“Did you ever see Yeshua practice or teach civil disobedience?”

On a recent Facebook thread where some people began to bash anyone who agreed with current mandates to wear facemasks, remain vigilant and practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, someone asked: “Did you ever see Yeshua practice or teach civil disobedience?” One man responded, “Yes … against the authorities when cleansing the temple. When speaking to the pharisees in Matt 23. By not answering the governor in Matt 27.”

Let’s examine this through Hebrew eyes.

The first thing that sprang to mind when I read that guy’s response was this: The difference is that Yeshua was divine, and you’re not.

Furthermore, Yeshua wasn’t practicing “civil disobedience.” As the Divine Messiah, the “Arm of YHWH” [Isaiah 53:1] and the Word of YHWH [John 1:1, 14], HE had the authority to reprimand those who were clearly violating and disobeying Torah.

Our authorities are not doing either of those things by trying to keep us all safe from a worldwide pandemic – a NEW virus that has killed nearly 300,000 worldwide (and is continuing to kill), that takes up to 2 weeks to incubate (meaning the carrier is able to infect dozens and hundreds without realizing it – by simply breathing), for which there is no cure.

Hospitals around the world have been overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases (because, unlike the regular flu, you can’t just take flu meds and go to bed). Those who have had to be hospitalized and survived after WEEKS of recovery, said they felt like they were drowning in their own bodies!

Furthermore, this NEW disease keeps revealing odd aspects of itself (check the latest stats on a “mystery disease” in children that is directly linked to COVID-19)….

Now, as to those Bible references provided, let’s discuss them through Hebrew lenses.

Referencing Matthew 21, perhaps it might interest you to know that Yeshua wasn’t committing “civil disobedience" by throwing the money changers out of the Temple. They were DESECRATING the Temple on SHABBAT! He said, “It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.’” (Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:17; Luke 14:23; Mark.11:11). The Temple was his own possession and he had a personal interest in what was taking place. (See Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11.)

Matthew 23:2 was also quoted.

The Aramaic word korseya (Hebrew cognate kisseh- see Genesis 41:40) specifically means “throne”, exactly as in the Aramaic portion of Daniel 7:9. Y’shua is describing a seat of judgment that implies YHWH’s authority.

So while Y’shua vigorously rebukes the scribes and the Pharisees for rebellion, hypocrisy, and their MAN-MADE TRADITIONS THAT MAKE VOID THE TORAH; he also recognizes them as the rightful inheritors of Torah-based halakha (applying the Word of YHWH to our lives).

Y’shua would not mention Moshe when the Pharisees are “they” who sit in Moshe’s seat. Peshitta and Greek texts agree that since the Pharisees “sit in Moshe’s seat” they should teach Moshe; but, instead, they elevate their oral traditions above Torah. The fact of the matter is, if they would actually study Torah, they would know Y’shua is Mashiyach. Y’shua returns to this point in John 5:46-47.

As for Matthew 27, the DIVINE JEWISH MESSIAH KNEW HE WAS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE PUT TO DEATH at the hands of his own people and a pagan government that had been enslaving YHWH’S people and harassing them about TORAH, so why should he have bothered answering? What good would it have done? He KNEW HE HAD TO DIE to become our REDEMPTION! He was obeying his FATHER’S commands to do everything he was told (Deuteronomy 18:15-18; Luke 4: 43 and 8:1).

GOD HIMSELF isn’t telling US to DISOBEY orders designed to keep us safe from a plague, is He? It’s strictly the American public rebelling because most don’t seem to have respect for authorities of ANY kind anymore….

Unlike Yeshua, the selfish and self-serving, arrogant, rebellious people of the United States, aren’t being crucified for their beliefs. Being instructed to “shelter in place” and to COOPERATE in order to remain safe during a pandemic can hardly be compared to Nazi Germany (as many “armchair experts” are also doing). Nobody is standing at the gallows waiting to be hung if they don’t cooperate with the instructions to wear facemasks in public.

So as much as people are trying to make it look like the end of the world because they’ve been asked to cooperate during a deadly PLAGUE, we aren’t living under any oppressive regime as in Yeshua’s day (although in recent times we began to start voting for some with questionable qualifications and agendas)….

The bottom line is, most Americans are unbelievers, or lukewarm, at best (with MOST NOT BEING OBEDIENT TO TORAH!) … and so YHWH has sent a plague. Judging by everything that has transpired over the last 2,000 years since Yeshua died, we’re IN the end times!

Instead of hanging out on Facebook to fight and argue with each other, and relentlessly talk about and bash our country’s leaders (no matter how much we might dislike them), how about turning to YHWH/Yeshua/Torah, like were SUPPOSED to do?