Job and Jethro

So you have Job right... 

Job1:1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. 2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him 3 His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 

And Job was the greatest of all the men of the east right, I mean that's what the text says. I was looking into what that means. who are these east people? Where are they mentioned? Well, they were around in Jacobs time

Gen 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the sons of the east. 

The midianites were from Abrahams other family. 

Genesis 25:1–2 Now Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore to him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah.

So Midian and the sons of the east... 

Judges 7:12 Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore

Judges 6:33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves; and they crossed over and camped in the valley of Jezreel.

 Judges 8:5 He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about 15,000 men, all who were left of the entire army of the sons of the east; for the fallen were 120,000 swordsmen. 11 Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked the camp when the camp was unsuspecting. 12 When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole army.

1 Kings 4 Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. 30 Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Isaiah 11 13 Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart, And those who harass Judah will be cut off; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, And Judah will not harass Ephraim. 14 They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines on the west; Together they will plunder the sons of the east; They will possess Edom and Moab, And the sons of Ammon will be subject to them.

Ezekiel 25 therefore, behold, I am going to give you to the sons of the east for a possession, and they will set their encampments among you and make their dwellings among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 10 and I will give it for a possession along with the sons of Ammon to the sons of the east, so that the sons of Ammon will not be remembered among the nations.


 If Job was from the sons of the east, and the sons of the east are midianites....

 Exodus 18 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 5 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God.

.... so Jethro the Midianite..... 

Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how the Lord had delivered them. 9 Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 So Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

... learned about the Exodus, Passover, all of it... and He praised and offered Sacrifices to YHVH. 

13 It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. 14 Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?” 15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

This is before Moses went up the mountain on Sinai, that Moses had the Statutes and Laws of God that He was making known to the people. 

17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. 18 You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. 19 Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God, 20 then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. 21 Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. 22 Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”

.... and Jethro the Midianite who has just sacrificed and worshipped YHVH for defeating the egyptians tells Moses to teach the statutes and the laws to men that they may walk the walk. 

24 So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25 Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. 26 They judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge. 27 Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land.

... SO Jethro the Midianite heard RIGHT from MOSES OWN MOUTH everything that God had done. He offered Sacrifices to God, and then instructed that the statutes and the ways of God be taught to others, and then Jethro who instructed all this returned to Midian, the place of the sons of the east.  NOW with ALL this in mind, knowing that Jethro who has declared that there is no God but YHVH and was face to face with Moses who was teaching the Law of God, Jethro returned to home.... lets read about Job

 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.

Job IS a GENTILE who is in Median, aware of days of feasting. The feasts days were part of a cycle. Just as Israel is supposed to appear before YHVH 3 times a year, Jobs kids were instead holding the feasts each one in his house. There was a day when the sons of God were appearing before the LORD... and the sons of the east were not. 

Deuteronomy 16:16 “Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.

 Satan was traveling from Israel to Midian and all over the place looking for someone to afflict at the time of the feasts.  That is when God suggests Job who was upright, God fearing and turning away from evil. What was the first thing that Satan does to afflict Job? 

13 Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Job was still called to appear before the Lord, even though he lost everything. 

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 3 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”

Jethro after being with Moses, brought the Law of God back to Midian, where Job kept it. 

The Judaizer Controversy

 If the Gospel of Christ is “Sinners can repent from your sins and you can be reconciled to God through faith in Christ”  then what would a false Gospel be? Throughout time from the Garden God has been saying that we are to be fruitful and multiply and walk with Him in His ways, and we have rebelled against His Laws and His Holiness. So If  the Gospel is that we can cease from that rebellion, what is the false gospel that Paul writes about?

Galatians 1:6-7 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ

Galatians 2:1-4 Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 2 It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. 3 But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage- 

What is this disturbance, what is this different Gospel that the entirety of Galatians was written to combat?  What Galatians IS: A rebuke to the Pharisaic Oral law, Rabbinic customs, and those that preach that IN ORDER TO BE SAVED one must COMMIT a physical action or tradition and conversion to the teachings of Rabbinic Authority.

What Galatians is NOT: A rebuke of those who are obeying God's Law. 

1 Thessalonians 2:14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, 15 who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men, 16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.

Acts 21:27-29 When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

To understand what is happening in Acts 10 and 15 we must understand that there was a group a Jews and Pharisees that were infiltrating the Way trying to stop the preaching to Gentiles, and based on Rabbinic law and tradition- regarded gentiles as unclean. Peter, who had issue with how people perceived him based on his denial of Christ 3 times during the night of the crucifixion before being restored was being carried away by the influence of these men as Paul states in the book of Galatians,

Galatians 2:11-14 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. 13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?

Not like Christ, Not in obedience to God's Law, but like these Jews who were regarding Rabbinical authority instead of the Law of God.  Peter is being rebuked for participation with this group that is regarding Gentiles as unclean, and compelling them to obey Rabbinic law.  Before we get to Acts 10, There is context needed for Peter's vision. We must first look at the Prophecy in Isaiah 56 concerning gentiles.

