Ken's Topics

TOPIC NOTES:

Who is Israel, how and why were they split, and how will our Creator bring them together again in the end according to Ezekiel?

How is Israel defined?

Gen 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Exo 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

Exo 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

Rom 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

Rom 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Differences within

Exo 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

Lev 24:22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.

Why were they split?

1Ki 11:11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

1Ki 11:12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

1Ki 11:13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

1Ki 11:29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:

1Ki 11:30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:

1Ki 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

1Ki 11:32 (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

1Ki 11:33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

1Ki 11:34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:

1Ki 11:35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.

1Ki 11:36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.

He likens the House of Israel to Ephraim

Hos 5:3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.

Hos 6:10 I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

Hos 7:1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.

Hos 11:12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

Jer 31:9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

There is strife between the Houses and with Yah

Isa 11:13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.

Jer 3:6 The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

Jer 3:7 And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

Jer 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

What was Messiah's focus?

Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Mat 15:24 And He answering, said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Mat 10:5 Messiah sent these twelve out, having commanded them, saying, "Do not go into the way of the gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Sameritans,

Mat 10:6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Joh 11:45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

Joh 11:46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

Joh 11:47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

Joh 11:48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

Joh 11:49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

Joh 11:50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

Joh 11:51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

Joh 11:52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

The promise to both Houses

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

And the promise of being made ONE in the end

Jer 3:18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.

Eze 37:16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

Eze 37:17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

Eze 37:18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?

Eze 37:19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

Eze 37:20 And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.

Eze 37:21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

Eze 37:22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

Has this not been the plan all along, to divide or set apart when evil enters the body, and to eventually bring it back to the way it was in the beginning?

Gen 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Hos 2:18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.

Hos 2:19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.

Hos 2:20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.

What is the Passover of Exodus 12 and what is Paul's suggestions to the gentile converts in his first letter to the Corinthians regarding this feast and the feast of Unleavened Bread?

Which English words are translated from the Hebrew 'moedim' and do we see how they are likened to cycles?

Jer 8:7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

Psa 104:19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

Psa 104:20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

Psa 104:21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

Psa 104:22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

Psa 104:23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

Lev 23:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

Lev 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

Lev 23:4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover.

Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

Note that only the 'knowing' are shown the beginning of cycles

Exo 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,

Exo 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Here is the Passover and Unleavened Bread, explained to those beginning the new cycle

Exo 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:

Exo 12:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

Exo 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

Exo 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

Exo 12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

Paul explains the deeper meaning of Unleavened Bread

1Co 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

1Co 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

1Co 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Is the old and unleavening likened to the old man and the new man according to Paul?

Eph 4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

Eph 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

More Passover and Unleavened Bread detail, to be observed forever

Exo 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.

Exo 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

Exo 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Exo 12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

Exo 12:15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

His cycles and or feasts are passed on through generations; also pay attention to the translational detail

Exo 12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.

Exo 12:22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.

Exo 12:23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Exo 12:24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.

Exo 12:25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.

Exo 12:26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?

Exo 12:27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD'S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

Exo 12:28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

Note the detail and importance of who keeps it and who does not

Exo 12:43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:

Exo 12:44 But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.

Exo 12:45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.

Exo 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

Exo 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

Note how Paul backs up Yah's Passover commandment and commands it's importance and proper observance

1Co 11:20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.

1Co 11:21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

1Co 11:22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

1Co 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

1Co 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

1Co 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

1Co 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

1Co 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

1Co 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

1Co 11:33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

1Co 11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

The Feast Days Are All About Messiah

Why did Messiah read a portion of Scripture (stopped in the middle of a verse) and say that this is fulfillment?:

Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Luk 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

Luk 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Here are the verses that Messiah began to read from the book of Isaiah (they are practically word for word, but notice that he read the first half of a humble servant and not the latter half of the conquering king):

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Isa 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Isa 61:4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

Isa 61:5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

Isa 61:6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

The Passover in Eqypt, or bondage, was where the blood of the lamb was spilled and applied to the doorpost in order for Him to come and Passover with them at their door, to cover and protect them. Hence, Messiah's blood is what covers the doorpost of our heart and this is where He desires to dwell. He being 'that seed' is the unleavened bread that was buried into the earth to yield more seed. Thus, here is the Passover and Unleavened Bread, the first of the 1st month Feasts:

Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

Lev 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

Lev 23:4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover.

Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

Lev 23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Lev 23:8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Here is the Wave Sheaf Offering, which signifies Messiah as the first of the firstfruits:

Lev 23:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:

Lev 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

Lev 23:12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.

Lev 23:13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.

Lev 23:14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Here is the Feast of Weeks or Firstfruits; the wheat harvest which signifies us:

Lev 23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:

Lev 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

Lev 23:17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.

Lev 23:18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.

Lev 23:19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.

Lev 23:20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.

Lev 23:21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

Lev 23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God

Note that all of the feasts mentioned up until now are related to the 1st month, even though the Feast of Weeks is a 50-day count after the other feasts. The remaining feasts are all related to the 7th month. Do we not see that Messiah fulfilled these Spring Feasts at His first coming and can we not see Him fulfilling the remaining at His second? Is it no wonder that the Jews see two Messiahs at one coming whereas Christianity sees one Messiah at two comings? The Jews even refer to the two Messiahs as 'Mechiach ben Yoseph' (Messiah son of Joseph) and 'Mechiach ben Dawid' (Messiah son of David), which they also know one is the humble servant and the other is a conquering king.

Here is the Feast of Trumpets, which proclaims and begins the 7th month feast and signifies the coming of the king:

Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

Lev 23:25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Here is the Day of Atonement, which signifies judgement and is often referred to as 'the Day of the Lord':

Lev 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Lev 23:28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.

Lev 23:29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.

Lev 23:30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.

Lev 23:31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Lev 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

Here is the Feast of Tabernacle or Booths, which signifies the marriage of the lamb. The Eighth day signifies eternity, without sin in the world:

Lev 23:34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.

Lev 23:35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Lev 23:36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.

Lev 23:37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:

Lev 23:38 Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.

Lev 23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.

Lev 23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.

Lev 23:41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

Lev 23:42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:

Lev 23:43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Lev 23:44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.

The Grave, Hell, and the Resurrection

Job 10:18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

Job 10:19 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

Job 10:20 Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

Job 10:21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

Job 10:22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

Job 17:13 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.

Job 17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.

Job 17:15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

Job 17:16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.

Job 14:10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

Job 14:11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

Job 14:12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

Job 14:13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

Psa 49:13 This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

Psa 49:14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

Psa 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

Except for the first example that depicts the place of burial, all examples of 'grave' are the hebrew word She'ol. The following examples of hell are the exact same word in the hebrew.

Psa 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Psa 55:15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

Psa 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

Pro 7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.(Pro 15:11) Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?

Even the use of the word 'hell' appears to be in the same context as 'grave'. Thus it is the translators that are making the difference in the two English words and not the author of the Hebrew.

Deu 31:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

2Sa 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Act 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

So all sleep, even King David, according to most Scripture. Many copies of Enoch were found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, in which some scholars say prove that Enoch was considered Scripture. Chapter 22 of Enoch has the clearest account of souls once the body dies.

The Gathering Of Souls Till The Day Of Judgment

22:1 Then I went to another place, and he showed me on the west side a great and high mountain of hard rock

22:2 and inside it four beautiful corners; it had [in it] a deep, wide, and smooth thing which was rolling over; and it the place was deep, and dark to look at.

22:3 At that moment, Rufael, one of the kodesh malakim, who was with me, responded to me; and he said to me, "These beautiful corners are here in order that the spirits of the souls of the dead should assemble into them -they are created so that the souls of the children of the people should gather here."

22:4 "They prepared these places in order to put them i.e. the souls of the people there until the day of their judgment and the appointed time of the great judgment upon them."

22:5 I saw the spirits of the children of the people who were dead, and their voices were reaching unto heaven until this very moment.

22:6 I asked Rufael, the angel who was with me, and said to him, "This spirit, the voice of which is reaching into heaven like this and is making suit, whose spirit is it?"

22:7 And he answered me, saying, "This is the spirit which had left Abel, whom Cain, his brother, had killed; it continues to sue him until all of Cain's seed is exterminated from the face of the earth, and his seed has disintegrated from among the seed of the people."

22:8 At that moment, I raised a question regarding him and regarding the judgment of all, "For what reason is one separated from the other?"

22:9 And he replied and said to me, "These three have been made in order that the spirits of the dead might be separated. And in the manner in which the souls of the righteous are separated by this spring of water with light upon it,"

22:10 "in like manner, the sinners are set apart when they die and are buried in the earth and judgment has not been executed upon them in their lifetime,"

22:11 "upon this great pain, until the great Day of Judgment -and to those who curse there will be plague and pain forever, and the retribution of their spirits. They will bind them there forever -even if from the beginning of the world."

22:12 "And in this manner is a separation made for the souls of those who make the suit and those who disclose concerning destruction, as they were killed in the days of the sinners."

22:13 "Such has been made for the souls of the people who are not righteous, but sinners and perfect criminals; they shall be together with other criminals who are like them, whose souls will not be killed on the day of judgment but will not rise from there."

22:14 At that moment I blessed YAHWEH of Splendor and I said, "Blessed be my Sovereign Ruler, YAHWEH of righteousness who rules forever."

The Book of Enoch seems to jive perfectly with the Scripture verses that we have brought forth. And has anything changed since Messiah came and was resurrected?

Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Act 2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

Act 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

Joh 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Note Acts 2 says both Messiah and David went to hell. We should now know this is the grave. So all men sleep until a time of resurrection. When is this and what will it look like?

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Were these souls raptured up to leave the wicked as many have been taught? What are His Ways and is this consistent in the 'end of days'?

Gen 7:23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

Exo 9:15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

Exo 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

Num 15:30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

Psa 7:9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

Pro 10:30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.

Psa 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

We see time and time again that the wicked are 'cut off' and the righteous remain. We also see in the commandments that those that sin are cut off from his people. Messiah confirms this removal of the wicked in the end of days as well, via His parables.

Mat 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

Mat 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

Mat 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

Mat 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

Mat 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

Mat 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Mat 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

Mat 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

Mat 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

Mat 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Mat 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Mat 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

He Likens Us to Sheep, Stones, and Plants

Sheep:

Jer 11:19 But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

1Ch 21:17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

Psa 80:1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

Psa 44:11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.

Psa 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

Psa 119:176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Jer 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

Jer 50:6 My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.

Jer 50:17 Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Joh 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Note that there is a relationship between a shepherd and his flocks. And we are referred to as 'lost' because we have strayed from His Ways and are taking our own path. Messiah is specific in Matt 15 in that He came for one people. Also consider that lost sheep are throughout time, and thus we have lost sheep presently in the grave as well as alive.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Psa 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

In Romans 12, Sha'ul tells that Torah teaches that all sacrifices are without blemish and set apart, as we are to be when giving of our fleshly desires and putting His Ways ahead of our own. In Psalm 51, King David is clear in that we truly are the sacrifice, and it all starts from within.

Stones:

Exo 28:9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel:

Exo 28:21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

Isa 8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Psa 144:12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Unlike manmade bricks in which each is alike, He likens us to stones in that each is individual, precious, and shaped through wind and water. And even Messiah is referred to as the chief corner stone. This is most certainly the stone that ensures that the rest of the structure is built correctly and acts as a guide.

Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Deu 17:5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

Deu 17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

Deu 17:7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.

