Circumcision

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): It is ALWAYS a good thing to obey our Father’s commandments — especially a commandment that He called “a sign of the covenant”.

Circumcision and The Covenant

What do The Scriptures teach when it comes to circumcision? And what do The Scriptures say about us keeping the command of circumcision today? Just as observing the Shabbat (Sabbath) is a perpetual sign of the covenant for the children of the Most High YAH, physical circumcision is also a commanded covenantal sign for males. This applies to both bloodline Israelite males and males from other nations who are grafted into Israel—all males in covenant with YAH are to be circumcised. And before we go any further, let’s first allow YAH Himself to speak to us through His Word. Alright, let’s get into it:

“And Elohim (God) said to Aḇraham, “As for you, guard (keep) My covenant, you and your seed (children) after you throughout their generations. “This is My covenant which you guard (keep) between Me and you, and your seed after you: EVERY male child AMONG you is to be circumcised. “And you SHALL circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it SHALL become a SIGN OF THE COVENANT between ME and you. “And a son of eight days is circumcised by you, EVERY male child in your generations, he who is born in your house OR bought with silver from any foreigner who is not of your seed. “He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your silver, has to be circumcised. So shall My covenant be in your FLESH, for an EVERLASTING covenant. “And an uncircumcised male child, who is NOT circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, his LIFE SHALL be CUT OFF from his people – he has BROKEN MY COVENANT.”

Berĕshith (Genesis) 17:9-14 TS2009

That’s pretty clear, isn’t it? But for good measure, read that last line again. So, now that we are clear — if you are a male who wants to be in covenant with The Father, be circumcised, or despise the covenant and be cut off!

Circumcision and Passover

Each year, particularly as we approach the time of Pesach (Passover), the question ‘Do I need to be circumcised?’ often arises, especially among our newly awakened family. Let’s take a deeper look at this and, as always, we establish our foundation with the Torah so let’s continue with that first:”

“ALL the congregation of Yisra’ĕl (Israel) are to perform it (Pesach/Passover). “And when a stranger sojourns with you and shall perform the Pĕsaḥ (Pesach) to יהוה (Yahuah/YAH), let ALL his males be circumcised, AND THEN let him come near and perform it, and he shall be AS A NATIVE of the land. But let NO uncircumcised eat of it. There is ONE TORAH (One Instruction) for the native-born and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

Shemoth (Exodus) 12:47-49 TS2009

Circumcision Today

So, when our ancient Israelite ancestors were slaughtering and eating the Pesach (Passover) Lamb, in complete obedience to the Pesach Torah instructions, one such instruction (as we read above), makes it abundantly clear: NO males were allowed to eat the Pesach IF they were uncircumcised. That’s it… That’s Script! I know, I know, we are keeping Pesach differently as a memorial these days, and many of us are not keeping every instruction perfectly now, I know… For instance, most Israelites have never personally selected a one-year-old Pesach lamb, watched over it from the 10th of Abib until the 14th, and slaughtered it for their households. But, the commandment of circumcision is far more easy to get right, in the sense that it’s a one-and-done act. I wonder why there are questions like “Do I need to be circumcised?”, do they come from a desire to not be circumcised, a heart’s desire to not be in covenant and have the sign of the covenant? I have digressed…

To all my brothers in the flesh, it would have been great if all of our fathers knew and obeyed the commandment to have all of us circumcised as 8-day-old babies, but that wasn’t the case for most of us. And although many of us are circumcised, not many of us were circumcised as 8-day-old babies; some us before, some after our 8th day. So then, shall we say, “Well, since the 8-day requirement was not met, let’s disregard our circumcision altogether?” YAH forbid, of course not! Let us be circumcised, and let us keep the feast!

If you are uncircumcised, what should you do? I say: pray & seek to become circumcised. You might have previously believed, heard, or read that you don’t need to be circumcised, similarly to how you or others might have heard things about not needing to be baptized (more on that later), but you just read the Torah/Instruction above, for yourself, so I implore you to reconcile and renew your mind according to Torah.

Circumcision Physically and Spiritually

Many questions arise after reading certain passages from the Renewed Covenant (‘New Testament’), especially the writings of the apostle Paul (Shaul) when his words are twisted and/or taken out of context (remember 2 Peter 3:15-17). But before we dive into Shaul’s writings, let’s first further reestablish the foundational principles of understanding and order. Yes, physical circumcision of the flesh is important—absolutely (full stop). However, spiritual circumcision, in other words, the circumcision of the heart, has always been and will always be the weightier matter. This is not my opinion, nor Shaul’s, it is the very Word of The Most High — read YAH’s Torah instruction:

“And you SHALL circumcise the foreskin of your HEART, and harden your neck no more.”

Deḇarim (Deuteronomy) 10:16 TS2009

“And יהוה (YAH) your Elohim SHALL circumcise your HEART and the HEART of your seed, to love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being, so that you might LIVE, and יהוה your Elohim shall put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. “And you shall turn back and obey the voice of יהוה and do all His commands which I command you today.”

