Order is Important

By Wes Myhre     

We see order is important in our everyday mathematical processes.  Do you recall the order of operations?

“Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally,” Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right).  Let us look at a simple equations of: 2²+5*(8+1)*3-4=?  Is the answer 37, 135, -81, or 119?

2²+5*(8+1)*3-4=?

=4+5*9*3-4

=4+45*3-4

=4+135-4

=139-4

=135

The answer is 135 because we have to follow the order of operations as shown.

If we did not have the order of operations in mathematics, finding right answers would be confusing if not all together impossible.  We find YHWH/Yeshua designates order of operations throughout all of His creation, including His Word.  So let us look into this to a small degree.

“God’s logic is built into the universe, and so the universe is not haphazard or arbitrary. It obeys laws of chemistry that are logically derived from the laws of physics, many of which can be logically derived from other laws of physics and laws of mathematics. The most fundamental laws of nature exist only because God wills them to; they are the logical, orderly way that the Lord upholds and sustains the universe He has created. The atheist is unable to account for the logical, orderly state of the universe. Why should the universe obey laws if there is no law-giver? But laws of nature are perfectly consistent with biblical creation. In fact, the Bible is the foundation for natural laws”(Lisle).  (Emphasis added.) 

Please note, in this statement the implication of molecular composition, mathematical order, physical structure, and natural category as the basis to creation’s birth and its survival. We see that logical sequences of steps occur in our world in order for every single, breath, thought, idea, thing, and place to exist.  Without this strict adherence to the many scientific and mathematical laws everything would dissolve into a mass of confusion! Simplistic, yet true.

I am so glad YHWH is steadfast and is never changing.

⁶ For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Malachi 3:6

²⁵ Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. ²⁶ They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:²⁷ But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. Psalm 102:25-27

 ¹⁵Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.¹⁶ Do not err, my beloved brethren.¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:15-17

⁷ Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. ⁸ Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. ⁹ Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.  Hebrews 13:7-9

Therefore, I ask what has changed in YHWH/Yeshua’s world? Our interpretation of the bible?  Well, let us delve into that issue and correlate it with YHWH/Yeshua’s example.  I submit understanding the bible in the order in which it took place will provided the essential frame work from which to decipher the Gospels.

To understand that general order is important, let us look at the order in which YHWH used in the creation of our world.

The Biblical account of Creation shows us that our whole cosmos sprang into existence over a literal six day period. It is perfectly clear from the context of the verses in Genesis 1 that these were literal days, and not figurative.  We will find this out from a purely logical point of view.Some may have trouble reconciling the issues pertaining to the existence of extradimensional spaces and time distortions contained in each dimension, but this is a discussion for another time and place. I bring this up in order to provide a plausible explanation for the rest of the spiritual world, which interacts with our dimension on a daily basis.  For a more in depth look at dimensionalities, do a study in quantum physics.

An aside, I will leave you with this question, “Can YHWH/Yeshua create simultaneously in another dimension while creating in this dimension, and will time move slower, faster or the same in the other dimension? We should not get stuck in a linear-timeline-thought-process… Remember YHWH/Yeshua’s ways are so much higher than ours.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:9

Let us move on and break down the Creation Week event.

¹ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ² And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. ³ And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. ⁴ And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. ⁵ And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.  Genesis 1:1-5

Day One

1. Earth a watery and formless planet suspended in the darkness and the void of space with no sun stars, moon, or planets existing other than Earth.
2. Light created.
3. Separation of light from the darkness, possibly the first indication that the planet is rotating, the day and night cycle produced.

⁶ And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. ⁷ And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. ⁸ And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. Genesis 1:6-8

Day Two

1. The formation of our atmosphere separating earth’s water into two parts: 1) oceanic and the subterranean waters separated from 2) the atmospheric water, and possibly water on the edge of our cosmos.

⁹ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. ¹⁰ And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas: and God saw that it was good. ¹¹ And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. ¹² And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ¹³ And the evening and the morning were the third day. Genesis 1:9-13

Day Three

1. Dry land and oceans form.
2. Creation of systems to water the entire land surface using subterranean waters, springs, and / or mist.
3. Creation of vegetation, seed-bearing plants, trees that bear fruit.

