Shoftim “Judges”
Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9
Isaiah 51:12–52:12
1 John 1-5

Torah Does Not Need Restoration

The title should get your undivided attention! You might wonder if I have been spending too many hours with my cows and goats and have lost it, reverting to old ways. Not to be concerned. Just keep reading!

For a number of years I have been challenging people to write the Torah. I have no idea how many have taken on this task. But it seems that everywhere I go someone will mention they are writing the Torah. One lady recently even blamed me for her writer's cramps, but then thanked me for them. The verse we have used for writing Torah is in this week's portion. It is addressed specifically to the king. My premise has been that Yeshua is our King and a commandment good enough for Him is also good enough for us.

The commandment to write the Torah of course is a good one, but it is only half of the equation. The rest of the verse states that the king is also to read the Torah every single day. This brings me back to the title.

Last year I visited a local congregation. The leader made the following statement, "Torah does not need to be restored, it needs to be read!" That statement was worth the trip into the big city for me. I began to think this through and recall how many books there are about restoration of the Torah. I am not putting these books down, but rather asking that we take a new look at the basis of what we are being taught by them. Is it really the Torah that needs to be restored? Is Torah like an old car that has rusted out through the years, needs new tires, paint and an engine overhaul? I think not.

Though the Torah has been stolen from the family of Elohim for many years the problem has never been with Torah, but rather those who are not following it. Torah does not need to be restored. It is as bright, shiny and perfect as it was on the day it was given to Moses. What needs to be restored is not Torah, but rather us. Yes, we are the ones who are rusty, broken down and in need of repair. It is the Torah in our lives which will bring forth a restoration like the world has never seen before.

How do we see this restoration? It is really very simple. The first step is to admit that we are the ones that need to be restored, not Torah and not our Creator. It is a process mentioned in Acts this week called Teshuvah. Teshuvah is simply turning from our old ways and mindsets and taking on a new way, His way. How do we know this new way though? It is through the reading and observance of His Word. Deuteronomy tells us to read it daily.

It is amazing to me how busy life can be these days. It seems that I no more than get up in the morning when it is time to go to bed, so I can get up. It seems that it doesn’t take as long to spend the night somewhere as in previous days. Do you know what I mean? With this speeding up of time there are many things that get shorted. The relationship with our spouse, children and friends can get mixed up in our priority list, not to mention our relationship with Abba. The downhill slide begins when His Word no longer is a priority in our day. We forget to read or become too busy to read. One day becomes two, becomes three, and then a week. Shabbat rolls around and not only have we not read any Scripture in the past week, we do not even know where our Bible is. Am I starting to meddle yet? Am I getting close to home?

We are coming quickly to the end of the Torah cycle this year. We will begin again in a few short weeks. How about beginning this week a practice of not reading scripture on a weekly basis, but make it a rule of your life to read daily. Allow His Word to cleanse you, to direct you and to heal you on a daily basis. Remember, it is not Torah that needs to be restored, but you and I. We need our spirits, souls, bodies, relationships, finances and much more restored. We all need a good overhaul, one that only He is capable of accomplishing.

If you are writing Torah, keep it up. If you have not begun to write, consider it. By all means though if you are not reading on a daily basis, realize the scripture says it is a command, not a good suggestion for our well-being and restoration.