Deḇarim (Deuteronomy) 30:6-8 TS2009

After all, as important as our outward, fleshly condition is, it is nowhere near as significant as our inward, spiritual condition — in the eyes of YAH! Again, yes, circumcision of the flesh is an important instruction for males in Israel, but circumcision of the heart — which applies to both males and females — is of the greatest importance.

“But יהוה (YAH) said to Shemu’ĕl, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him, for not as man sees, for man looks at the eyes, BUT יהוה looks at the HEART.”

Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 16:7 TS2009

“For the eyes of יהוה (YAH) diligently search throughout all the earth, to show Himself to be strong on behalf of those whose HEART is perfect to Him…”

Diḇre haYamim Bĕt (2 Chronicles) 16:9 TS2009

Circumcision and Paul

So back to what Shaul (Paul) has to say about circumcision, but before we read anything from Shaul, let us always remember what he said about Torah:

“Do we then nullify the Torah through the belief? Let it NOT be! On the contrary, WE ESTABLISH THE TORAH.”

Romiyim (Romans) 3:31 TS2009

“So that the Torah truly is set-apart, and the command set-apart, and righteous, and good.”

Romiyim (Romans) 7:12 TS2009

“And we know that the Torah is good IF one uses it legitimately,”

Timotiyos Aleph (1 Timothy) 1:8 TS2009

And let us always remember what Peter says about our wise, beloved brother the apostle Paul (Shaul):

“Consider also that our King’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul (Shaul) also wrote you with the wisdom YAH gave him. He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭BSB‬‬

We must be careful to “not be carried away by the error of the lawless” who through their “ignorance and unstable” thinking, twist and distort The Scriptures. So now, let us consider this — if we get dressed in the cleanest of white clothing, but our hearts are filthy, well… in the eyes of YAH, we are filthy. This is the same principle Shaul (Paul) emphasized regarding circumcision —- the true, weightier matter is not a physical surgery, but rather a spiritual one; we are to seek and maintain circumcised hearts, having hearts & minds (spirits) that are transformed and purified by YAH and His Words.

“For circumcision INDEED profits IF you practice the Torah, BUT IF you are a transgressor of the Torah, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So, if an uncircumcised one watches over the righteousnesses of the Torah, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned as circumcision? And the uncircumcised by nature, who perfects the Torah, shall judge you who notwithstanding letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the Torah! For he is not a Yehuḏi (Israelite) who is so outwardly, neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But an Israelite is he who is so inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in Spirit, not literally, whose praise is not from men but from Elohim.”

Romiyim (Romans) 2:25-29 TS2009

Let’s once again look to a pre-Shaul text, to make it even more clear, here we see what YAH proclaimed to the prophet Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah:

“See, the days are coming,” declares יהוה, “when I shall PUNISH ALL circumcised WITH the uncircumcised – “Mitsrayim, and Yahuḏah, and Eḏom, and the children of Ammon, and Mo’aḇ, and all those trimmed on the edges, who dwell in the wilderness. For ALL the nations are uncircumcised, and ALL the house of Yisra’ĕl are uncircumcised IN HEART!”

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 9:25-26 TS2009

So again, if a man is circumcised in the flesh but his heart is not, that man is uncircumcised in the eyes of YAH, and punishment is coming.

Circumcisions and Other Rites

We can also, in another way, liken circumcision to a person who is inwardly filthy, and if they get baptized, their flesh might become cleaner, but if their heart remains filthy, they remain filthy despite being baptized.

“He who does wrong, let him do more wrong; he who is filthy, let him be more filthy; he who is righteous, let him be more righteous; he who is set-apart, let him be more set-apart.”

Ḥazon (Revelation) 22:11 TS2009

Also, consider the case for what is commonly called ‘Communion’; physically eating the bread & drinking the wine while having a filthy heart—thus despising the spiritual covenant connection to the sacrificed Body and Blood of the Messiah/HaMashiach — also results in judgment.

“So that whoever should eat this bread or drink this cup of the Master unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Master. But let a man examine (his heart) himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For the one who is eating and drinking unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Master.”

Qorintiyim Aleph (1 Corinthians) 11:27-29 TS2009

Conclusion

So family, let what we do outwardly be an expression of our inward commitment to YAH! Keep & teach the YAH’s Torah/instructions. Be circumcised both physically & spiritually, both are righteous commandments for us to obey, and now hopefully after reading this and your study you will unequivocally understand that a circumcised heart is always the weightier matter.

Strive for excellence in our walk of faith, let us dedicate ourselves to being worthy of entering the gates of The Kingdom by:

1. Diligently keeping and obeying the set-apart commandments of YAH, our loving Father.
2. Maintaining a right standing in the covenant, through the redemptive power of the Messiah, walking in harmony with His instruction (Torah) and example.

“Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones (saints), here are those guarding (keeping) the commands of Elohim AND the belief of יהושע (Yahoshua HaMashiach).”

Ḥazon (Revelation) 14:12 TS2009

Again:

“He who does wrong, let him do more wrong; he who is filthy, let him be more filthy; he who is righteous, let him be more righteous; he who is set-apart, let him be more set-apart. “And see, I am coming speedily, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according to his work (and yes, circumcision is a “work”). “I am the ‘Aleph’ and the ‘Taw’, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. “Blessed are those doing His commands (remember, circumcision is a commandment), so that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city. “But outside (The Kingdom gates) are the dogs and those who enchant with drugs, and those who whore, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and all who love and do falsehood.”

Ḥazon (Revelation) 22:11-15 TS2009

Until next time, shalom ✌🏾
~Yahrahn
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Here is a companion blog on the topic of Baptism:

Baptism

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Now family, some of you might be saying, “But what about what Paul said in 1st Corinthians 7 and the book of Galatians?!?” I know what our wise & beloved brother Paul said, and I agree with him… Again, CONTEXT is key. Remember astute understanding is needed when reading Paul, especially because so many teach the words of Paul in a twisted and out-of-context manner. We all must really remember how the Apostle Peter closed out his writings with guidance, especially when it comes to reading the words of Paul, and how Paul despite his brilliance, will have his words twisted into saying things which he did not mean by many people. Paul’s words, along with other Scriptures, sometimes contain things that are hard to understand, especially by those who are new or ignorant to the ways of The Most High which are found within His Torah/Instructions. But don’t take my word for it, read Peter’s admonition one more time, for yourself:

“And count the patience of our Lord (Master) as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him (by YAH), as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are SOME THINGS in them that are HARD TO UNDERSTAND, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as THEY DO the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are NOT carried away WITH the ERROR OF LAWLESS people and lose your own stability.”

2 Peter 3:15-17 ESV

So, when Shaul/Paul is addressing circumcision in Galatians and 1st Corinthians 7, it might seem as if he is speaking against circumcision & Torah, but that’s not the case. Again, compare what Paul says, to what Paul also says in Romans 3:

“Then what advantage has the Jew (Yahudi)? Or what is the value of circumcision? MUCH IN EVERY WAY. To begin with, the Yahudim were entrusted with the oracles of God (YAH). What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of YAH? By NO means! Let YAH be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” —Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By NO means! On the contrary, WE UPHOLD THE LAW (Torah).”

Romans 3:1-4, 31 ESV

So, we see that Shaul/Paul says that circumcision has tremendous value, he agrees with the Torah—HalleluYAH! What he is addressing in Galatians & Corinthians ties back to Acts 15. When reading Acts 15 we find that there was a group who said that people must be circumcised first, for salvation. Paul and others opposed that non-Torah teaching, and they took the matter to the council of elders in Jerusalem, where they addressed the more immediate issues for the new converts of that time, and addressed four major, weighty sins, while also making it plain that new converts would be able to gather locally over time, each Shabbat, as they learn about the fullness of the Torah/Instructions — circumcision would be an instruction taught & kept. Circumcision was never argued against by either side in Acts, but the priority of it was a point of contention. We also see in the very next chapter (Acts 16) how Shaul takes and circumcises Timothy before they began their ministry together, he’s no hypocrite, Shaul kept & taught Torah which included the instruction of circumcision:

“Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Yahudim who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.”

Acts 16:3-4 ESV

People misunderstand and twist Paul’s words & actions all of the time, just like many do to us Israelites today. We know that circumcision itself, will not get us into The Kingdom, after all, there are all types of men, with all types of beliefs that are circumcised—not just us Israelites. There are circumcised Jews, even Christians, Muslims, other Pagans, and Atheists who despite their circumcision, will not enter into The Kingdom. So as Paul says, circumcision is nothing—on its own. You don’t need to be circumcised before you are called by YAH; obey YAH and follow His commands, and then be circumcised in heart and flesh.

Again, if you are uncircumcised and you have read this far, before you accomplish your physical circumcision, pray & understand that you MUST circumcise your heart, it’s more important than circumcising your flesh.

And parents-to-be, if you have a son, it is your responsibility to obey the commandment to circumcise your son on the 8th day.

I truly pray that all of this helps and that it doesn’t further add to the confusion that is out there. No matter what, please continue to study The Scriptures for yourself, and pray that our Father in Heaven reveals all truth.

“Study to show thyself approved unto YAH, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

Or in other words, as a different translation put it:

“Do your best to present yourself to YAH as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

“but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.”

1 Thessalonians 5:21 NLT

The Messiah was circumcised

As was the apostle Shaul/Shaul

So… what about you?

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Bonus info about the 8th day of life and Vitamin K

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Update, I watched this panel, and you should too.