From Whence Cometh Our Identity

 

Shalom Fellow Israelite,

In today’s Hebrew Roots Movement the question is sometimes raised, whether one’s true Jewish or Israelite identity can be traced through the DNA of our “clay” body.  Because the human body shares the DNA of both parents, my personal opinion is (at least at this time) that DNA tracing cannot exclusively do so.  The reason being, that over a period of four thousand years of mixed cultures, ethnicities and many other factors the genetics of many generations will obviously be subject to mixtures.  So far there is no conclusive physical evidence to prove one’s natural connection to the forefathers.   Geneticists know that even behavior and environment can modify the structure of the DNA. However, I do believe that our true identity is determined by the spiritual part of our being, which originates from our Heavenly Father.  Yeshua said: "Elohim is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).  The Creator took the very essence of His Spirit and put it into Adam in the form of breath/spirit of life and light (Genesis 2:7).  This life is present in the blood of humanity (Leviticus 17:11). If it were not so, we would be like the animals with just pure instincts that YHVH ordained for each particular species.  

Let us begin to explore the possibility that proof of our ancestry is in the spiritual blood line.  All of humanity was “one” spirit-being in Adam, who expressed his spiritual essence (YHVH’s image and likeness), through a soul and a body.  Natural man was/is like a seed, which the Creator was going to multiply and sow throughout the earth. Inside every seed is an embryo that, given the right conditions, will sprout and begin to grow into the image and likeness of its parent plant. In the case of humanity, it will become a spirit-being, a son of Elohim.  In Adam’s beginning he was a “son of Elohim” (ref. Luke 3:38) who knew Elohim and walked with Him. But because he was incased in a weak earthen body, the potential for defilement was there (see 1 Corinthians 15:42-43). This was no surprise to YHVH, as this ‘potential’ was part of His purposes and plans for dealing with the kingdom of darkness.

Yeshua’s claim to be the Son of Elohim ended up getting Him into trouble, but what was His reply to His accusers? Yeshua answered them: "Is it not written in your Torah, 'I said, "You are gods" '? (John 10:34).  In other words, we are all spirit beings, possessing a soul and a physical body.

In spite of the fact that our spirit was defiled and fell into a state of darkness, YHVH was watching over humanity to guide and direct all the affairs of men (see Daniel 4:32-37), especially those whom He chose and predestined for His redemptive purposes. That is why His Word is the DNA of humanity (so to speak), and the Spirit of the Word is the RNA (the messenger). YHVH’s words to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in covenants and promises, were not mere sounds, but were like a DNA that would join the spirit-life of these men and their progeny/seed. Elohim has been “watching over His word to perform it” (Jeremiah 1:12), and even though the Word’s recipients would not prove faithful because of their weakness, He could not deny Himself (ref.  2 Timothy 2:13).  (To be continued)