Isaiah 56:6-11  Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from His people.”Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

 Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord, To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath And holds fast My covenant; 7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” 8 The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, “Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered.”

9 All you beasts of the field, All you beasts in the forest, Come to eat. 

10 His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing.All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber; 11 And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding;They have all turned to their own way,Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one.

This states outright that Gentiles are supposed to be holding to the Law of God, keeping the Sabbath, and that they are the dispersed of Israel that will be gathered to those already gathered. 

 Matthew 15:24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Christ said this to a Gentile woman

Phil 3:2-3 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; 3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh

Paul says that those who are teaching that Gentiles need to undergo Rabbinic ritual physical circumcision and convert to Pharisaic authority are dogs, blind guides who have turned their own way.  Now with the understanding of Isaiah 56 and Christ joining Gentiles who are worried about being separated from being Israel we can understand Acts 10, starting with the gentile Cornelius of the Italian Cohort. 

Acts 10:1-8 Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; 6 he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 8 and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

A Gentile who has a memorial before God by his faith and his faithfulness is given a message from the Lord to summon Peter who at this time is being carried away with the Hypocrisy of those men who were regarding Gentiles as unclean and separating from them. 

Acts 10:9-16  On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he *saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

Gentiles are approaching at the hour Peter would be withdrawing from Gentiles to eat, as they were making preparations before eating. Peter, who is supposed to be a shepherd and a watchman who has been blind, was regarding the Gentiles who Christ came for, who Isaiah 56 states are worried about being separated from God, Who Peter was supposed to be feeding as part of his commission from the Savior to feed His sheep. God didn't regard the Gentiles as unclean as they are saved by grace through faith in the word of Christ just as everyone who has ever been saved has been saved. 

Acts 10:17-19 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.

Peter, confused by the vision as he knows that it wasn't about our Unchanging God changing His irrevocable word and altering what He says is Holy and what is Abomination in regards to what we eat.

Acts 10:22-23 They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.” 23 So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

This is against Rabbinic law.

Acts 10:23-29 And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” 27 As he talked with him, he entered and *found many people assembled. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. 29 That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.

Peter is met with a large gathering of Gentiles. He entered their home and even states that this is a violation of Rabbinic Law, God's Law has no such prohibition. Peter came without reservation because the vision he was given was exclusively about Gentiles.
 

Acts 10: 34-36 Opening his mouth, Peter said:“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. 36 The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)— 

Every Nation, Not just Jews.  

Acts 10:44-48 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

God grafts Gentiles into Israel. They are saved. Peter says no one should object to these Gentiles being baptized and he stayed in the house of the Gentiles for a few days- Against Rabbinic Authority. 

Acts 11:1-3 Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, 3 saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

The circumcision in Judea took issue with Peter not obeying Rabbinic law against eating and entering the home of Gentiles/ Uncircumcised men. Peter gives a recount telling them that the vision was about including the Gentiles in Salvation. 

Acts 15:8 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

Which now brings us to Acts 15 and those men of the Circumcision in Judea.  

Acts 15:1 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.

Acts 15:5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”

Peter, having received the correction in the vision and from Paul, stands up to those men.

Acts 15:6-11  The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

Peter rebukes the idea that one must ritually convert to Rabbinic authority and engage in circumcision for the sake of being saved. We are not now nor has anyone ever been saved by works or by circumcision. Not in the old Testament or the new, but that group in Judea was teaching these man made traditions. These burdensome traditions are what is spoken against in multiple places of which people make the faulty assumption that the passage is talking about God's Law when it is referring to the troubling Rabbinic Pharisaic law. They agreed that the Gentiles shouldn't be under the charge to follow the Law to be saved and decided to give them 4 introductory commands from the Law of God that they may come every Sabbath and learn the rest of them. 

Acts 15:19-21 Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

Moses here is an idiom for the commands of God. We know this is an introductory command because the Pharisees and the Rabbinical Authorities accuse Paul of telling people to not obey God's commands so much that Paul performs a Nazarite vow JUST to prove the opposite. 

Acts 21:17-24 After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18 And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. 22 What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. 

The concern is that Paul is teaching and telling others to not do and teach the Law of God just as Christ in Matthew 5:17-19 tells us that we are supposed to do and teach others to Follow the Law of God. They suggest doing this vow and providing a sacrifice to show EVERYONE that there is NO TRUTH TO THE RUMORS THAT PAUL WAS TEACHING AGAINST OBEYING GOD'S LAW. 

 Acts 21:Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

What did Paul do? He offered the sacrifice. What did the men of Judea who bore false reports do?  

Acts 21:30 Then all the city was provoked, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. 31 While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.

They tried to kill him. Continuing on to Colossians in a more detailed account of these men.

