Signs
We have signs everywhere today. Signs that direct, signs that inform, signs that warn. Signs generally convey needed information to the public. Everyone who has eyes can read the information on them. Have you ignored the signs, or don't notice the signs? This article may help.
Warning signs
Dave started his day, just like all his workdays with the twenty-two mile drive from his home to work. It was a typical day, nothing unusual just like Dave liked it. The drive to work takes Dave through two small towns. The road is mostly in a mountainous deforested area that a large company is strip mining for its mineral resources. The drive is pretty bleak except when driving through the small towns on his way. Signs along the way direct to intersecting roads, mile markers, a few advertisement billboards, and numerous warning signs. Most of them warning of falling rocks. Dave snickers to himself; he has yet to see rocks in the road during the three years he has been traveling on it. He wonders why they spend the money putting the silly things up. He gets to work and spends the day toiling at his job at the mine, welding broken metal parts on mine equipment.
It was a long hot day; the pace was pretty hectic today. Man, the shower will sure feel great tonight Dave thinks to himself. The drive home was going as usual until Dave rounded the corner and saw the large boulder blocking the roadway. Fighting the fatigue from his grueling day at work he attempts to avoid the immanent collision. He overcompensates and skids off of the roadside. The long drop to the valley floor leaves his car a mangled heap. Still alive, Dave fights with his seatbelt and tries to free himself from the crumpled passenger compartment. He realizes he doesn't have much time, He can't believe it. What he thought only occurred in the movies, was occurring to him. The vehicles gas tank had caught fire, and flames are enveloping the back of the car.
Dave thinks to himself during his remaining time of how he should have heeded the signs. These signs that he had mocked he now realizes that they were there for a reason. The fire envelops the car and Dave becomes another victim of the cruel road that has claimed so many lives.
How many times do we read our Scriptures or hear someone telling us to heed the warnings they have to give mankind?
The truth is plain for all who care to see it. Do you open your eyes and heed the warnings or do you see the truth and act upon it? Either way, you will know the truth, either from the top of the mountain or from the valley floor.
The scriptural signs
What signs do the scriptures give us as warnings? Lets take a look.
Exodus 13:7-10
6"Seven days you eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day is a festival to YHWH. 7"Unleavened bread is to be eaten the seven days, and whatever is leavened is not to be seen with you, and leaven is not to be seen with you within all your border. 8"And you shall inform your son in that day, saying, 'It is because of what YHWH did for me when I came up from Mitsrayim.' 9"And it shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a reminder between your eyes, that the Torah of YHWH is to be in your mouth, for with a strong hand YHWH has brought you out of Mitsrayim. 10"And you shall guard this law at its appointed time from year to year.
This command given by the Eternal to the Hebrew people to observe the festival of unleavened and it was to be a SIGN to the people. They were to keep it as a Law from year to year (always). The SIGN was to be on their hands (which symbolizes work). And was to be a reminder between their eyes (which symbolizes thought, feelings, and memory).
Lets look at another SIGN given as a warning to the Hebrew people.
Exodus 31
12And YHWH spoke to Mosheh, saying, 13"And you, speak to the children of Yisra'el, saying, 'My Sabbaths you are to guard, by all means, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, to know that I, YHWH, am setting you apart. 14'And you shall guard the Sabbath, for it is set-apart to you. Everyone who profanes it shall certainly be put to death, for anyone who does work on it, that being shall be cut off from among his people. 15'Six days work is done, and on the seventh is a Sabbath of rest, set-apart to YHWH. Everyone doing work on the Sabbath day shall certainly be put to death. 16'And the children of Yisra'el shall guard the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant. 17'Between Me and the children of Yisra'el it is a sign forever. For in six days YHWH made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.' "
Here the creator is reaffirming to the Hebrew people that the Sabbath command is to be observed forever and that it was to be a SIGN between the Eternal and his people.
Lets look at one more example before we move on.