I don't think Messiah could have been asking if any man was without sin in John 8. He must have been speaking to the sin in this event. And if anyone had thrown the first stone, they would have been proclaiming themselves a witness. Thus we can deduce that all were accusing in error and thus were in sin. Moshe details in Deu 17 how the witnesses begin the ejection of the unclean thing and the entire body is to follow up unto completion. Thus stoning has a deeper meaning of the body or church coming together in all righteous judgement, to eject the unclean and to keep the body clean.

Trees - Herbs - Grass

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Job 5:25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

Psa 52:8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

Psa 90:5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

Psa 103:15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

Isa 40:6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

Isa 40:7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

Isa 51:12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;

Jer 11:16 The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

Jer 17:8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Son 2:3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

We seem to be likened to grass along with the idea that grass will wither. We also see that as a tree, we are to bear good fruit. We can also be likened to herbs and flowers. Now consider the metaphors eluded to in Job 14:

Job 14:7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

Job 14:8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

Job 14:9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

Job 14:10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

Is Yah not showing us that even if man is old and even brought to the grave, that might he live again?

Gen 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

Gen 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Gen 1:13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.

Consider that in a world that is 'null and void', as in death, herb yielding seed and trees yielding fruit sprout to life in the first chapter of the world. Is this not a sign of resurrection? And is He not showing us this to occur on the 3rd day? I don't think this is a coincidence.

Hos 6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

Hos 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

Hos 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

Hoshea certainly confirms that even though Yah cuts us off or even brings us down to the grave, He will raise us up again. And we see yet another witness that this resurrection will be on the 3rd day.

He Likens Death to Exile

Read Psalms 88 and determine the themes. Where is the author? We will stick closely to thematic connections.

ArtiScroll Tanach Edition commentary on Psalm 88: An impassioned plea for deliverance from Israel's long and almost unbearable exile

Interesting that both Psa 88 and Deu 32 are songs.

Deu chapters 28-31 and Lev 26 are about the curses and punishment of Israel that Psa 88 adds context to, detailing one who is undergoing such punishment

Troubles:

Psa 88:3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

Deu 28:20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

Lack of Strength:

Psa 88:4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:

Deu 28:48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

Lev 26:16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

Fear:

Psa 88:7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.

Psa 88:15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

Psa 88:16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

Psa 88:17 They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.

Deu 28:65 And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:

Eyes Dim with Grief:

Psa 88:9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

Deu 28:28 The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:

Deu 28:29 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.

Hide My Face:

Psa 88:14 LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?

Deu 32:20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.

Deu 31:17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?

Deu 31:18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.

Exile is Detailed Specifically in:

Deu 28:41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.

Deu 28:63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.

Deu 28:64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

Deu 29:27 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book:

Deu 32:26 I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:

Lev 26:38 And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.

Lev 26:41 And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:

Lev 26:33 And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

Gen 2:17 details that eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil will lead to death on that very day. Did they die that day?

Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Gen 3:23-24 was the result as punishment and thus this is the first equating of death likening to exile

Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life

Gen 3:23-24 was the result as punishment and thus this is the first equating of death likening to exile

Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

Isa 8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Psa 144:12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

We may equate that a thousand years in the sight of Yah is as a day (Psa 90:4, 2Pet 3:8), and no man has lived beyond one thousand years (the oldest being Methuselah at 969 as recorded in Gen 5:27), we may also see that Adam and Chawa (Eve) were exiled from the garden that very day. Gen 4:14 is the same type of punishment in banishment (garash in the hebrew) to Cain who was deserving death.

Gen 4:14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

Gen 11:6-9 also shows that Yah punishes again with scattering

Gen 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

Gen 11:7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

Gen 11:8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

Gen 11:9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Gen 49:5-7 shows Simeon and Levi's punishment for killing men is separation from family and scattering

Gen 49:5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

Gen 49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

Gen 49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

To conclude, read Psalm 30 and consider the cycles eluded to throughout. Would you agree that these verses fit death, or exile?

Psa 30:7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.

Psa 30:8 I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.

Psa 30:9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

The Land

Mar 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

Why is this sabbath made for man and what does it do for him? Well, let's start with its first instance in Scripture:

Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

It appears to be a cycle of 7 days in which Yah worked 6 days and rested on the 7th. And this cycle with its 7th day rest appears to be holy, in which Yah has sanctified it. Let's look at this first given to man in the 4th Commandment:

Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

And likened to the 7-day cycle of the Sabbath for man, there is also another Sabbath cycle:

Lev 25:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD.

Lev 25:3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;

Lev 25:4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

Lev 25:5 That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.

Lev 25:6 And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee,

So this Sabbath rest is extended to the land as well as man. Man may work the land for 6 years but rest on the 7th. And this applies to all those in ones gates, or property, both for the land Sabbath and the weekly Sabbath. Both cycles seem to be very closely related and connected. Also note that one must come into the land, and thus began somewhere else. Let's consider this:

Deu 5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

We see here that Yah wants us to keep the Sabbath cycle once we come out of a different land, a land where we were servants and apparently not free. Let's consider another cycle that Yah desires us to keep and guard:

Lev 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

... and ...

Deu 16:9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn.

Deu 16:10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:

We count seven weeks or Sabbaths, and the next day appears to be the 50th day in counting. This is called the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot. In Greek, they call it Pentacost. So this totals a cycle of 50 days, and then the firstfruits are waived before Yah as acceptable. Is there another such cycle?

Lev 25:8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.

Lev 25:9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.

Lev 25:10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

Lev 25:11 A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.

Lev 25:12 For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.

Lev 25:13 In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.

The jubile appears to be a 50-year cycle in the land, in which all is brought back to its original state regarding ownership. And all captives are set free. It's interesting to consider that man being brought back to the beginning, and set free, sounds A LOT like the return of Messiah. And this jubile is announced on Yom Kippurim, and this Day of Atonement is literally connected to the 2nd return of Messiah. And the 2nd return of Messiah brings incorruption, or freedom from the bonds of the flesh, for many of us. So, consider we are being brought out of bondage and into freedom. This truly is connected to the land in what we have read thus far.

Gen 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

This 'giving of the land' is connected with eternity, and we, in the flesh as Abraham was, are strangers to it.

Exo 23:30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

To achieve this inheritance, one drives out or defeats wickedness little by little.

Exo 29:46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God

We are removed from another land, under bondage, and lead to where Yah dwells within us.

Lev 18:25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

Just like how the wicked amongst us are brought to death or exiled, to keep the body clean, the land expels the wicked.

Lev 26:6 And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.

Aspects of being in the land are existing in complete peace, without wickedness, and no strife of any kind.

Num 14:31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

We should desire to be as babes in order to inherit the land. Men have been stiffnecked in not desiring to walk in Yah's ways.

Deu 1:21 Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

This land has always been presented to us. All we need to do is be strong, lift ourselves up, and take what He offers us.

Deu 4:1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.

Life is given to those that heed the word of Torah, and the reward of life is in the possession of the land.

Deu 9:4 Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.

Deu 9:5 Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

It's not one's own righteousness or works that brings one to possess the land, but the dispossession of wickedness. This can be likened to the circumcision of one's heart.

Deu 11:8 Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it;

Deu 11:9 And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Deu 11:10 For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:

Deu 11:11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:

Deu 11:12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.

In order to possess the land, we must keep to His commandments. And this land is not as the land of bondage that must be tilled. This land Yah cares for for all time and times. The description of the bondage of Egypt is very much like the description of work that Adam would have to do when he was exiled from the garden.

Deu 30:4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:

Deu 30:5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.

Deu 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Yah promises that He will fetch us from everywhere, even unto the grave, and bring us to this land, where our hearts will be fully circumcised so that we may live.

Deu 32:46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.

Deu 32:47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

Our seed also achieves possession of the land through we as parents teaching His ways unto them. His Word is not a vain thing, but it is our LIFE, in achieving possession of the land.

Eze 37:20 And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.

This prophecy of the end of days foretells the bringing back of the two tribes and making them one again, both the homeborn and the stranger. I believe this is why there were two tablets of stone written upon by the Spirit of Yah, to signify both houses that were split. And He shows us two becoming one from the very beginning, even with Adam and Chawa. And no matter where His children are or have been, they will be brought from everywhere, to include Sheol, to the land.

Jer 3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.

Jer 3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

Jer 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

Jer 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Jer 3:16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

Jer 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

This is a wonderful prophecy in which Yah will take us as His bride, from both the house of Israel and the house of Judah. And He will gather us out of one land and place us in the land of inheritance. We will acknowledge our iniquities and He will remember them no more.

My goal in connecting these verses was to show that the term 'the land' is likened to the body of Messiah, Zion, or our gathering to Messiah when He returns the 2nd time. It seems to be metaphoric to eternal life, an embodiment that is without sin, and one with Him. Consider this when reading such words from this day forth, to provide better understanding and knowledge in such hope for our future.

He likens resurrection to being brought back to the land

He shows us our conditions in death:

Eze 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

Eze 37:2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

Eze 37:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

He speaks prophesy:

Eze 37:4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

Eze 37:5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

Eze 37:6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

He speaks the physical details of resurrection:

Eze 37:7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

Eze 37:8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

Eze 37:9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

Eze 37:10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

Note the word slain. In Hebrew, hagar means smitten, brought to death, or slaughtered. We must be brought to death before we can be reborn.

Twice over He clearly speaks the two conditions as one in the same. He clearly connections resurrection with being brought back to the land.

Eze 37:11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

Eze 37:12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

Eze 37:13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

Eze 37:14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

'For our parts' in verse 11 is added. The word gazar in the Hebrew means cut off/down or divided. When dead, we are certainly divided or exiled from the living. Also note how He interchangeably uses 'the whole house of Israel' and 'my people'. He is clearly showing them as one in the same.

So we see this connection in the Tanach. Would it not be stated in the Torah, since those with Messianic understanding believe that Moshe spoke of Messiah's death, burial, and resurrection? Consider the deeper meaning of the Yovel or Jubilee:

Lev 25:8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.

Lev 25:9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.

Lev 25:11 A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.

Lev 25:12 For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.

Lev 25:13 In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.

Note that the Jubilee is marked or sounded at the Day of Atonement, which is connected with the 2nd coming of Messiah. Certainly the final fulfillment of such an even as the Jubilee would be at Messiah's 2nd advent. Let's look at another thematic connection in the Torah:

Deu 30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,

Deu 30:2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;

Deu 30:3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.

Deu 30:4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:

Deu 30:5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.

Deu 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Deu 30:7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.

Deu 30:8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.

Note specifically verse 4 in the words of those driven unto the outmost parts of heaven. The Hebrew for 'outmost parts' is specific in detailing edges and not what some might render as under. This is a clue as to even those in different parts of the heavens as in those souls asleep where Enoch details the sleeping or captivity of souls. Also note that Yah will at this time circumcise our hearts, which we know to be end time prophecy. And with this circumcision we see that we will indeed obey. Let's see a parallel connection to this captivity:

Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

This certainly details the 2nd coming of Messiah, and you see these specific words later in verse 37. We see the trumpet blast as what occurs on the Day of Atonement to announce the Jubilee. We also see the same idea of those coming from the ends or edges of the heavens, which points us to those resurrected from the dead. This is yet another witness to the final fulfillment of this Jubilee and the return of His people to the land as they are resurrected.

And we should certainly see throughout Scripture that He ties in the number 3 when hinting toward resurrection. Let's take a look at some examples. First recall that Messiah forewarned His disciples of this:

Mat 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Also recall the Messiah forewarned the Jewish leaders of this as well, though they did not understand His depth:

Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

Joh 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

Joh 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

Messiah was giving a deeper understanding of what the temple or tabernacle is really about, which is oneself and being one with Yah. The original concept of raising one's temple can be seen in the Torah:

Exo 26:30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.

