIHOVAH ALWAYS AND
FOREVER!
Tziona Yisrael,
Servant of the Most High GOD of Israel for HIS Holy
Name’s Sake