¹⁴ And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: ¹⁵ And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. ¹⁶ And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. ¹⁷ And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸ And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. ¹⁹ And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. Genesis 1:14-19

Day Four

1. Creation of Sun
2. Creation of the Moon in an established orbit to mark passage of time: months, seasons, and years.
3. Formation of stars and other planets.

²⁰ And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. ²¹ And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ²² And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. ²³ And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. Genesis 1:20-23

Day Five

1. Creation of water creatures of all kinds.
2. Creation of birds.

²⁴ And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. ²⁵ And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ²⁶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  ²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ²⁸ And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. ²⁹ And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. ³⁰ And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. ³¹ And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1:24-31

Day six

1. Creation of land animals.
2. Creation of Adam.
3. Creation of Eve, taken from Adam.

“Spontaneous generation (the emergence of life from nonliving matter) has never been observed. All observations have shown that life comes only from life. This has been observed so consistently it is called the law of biogenesis. The theory of evolution conflicts with this scientific law when claiming that life came from nonliving matter through natural processes” (Brown).

Remember, Yeshua, aka “the way the truth and the life,” made all things including life. We see life comes from life.

On day one the beginning, Elohim/Yeshua said, “hayah” or what we know as “let there be.”  He gave a verbal command, and we know it was Yeshua according to John.

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² The same was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:1-5

On day two we find the creation of the earth’s atmosphere and water supply.  Then we find the creation of dry land and oceans on day three, places for vegetation to grow or rather the sustenance for all of Yeshua’s creatures. So far, we find all logical sequence of steps. Case in point, we know vegetation needs sunlight for photosynthesis and just as important the vegetation needs the creation of seasons to allow for germination and maturation of plants; thus on day four the creation of the sun moon and stars.   On day five we find the creation of water creatures and birds, a key part in keeping the water supply clean and useable.  And on day six, Yeshua created the land animals, and finally, He formed man from the ground in His image so all creatures, both earthly and heavenly, would be witnesses to His opus. (Note: do not forget Yeshua wold have provided the light until the sun was created.)

Yes, order is important.  Let us look at some examples through the creation process.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. Genesis 1:11 (Emphasis added.)

And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.  Genesis 1:12 (Emphasis added.)

And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. .  Genesis 1:21 (Emphasis added.)

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. .  Genesis 1:24 (Emphasis added.)

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. .  Genesis 1:25 (Emphasis added.)

Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after Genesis 6:20 (Emphasis added.)

They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. .  Genesis 7:14 (Emphasis added.)

And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. .  Genesis 3:19(Emphasis added.)

And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Leviticus 11:14 (Emphasis added.)

Every raven after his kind; Leviticus 11:15 (Emphasis added.)

And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, Leviticus 11:16 (Emphasis added.)

Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. Leviticus 11:22 (Emphasis added.)

These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind, Leviticus 11:29 (Emphasis added.)

And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind, Deuteronomy 14:13 (Emphasis added.)

And every raven after his kind, Deuteronomy 14:14 (Emphasis added.)

And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, Deuteronomy 14:15 (Emphasis added.)

Now, let us look at how YHWH defines not having order, which we know as confusion. Strong’s defines תֶּבֶל tebel, teh’-bel; apparently from H1101; mixture, i.e. confusion (violation of nature or divine order) and perversion (in sexual sin) unnatural bestiality (Strong’s).

And Strong’s defines קָלוֹן qâlôwn, kaw-lone’ (H7036); from H7034; disgrace; (by implication) the pudenda:—confusion, dishonour, ignominy, reproach, shame (Strong’s).

Strong’s defines תֹּהוּ tôhûw, to’-hoo (H8414); from an unused root meaning to lie waste; a desolation (of surface), i.e. desert; figuratively, a worthless thing; adverbially, in vain:—confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness (Stong’s).