He shows us the patterns in Scripture, which we are to lay our eyes upon and better get to know Him. This helps us to understand how we are to build such a tabernacle or temple within ourselves so that He may dwell within us. And to lift ourselves up as such a temple is surely to become as a new man, raised from the dead. Now let's see some prophecy of this 3rd day resurrection of ourselves:

Hos 6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

Hos 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

He must bring us down, as unto death, in order to raise us back up as the new man of which Sha'ul or Paul speaks. And note how this is most assuredly speaking of end-time prophecy, in that we will live in His sight.

Now read Gen 22:1-14 and note the following (sections of verses 1-5, 6-10, and 11-14):

In verse 4, we see that Abraham possibly has a vision on the 3rd day. The 3rd day should immediately give us indication of prophecy regarding resurrection. Why is it that once this vision takes place, Abraham states to the other fellows that he and his son Yitsach will return the following day? Might he have seen the death, burial, and resurrection of Messiah? If we look at the Hebrew, the last word of this verse has to do with space and time and thus Abraham could have been shown this future event of Messiah and thus might have then known his son would also live again.

We see that both verses 4 and 13 are thematically connected in Abraham lifting up his eyes, and verse 14 gives us this hint in the words 'it shall be seen'. Thus, the 3rd day vision can be likened or directly connected to the ram with its horns caught in the thicket and this ram being offered in the stead of Abraham's son.

Num 10:35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

Num 10:36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.

I wanted to share these last verses because I see the 2 advents of Messiah in this cloud. The raising up of the cloud is the same Hebrew word for resurrection, qum. And the scattering of His enemies upon the raising up is likened to the promise given to Abraham's seed in Gen 22:17. The His return to the thousands of Yisrael seems to be directly connected to His 2nd coming with the thousands of saints, and those risen from the grave.

The end result, on the 'eighth day' Hebraically or eternity, Psa. 20:8 summarizes all peoples quite well (they are the wicked):

Psa 20:8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

Destroy and Fulfil

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Mat 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Mat 16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Though I would love to rail against the notion of Kepha (Peter) being the rock and that Messiah is actually the boulder, I would like to make a note instead of this concept in the so-called New Testament of binding and loosening. Messiah's mentioning of the gates of hell should be understood as the grave being of final judgement. This would be a Hebraic understanding vice what we may consider in the English language. And Messiah being big enough to be that final judge, even in prevailing over the grave, is His precursor to His giving of authority to the disciples to bind and loosen. But are we to understand this concept of binding and loosening as we would simply in the English, as to restrict and/or to provide freedom. As with ALL of Scripture, I always think it best to look back to the Torah for the Hebraic understanding.

Num 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

Num 30:3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth;

Num 30:4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.

Num 30:5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

Num 30:6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;

Num 30:7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

Num 30:8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.

Num 30:9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.

Num 30:10 And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;

Num 30:11 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

Num 30:12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.

Num 30:13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.

Num 30:14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.

Num 30:15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

Num 30:16 These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.

Verse 2 shows that a vow (neder) with Yah, or swear (shaba) an oath (shebuah), is straight forward and one is bound to what one speaks. And I use the English word 'bound' in a particular way in order to draw our remembrance of this concept back to our New Testament verses. I would also hope that we would note the likeness of shaba and shebuah to the word Shabbat. These words in Hebraic understanding have to do with 'sevening' oneself, or making covenant. Keep in mind that the number seven (sheba) is Yah's number for completion. Also note that a vow is with Yah and oaths are between men.

Verses 3 through 5 show how if a woman is still in the house with her father, her vows may be annulled by the father and thus Yah would forgive her.

The remainder of these verses are specific to a bride, which is quite different than the first 2 scenarios. The difference is that there is a verb and or concept introduced called 'parar' in the Hebrew. This word is translated as 'none effect' in verse 8, and 'void' in verses 12 (said twice for emphasis), 13, and 15. If one reviews this word throughout Scripture, it's quite apparent that it is tied in with covenant. And thus, there is certainly a covenant between a husband and his wife. But any covenantal vows made by the wife in which the husband annuls not only provides her with Yah's forgiveness, but also places the iniquity upon the husband. We should see thematic connections with this concept in direct agreement with what our Messiah has done for us in His death. Our iniquity can be put upon Him as our husband, if He so desires. And this same word is depicted even more often throughout Scripture to show how WE break covenant with the Father, whom we should recall is a husband to us all, throughout time, as we see in Jeremiah Chapter 31. We should also note how Yah forgives our iniquity in this chapter, which is again thematically connected to this topic of vows between a husband and his bride. More often than not, we see this word parar used to depict our actions of breaking our covenant with Him:

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

We see this Hebrew word 'parar' translated as 'brake' in Jer 31:32, which is the context of most of the 50 uses of this word in Scripture. We also see in this verse how the covenant did have to deal with us being a bride unto the Father. And in this section of verses, we also see the promise of forgiveness of the iniquity. We can even see this prophesied back in the Torah:

Deu 31:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

Yah had always known that man, as His bride, would break the marital bond. And Yah actually provides more detail to this Hebrew word 'parar' here:

Lev 26:15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:

So we see that breaking of such a covenant with Him, as His bride, is done by not keeping His commandments, statutes, and judgements. Let's now apply this newly understood concept to what the Shem-Tob's Mattityahu version (Hebrew) of the book of Matthew shows us in the English translation of Mat 5:17 in the word 'destroy':

Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil (pleroo).

The Hebrew Matthew has the Hebrew word 'parar' as 'destroy', which is the same word as 'none effect' in Num 30:8 and 'break' in Deu 31:16. A better English translation for this might be 'annul'. This means that Messiah was specifically saying that He was NOT breaking covenant with the Father, and thus was INDEED keeping the Fathers commandments, statutes, and judgements. Thus, the word 'fulfil' should be directly connected to the keeping of Yah's commandments, statutes, and judgements and not used in a concept of once kept and to no longer keep as much of Christianity perceives. We should see that it may have more to do with walking in the fulness thereof and thus keeping of Yah's commandments, statutes, and judgements. Let's see if other translations and uses of this word 'playroo' in the Greek hold up to this newly viewed definition, which should thus coincide with the Hebrew word 'parar' in keeping of covenant.

Luk 2:40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Joh 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Mat 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

These examples of NT Scripture of this word 'playroo' in the Greek can certainly indicate a fullness thereof in keeping what is being pointed to, and not of a final fulfillment that leads to annulment as much of Christianity may teach.

We should also recall and conceive that all of Yah's covenants are kept forever. He NEVER does away with any of His covenants and all are connected with and added to each and every other covenant that He makes and has made with us. And it's quite apparent that the following verses of Mat 5:18-20 backs up this concept in that Yah's commandments, statutes, and judgements will continue well beyond Messiah's time on earth.

Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (ginomai).

Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Please note that 'fulfil' in verse 17 is a completely different word than 'fulfilled' in verse 18, and for good reason. The Hebrew word 'playroo' certainly was connected directly and in opposition to our concept of 'annul', whereas all being fulfilled in verse 18 may have a completely different understanding in that all of prophecy must be fulfilled. And until then, all of Torah is in full force.

We also see a second witness of this here:

Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Firstly, the Greek word 'genea' can also be rendered as 'time' or 'age', and not just 'generation' as in verse 34. And we are certainly in a unique age where Messiah is now our High Priest in the heavens. Yah's word certainly consists of and details for our edification His commandments, statutes, and judgements and we should walk in the fulness thereof, as Messiah did.

Atonement

Lev 4:27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;

Lev 4:28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.

Lev 4:29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.

Lev 4:30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.

Lev 4:31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

Lev 4:32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.

Lev 4:33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.

Lev 4:34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:

Lev 4:35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.

With regards to the sin offering, the offering is sacrificed at the altar, the priest makes atonement for the sin, and the sin is forgiven. So the question is, what exactly is atonement? Is it the same as forgiveness? Let's look at a similar offering, the trespass offering:

Lev 5:15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:

Lev 5:16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.

As with the sin offering, the trespass offering also entails an offering, atonement by the priest, and forgiveness. Let's look at another example of the need to forgive sin:

Lev 16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

Lev 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

So, on the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippurim, all afflict their souls in order to receive atonement and cleansing. This could surely mean that the imagery of the animal sacrifice is likened to the giving of oneself to Yah. This deeper meaning can be found throughout the TANAKH (Old Testament to some) if one studies diligently. And this atonement appears to make one look clean in the eyes of Yah. And we can certainly associate the previous examples of forgiveness to the cleansing of oneself. Maybe we should consider what happens when one does not desire to bring an offering, or give of oneself, to Yah: Let's take for example a time when the entire assembly negated or brought to naught Yah's word by rising up against Moshe and Aaron, who were Yah's chosen leadership:

Num 16:45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

Num 16:46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.

Num 16:47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.

Num 16:48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

Num 16:49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.

Num 16:50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

This is clearly a moment in which Yah judges, and He becomes full of wrath by using a plague to bring them to death. And we see that the action of Aaron bringing the holy incense between the dead and the living stayed the plague and saved many lives. This was such a profound action considering this took place between the living and the dead, and provided atonement by the priest in utilizing the holy incense. In deeper or spiritual understanding, the smoke from the incense altar is likened to the prayers of the saints. It's such smoke that keeps the High Priest alive when he enters the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement. This same incense keeps thousands or even millions alive through Aaron's actions in this example. Thus, as with the single individual receiving atonement from the priest with sacrifices, the High Priest utilizes the smoke of the incense altar to save lives once a year in entering the Holy of Holies.

Lev 16:13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

And the incense saved lives in these examples as well as provided atonement. I think it's safe to say that like Moshe, the High Priest must be giving of himself in that he acts on behalf of all the people, which is an act full of love. But the most giving individual in history, whom loved more than all others, was certainly our Messiah:

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Messiah gave of Himself more than any other in giving His life and blood. His action provided atonement for all individuals, and thus eternal life. Sha'ul or Paul seems to differentiate between reconciliation and atonement, in that atonement was provided in addition to reconciliation. This is very much like comparing atonement and forgiveness as in previous examples. In all cases thus far, atonement seems to be something provided in addition to what seems to be needed. Thus another question to raise is: 'Is atonement specific to forgiveness or cleansing of sin'? Let's look at another example of atonement:

Lev 12:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

Lev 12:3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

Lev 12:4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

Lev 12:5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

Lev 12:6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:

Lev 12:7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

It seems as though the mother of her newborn is penalized for having a male or even more heavily for a female child. She is literally deemed unclean and thus cannot draw near unto Yah, unto the sanctuary, for a period of time. But we should see that this is regarding the blood. And even though there is no sin in having a child as all of his children were commanded to do from the beginning, there is still a need for atonement which results in cleansing. Let's look at another example of where sin does not appear to be the factor in the decision for atonement:

Lev 16:33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.