Ezekiel 55
10"So I took them out of the land of Mitsrayim, and I brought them into the wilderness. 11"And I gave them My laws and showed them My right-rulings, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them.' 12"And I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, to know that I am YHWH who sets them apart. 13"But the house of Yisra'el rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My laws, and they rejected My right-rulings, which, if a man does, he shall live by them. And they greatly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them. 14"But I acted for My Name's sake, not to profane it before the gentiles, before whose eyes I had brought them out. 15"And I Myself also lifted My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, not to bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, the splendour of all lands, 16because they rejected My right-rulings and did not walk in My laws, and they profaned My Sabbaths. For their heart went after their idols. 17"And My eye pardoned them, from destroying them. And I did not make an end of them in the wilderness. 18"And I said to their children in the wilderness, 'Do not walk in the laws of your fathers, nor observe their rulings, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19'I am YHWH your Elohim. Walk in My laws, and guard My right-rulings, and do them. 20'And set apart My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, to know that I am YHWH your Elohim.'
This example shows us once again that the Sabbaths (the 7th day and the set apart feast days), are a SIGN between YHWH and His people. Also there is a heavy inference that the laws and commands set down by the Creator are entwined with the Sabbath command.
The Fourth commandment is directly after the first three Commandments, which His people are to observe in honor of Him. If we look upon the fourth Commandment in the spirit it was given, we can easily understand that the Sabbath Commandment is a continuation of the love, honor, reverence, and respect that His people should show to Him.
The Signs, where did they go?
The office
We have been receiving a lot of complaints from our south office. I need you to go investigate the situation and report back to me.
Yes sir I will leave in the morning.
I am here to investigate reports of problems here at the office. What are your perceptions of the situation Mr. Clarke?
Well we have problems from time to time, but nothing serious. Actually we were doing pretty well until the company sent the business manager to the office.
What business manager is that?
He was here some time ago. He said he was sent by the company owner to help boost morale and improve understanding of the company's standards and guidelines. He held classes on how to correctly interpret and follow the guidebook.
Did he teach something different than what was in the guidebook?
Well to be honest I don't think he did. He just told us that we didn't have to follow the rules like they were etched in stone, and that every situation is different and that we should do the right thing.
That doesn't sound too bad. If that is what he was teaching, why is this office in such a mess?
Everything was fine for a while, then a small group of people in the office decided that since they had been taught that the letter of the guidebook didn't have to be followed, they could define for themselves how the guidebook should be interpreted. Things have gone downhill ever since. This attitude has gone through the office like the flu, and just about everyone has his or her own interpretations of what the guidebook rules mean.
Thank you for your assistance Mr. Clarke. I need you to schedule a meeting for the whole company for me; everyone needs to be there.
Yes sir, I'll set it up for tomorrow morning.
I will make this message short and won't take up much of your time. The company guidebook rules need to be followed. You are not to put your own meaning into the rules. The guidelines were set up to keep everyone in the company happy. What I see happening here is a twisting of the guidelines to fit each individuals desires. This cannot continue! If you want to remain with the company you have to follow these rules. I will return in one month to evaluate your progress. Anyone who cannot abide by the rules will be fired.
Hello Mr. Clarke, I hope everything is going well.
regretably they are not going as well as I would like them to.
What seems to be the problem?
Well we have had about twenty five percent of the office quit because they didn't agree with the strictness of the rules in the guidebook. And we have about seventy percent of the people who don't care about what you had to say, and don't believe you will fire them.
Mr. Clarke will you please set up another meeting? I also want a list of the people who are keeping the rules according to the guidebook.
Certainly, I will set it up for tomorrow afternoon. Everyone will be available then.
It is with deep regret that I must inform many of you of your termination. You were warned of the consequences, all you had to do was follow the rules as they were intended to be followed. Everyone whose name I do not call is fired.
There was quite a disturbance afterward, cursing, yelling, and screaming, the people objected to the penalty they had received for not listening to the warning and for not keeping the rules set down in the guidebook.
Mr. Clarke please call all of the remaining employees into the conference room in the morning please.
Will do.