Here are the words used to describe confusion in the Hebrew language, violation of nature or divine order) and perversion (in sexual sin) unnatural bestiality, dishonor, ignominy, reproach, shame desert, a worthless thing, empty place, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, and wilderness.  So now let us read about it in context.

Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. Leviticus 18:23 (Emphasis added.)

And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them. Leviticus 20:12 (Emphasis added.)

Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. Ezra 9:7 (Emphasis added.)

If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction; Job 10:15 (Emphasis added.)

My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, Psalms 44:15 (Emphasis added.)

In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. Psalms 71:1 (Emphasis added.)

Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. Isaiah 30:3 (Emphasis added.)

But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness. Isaiah 34:11 (Emphasis added.)

Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion. Isaiah 41:29 (Emphasis added.)

They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols. Isaiah 45:16 (Emphasis added.)

For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. Isaiah 61:7 (Emphasis added.)

We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God. Jeramiah 3:25 (Emphasis added.)

Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces? Jeramiah 7:19 (Emphasis added.)

But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten. Jeramiah 20:11 (Emphasis added.)

O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. Daniel 9:7-8 (Emphasis added.)

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. James 3:16 (Emphasis added.)

We can clearly understand confusion is sin from these scripture verses.  So I ask you a very simple question, will YHWH/Yeshua be confusing?  Well, to answer this, let us look at these verses. First of all we find this.

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 1 Corinthians 14:33 (Emphasis added.)

And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin. 1 John 3:5 (Emphasis added.)

²¹ For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: ²² Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: ²³ Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to him that judgeth righteously: ²⁴ Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 2:21-24 (Emphasis added.)

¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 (Emphasis added.)

From other studies we find that YHWH/Yeshua are one.  How this is manifested in YHWH and Yeshua’s reality, I will not venture to guess, but for our purposes, Their wills, actions, instructions, and commands perfectly align, are the same, no changes.

I and [my] Father are one. John 10:30

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (Emphasis added.)

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. John 8:58

I and [my] Father are one. John 10:30-33

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²The same was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. John 1:1-3 (Emphasis added.)

So then, with all that said, we must ask ourselves how then do we read and understand the bible.  To answer that we look at how it was given to us, from the beginning to the end, the aleph-tav, alpha-omega, Genesis to Revelation.  Why is it then most seminary educated, pastors/church leaders have new converts begin reading in John?

Remember what Peter said in 1 Peter 3:16, “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”  Let us look closely at what the words unlearned and unstable mean.

Strong’s Defines ἀμαθής amathḗs, am-ath-ace’; from G1 (as a negative particle) and G3129; ignorant:—unlearned (amathḗs).

Strong’s Defines ἀστήρικτος astḗriktos, as-tay’-rik-tos; from G1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of G4741; unfixed, i.e. (figuratively) vacillating:—unstable (astḗriktos).

From a scriptural context we can deduce those that are unlearned refer to those who do not know and understand the Tanakh, consisting of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings.  They are confused. In Peter’s day it was very important to know and read the scriptures as seen in this quote found in several sources, (websites provided).

“The Mishnah(1) describes the educational process for a young Jewish boy in Jesus’ time. At five years old [one is fit] for the Scripture, at ten years the Mishnah (oral Torah, interpretations) at thirteen for the fulfilling of the commandments, at fifteen the Talmud (making Rabbinic interpretations), at eighteen the bride-chamber, at twenty pursuing a vocation, at thirty for authority (able to teach others). This clearly describes the exceptional student, for very few would become teachers but indicates the centrality of Scripture in the education in Galilee. It is interesting to compare Jesus’ life to this description. Though little is stated about his childhood we know that he “grew in wisdom” as a boy (Luke 2:52) and that he reached the “fulfilling of the commandments” indicated by ones first Passover at age twelve (Luke 2:41). He then learned a trade (Matt. 13:55, Mark 6:3) and spent time with John the Baptist (Luke 3:21; John 3:22-26) and began his ministry at -about thirty- (Luke 3:23). This parallels the Mishnah description quite closely. It certainly demands a closer look at the education process in Galilee” (Laan).