Here we see inanimate objects receiving atonement. And certainly such objects do not sin. Yet these objects are holy in that they provide a way to sacrifice and thus provide a way for the priest to perform his duties. There still seems to be commonality. Whether it be what man touches and works with, or man himself, Yah still makes a way for him to draw near unto Him though sin is inherent. Now let's take a look at the very first mentioning of atonement for yet another perspective:

Gen 6:13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

Gen 6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

In this example, the word translated as PITCH is the same Hebrew word for ATONEMENT, KAPHAR. And this is story about Yah's judgement and wrath, to where the flood destroyed all things. But what saved the eight individuals from the flood was the ark that was pitched inside and out. This let no water in, and thus no judgement came to these eight individuals. They would go on to live another day, and yet still reach death at a later age. This pitch covered the wood, to preserve and make true it's purpose of protecting its contents. Without this pitch, or covering, the wood may not have been enough on its own. And Yah's face was upon the wicked of the earth and thus they were judged. The hidden eight would be judged another day. Could there be another understanding emerging now with regards to atonement passing judgement and instead presenting Yah with something acceptable in our place. Let's look at the example I've been wanting to get to, which I believe to reveal some interesting truth when diving into the Hebrew meaning of things. Let's look at the moment of preparation for Ya'acob when about to meet his brother Esaw after many years:

Gen 32:17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

Gen 32:18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

Gen 32:19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

Gen 32:20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

Gen 32:21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.

In these verses, we see a number of English words that are not normally used in translation for their specific Hebrew words. 'Present' in verse 18, for example, is the Hebrew word 'minchah, which is normally translated as 'offering'. In the Hebrew, present and offering truly are one in the same. But as for a surprise definition, the word 'appease' in the English from verse 20 is the Hebrew word 'kaphar'. This is the only time in the KJV that kaphar is translated as appease. But in this example, Ya'acob is seeking atonement and it is accomplished via a present, or offering, this is presented in his stead so that at a future date, MAYBE, as in peradventure, he will be accepted by Esaw when he comes face to face with him. This is a likening picture to us in our flesh, and how we must be seen to Yah as that offering whereas He may judge us later, when we are face to face with him. This gives the concept of atonement much clarification, though it gives a different rendering if only looking at the English.

So, now that we have looked at many examples of atonement and see that it involves covering for the immediate so that peradventure, we may be accepted later when He judges, let's look at other places in Scripture that may elude to providing covering rather than seeing us immediately in our nakedness or shame:

Exo 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

Exo 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

Exo 33:23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Here we see an interesting glory moment, where Yah is revealed in a significant way to Moshe. Yah covers Moshe with His hand while He passes. Consider the passing actually being time instead of the embodiment of Himself. Seeing His back parts after the covering could be His existence at a later time. And this appears to hide Moshe from Yah's face. Is this not likened to the moment where Ya'acob hid himself and his face for a time but instead pleased Esaw with a present or offering?

Exo 28:40 And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty.

Exo 28:41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.

Exo 28:42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:

Exo 28:43 And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.

Here is one example how important nakedness is covered. Yah likens nakedness to shame, as seen in such examples as Exo 32:25, Isa 47:3, Nah 3:5, Mic 1:11, Rev 3:18, and Rev 16:15. Let's look at another example:

Gen 9:18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.

Gen 9:19 These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.

Gen 9:20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

Gen 9:21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

Gen 9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

Gen 9:23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.

Gen 9:24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

Gen 9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

Many of the sages say that Ham did a dirty deed. I say he was sinful in reporting the nakedness, but it's clear to me that Canaan did the dirty deed. Canaan was apparently the youngest son in the house and this was referenced in verse 24. Shem and Japeth took the right action in covering the nakedness so that it was not seen, not even by their own eyes. This is love, to hide one another's faults and not bring them to light unless it harms the entire body. Even Messiah put away the woman's sin that the Pharisees had brought to His attention hoping Messiah would erroneously pass judgement in John 8:3-11. This is a common example of loving one another and thus forgiving sin by putting the sin away, or covering it. Now we know this is likened to atonement, and the ways of Yah. Would we not all want the blessing bestowed upon the tribe of Benjamin here?

Deu 33:12 And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.

Thematical Connections to 'The Woman'

Lev 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Lev 12:3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

Lev 12:4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

Lev 12:5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

Lev 12:7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

Lev 12:8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

to purify or cleanse: tahor (Tav-Hey-Resh)

purification: tohorah (Tav-Hey-Resh-Hey)

Thus we see that the days of puriftying or cleansing (tahor) leads to completion of purification (tohorah). We see that the 'Hey' is added to show completion. We can thematically connect this to someone further back in the Torah.

Also note that tohorah minus the 'Hey' in the middle leaves torah. Is this not the perfect example in the more spiritual understanding of this woman that every one of us should walk in Torah in striving to be perfect and thus lead to tohorah or completed purification? In this case, there is a 'Hey' added in the middle, which can also thematically connedt to someone further back in the Torah.

And many question the difference in the full 40 days of separation for boy child and 80 day separation for a girl child. I clearly see a difference spelled out in verse 3, where there is also circumcision with a boy child. And why is the woman separated at all, and in need of atonement? Separation is a good thing and we also see such separation with the lepor (Lev 13-14), one taking a Nazarite Vow (Num 6), and many other instances. It is a time to be 'shut up' as even Sha'ul or Paul speaks about being 'shut up' unto Torah and faith until perfection comes (Gal 3:23). It gives one a chance to shut their mouths and the evil coming from it, be separated from the body during this trial period thus keeping the body clean, and contemplate on one's sin and come to desire repentance. It is Yah's giving of mercy in this period and thus giving all yet more chance to later draw near unto Him.

Now let's look at the thematic connections that I spoke of earlier:

Gen 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Gen 17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

Gen 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

Gen 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

We see that Abram is asked to be perfect and his name has a 'Hey' added in the middle to become Abraham.

Gen 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Gen 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Gen 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

Now that Abram has become Abraham and begins to walk perfectly, his seed is given covenant. Remember that the purification of the woman in her blood is all about her seed and the blessing of being able to give such seed. We should see a deeper meaning for every one of us, both men and woman, that WE are that bride of Messiah and as that bride, WE should carry on His seed (or even the seed of Abraham) to all that we raise and all that we meet. Even helping another to turn from sin and become a new man is being born again and thus giving seed.

Gen 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

Gen 17:11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

Gen 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

Gen 17:13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

Gen 17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

We see that once Abraham begins his walk in perfection, circumcision becomes a focal point. And we should know that as with what is taught throughout Torah, it's the circumcision of the heart which Yah truly wants. The physical circumision is simply a sign, whereas the circumcision of the heart is Yah's will. And again, we saw this connection with the woman in Lev 12.

Gen 17:15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

Gen 17:16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

Even Sarai has a 'Hey' added to the end of her name and is then promised to conceive seed. Thematically connected with the woman in Lev 12, we see that cleansing leads to purification and the 'Hey' is added to signify such. Thus the connection with conceiving of seed.

Recall that Abraham was drawn by Yah out of his land at the age of 75 years and had walked in faith up until this point in time where he is 99 years old. Yah then makes a covenant with him and asks him to be perfect (or to keep His laws, which we see he continued to do in Gen 26:5). Thus the pattern is to have faith, provide circumcision as a sign, and begin to walk in His ways and keep His commandments. We see this keeping of His commandments back in Deu 5:10 as well as with Messiah in Joh 14:15 (love me and keep my commandments).

Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

Sha'ul was Yisra'el, the seed of Abraham, and of one of the tribes. We are to be the same!

2Co 11:22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

The word Hebrew (Eber) comes from Abraham's fathers name and means to 'cross over'. Abraham crossed over from his father's land to Yah's land in faith. Thus he was the first Hebrew. We also must cross over from our land of birth to a spiritual being. We then become Yisra'el, or His people. And we will most certainly be assigned a tribe as we will see later.

Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Gal 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Gal 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Sha'ul or Paul explains the deeper meaning of Torah in that the seed of Abraham is indeed our Messiah and we are of Messiah as Messiah is of the seed of Abraham. We should be likened to them, in walking in faith to lead to keeping His commandments in love.

Rom 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

It's ONLY Yisra'el whom IS the seed!

Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Who is the bride of Messiah shown to us in these verses? It is the city coming down from above, in which Messiah is the cornerstone and we are all of the remaining white stones. And WE are written in the book of life and are of the twelve tribes which refers to the twelve gates.

Messiah's Death and Resurrection Timeline

The prophecy about the spring Feast Days, regarding the 1st coming of Messiah:

Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover.

Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

Lev 23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Lev 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

The only clear facts regarding Messiah's timeline is that as the Passover lamb, He would have died on the 14th, the next day is an Annual Sabbath (high day), and there is a weekly Sabbath shortly thereafter that He will be waved as an acceptable firstfruit unto the Father. Passover was the preparation day and the next day being the Feast of Unleavened Bread is clear in this verse:

Joh 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

Now let's look at the timeline that Messiah speaks of regarding His death and resurrection:

Mat 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Mat_12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Let's consider the truth in the book of Jonah to see the stating of this timeline:

Jon 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Jon 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

A great fish swallowing up Jonah is likened to the grave (hell, or Sheol in the Hebrew) according to the second verse provided. And thus Messiah stated that He would be in the grave likewise, for 3 days and 3 nights. And likened to the Father, I'm sure Messiah is exact in his accounting. Thus 3 full days and nights should be accounted for. Let's look at another accounting that Messiah provides in the NT:

Mat_20:19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

Joh_2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

A raising up should occur on the 3rd day as well. These two views should be made complete and reckoned as truth in His resurrection. Let's try to narrow down this moment in history next:

Mat 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Mat 28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

Mat 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

Mat 28:4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

Mat 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

Mat 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Mar 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

Mar 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Mar 16:3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

Mar 16:4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

Mar 16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

Mar 16:6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

Luk 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

Luk 24:2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

Luk 24:3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

Joh 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

Joh 20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Whether you accept that Mary came at the end of the Sabbath as the sun was rising as in Matthew's account, or that she came just as the sun came up on the first day of the week with all other accounts, Messiah had already risen and thus it's fairly clear that He rose before the first day of the week in all accounts. Thus, Messiah rose sometime on the Sabbath, either in the day or at night.

Now we must also realize that the raising of Messiah from the grave is uniquely different than Him being presented as acceptable before the Father (the wave sheaf offering). Consider this verse:

Joh_20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

It was the first day of the week, the day after the Sabbath as Lev 23 specified, that Messiah would be waved as an acceptable firstfruit unto the Father.

One may use the following verses with thematic connections to prove that He rose at midnight the night before:

Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Gen 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

One may prophecy that it would be Messiah as that seed that shall possess the gate of his enemies, or become the judge of all. But there is also a literal fulfilment of this prophecy as well, providing us insight to timeline of rising at midnight:

Jdg 16:3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.

And look at some of the interesting similarities. Both Samson and Messiah were Nazarites from birth. Both instances had guards on watch that were not mentioned in either account in them stopping the goal. And most importantly, both 'lifted gates' and thus the midnight timeline would be likened as well. Note that Yah has a knack for taking away His enemies at midnight:

Exo 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

Thus, if Messiah rose at midnight the evening of the Sabbath, and the Sabbath was the 3rd day as stated in Matt 20:19. This would put the Passover, or Messiah's death, on the 4th day of the week (Wednesday in modern terms). And if Messiah died toward the going down of the sun on the 4th day of the week, and rose from the grave at midnight of the 7th day of the week, then this would put Him in the grave 3 days and 3 nights exactly. This could NOT be possible if one accepts 'Good Friday' and 'Easter Sunday'.

I would like to make special note of the importance of Messiah's work in His death and resurrection. Here is how Sha'ul or Paul recognizes it:

Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Thus He took on the result of our sin for us by being that curse. And let's not forget the 'law' of such a curse on the tree:

Deu 21:22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

Deu 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Brotherly Love

What does Messiah have to say about this subject?

Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Mar 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

Mar 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Messiah specifically points out Deu 6:5 and Lev 19:18 as the weightiest of all of the commandments. We should also note that both entail love. And verse 33 can be seen as a word play to where the first commandment is likened to the whole burnt offering, which depicts the fully giving of oneself unto Him. And the second commandment of loving thy neighbor as oneself is likened to sacrifices of the flesh that are given to better oneself and our relationships. And consider how Messiah connects these 2 commandments to all:

Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Considering it was the prophets goal to bring us back to the Torah, we should see that these two great commandments do summarize or encapsulate all of His Torah or commandments. One can even hang the ten commandments written in stone from these two, and then all others to those ten. But definitively love, which comes from the heart, is at the 'heart of the matter' (no pardoning of the pun). Now let's look at a good chapter in Torah that helps us to understand how to love:

Lev 19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

This fear, or yare in the Hebrew, is the same word used many times in Torah to say that we are to fear our Elohim. And when Yah finishes a statement with 'I am Yahuah your Elohim' as we see in this verse, it should be taken as an eye opener to where we need to listen and do such things because of who He is. Thus, He has us fear our parents as we should Him, most likely to liken the relationship of parents to our Creator. And keeping His sabbaths are uniquely put into this mix, I believe, to help us understand that if these times are important to Him, they should be important to us. In our upbringing, we learn that what is important to our parents should be and is important to us.

Lev 19:9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.

Lev 19:10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

These verses depict our main works in life and we should always consider those in need during such works and truly at all times.

Lev 19:13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

Lev 19:14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.

Lev 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Lev 19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.

Lev 19:17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.

Lev 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

We see such concepts of how not to defraud, curse, speak behind one's back, bear a grudge, judge unrighteously, and even hate our neighbor. Love would not result in any such feelings towards one's neighbor.

Lev 19:33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.

Lev 19:34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Lev 19:35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.

Lev 19:36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Loving a stranger whom one does not know as family can be a hard thing to do in this flesh of ours. Certainly being fair in judgements and remembering how we were in the same boat in days past should help us to learn how to learn to love the stranger and treat him or her as we would expect ourselves to be treated.

Now let's take a look at how Moshe summarizes such a walk in love for one's neighbor:

Deu 10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

Deu 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:

Deu 10:18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.

Deu 10:19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Deu 10:20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.

Note how Moshe is depicting what Yah does and how He treats us. He wants us to love others as He loves us. We should recall how Messiah spoke in this same context:

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

So just as we see our parents as children and try to mimic them as we grow, we should mimic Yah as we grow spiritually. As Yah loves and has mercy on us, thus we should love and have mercy on others.

Lev 6:2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;

Lev 6:3 Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:

Lev 6:4 Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,

Lev 6:5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.

Lev 6:6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:

Lev 6:7 And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.

Note the order given here in one's sin in not loving one's neighbor. One must first make restitution with the one who was sinned against. And then and only after can one draw near unto Yah and receive forgiveness. And remember a similar teaching from our Messiah:

Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Mat 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Yah expects us to draw near unto Him in a clean state, and He does not hear the prayers of the wicked. Thus, we should make things right between our brothers before we draw near unto Him.

Now let's glean on just a few various words of wisdom from Solomon:

Pro 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Pro 17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

Pro 24:17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

Note how Pro 10:12 is showing us that an internal act leads to an external act, and of the same seed. Pro 19:19 is likened in that it shows how performing external acts can grow internally, and again of the same seed. And it goes further in detailing that we should put away and forgive a sin, and not repeat it to others as a talebearer. Prov 24:17 also correlates an external action of rejoicing to an internal action of being glad, and that such is wicked. To further explain internal and external regarding sin, consider this verse from the sons of Korah:

Psa 85:2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.

Yah forgives iniquity as an internal action, and covers sin as an external. But note how He is better defining the words this way, to correlate the internal action of forgiveness to the external action of covering, and the internal act of iniquity to the external act of sin.

Now consider how bias is a hard feeling to overcome. And though we may not always realize it, we may love our neighbor with bias as to who we extend love to and who we do not. Messiah helps to clarify this for us:

Luk 6:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Luk 6:32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

Luk 6:33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

Luk 6:34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

Luk 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Luk 6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

I don't think explanation is needed for Messiah's clarification, other than maybe a note that Messiah does tell us that we are rewarded for our good works. This same concept of blessings comes from Torah. Now let's consider more of Messiah's clarification on this:

Luk 10:29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

Luk 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Luk 10:31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Luk 10:32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

Luk 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

Luk 10:34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Luk 10:35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Luk 10:36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

Luk 10:37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Note that the first two men were of both the High Priesthood, or Kohen, and the Levitical Priesthood. And think of the selfishness in not becoming unclean with this stranger so as not to be able to perform their duties in Jerusalem; this could have been their thinking internally in their action of not assisting their brother externally. But it was the heart of the Samaritan, or outsider, that does what is right in the eyes of Yah, and gives of himself for another. THIS is a neighbor, or brother! Consider Sha'ul's thought on this matter:

Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Helping another through their troubles is bearing their burdens, and such should be done in the right spirit, which embodies Messiah's own life. Sha'ul further explains this spirit in these two sections of verses:

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

To walk in such fruit certainly results in no penalty. This is the way to treat all others, without bias, and thus putting away any other desire or spirit within. These actions within can only lead to good works externally, which shows perfection. We are thus judged by our actions externally and thus such works are of most importance. Kepha or Peter supports this:

1Pe 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

We should note that Peter is speaking of external actions throughout this verse. He shows us how sharing one's burden can cover sin and thus help another to change their ways and begin to walk straight. Yochanon or John stresses the importance of works:

1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

We should mimic the ways of Yah, and thus consider how Messiah gave His own life in love for us. He certainly felt it within, but we must consider the fulfillment of this love in the work on the stake that He performed. It's the deed that truly counts, as Yochanon shows us clearly in such verses. It's the good works that are a testimony or proof as to where the heart is. Apply these words from Yacob, or James, to consider the validity of works:

Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

It's what comes from a man that proves what lies within, in the heart. And as we write His Words upon our hearts to cleanse us from within, our 'cup' begins to overflow, and wash the outside as to what comes from one's lips. Messiah spoke this concept here:

Mat 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

So, love comes from within and exudes itself outwardly. Loving our neighbor should be an outward expression or action, but coming from a spiritual or inward man. Sha'ul is often eloquent in such understandings:

Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

So let us put away the thoughts and actions of the outward man and dawn the inward, as to growing in Yah and loving our neighbor. And love in the right spirit, that comes from our Father whom we fear and reverence. Take His words and instructions of love, and not only apply it to one's own heart, but also share it with the heart of another. Go in peace, and love one another!

Creation Week

Isa 46:8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.

Isa 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Isa 46:11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

Note that all things to come have already been declared from the beginning. Thus, let's take a look at just that ... IN THE BEGINNING

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

We know this 'Word' is our Messiah, and He has been from the beginning. Now let's take a look at what He calls 'the beginning'.

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

The first verse has 7 Hebrew words, and the 4th, Aleph Tav, is not translated. The Jews say this is a gramatical pointer, pointing the verb to a particular object. Even the sages have questioned 'who is the Aleph Tav'. In the hebrew, the letters mean the strength of the cross.

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

The Alpha and Omega is greek. This verse is a Hebrew, Messiah, speaking to Yochanan or John, a Hebrew. Thus in the Hebrew, it would be said 'I am the Aleph and the Tav'.

'In the beginning', breisheit, speaks of a house (bet), a son (bet resh), how the son is the creator, that Yah is a consuming fire, and the firstborn is who builds the house.

'it was so' - ken - opening of a seed (AHRC), set upright, sure, true (Strongs)

'moved' in verse 2 is only found 3 times in all of Scripture, to inc. Deu 32:11 and Jer 23:9. Note the Ruach is in place as Yah speaks changes on Day 2. Also note that He creates light before He begins change.

Note how face, or paniym in Hebrew, indicates condition and action. This is consistent with Yah and how He interacts with us, shining His face towards us (countenance) in blessing, and away from us in curse.

Day 1 ...

Yah speaks light, and following changes, into existence. Note that the speaking and the revelation of such is as two witnesses and thus truth. Also recall that we can expect to hear from Him when He makes such changes, recalling His words from His prophet:

Eze_12:25 For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.

Most of us know that the lights in the heavens are made on the 4th day, so what is different about the light on the first day? Can darkness have a deeper meaning? Consider spirituality. Light would come from Him and we are to shine such a light, as witnesses unto the darkness, or the rest of the world. Consider these words:

Psa 89:36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

Psa 89:37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

As the moon is a witness to the light of the sun, so we are to be witnesses to the light of Yah, to reflect it upon the darkness of the earth. We are commanded as such:

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

You will note that on each day, there is specific order. This seems apparent in the use of 'and', which is simply a 'vav' put at the beginning of the verb beginning the next action. And evening and morning are no exception. They are noted AFTER what Yah creates on each day, thus revealing that He does His works 'in the light' and desires NOT to mention 'the night' in what He creates on any day. Instead, He mentions the marks at the beginning and end of the night, which are evening and morning. I believe the Jews have made these words a 'parenthetical' to note the entire 24-hour period consists of and are in the order of night and day. This is inconsistent with how Yah presents parentheticals, as we see in the first few verses of Lev 23, where He makes the weekly Sabbath a parenthetical to the annual Sabbaths via repeating the same statement before and after what's within the parens.

The word HAYAH in the Hebrew is used more than any other word throughout Gen chapter 1. It seems to be related to time and action, as we read let there be light and there was light. This is 'hayah or, hayah or' in the Hebrew. And there was evening and there was morning is v'hayah ereb, v'hayah boqer. Thus, it can be used to specify future, present, or past. It can be rendered simply as TO BE but with tense.

Day 2 ...

Yah divided the waters to place a firmament, or heaven, between.

Day 3 ...

Exo 14:16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

Dry ground is a place where one may stand and is given to His children as a path, whereas there is no foothold in the sea. The sea is often represented throughout Scripture as 'the nations' or of the heathen.

Note that seed of all plants and trees comes from the earth, and is in itself or after its kind. Thus, we are NOT to mix.

Day 4 ...

The lights in the heavens are for times and in the Hebrew with is called 'moedim'. Moedim is often translated as 'appointed times' as those that are His in Lev 23.

These lights appear to be amounts, since the moon is included in ruling the night, but it does not have any light of its own and only reflects the light of the sun.

Day 5 ...

Yah creates all of the living creatures in the waters and in the heaven. They are to multiply and fill the earth as man is.

Note that this word for creature, nephesh in the Hebrew, is the same word for soul that we see in Gen 2:7. Thus all creatures that breathe are living souls.

Day 6 ...

Yah creates the living creatures of the earth and man.

Man is created in the image of Yah, and is told to multiply and be fruitful.

Yah states that the plants will be food for all those with life in the air and on the earth.

Day 7 ...

This day is a day of rest where reflection of work is apparent. He blessed and sanctified it.

Note there is no mention of there being a night. I believe this to indicate that there is then no end to this day, meaning there is light forever more.

2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Note that Kepha, or Peter, begins speaking of the beginning of creation, of the heavens and the earth, and he injects the understanding that His day is likened to a thousand years to us. This is nothing new:

Psa_90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

Thus this 7-day creation week of His is likened to a 7-millenial plan for us. Let's put this together:

1st Day - As light, darkness, and division was introduced, so Adam brought sin/darkness into the world and was separated from the tree of life

2nd Day - As in the days of Noah, Yah wielded the waters from above and below to make change

3rd Day - Brought forth the seed of Abraham and Messiah

4th Day - Kings and Prophets were likened to lights and signs in the heavens

5th Day - Bringing forth of the ruach produced living creatures

6th Day - Man subdued and has brought forth the fullness of the earth. Much knowledge ...

