In the Assembly of Jerusalem, which our Assembly is a part, there have always been prodigal children and, sad to say, there have always been, covenant breakers, as well.

A prodigal child is a person who has a covenant with their Creator, but, through one means or another, has strayed from the path for a time. They have not lived up to this sacred relationship but over the course of time, they have repented of their waywardness and have renewed their sacred relationship with the Heavenly Father. They have, in essence, come home. They have a future in this world and the next.

The covenant breaker appears, on the outset, much like the prodigal child. They may have been believers at one time. They may have even been devout for a time. Like the prodigal child, they strayed from the path. But that is where the similarities between the prodigal child and the covenant breaker end.

The covenant breaker, has not simply deviated from the sacred relationship with their Creator, they have severed that relationship willingly. Maybe they did so because they did not believe in such things as covenants, or in the religious body that espoused to serve the Heavenly Father. Maybe they decided they did not believe in Yeshua. Maybe they decided they did not believe in Yahweh anymore.

Whatever the case, the steps that person took, did not simply result in a falling away or being misguided, their actions resulted in breaking their covenant with the Heavenly Father. In such a case, that person cannot mend that relationship in this world. They cannot restore the broken covenant. They cannot enter a new one…not with Yahweh. Mshikhah is forgiving of many things, rejection of His Heavenly Father is not one of them.

What is the recourse for such a person? It will not matter what religion or group they seek out in this world, they will not be able to mend this relationship after severing it. Their only recourse will be when they stand before the Throne of Judgement. What happens at that point is only known by the Lord Himself.

Maybe, from their perspective, it may seem as if that person has gone on to better things or is absolutely indifferent to breaking their covenant. Maybe even believing they were never really in a real covenant to begin with, so breaking such a covenant, is of no great loss to them. But this is all mental delusion. Entering a real relationship with the Creator, then breaking that covenant and asserting no such covenant ever existed is simply the rationalization for a tragic choice.

But every person, has the free will to make whatever choice they wish to in this life. Those choices bring consequences… one way or another.

The difference between the prodigal child and the covenant breaker is that the prodigal child, even in their wayward actions in life, did not seek out a covenant with the creator only to willingly break that covenant. Many a person who believes themselves to be a prodigal child may have never even been in a covenant with the Creator to begin with, so their waywardness was the waywardness outside this sacred relationship. That humbling oneself and seeking to connect with the Creator, is a first step, as opposed to a restoration of a damaged relationship. Then there there are those who have entered a covenant with Mar Yah but then may have had some doubts or had returned to a secular way of life for a time, or even followed false shepherds who suited their tastes. But on reflection, these individuals realized their error and then sought to repent of their waywardness and to recommit themselves to Yahweh and to Mshikha. That is what makes them prodigal children as opposed to covenant breakers. They understand the value of a real and abiding relationship with the Heavenly Father through Mshikha. The Heavenly Father accepts them back into the fold.

The covenant breaker, on the other hand, does not believe they have done anything wrong, so they do not seek to repent of their rebellious nature before Mar Yah and Mshikha.

In the Assembly of the Mshikhanim, our faith is expressed through adhering to the 3 Pillars of Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition (The rites and rulings of our Faith) and Holy Revelation. When a person knowingly abandons the 3 Pillars, they have broken their Covenant with Mar Yah. Why? Because the 3 Pillars were given to us by Mar Yah in order to ensure we are living our Holy Covenant with the right heart, mind, and spirit. Rejecting the Pillars, then, is to abandon one’s covenant, and that is the same as turning away from the Heavenly Father.

For those who have followed false teachers and elders, trusting them to guide them, if they realize where they have been misled, they may walk the path of the prodigal child, seeking forgiveness and connecting with those who do honor their covenant with Mar Yah and removing themselves from the company of those who have willingly broken their sacred covenant with the Heavenly Father.

For those who have knowingly turned from their covenant, to follow false shepherds and have decided that on reflection they do not believe in this covenant or assembly, they have taken the path of the covenant breaker. They will not seek forgiveness nor will they repent of their breaking of this sacred relationship. They will only know of the level of their rebellion the day the stand before the Throne of Judgement.

May Mar Yah have mercy on them.

For those who seek to repent of their behavior, the believer may call their brother or sister. For those who have broken the sacred relationship, no serious believer should have any dealings with.

The person who loves the Creator will cherish the relationship they have with Him. The covenant is the cornerstone of that relationship.

It is better to be a prodigal child than a covenant breaker. It is better to be lost and found than the other way around.

Holy Peace

Rabban Mar Andreos