One of the main reasons why people become adherents of certain religions or followers of some form of belief, is because they hope that this will bring them FREEDOM of some kind, from the things of this world that have a binding and restraining effect on one’s life. Freedom from feelings of guilt due to sin and unrighteousness. Freedom from the ever present fear for the unknown future. Freedom from punishment set aside for the reckless and rebellious ones. Freedom from the shackles and chains that often restrict people’s thinking and performance, long after certain traumatic events had taken place in their lives. Freedom from the hurt and the pain caused by fellow human beings – often people who are close and trusted. And last, but not least, freedom from the obligation of following religious precepts and obeying Scriptural commands.

This last mentioned "freedom" may sound contradictory in itself. Why would anyone become religious or make a decision to turn back to Scriptures if he wants to be free from the obligation of following religious rules? Fact is, however, that many people claim that they prefer Christianity to Islam or Judaism, simply because the former requires no obligation to follow strict religious precepts or commandments or rituals. The Messiah came to release people from this duty, they say. In Christianity there are no rules, no laws and no prohibitions, just this one condition: Do everything out of love for your Maker and your fellow human being. Many people regard this general guideline as the corner stone of their belief and the key to the essential FREEDOM that they have in the Messiah. They base their conviction on the very words of the Messiah and the actual result is that they consider themselves free to do almost anything they like, as long as they can relate it in some way or other to the principle of LOVE.

The question remains: Is this really the kind of freedom that Scriptures present before us? I believe that our understanding of the concept of freedom should be based on Scriptures as a whole. It is possible to trace certain words in Scriptures, four in particular – two in the Old Covenant Scriptures and two in the New Covenant Scriptures – that are used to present us with a picture of what FREEDOM really means and how we should adopt this freedom within our lives. Let us take a closer look at these four concepts. We may be surprised at how liberating and fresh the deeper and true meaning of these four concepts prove to be.

This word is used numerous times in the Old Covenant Scriptures. There is absolutely no doubt that both Y'shua, the Messiah and someone like the apostle Sha’ul (Paul) would have been thoroughly aware of this word and its meaning and would have had this exact meaning in mind whenever they taught on the subject of FREEDOM. In the Old Covenant Scriptures this word was used, among other things, to convey the following: The opening of the windows of heaven (Bereshit / Genesis 7:11); the opening of someone’s womb (Bereshit / Genesis 30:22); the opening of the hand to lend to those in need (Devarim / Deut 15:8); the opening of the gates of Yerushalayim (Nechemyah / Nehemiah 7:3); the opening of one’s lips to sing Yahweh’s praise (Tehillim / Psalms 51:15); the opening of the rock (to provide living water) in the wilderness (Tehillim / Psalms 105:41); The opening of the gates of righteousness (Tehillim / Psalms 118: 19); the opening of the houses of prisoners (Yeshayahu / Isaiah 14:17); the opening of people’s graves (Yechezkel / Ezekiel 37:13); the opening of a fountain to the house of David (Zecharyah / Zechariah 13:1). Instead of restricting the meaning of freedom to what WE may do (and what WE do not have to do), Yahweh wants us to start focusing on what HE can do to set us free from the chains of bondage in this world.

Here is another word that is essential for a true understanding of the Scriptural concept of "freedom". In the Old Covenant Scriptures this word is used to convey the following: being saved from one’s enemies (Devarim / Deut 20:4); being saved from those who threaten us, regardless of whether they are many or few (1 Shemu’el / Samuel 14:6); being saved during times of affliction (2 Shemu’el 22:28); being saved when the waters have come unto one’s soul (Tehillim / Psalms 69:1); being saved during times when one is overtaken by fear (Yeshayahu / Isaiah 35:4); being saved as part of a flock that fell prey to false shepherds (Yechezkel / Ezekiel 34:22); being saved from one’s uncleanness (Yechezkel 36:29); being saved for Yahweh’s Name sake (Tehillim 106:8); being saved in Yahweh with an everlasting salvation (Yeshayahu / Isaiah 45:17). This word "yasha" is extremely important – in particular in view of the fact the Hebrew word "yeshua" ("deliverance") is derived from it – so also the Name of the Messiah "Y'shua" ("The deliverance of Yah"). Here we can clearly see the true nature of the freedom brought about by the Messiah: It is a freedom that SAVES us from the schemes and the harmful intentions of the enemy – all of which revolve around sin and the negative results of sin. Not once in Scriptures is the freedom implied by this concept "yasha", understood to be a freedom that removes the obligation to walk in complete obedience before Yahweh.

This is one of the principle words used in connection with FREEDOM in the New Covenant Scriptures. Here are some of its most prominent uses: to release a prisoner (Mattityahu / Matthew 27:15); to forgive someone’s debt (Mattityahu 18:27); to heal someone’s sickness (Luke 13:12); to allow someone to depart in peace (Luke 2:29); to release someone to do Yahweh’s work (Acts 13:3). Once again it is clear that the "release" is from situations that were far from perfect and, in fact, against Yahweh’s will. It would be a complete contradiction in terms if Scriptures ever suggested that people should be released ("apoluo") from following the straightforward commandments of Yahweh.