7th Day - The Sabbath is a day where He is with us.

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

This reveals the fact the Messiah will rule and reign for the Sabbath millenium, which will end with the 2nd resurrection of the wicked, the loosening of HaShatan, and the complete and final expulsion of all wicked into the lake of fire. Thus, the 8th day, or eternity, is without sin in the world.

Hopefully we see in all things within Scripture His cycles, moedim, or wheels within wheels as it is written in Ezekiel. A most important cycle that we can first see in the creation account is the cycle of 3 days. Recall this prophecy:

Hos 6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

Hos 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

It all starts with a creation that is brought low.

Isa 24:1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

Isa 24:2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.

We see this in the creation account, where darkness is upon the face of the waters. First Yah readies His ruach to move upon the face of the waters. Then He looks towards us, to favor us, and bring us light. He then makes a way or path for us, to walk upon dry ground and be able to stand straight. This entails a water baptism. And finally, we are able to yield His fruit, not mixed with any wicked seed of the world. We are risen from the dead to become a fruitful tree, as it was in the beginning, in the garden.

Look at an example of this cycle in Mitsrayim, or Egypt. His people were in bondage to a wicked pharoah, under complete darkness within his rule. Then Yah remembered His covenant with their fathers and He turned His face towards them to give them light. He began to divide the light from the darkness as He cursed the Mitsrites with the remaining 7 plagues whereas they did not affect the children of the light. He then split the sea to reveal dry ground for them to walk upon, giving them a path and a way to salvation; they were baptized in the sea as Sha'ul or Paul even stated in 1Cor 10:1-2. And thus the seed of Abraham will shoot forth, even from death. Resurrection will occur on the 3rd day and we will all be raised up to incorruption and perfection. Hallelu ... YAH !!!

Hebrews 12 and Fire Baptism

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Fighting sin is a battleground of the mind. A good way to lighten or lessen it is to certainly consider the hardship that our Messiah did for us in our disobedience. He simply allowed the end result to outweigh the here-and-now.

Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Consider that Yah does not allow us to reach such a threshold of suffering as His son Messiah did, and be thankful that it does not come down to giving of one's own physical life in such a cruel manner in the fight against sin.

Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Note the use of 'my son'. If we look into the granularity of the Gospels, we will see that our Messiah never called out the name of His father. He simply called Him Father. We even see this in what we call 'the Lord's prayer'. But this appears to be for good reason, since this appears to be the most accurate account of our relationship with Him. And as a Father, we should expect not faint over punishment that may be required of us to learn and to grow.

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Since we give our fleshly father's reverence, would we not want to much more give reverence to our spiritual Father? And though putting down sin can seem grievous, it is but a moment to endure and is for as much profit as eternal life itself. So of course, as a loving Father, Yah chastens us in order help guide us to the right choices that lead to righteousness and joy.

Psa 94:10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?

Psa 94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

Psa 94:12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;

Psa 94:13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.

Psa 94:14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

We are heathen, or 'goy' in the Hebrew, from birth, and our thoughts are vain. This word 'goy' is also rendered as Gentiles in many other verses throughout scripture. And it is His desire to chasten; His way of teaching and providing us knowledge. It's His way of working towards bringing us back to our inheritance, which is covenant.

Jer 31:18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.

Jer 46:28 Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.

Psa 39:11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.

Job 4:3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

Jer 6:8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

Psa 16:7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

Deu 8:5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.

Whether the hebrew word 'yasar' is translated as to chasten, correct, or instruct, we see hope being fulfilled, we see the weak being made strong, and we see wickedness being consumed away, in the ways of a father in his love for his son. We see chastening coming thru the night seasons, or when walking thru troubles (through the fire). Recall the pillar of fire was at night, when Yisra'el was brought out of Egypt, or bondage, thus connecting fire with times of trial.

Pro 29:16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.

Pro 29:17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

Pro 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Pro 29:19 A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.

Pro 29:20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Pro 29:21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.

The righteous are shown their ruin thru sin and its consequences in Torah (law). Chastisement is needed because words are often not enough in our flesh where we are as fools. But through time and chastening, we become and are formed into the sons of Elohim.

Deu 4:36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.

Deu 4:37 And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt;

Deu 4:38 To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day.

Deu 4:39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.

Deu 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.

We see the hearing and obeying, the Hebrew word 'shama', of His voice as being in fire, and this is what chastens us. We are thus brought out of our fleshly ways of the nations. We must learn or know in our heart that change (shub) is needed, which is to follow His ways and commandments, and thus receive eternal life.

Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Though He brings us down in our pride and even makes us feel weak when He chastens us, we need to have the strength to stand back up and even raise our hands in love and appreciation to Him. It's our duty to make our paths straight as He shows us and be healed of our iniquity.

Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

This verse is an eye-opener. We either seek peace with our brothers and be perfect as He is perfect, or simply come to the realization that we will not ever see Him (meaning, there will not be eternal life).

Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Looking diligently is a continuous action. It is nothing like the false doctrine sometimes referred to as 'greasy grace'. We must strive to continue in His countenance. Sha'ul or Paul wisely stated this similar concept:

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We need not be ashamed if we are diligent in our studying of His Word, which is truly seeking Him. And don't think that one cannot fall from grace; consider Kepha or Peter's words:

2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

Bitterness, trouble, and error are tools of the adversary. Don't let these things overcome you. He gives you the strength to overcome them.

Heb 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

We must value the bible's history, even in seeing that Esau put the desires of his own flesh before something that was extremely important to his spiritual Father ... the blessing of the firstborn. To bring Yah's word to naught is the breaking of the 3rd commandment:

Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

In the Hebrew, His name is all about His authority. And the word for vain in the Hebrew is shav, which more often means desolation or crashing thunder and waves. Thus, putting down or making null Yah's authority is in fact bringing His word to naught, or nothingness. And thus Esau profaned Yah's name or authority by putting his own flesh above the commandments of Yah.

Heb 12:18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

Heb 12:19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

Heb 12:20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

Heb 12:21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

Sha'ul is detailing how Yah's children, when brought to Mount Sinai to hear His commandments, desired not to hear Him due to fear and possibly this idea of fire. Is it no wonder that the mountain burned with fire? Can this possibly be likened to chastening? Well, consider how He helps us thru such times:

Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

Isa 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

We know that a sign of Yah's anger is His kindling of fire against one who breaks His commandments. And we also know there have been times where His people came out of an oven of fire and were not scathed. And here we see that He forms us in having us pass through waters of cleansing and the fire of chastisement. In seeing both water and fire mentioned together in forming us, we may also consider what we call baptism in this regards? Consider this:

Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Water baptism appears to be a cleansing that brings us to repentance and turning away from sin. And we should also see here that fire baptism seems to be a more mature cleansing, in which the Ruach or spirit is involved. Let's meditate on a good example of this:

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Note it's not just the eye or an arm that we present, but our WHOLE SELVES! Which offering is the entire sacrifice? In the Hebrew, it's called the 'olah' offering, or whole burnt offering. And in conjunction, note this verse regarding the whole burnt offering:

Lev 1:13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Note that the inwards and legs are washed, signifying one's heart and walk. THEN, this one may be presented unto His altar through fire. Do we see the order of the water and then the fire, as with baptism? Also important to note is that we are to be perceived as a sweet savour or smell:

2Co 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

Php 4:18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

It's through our walk and our works that we become a sweet smell unto His nostrils.

Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Heb 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

Heb 12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

As His firstborn, we will be brought to our inheritence, and made to stand in THAT DAY in which all is shaken and only OF HIM will stand. For HE is a consuming fire!

Yah and man in Psalm 104, and in the beginning

Psa 104:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

Psa 104:2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

Of course, He is surrounded by beauty and glory, considering He is perfect. And note He is covered with light as a garment, which is exactly as He formed man in the beginning:

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

So if Yah is covered with a garment of light, then this was certainly as Adam and Chawa was in the beginning. And recall that light could not mingle with the darkness:

Gen 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Thus, man was found naked (being intimate with it) when he sinned in the garden, losing his garment of light and truly falling into darkness.

Gen 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

And now knowing evil and having partaken of it, Yah had to divorce (garash in the Hebrew) Adam and Chawa from the place of perfection and the tree of life, because of the law of the light and darkness division.

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Also note He correlates His light with stretching out the heavens, which provides us the greater light in the day and the lesser light at night.

Gen 1:15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

Gen 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

Now back to the regularly scheduled program .

Psa 104:3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

Psa 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

Psa 104:5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

Psa 104:6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

Psa 104:7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

This takes us back again to the beginning yet again, where the earth was covered with deep waters and Yah's spirit then moved across its face, thus beginning change, or His works.

Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Recall that He made the waters stand above the mountains in the days of Noach as well. We should note that the type of garment reveals or coincides with the present walk of a being. A garment of light is certainly likened to Yah in perfection. A garment of deep where there is no foothold and there is certainly darkness beneath, is a dreary and threatening scenario of life. I believe this provides more spiritual hints that whenever and with whomever Yah proclaims judgement, you can certainly believe that it will be fair and justified.

Psa 104:8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

Psa 104:9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

Psa 104:10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.

Psa 104:11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

Psa 104:12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

Psa 104:13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

In verse 9, I see His promise to repent of such watery destruction and never to destroy the world in this way again, as He did in the flood. In sending springs, it's the smaller amount, little by little, that gives drink to all that thirst and leading to the fruit of His works. Another good example of this is in regards to our enemies:

Deu 7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.

Now note the works of Yah, likened to the works of man and even Messiah:

Psa 104:14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

Psa 104:15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

Man tills the ground to bring forth herb as Yah did on the 3rd day of creation (the hint of resurrection).

Gen 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

Gen 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Man also grows vines and brings forth wine, is anointed to obtain a horn of light (consider Moshe), and makes and breaks bread with others to fill the heart with love and joy. Messiah was directly connected with these things in His gospel accounts. Thus, we should find it quite unique and even peculiar, and we should certainly feel blessed, that He gives us such examples that show how we can be like Him and do the things that He does.

Psa 104:16 The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;

Psa 104:17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

Psa 104:18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.

Consider that we are such trees that He has planted, to have dominion over and protect the birds and the animals, as a safe haven for them all.

Psa 104:19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

This word 'seasons' is the word 'moed' in Hebrew. This verse is often used as proof-text by Lunar Sabbatarians to say that the moon was created to govern His Feast days, or moedim, listed in Lev 23. Even the first occurrence of this word 'moed' was in the same context regarding the moon.

Gen 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

And thus most Jews of most all calendar sects believe that moedim have to do with His Feast Days. But there are other proof-texts that show that all moedim are not His, but they are simply special. Take this verse for example:

Jer 8:7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

In this verse, 'moedim' is translated as 'appointed times' and appears to be unique with different types of animals. But this verse has absolutely nothing to do with Lev 23. Also recall that according to Genesis 1, the moon is of the lesser light, and the sun is the greater light. This lesser light was to rule the night. In context, now let's read more after the verse stating that the moon was created for seasons or appointed times.

