Concepts	Cherem The very last word of the Old Testament is "cherem" - see Malachi 4:6. Cherem means   1) a thing devoted, thing dedicated, ban, devotion   2) a net, thing perforated   3) have been utterly destroyed, (appointed to) utter destruction That is how the Old Testament leaves mankind for hundreds of years - still under the curse that came upon all mankind when Adam sinned of his own free will. That was "the problem". The solution came when John the Herald announced the "Good News". The Messiah had been born. He would come to be known as "Jesus" in the Greek (Joshua in the Hebrew). Jesus means "Jehovah Saves" or Savior. The Messiah would be born without a human father and therefore would not be imputed with the "sin of the father". He would live a Way of Life that was free of all sin. Proving Himself qualified, He would then, of His Own free will, agree to take the curse of cherem to Himself. The punishment for a cursed person is "to be hung" on a tree (Deuteronomy 21:22-23) resulting in death. Jesus took that punishment for all our sins to Himself thereby releasing us from the slavemarket of sin. His Work on the cross was the means by which any who are saved, are saved. Jesus experienced "deaths" on the cross - plural (Romans 6:4). That indicates that there was a spiritual and physical meaning to "being hung on a tree". He, Himself, said, "It is finished" (John 19:30). In order to say this, Jesus had to still be ALIVE! The death that freed us from the slave market of sin was His spiritual death on the cross. His physical death then removed the "curse" from us.   We first run into the "cursed status" of mankind was in the Garden of Eden. When Adam sinned, "Through Adam all became sin". Paul talks about this in Ephesians 2:3. In Joshua, we that someone else can take that cherem status to themselves and 'die for us'. The city of Jericho and everyone and thing in it was declared Cherem by God (Joshua 6:17). When the Jews took the city, a Jew by the name of Achan (Joshua 7) of his own free will stole and hid items from the city. That meant that he had taken to himself the cherem. God had said that Rahab and her family could be spared. They were out from under the curse. Though not specifically said, it seems possible that Achan's actions were the "means" by which God could take Rahab out from under the curse. Not that it was the reason WHY He did so. He stated "why" back in Joshua 6 (she hid the Jewish spys). The means of removal of cherem is declared by God. The "why" that justifies God removing the status of cherem is also whatever He declares it to be. When Adam sinned, he became cherem - he and ALL mankind. We all had to die. Therefore, Jesus become "cherem" for us. His Work on the cross was the "means" of the removal of the curse. The "how" or "under what circumstances" God accepts the removal of the curse off of anyone is whatever God says it is. He says it is "by faith". So, it is by faith we are saved, it is a GIFT of God . . . not of our own works, lest anyone could boast. The concluding thought is . . . as we saw earlier, the last word in the Old Testament is cherem - and is a curse for those who reject the call of God. The New Testament ends with a blessing in Revelation 22:21~~The grace of our Lord Jesus . . . {be} with all of you. Amen/'I believe it' {amen}. ************************************************** Joshua_Sozo™ and Syndein ™ are the Trademarks of Syndein a California DBA of Kenneth Sidley & Associates, Inc., a California Corporation. All rights reserved. Copyright© Syndein 1982-2010. All rights reserved. This page is sponsored by Kenneth Sidley, CPA, an Orange County California CPA (949) 706-3133. Please call Ken for high quality, low cost CPA services in Orange County California. This includes audit, review, compilation, tax returns, Quickbooks, and business consulting services. This page is sponsored by Moxxor For Pain Free Living. Moxxor is a highly concentrated Omega 3 product that has reduced inflammation in this writer. Please go to this website to read more about Moxxor.