Ladies and gentlemen thank you for maintaining your integrity and keeping the rules of the guidebook as they were meant to be followed. I have been authorized by the company owner to promote you all to supervisory positions, you will all be given pay raises amounting to twenty times your existing wages. Congratulations to you all, it is a pleasure working with you.
Changed?
Have the warning signs been changed?
Or is it the wishful thinking of most people?
Which is it?
Matthew 5:17
17"Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to complete.
Matthew 19:17
17And He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except One - Elohim. But if you wish to enter into life, guard the commands."
John 15:10
10"If you guard My commands, you shall stay in My love, even as I have guarded My Father's commands and stay in His love.
Psalm 103 partial
17But the kindness of YHWH Is from everlasting to everlasting Upon those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children, 18To those who guard His covenant, And to those who remember His orders to do them. 19YHWH has established His throne in the heavens, And His reign shall rule over all. 20Bless YHWH, you His messengers, Mighty in power, who do His Word, Listening to the voice of His Word. 21Bless YHWH, all you His hosts, You His servants, who do His pleasure.
Daniel 9 partial
4And I prayed to YHWH my Elohim, and made confession, and said, "O YHWH, great and awesome El, guarding the covenant and the kindness to those who love Him, and to those who guard His commands. 5"We have sinned and did crookedness, and did wrong and rebelled, to turn aside from Your commands and from Your right- rulings. 6"And we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your Name to our sovereigns, our heads, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
There are literally hundreds of scripture verses that support Commandment keeping, and only very few verses that the meanings are twisted to fit the readers own interpretation. The warning signs have not changed; only the attitudes and perceptions of the people have changed to fit their liberal lifestyle. Unwilling to give up their freedom to choose how to live their lives, they adhere to the teachings of men that lead them on the path to death. The warning signs are still valid; they are just covered up by false beliefs.
Not applicable to me?
The car was speeding down the highway at almost ninety miles an hour. Zooming past the other cars, the owner is intent on getting to his destination in a hurry. Traffic is pretty light on the highway today; the owner should make really good time. The owner isn't late for an engagement; he just wants to get to where he is going. He thinks to himself that the speed limit of seventy miles an hour is too slow on this long straight highway. He knows that he can cut fifteen minutes off of his commute time when he drives the speed he feels is safe for the road conditions.
A car pulls into the fast lane to pass a car in front of him. Driving too fast to avoid a collision, he swerves towards the edge of the road to avoid slamming into the the car in front of him. This maneuver causes his car to flip end over end many times before coming to rest and bursting into flames. He dies instantly from the trauma of the accident.
Acts 28 partial
26saying, 'Go to this people and say, "Hearing you shall hear but by no means understand, and seeing you shall see but by no means perceive, 27for the heart of this people has become thickened, and with their ears they heard heavily, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn back, and I should heal them." ' 28"Therefore let it be known to you that the deliverance of Elohim has been sent to the gentiles, and they shall hear!"
When we decide that we are above the law or that the law is not binding on us, we must be ready to suffer the consequences of our actions.
The stop sign
Melissa was late for her appointment at the salon. What a hectic day this has been she thought. I will sure be glad when I get to the salon so I can relax for a while. I've had to take the kids to school, take the van in for an oil change at the dealership, I did the weekly grocery shopping, cleaned the house and now I'm ready to take a break!
Melissa glances in her rear view mirror and sees a police car behind her with its lights on. She pulls to the side of the road and stops, trying to think of a reason why she is being pulled over. The officer comes to the van door and asks for her license and registration. After checking them for problems he returns to the van and asks her if she knows why he has stopped her. She sheepishly admits that she doesn't have a clue as to why she was stopped. The officer informs her that she had run a stop sign about a half a mile back.
I didn't see a stop sign officer, that can't be.
Well M'am I watched you drive right through it without hesitating, thankfully there weren't any cars coming.
I am so sorry officer; I truly didn't see the sign.
Well M'am, I have to give you a ticket for this.
But officer I don't understand why you have to give me a ticket.
Well if I were to just let you off with a warning, you probably won't learn your lesson and next time you may kill someone or yourself. My conscience won't allow me to let you off, sorry M'am. The laws are given to us to protect us and we need to be aware of them at all times.