Here are three websites to check out in order to generate a better understanding of the Jewish education in the Torah: http://www.biblescholars.org/2013/05/study-shows-jesus-as-rabbi.html,

http://ssnet.org/blog/boy-jesus-learn-scriptures/ , and

https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/rabbi-and-talmidim.

So we can see that young people were extensively trained in the Tanakh; however, those who were unlearned and unstable had a feeble understanding of the Tanakh.

Also, we can study about the Bereans as mentioned in Acts 17:10-11,

“¹⁰ And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

You must understand the scripture the Bereans used was the Tanakh and only the Tanakh.  To appreciate this more, go to the this article, Scripture in the Brit Chadashah, in which it is shown that scripture refers to the writings of the Tanakh .  Everything Paul and Silas said had to line up with these writings.  We are told the Bereans searched the scriptures on a daily basis.  Here the word “searched” in the Greek is  ἀνακρίνω anakrínō, an-ak-ree’-no; from G303 and G2919; properly, to scrutinize, i.e. (by implication) investigate, interrogate, determine:—ask, question, discern, examine, judge, search, as defined in Strong’s.

Another informative article on this subject can be found here, http://www.gty.org/blog/B150812/meet-the-bereans.

These Bereans were very intelligent, dedicated people where “Old Testament” scripture was of the utmost importance.

So now with what we have learned so far, YHWH/Yeshua demonstrates the order of things is important as well as studying and understanding the Tanakh scripture. Why is it then that as new Christians we are told to first read and understand the book of John, when we have no frame of reference in which to decode this book?  Even at the Jerusalem Counsel as recorded in Acts 15, James stated:

“¹⁹ Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble and make it difficult for those who are turning to God among the Gentiles [by putting obstacles in their way], ²⁰ but that we write to them that they are to abstain from anything that has been contaminated by [being offered to] idols and from sexual impurity and from [eating the meat of] what has been strangled and from [the consumption of] blood. ²¹ For from ancient generations [the writing of] Moses has been preached in every city, since he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.” Acts 15:20-21 AMP

Here we find that new believers needed to learn the writings of Moses.

We need to understand and wrap our heads around the fact the only frame work in which we can decode and understand the New Testament, Brit Chadashah, is through having a rudimental understanding of the Tanakh, Old Testament.  You see order is important.  The Tanakh, Old Testament, decodes the Brit Chadashah, the New Testament, not the other way around.  So therefore, before trying to understand Paul, James, John, Mark, and Matthew, we need to understand the fundamentals with which these disciples and apostles built their frame of reference.  And that is found in Genesis through Malachi.

This blog attempts to root out this very concept.  This course travails through rough and often almost impassible terrain, but with careful scrutiny of biblical procedure we can weave our way through those difficult passage ways.

Bibliography

1. Lisle, Jason Dr. “God & Natural Law.” https://answersingenesis.org/is-god-real/god-natural-law/ Answers in Genesis. 28 06. Web. 15 Dec. 16.
2. Brown, Walt Dr. “In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood.” http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/LifeSciences4.html Center for Scientific Creation. 14 Dec 16. Web. 15 Dec 16.
3. “`Tebel (H8397)” The Blue Letter Bible Online, The Blue Letter Bible, n.d. Thur. 15 Dec. 2016.
4. “`qâlôwn (H7036)” The Blue Letter Bible Online, The Blue Letter Bible, n.d. Thur. 15 Dec. 2016.
5. “Tôhûw (H8414)” The Blue Letter Bible Online, The Blue Letter Bible, n.d. Thur. 15 Dec. 2016.
6. “Amathḗs (G261)” The Blue Letter Bible Online, The Blue Letter Bible, n.d. Thur. 19 Dec. 2016.
7. “Astḗriktos (G793)” The Blue Letter Bible Online, The Blue Letter Bible, n.d. Thur. 19 Dec. 2016.
8. Laan, Ryan Vander. “Rabbi and Talmidim.” https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/rabbi-and-talmidim. That theWorld May Know.1974. 20 Dec 16.