Cut off from His people
Being “cut off from his people” as noted in Leviticus 23:29 is a small phrase with monumental meaning. The phrase is rendered differently in various translations of the Bible and it is stated differently in other verses. Other passages render the concept as “cut off from the tents of Jacob” and sometimes as “stricken from the register of Israel.” These all mean the same thing and what they actually mean is damnation. The register of Israel is actually another term for the Book of Life. This is completely logical because of the performance terms of the Torah. If one’s sins are not forgiven, then obviously they will be counted against him. Since atonement was the means of reconciliation, it obviously was important that one made avail of that provision. It should be obvious that if one were cut off from his people, then that person is no longer a part of that people. Obviously, once this occurs, it is impossible to restore successive generations to the register of the people that one was cut off from because they are now of the lineage of some other people.
Leviticus 23:26 And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:
Leviticus 23:27 Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; there shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Lord. 28 And ye shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from his people. 30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any manner of work in that same day, that soul will I destroy from among his people. 31 Ye shall do no manner of work; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of solemn rest, and ye shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye keep your sabbath. (JPS) (Emphasis added)
1 Kings 8:65 So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him,… (JPS) (Truncation and Emphasis added)
It should be understood that Israel will be saved, however, it is also clear throughout scripture that the register of Israel is actually a roll compiled and maintained by God listing the names of those upon whom mercy will be bestowed. While it worked on the basis of heredity up until this breach, it is also possible for God to appoint others to the list as well as strike names from it. One only need to consider the names of Abram or Jacob changing to Abraham or Israel to establish this point. If one's people were Israelites and that person was cut off from his people, then he is no longer an Israelite - at least as far as God's list is concerned. Since God is God, it really does not matter what variance of opinions one may personally or culturally hold. Obviously, one would have to be an Israelite to produce Israelite offspring. If all Israel was cut off from that register as scripture clearly states, then there really has been no Israel in respect to salvation under the covenant of Moses for about 3000 years as one can clearly see.
Those currently depending on heredity for salvation, that is to say, Jews, are depending upon a salvation under the terms of a covenant that is broken beyond repair. The only performance terms of that covenant that survive today are those that might more aptly be described as a curse.
Deuteronomy 28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. 16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. 17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy kneading-trough. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the young of thy flock. 19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 20 the Lord will send upon thee cursing, discomfiture, and rebuke, in all that thou puttest thy hand unto to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the evil of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken Me.(JPS)
Deuteronomy 28:45 And all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou didst not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded thee. (JPS)
In most respects, a relevant analogy to any benefits of the covenant of Moses at this point could be likened to depending on an expired auto insurance policy after experiencing an accident. One could ponder the predicament that a hapless motorist would experience when, after having an accident, they called their insurance agent and mentioned that they had a policy with the agent's company but the last time that the annual premium was paid was 3000 years ago.
If one happened to live in a state where ignorance was regarded as a mitigating factor at law when dealing with any consequences resulting from this accident, the fact that that person had at one time carried an insurance policy could only be considered as an aggravating factor - indisputable proof of guilt without excuse. Therefore, the pre-existing insurance policy could only produce negative consequences since it is obvious that no favorable benefits could be obtained from a policy whose last annual premium was paid 3000 years ago.
Deuteronomy 4:23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which He made with you, and make you a graven image, even the likeness of any thing which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee. (JPS)
Deuteronomy 4:24 For the Lord thy God is a devouring fire, a jealous God. (JPS)
Deuteronomy 4:25 When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have been long in the land, and shall deal corruptly, and make a graven image, even the form of any thing, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke Him; 26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over the Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. 27 And the Lord shall scatter you among the peoples, and ye shall be left few in number among the nations, whither the Lord shall lead you away. 28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. 29 But from thence ye will seek the Lord thy God; and thou shalt find Him, if thou search after Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 30 In thy distress, when all these things are come upon thee, in the end of days, thou wilt return to the Lord thy God, and hearken unto His voice; 31 for the Lord thy God is a merciful God; He will not fail thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He swore unto them. (JPS) (Emphasis added)
Deuteronomy 4:32 For ask now of the days past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and from the one end of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? (JPS)
Deuteronomy 4:40 And thou shalt keep His statutes, and His commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever. (JPS)
Unfortunately, the Torah contains no remedy for the predicament of having broken the covenant in this way. If one's salvation is based upon heredity and their ancestors were cut off from the lineage upon which that salvation depended, then it should be obvious that there is no remedy for that situation. The only thing that could help a people in that predicament would be the forbearance of the breached party - that is to say - God. In fact, that has been and is the case and this is the only reason that there has been only a remnant preserved for all of the successive time since this breach occurred.
2 Chronicles 36:15 And the Lord, the God of their fathers, sent to them by His messengers, sending betimes and often; because He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling-place; 16 but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy. (JPS) (Emphasis added)
Isaiah 10:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and they that are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21 A remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto God the Mighty. 22 For though thy people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them shall return; an extermination is determined, overflowing with righteousness. 23 For an extermination wholly determined shall the Lord, the GOD of hosts, make in the midst of all the earth. (JPS) (Emphasis added)
A remnant is only a miniscule percentage of the whole. Therefore, one might want to take advantage of greater assurance of salvation if and when it became available. Despite the fact that there is no remedy in the Torah whatsoever for this predicament, there is now a hope that will be covered later. However, this hope is by no means automatic or hereditary.
Jeremiah 8:7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but My people know not the ordinance of the Lord. (JPS)
Jeremiah 8:20 'The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.' (JPS)
Jeremiah 8:21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I seized with anguish; I am black, appalment hath taken hold on me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? 23 Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! (JPS)
It is an unfortunate fact that this error was an egregious act for which there is no remedy. Frankly, King Solomon had to have carefully studied how to perpetrate this heinous act against the people Israel. In all reality, Solomon struck down the whole nation with a grievous curse at the dedication of the temple. Not only that, but it appears that he made sure that this would be the case since he carefully broke the covenant in every possible way.
One extremely relevant aspect of all of this is that the appointed times for these events were changed. The following passage refers to a time and a king whose appearance is still somewhat in the future, however, he also appeared far in the past.
Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the seasons and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time. (JPS) (Emphasis added)
Isaiah 10:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob shall no more again rely upon him that smote them; but they shall rely upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. (Darby) (Emphasis added)
Ecclesiastes 3:15 That which is hath been long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God seeketh that which is pursued. (JPS)
One may not be aware that all of the commandments of the Decalogue are repeated in the New Covenant scriptures except one. The missing commandment respects the Sabbath laws. Therefore, any transgression against the Sabbath must necessarily have occurred when those laws were in full effect. That being, the Sabbath had to be transgressed before the life of Y'shua because there is no longer any rigorous set of observances in effect as far as God is concerned. Notwithstanding, it was important in ancient times to follow the correct procedures for worship exactly at the specified times, especially when the Israelites were living in their own land.
Deuteronomy 12:1 These are the statutes and the ordinances, which ye shall observe to do in the land which the Lord, the God of thy fathers, hath given thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. (JPS)
Deuteronomy 12:8 Ye shall not do after all that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes; 9 for ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth thee. 10 But when ye go over the Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God causeth you to inherit, and He giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; 11 then it shall come to pass that the place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there, thither shall ye bring all that I command you: your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the Lord. 12 And ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and the Levite that is within your gates, forasmuch as he hath no portion nor inheritance with you. 13 Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest; 14 but in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee. (JPS)
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep did go astray, we turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath made to light on him the iniquity of us all. (JPS)