Too busy with the cares of this world? Heed the warning signs and be ready! If your too busy to see the signs, perhaps you should stop, take a look around and make sure you aren't endangering your life, or someone elses.
Luke 21 partial
33"The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall by no means pass away. 34"And take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down by gluttony, and drunkenness, and worries of this life, and that day come on you suddenly. 35"For it shall come as a snare on all those dwelling on the face of all the earth. 36"Watch then at all times, and pray that you be counted worthy to escape all this about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Adam."
Deuteronomy 4 partial
5"See, I have taught you laws and right-rulings, as YHWH my Elohim commanded me, to do thus in the land which you go to possess. 6"And you shall guard and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the peoples who hear all these laws, and they shall say, 'Only a wise and understanding people is this great nation!' 7"For what great nation is there which has Elohim so near to it, as YHWH our Elohim is to us, whenever we call on Him? 8"And what great nation is there that has such laws and righteous right-rulings like all this Torah which I set before you this day? 9"Only, guard yourself, and guard your life diligently, lest you forget the Words your eyes have seen, and lest they turn aside from your heart all the days of your life. And you shall make them known to your children and your grandchildren.
Are we so busy with our lives here on Earth that we overlook the warning signs?
Proof of the signs validity
For the person who refuses to believe the signs are for them even after all of the warnings, here is scriptural proof that they are for all men, and for all time.
Isa'Yah 58 partial
13"If you do turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My set-apart day, and shall call the Sabbath 'a delight,' the set-apart day of YHWH 'esteemed,' and shall esteem it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, 14then you shall delight yourself in YHWH. And I shall cause you to ride on the heights of the earth, and feed you with the inheritance of Ya'aqob your father. For the mouth of YHWH has spoken!"
Isa'Yah 66 partial
19"And I shall set a sign among them, and shall send some of those who escape to the nations - Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Yawan, the coastlands afar off who have not heard My report nor seen My esteem. And they shall declare My esteem among the gentiles. 20"And they shall bring all your brothers as an offering to YHWH out of all the gentiles, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My set-apart mountain Yerushalayim," declares YHWH, "as the children of Yisra'el bring an offering in a clean vessel into the House of YHWH. 21"And from them too I shall take for priests - for Lewites," declares YHWH. 22"For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make stand before Me," declares YHWH, "so your seed and your name shall stand. 23"And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, ALL flesh shall come to worship before Me," declares YHWH.
Isa'Yah 56
Thus said YHWH, "Guard right-ruling, and do righteousness, for near is My deliverance to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. 2"Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it, guarding the Sabbath lest he profane it, and guarding his hand from doing any evil. 3"And let not the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to YHWH speak, saying, 'YHWH has certainly separated me from His people,' nor let the eunuch say, 'Look I am a dry tree.' " 4For thus said YHWH, "To the eunuchs who guard My Sabbaths, and have chosen what pleases Me, and hold fast to My covenant: 5to them I shall give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters - I give them an everlasting name that is not cut off. 6"Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to YHWH, to serve Him, and to love the Name of YHWH, to be His servants, all who guard the Sabbath, and not profane it, and hold fast to My covenant - 7them I shall bring to My set-apart mountain, and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their slaughterings are accepted on My altar, for My house is called a house of prayer for all the peoples." 8The Master YHWH, who gathers the outcasts of Yisra'el, declares, "I gather still others to him besides those who are gathered to him."
9All you beasts of the field, come to devour, all you beasts in the forest. 10His watchmen are blind, all of them, they have not known. All of them are dumb dogs, unable to bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. 11And the dogs have a strong appetite, they never have enough. And they are shepherds! They have not known understanding. All of them look to their own way, every one for his own gain, from his own end, saying, 12"Come, let me bring wine and fill ourselves with strong drink. And tomorrow shall be as today, even much greater."
When we keep the Eternals Commandments and keep his Sabbath we show our love and respect for him. Let us do so.
The warning signs for all mankind are the Sabbaths and the Commandments.
Shalom & Agape in YHWH’s precious Name