Psa 104:20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

Psa 104:21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

Psa 104:22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

Psa 104:23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

In context, we should be able to see plainly that the moon is connected with darkness since it rules the night, and we can see that nocturnal animals are governed by such, according to these verses. As with Jer 8:7 showing that all 'moedim' are not His but are special to whom they apply, this Psalm 104 is additional proof text that this is true, and that not all 'moedim' are His as the Jews want all to believe. Moving on, we then see that as the sun rises, those animals go to sleep in their dens. And likened to Yah and His creation week, man gets up in the morning to do his work and works until the evening. Recall that Yahs works each day were followed by evening and then morning, or the markers around the night. Again, the Jews want us to believe that the words ending each day of creation pertain to an entire 24-hour period, which is incorrect both in context and in simply reviewing the Hebrew behind what we read in English. Yet this Psalm shows us something different, the truth, that man, likened to Yah, does his work in the light, or day.

Psa 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

Psa 104:25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

Psa 104:26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

Psa 104:27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

Psa 104:28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

Psa 104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

Psa 104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

We see that Yah has presented to us wonderous and good things in life, as well as evil and the leviathan, which could be code word for HaShatan or Satan. Yah gives us both to give us choice. And note how He can judge with His actions that cause both life and death. He seems to send forth His spirit before creating all things, even as we mentioned earlier in this Psalm. And what is created of us when He sends His spirit to dwell in us? .. the new or spiritual man!

Psa 104:31 The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

Psa 104:32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

Psa 104:33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Psa 104:34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

Psa 104:35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

Meditation in His word, singing praise, and rejoicing all lead to enduring with Him forever. Whereas sinners are consumed or taken away. Let your soul choose, as he starts and ends this Psalm with one's soul blessing and praising Yah.

Numbers (Bamidbar) Chapter 11

Num 11:1 And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

Num 11:2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.

Num 11:3 And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.

This word 'anan' in the hebrew is rendered 'complained' and is only used in one other place in scripture, Lam 3:39-40 which says: Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

Note that the other example in Lamentations shows the dislike of punishment from Yah, and the reproof is to instead search and try our ways so that we may TURN back to Him (we are assuredly walking or falling AWAY otherwise). Other such words used could have been to cry out, weep, or even better yet, murmur. But in this day where Yah was in their presence, fire and death followed, for our understanding in these days and beyond.

The words uttermost parts or 'qatseh' in the hebrew makes sense in that lepers and stragglers would be at the outermost parts and thus would be more weak in faith or with less understanding .... the poor.

Verse 2 is wonderful and awesome in that when a righteous man prays for another, Yah hears and responds immediately. Consider the very first instance of this word 'to pray', or 'palal' in the hebrew:

Gen 20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

and my personal favorite ...

Gen 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Thus, man was found naked (being intimate with it) when he sinned in the garden, losing his garment of light and truly falling into darkness.

2Ch 30:1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

2Ch 30:2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

2Ch 30:3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

2Ch 30:4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

2Ch 30:5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.

2Ch 30:15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

2Ch 30:16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.

2Ch 30:17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.

2Ch 30:18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one

2Ch 30:19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

2Ch 30:20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

2Ch 30:21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.

These are glorious witnesses to the fact that Yahuwah hears the prayers of the righteous and makes a way straight for those who desire His mercy.

Num 11:4 And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

Num 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:

Num 11:6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

Num 11:7 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.

Verse 4 indicates a mixed multitude or 'aspsuph' in hebrew. the root 'suph' is often rendered reed as in the Reed or Red Sea where some were saved and baptised through it and where the wicked were taken away. Note that it was the flesh that was calling out in lust, not the spirit.

Is it not good that they were feeling 'dry' in verse 6? Do we not see this on the 3rd day of Creation, where the dry had to be brought forth in order for the herb to rise up (Gen 1:9)? Do we not see the dry being revealed at the parting of the Red Sea, to make a way for His people (Exo 14:16)? He always makes a 'highway' or dry path for His people to escape the clench of the sea.

Num 11:8 And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.

Num 11:9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.

In verse 8, note how the manna drew His people about, gathering it and then having to do work with it in beating and baking in order to produce what would be eaten. Is this not a direct coorilation to His Word? Is it not likened to the food that Adam was told that he would now have to work hard for in pulling it from the earth, through thorns and sweat, outside of the garden (Gen 3:17-19)? Was it not likened to Messiah's direction for His disciples in Matt 10:5-14? But remember there are two requirements to raise up His seed:

Gen 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Verse 9 gives us the rain from above in which the manna lays upon and thus it will take man to then work this manna (to eat). Here is a spiritual aspect of such work ...

Hos 10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

And back to the regularly scheduled program ...

Num 11:10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.

Num 11:11 And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

Num 11:12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?

Num 11:13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

It's interesting to see how the word displeased in verse 10 is translated from the hebrew words ayin ra'ah, meaning bad or evil eye. Back in verse 1, the word displeased is translated from ra'ah ozen, meaning bad or evil ear. Thus Moshe is displeased as Yah is, likened to a mother who also is displeased with her children. Following verses then support this in that Moshe asks to be pardoned from this burden and even compares the situation to motherhood in verse 12.

Num 11:14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

Num 11:15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

Verse 14 is most revealing to the reality that Moshe faces. The word 'bear' in hebrew is 'nasa' which often means 'to lift up'. And the word 'heavy' is the hebrew word 'kabed' which can mean hardened or grievous. It's apparent that Moshe is feeling the burden of trying to lift them up from their 'dead' actions, of desiring flesh for example, since they are hardened in their ways and thoughts. We as parents can feel this burden most definitely when our children are stiffnecked or even rebellious. And in verse 15, Moshe goes to the extreme of desiring death over such burden. And this is an example for us in that as long as we have good communication with Yah, He will never allow the burden to be too much. He immediately spreads his Spirit amongst 70 elders to lighten Moshe's load.

Num 11:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

Num 11:17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

I love the imagery in verse 16 how these elders are able to literally standing before the tabernacle, which is a picture of how His children alone are able to stand in His midst.

And note how Yah points out specifically, in verse 17, that Moshe was alone in this endeavor. Does this not take us right back to the garden?

Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him

It's this concept that shows us how a marriage with Him is ... we must be one or 'echad' as a body so that we are not alone in any matter. It's where two or three are gathered together when He is present with us. And it's for the understanding and judgement for many things, to include ...

Deu_17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

Deu_19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

Mat_18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

2Co_13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

1Ti_5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

Heb_10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Num 11:18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.

Num 11:19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;

Num 11:20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?

Num 11:21 And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.

Note in verse 18 how Yah reiterates their own words that the eating of flesh was good in Egypt. This should ring in their own ears as it should ours, that we should not continue desiring what was good in the flesh or in bondage. And likened to the story of a parent making a child caught smoking smoke an entire pack of cigarettes to where the child is sick of it, Yah will make them consume flesh for an entire month, until they are disgusted with the flesh. And even more importantly, Yah points out that going back to such desires is despising and refusing Him.

Num 11:22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?

Num 11:23 And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

Num 11:24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.

We could read verse 22 as Moshe speaking sarcastically in which maybe all flesh must be slain to satisfy this people. Or Moshe is simply dumbfounded as to where all this flesh will come from for so many people. In any case, Yah wants Moshe to certainly know, as we all should, that nothing is too great for Him.

Num 11:25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

I find it of interest the word took in verse 25, which is the same word as take in verse 17, both of which are in relationship to the spirit which Yah is putting upon the elders. This hebrew word 'atsal' is used in Scripture only 5 times, twice in this chapter. Another good example of it is the word 'reserved' in Gen 27:36.

Gen 27:36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

It appears this is a word greatly detailing placement of a very great gift and not the simple concept of taking and giving. And great indeed is His spirit, for once it rested upon them, the prophecying did not cease.

Num 11:26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

Num 11:27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.

Num 11:28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.

Num 11:29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!

Num 11:30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

Note how Yah uses the word 'and they were of them that were written', being two hebrew words for 'them' and 'engraven'. Consider how Yah literally writes upon our hearts with His finger, or spirit. If you don't know of this concept, consider these verses:

Luk 11:19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

Luk 11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

Mat 12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Does it not make sense that the elders, once filled with the Ruach, would go to the poor to prophecy, which would be outside of the camp? I believe this to be the understanding of why 68 of the 70 immediately went outside the camp to prophecy.

And don't we see the humbleness and the sheer truth of Moshe in his words to Yahoshua in that all will prophecy and not just him, in verse 29. And praise is given to Yah for giving such a spirit to His servants. Even today, one would be boastful and proud to think he or she is above all others regarding His Word. Yah shares His Word, truth, and ways in all of His people, and His people will surely prophecy!

Num 11:31 And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.

Num 11:32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.

In verse 31, we see Yah again sending forth His wind or Ruach, to note that there will be a great change on the earth. And this change was certainly directed at Yisra'el when we see the quail fell all around the encampment. But verse 32 depicts the true downfall of His people. They 'rose up' or 'qum' in hebrew; this can often be denoted in spiritual terms. They seemed to give great reverence to this quail as we see Him express the word 'shatach' twice in a row, and rendered in English as 'they spread them all abroad for themselves'. This is a verb meaning to spread or stretch out, as Yah stretches out the heavens unto us. They stretched out the gathering of the quail all throughout the camp as if it were a wonderous thing to truly covet.

Num 11:33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.

Num 11:34 And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.

Num 11:35 And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.

In verse 33 we see that before they could even consume what they were coveting, He smite them with a great plague. Even the word for tooth, 'shen', begins with the letter 'shin' which is a picture of a tooth. This represent 'tearing'. Recall such concepts as these:

Psa_37:12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

Psa_57:4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

Mat_8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luk_13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

Act_7:54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

We must remember that as long as they desired to be His bride and allow Him to be in their midst, uncleanness and sin must be immediately disgarded and this often resulted in death. If we were under His rule in this earth today, it would be no different, as long as we walked contrary to His ways. In exile, we can only pray for His mercy in that day of judgement to come, the final Yom Kippurim.

Being Shut Up

Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

BTW, the word for 'drove out' is 'garash' in the hebrew; this is the same word translated in other places as 'divorce'. Also note the importance of the word 'keep' or 'shamar' in this last verse, likened to keeping His Feast Days and His Sabbath in Lev 23. I want to draw out the idea of us being 'shut out' of the garden, or 'shut up' unto a life of sin outside of the garden.

To no longer take the fruit of the Tree of Life and to begin tilling the ground that was of the garden is a picture of being broken off of the natural olive tree of Rom 11 and thus all born into sin would be of the wild olive tree. Now all (of Yisra'el) are to be grafted in. One must literally WORK at obtaining the wisdom and knowledge to begin walking in His ways in obedience and thus receive His grace and mercy.

Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

Rom 11:18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

Rom 11:19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.

Note the picture of a branch falling off likened to one in sin. Thus, there is a concept here that is showing us that all are in sin, or as branches are broken off of the tree, so that I or you, being of a wild olive tree, might be grafted into the natural olive tree. Yah made a way from the beginning for all to be grafted in as Yisra'el, or as branches of that natural olive tree. Our Messiah, the firstfruit, is the root and all grafted in are made Holy as He is holy:

Rom 11:16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

We are promised this grafting in via His promise, or covenant:

Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

And this has been the gospel message from the beginning. All who sin must die (Rom 5:12, 1Joh 5:17, Gen 2:17, Lev 22:9 are just some examples), but how are they grafted back in?

Rom 11:15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

So, from the beginning, man must die to his sin, and there is a promise of resurrection (life from the dead).

Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.