Colossians 2: See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Paul points out that these Men, These Judaizers who were trying to STOP Gentiles from being part of the church unless they were circumcised in the flesh, that this is a hollow and deceptive philosophy based on MENS TRADITIONS, not based on the Law of God.  He continues to make the point that Gentiles ARE circumcised by the higher authority of Christ and therefore part of Israel regardless of what these men were trying to insist. In Galatians 5 he wishes they'd cut their whole member off so that they might not reproduce. He warns that undergoing man made traditions for the sake of trying to gain access to God is a false Gospel and that if you're trying to approach God by something YOU do in a transactional sense, then you miss the point entirely and aren't regarding the work of Christ but instead submitting to a headship and authority of these Pharisaic men.

Galatians 5:2-12 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. 7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. 10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. 12 I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.

That group of men who were substituting the GIFT of salvation with a False Gospel that was that salvation was PURCHASED by the blood of your own foreskin were NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM PREACHING THE LAW OF GOD but were teaching THE TRADITIONS OF MEN AS IF THEY WERE THE COMMANDS OF GOD.  Paul continued to encourage Gentile converts to not let these Judaizers who are teaching heresies, Judge them against obedience to God's commands which are how we live like Christ.

Colossians  2 :16-23 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— 17 things which are a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

We aren't keeping the law to be saved, We ARE saved and we are obeying God's Law because we now are REDEEMED from being Lawbreakers.  Those who preach ritual circumcision are detached from the ways of God and NOT holding fast to the head which is Christ.  They are the ones delighting in MAN made religion, not the truth of God's word. Paul points out that these men are the ones that have the doctrine "do not handle, do not taste, do not touch". We have example of Christ HIMSELF rebuking these men and their doctrine 

Mark 7:1-8 The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, 2 and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; 4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) 5 The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” 6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. 7 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’8 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 

 [A side note on bread since we’re here, I highlight the Pharisees issue of calling eating bread unclean if you eat it with unwashed hands... as it seems to completely dismiss the decree of God that one will toil in the dirt and eat the bread from Genesis 3, Also, Christ is the bread of life of which we come to when we are dirty since He is the only one that can make us clean]

Who is Christ rebuking? The Pharisees and some of their scribes. Why? For NOT following the Commands of God and INSTEAD teaching their OWN MAN MADE RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS. What were they saying? That THEY, not GOD, have the authority to determine what is clean and unclean food. Ironically enough, indifference to God's Law and what a man eats is Nicolaitan Doctrine which is ALSO spoken against by Christ. Christ is rebuking them for the heart that rejects the commands of God, not accidentally eating germs. Touching bread that God has already defined as food with unwashed hands doesn't make it not food nor does it make you unclean because it passes through your system and out. What DOES defile a person is ignoring God's commands in your heart, where in the New Covenant those commands are written by the Spirit. So, what do they do now with this group of believing Jews who are NOT part of the Pharisaic Rabbinical authority who are now having Gentiles come in and are not following matters of PERSONAL convictions as it pertains to things like fasting or doing a Daniel fast? What do they do with Gentiles who aren't washing their hands before they eat and are intermingling with those who hold to that custom? How do you keep the peace with those who are of Rabbinic persuasion that are judging those Gentiles and by an extension, maybe judging Christ?  Let's look at Romans 14

Romans 14:1-4 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Opinions, not Imposing law, not the subject of God's commands. Not on the matter of God's law but in regard to eating and not eating, or eating versus only eating vegetables. This is not reducing God's commands to a matter of subjective interpretations, the matter is Opinions regarding food- not Divine edicts from God Himself. 

Romans 145-12 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. 7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,

And every tongue shall give praise to God.”

12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

The Matter of Opinions is not regarding the keeping of the Sabbath, it's regarding the days in which people were fasting. 

Mark 2:18-20 John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they *came and *said to Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “While the bridegroom is with them, the attendants of the bridegroom cannot fast, can they? So long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 

The Pharisees and John's disciples... as so we see that they are not one and the same. The matter before them is eating and not eating. Eating unto the Lord and not eating unto the Lord. 

 

 Romans 14 :13-23 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. 21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. 22 The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

This passage has NOTHING to do with the redefinition of unclean animals that provoke God when eaten, now being permissible. It has to do with handwashing, and fasting on the days that groups were fasting. Fasting is supposed to be a private matter but these Pharisees were making big shows of it and getting involved in everyone's business

 Matthew 6:16-18 “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Romans 14, Colossians 2, Acts 10, Acts 15, and a whole bucket of scriptures are taken out of their context to make it seem that those obedient to God and God's commands are the Judaizers. The ones who obey the Law of God BECAUSE they are saved are doing it out of Love for God and Love for their Neighbor.  They're not the ones who are spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2 

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

Jude speaks of these men

 Jude 1:3-4 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. 4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

 The emphasis of Salvation by works is the same coin as emphasis that God's Law is only for the Jews and obeying them is bondage.  They're both going to the right or to the left rather than the straight and narrow path Salvation has always been a gift given by faith through grace. Gentiles have always been allowed to come to God and join Israel. It was the teachings and the traditions of Men that said that they couldn't, and it is the teachings and traditions of men that teach us not to obey God's Law. 

Men can, and will, and do say all sorts of things in their struggle for power and dominance.  They’ll often form committees, and governments for that very purpose, but just like Peter said in Acts 5:29

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.