When we exhort the brethren to hold fast to the faith is not a moral encouragement alone, but a covenantal imperative rooted deeply in both the Tanakh and the apostolic writings of the New Covenant. To hold fast means more than intellectual assent; it is a deliberate, sustained clinging to that which has been revealed and entrusted, both through the Torah and through the testimony of Yeshua Mshikha. The people of the Most High are called to steadfastness, to be like the remnant spoken of by the prophet Isaiah: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel… shall stay upon Mar-Yah, the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 10:20). To “stay upon Mar-Yah” is the very soul of holding fast—it is covenantal loyalty in the midst of exile and confusion.
The Epistle to the Hebrews presents, arguably, the most profound and evocative reflection upon this sacred theme. “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope, without wavering, because he is faithful that promised us.” (Hebrews 10:23). Here, the writer ties our steadfastness not to our own strength but to the unwavering faithfulness of Mar-Yah Himself. The believer clings to the confession not as one who possesses strength of will, but as one who is possessed by the unbreakable promise of Alaha. We are invited to participate in the covenantal fidelity of Mar-Yah through our perseverance.
Yeshua Himself, our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary not made with hands, exhorts the faithful in the book of Revelation with serious urgency. “But what you have, hold fast to it until I come” (Revelation 2:25). This call is directed toward the faithful remnant in Thyatira—a body that was beset with compromise and moral confusion. Yet even within such chaos, Mshikha commands them to cling to what they have already received. This “what” is the apostolic teaching, the halakhic purity, and the hope of the kingdom. Holding fast thus entails preserving doctrinal purity, moral integrity, and eschatological hope, even as the adversary wars against the saints. In the broader biblical narrative, the act of holding fast is often juxtaposed with apostasy. Israel’s repeated failure to cling to Mar-Yah’s Commandments and His covenantal love is a central theme in the histories and the prophets. “Follow Mar-Yah your Alaha; fear Him and keep His Commandments; listen to Him, worship Him, and cleave to Him.” (Deuteronomy 13:4). The Hebrew term rendered here as “cleave” is the same term used in Genesis 2 to describe the marital bond. Thus, faith is not simply a system of beliefs—it is a covenantal union with Mar-Yah, sustained through loving obedience and prayerful watchfulness.
To hold fast to the faith is, therefore, to remain espoused unto the Lamb, maintaining a pure and undivided heart, awaiting His appearing in glory. It is to live as those who, though scattered in diaspora and exile, are yet part of the heavenly Jerusalem. It is the task of the Church, particularly the remnant which follow the apostolic foundations of the faith, to embody this covenantal perseverance. We are to become living epistles, bearing witness to the enduring love of Mar-Yah and the faithfulness of Yeshua, until the consummation of all things.
Chayim bar Ya’aqub
12 May 2025