Rom 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

concluded - soongklio in the Greek - to shut up

Sha'ul is saying there was a need to shut up all unto unbelief so that mercy may abound. Let's look at another one of Sha'uls examples regarding being shut up:

Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

We see that faith is a result and a part of being taught Torah. And Torah is what brings us out of sin unto which we are shut up. Consider this and now look at Messiah's metaphor to where the net would be likened to Torah:

Luk 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

Luk 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

Luk 5:6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

Messiah is truly dabbling in parables here to where the deep is a picture of one (as a fish) being in the sea of nations, without a foothold. The fisherman are those doing a work of Yah, in reaching those lost in the sea. The net is a shutting up of the fish together, as Torah does for all. And then you see this 'breaking forth'. This is a picture of something as well ...

Isa 54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

Isa 54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;

Isa 54:3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Isa 54:4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

This idea of 'breaking forth' is a major change, as one who is of corruption dawning incorruption. Yeshayahu says it well in this verse as well:

Isa 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

And back to Messiah's parable of Luke 5, we saw that those caught under Torah would break free unto righteousness and salvation. This is His parable of His Father's people. Let's look at some hints of this caught up or shut up concept back in Torah itself.

Num 12:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.

sagar in the Hebrew - to shut up or closed up

This is a clear picture of the father's discipline to a rebellious child and thus its being shut up away from Him and His people that is to help bring the rebellious one back to His ways.

Lev 13:2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:

Lev 13:3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

Lev 13:4 If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days:

This plague of 'tsara' was something brought on by Yah as a result of sin. And this one, or person, is separated for 7 days in the hopes that this one will understand Yahs desire and this one will repent and turn back to His ways.

Lev 14:38 Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days:

This same plague may apply to an entire house in the same way it does an individual. This should be a bigger picture for us, to see how many in a group can be affected. And note that this shutting up of the house is done where? AT THE DOOR! Who is THE DOOR (Joh 10:9)?

Gen 7:16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.

We see the same word 'sagar', in which only a remnant is separated while judgement is proclaimed. We should also note that it's the righteous here that are shut up and thus separated. Since this shutting up can be likened to 40 days and 40 nights of the flood, we can also correlate or thematically connect any and all instances of such separation as being shut up. Thus we can liken it to the 40 years of Yisra'el in the wilderness, the 40 days in which Messiah was in the desert, and other examples. Yah uses this method two-fold, does He not?

Lev 8:33 And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you.

Lev 9:1 And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;

This example shows how those who are to become most holy are first separated or shut up unto His tabernacle for 7 days.

Thus, we have seen how He shuts us up in many different ways, but all for a single purpose. That purpose is to set us apart, consider His ways, to choose His ways (thus the definition of Yisra'el), and thus to draw closer unto Him.

Now, consider the big picture from the beginning. We know Adam failed to keep His law in the garden and thus was exiled from the garden. How long will we remain in this state of exile until all is brought back to the beginning? We know Scripture gives us clues to the fact that we will be brought back on the 7th Day, or 7th millennium. Thus, He kicked man out for 7 days, metaphorically speaking. Man could not take of the tree of life to live forever (Gen 3:22) for a full 7 millenium, in which mercy would lead to Him fully circumcising our hearts (Jer 31:31, Heb 8:8) and a provision of incorruptible bodies (1Cor 15). The eighth day is all about eternity. It's the eighth day that we are circumcised from birth . why? To elude to the fact that eternity in perfection, or in the garden, will be complete on the eighth day, a day of new beginnings. We are shut up unto sin and how to return to Him from sin, which is Torah, and this is truly done in faith.

Cover the Sin

Consider a brother or sister comes to you and says: Brother John Doe or sister Jane Doe that lives with me is doing this and doing that with and around me. This is SO wrong and I will not put up with it. When asked if these are his or her words to this brother or sister, you find out that NO, he or she has not voiced this opinion to the brother or sister. How would you respond? Let's take a look at some considerations ...

Two or Three Witnesses:

Deu_17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

Deu_19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

Mat_18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

2Co_13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

1Ti_5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

Heb_10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Apparently, two or three witnesses are needed in any judgement of a brother or sister, and once cannot judge alone.

Judgment:

Lev 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Lev 19:35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.

Lev 16:19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Deu 24:17 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge:

Deu 27:19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.

1Cor 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

1Cor 5:12-13 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

1Cor 6:2-3,5 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

We are to judge those of 'the body' but not those outside. And we must judge with righteous judgement, meaning we must have a good understanding or knowledge of Torah before we can begin to judge another.

Talebearer:

Lev 19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour; I am the Lord.

So, a talebearer has something to do with bringing forth judgement unto death or is there a misunderstanding? Let's look at how Solomon helps to understand talebearing:

Pro 11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Pro 18:8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Pro 20:19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

Pro 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

It appears that talebearing is negativity about a brother or sister that is shared with another in secret. And talebearing is considered sin and causes strife. We are not to listen to a talebearer.

Remembering Sin:

Deu 9:27 Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin:

As He is and we wish Him to be, so we should be:

Psa 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

For the wicked, we want Yah to remember:

Psa 109:14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the Lord; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

Job 22:23 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

2Sam 19:19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

So, making known the sin of a brother or sister is sin in itelf, whereas we should desire that such sin of the wicked are exposed.

Cover:

Deu 33:12 And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover (chophaph) him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.

2Sam 17:19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.

Neh 4:5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

Job 22:14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

Psa 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Psa 85:1 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.

Psa 104:2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

Psa 104:6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

Psa 105:39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.

Pro 10:11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

Pro 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Pro 12:16 A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.

Pro 26:26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.

Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Isa 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Eze 16:8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine. (speaking of Yah unto Yisra'el)

Jonah 3:8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

1Pet 4:8 And above all things have fervent (ektenes - without ceasing) charity (agape - love) among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Covering seems to be the action we take for the sake of a brother or sister in sin, as Yah does. This action is also rendered as hiding one's nakedness. Remember that Yah had to hide Adam and Chawa's nakedness in the garden. It was Yah's act of forgiveness and the putting away of their iniquity.

Now let's assess the following event:

Gen 9:20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

Gen 9:21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

Gen 9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

Gen 9:23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.

Can we see now, according to His Word, that Ham sinned in talebearing to his brothers, whereas Shem and Yahpeth performed a righteous act in covering the sin so that it could not be seen, even to their own eyes.

Now for the meat and potatoes that Ya'acob shares with us in his deep understanding:

Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Consider being naked and ashamed is the spiritual result of one not having enough knowledge of Torah, which is our daily bread (detailing the first verse). Ya'acob is making it clear that turning aside the poor in spirit is NOT of good works and NOT a witness to one's faith. It profits no one to turn such a poor one away and not cover the nakedness and provide the knowledge and understanding that this poor one requires to stand without shame. Ya'acobs words are a clear witness to the truth that we have read from earlier regarding 'covering'.

Bridle the tongue and speak not negatively about your brother or sister:

Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Surely our own words hurt, mame, and even kill. Kindling a fire, better known as causing strife, defiles oneself and is evil.

Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Jas 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Ya'acob is quite clear in stating that strife leads to confusion and wickedness, whereas actions of peace, gentleness, and full of mercy are the fruits of righteousness.

Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Jas 4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Jas 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

If we are humble in our actions, He will lift us up. Thus we should not speak negatively about a brother or sister but consider approaching one in peace and even humility, as our Messiah did in His walk. His word judges in itself, and all trust should be put in it.

Jas 5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

Grudging or complaining about a brother or sister can lead to sin. This would be likened to walking in sin, as Yah detailed to Cain in Gen 4:7. Often, the words regarding a door or gate is a hebrew idiom for judgement. And thus this verse clearly speaks to negativity towards another is sin and leads to judgement.

Jas 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

This speaks to the one sinning, who should confess his or her sin to others. Then once the sin is revealed, others may pray and even assist in healing, thus literally covering the sin.

Jas 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

Jas 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Note Ya'acobs words of 'one convert him'. This shows that if a brother or sister is in err or sin, the one observing should help the brother or sister in sin, in love and even in secret. And consider that even if there is much sin from the one, the iniquity is covered, no matter how much, once the one in sin repents and is converted.

Now consider this event as well:

Joh 8:1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

Joh 8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

Joh 8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

Joh 8:4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

Joh 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

Joh 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

Joh 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Joh 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

Joh 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

Joh 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Here is my take on this event. We see a number of the so-called 'body' revealing another's nakedness to others such as Messiah himself. And we don't see any attempt at hiding the nakedness and helping the one in sin, but instead, we see immediate condemnation, judgement and talebearing. Messiah, on the other hand, reveals to each and every member that they are in sin with this event, and it weighed upon their hearts to the extent that each and every one of them dropped the complaint and left. Messiah then confirms to the sinner that what she was doing was a sin and that she should sin no more, but yet he covered the sin by ensuring it was spread no further. This is truly the act of atonement.

Also consider Messiah's truths:

Mat 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

Mat 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Mat 5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

Mat 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Mat 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Why would we ask for another smite, or continue in more thievery, or desire to give and lend willingly? Is this not love? Is it sin if you, being the one sinned against, does not accept it as sin and you try to cover or smother the sin with love and humbleness? The sinner just may accept what is being shown to them and come to understand the error in their ways.

Now consider my original question and what response is needed. Is it possible that one's brother is being a talebearer in sharing the sin and not covering it up? Might it be wrong of one's brother to not speak up against sin, even humbly and in peace, to show what Scripture has to say about such wickedness? And at this point, it should not be spread and thus is covered so that if the wicked one confesses, then their transgression truly is covered. HalleluYAH !!!

Safe Cities

Num 35:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Num 35:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;

Num 35:11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.

Num 35:12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.

Num 35:13 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.

Num 35:14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.

Num 35:15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

Num 35:16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

Num 35:17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

Num 35:18 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

Num 35:19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

Num 35:20 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;

Num 35:21 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.

Num 35:22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,

Num 35:23 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm:

Num 35:24 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:

Num 35:25 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.

Num 35:26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;

Num 35:27 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:

Num 35:28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

Num 35:29 So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Num 35:30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

Num 35:31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.

Num 35:32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.

Num 35:33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

Num 35:34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

Keep in mind that safe cities are a place where one is safe from the avenger of blood until the High Priest dies. This is a direct correlation to our Messiah dying for us and thus providing us freedom. He is also the avenger of blood, when He returns a 2nd time. But to defend the belief of a Messiah having already come, one must be able to relate our Messiah to this chapter directly, and relate us to the concepts as well. Thus, a deeper and spiritual understanding is required of these things.

Deu 19:1 When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;

Deu 19:2 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

Deu 19:3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.

Deu 19:4 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;

Deu 19:5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:

Deu 19:6 Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.

Deu 19:7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.

Deu 19:8 And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;

Deu 19:9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:

Deu 19:10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.

Deu 19:11 But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:

Deu 19:12 Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.

Deu 19:13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.

In Num 35:12, this word 'avenger' in Hebrew is ga'al, which often is also rendered as 'redeemer'. Consider it's first usage in Gen 48:16, where Ya'acob is pointing out that an angel was his redeemer from evil. Also note this words first usage upon Yisra'el in Exo 6:6 where Yah points out that He will redeem them with an outstretched arm by bringing them out from under the bondage of the Mitsraites. Thus this word tends to connote a true and full separation of His people from the wicked. And this separation is most important in the goal of this chapter's statutes that are detailed and defined in verses 33 and 34 regarding not polluting the land.

Gen 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

Exo 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

Regarding Num 35:15, note that likened to all of the Torah, even these safe cities apply to the stranger and sojourner as it does the homeborn. Here is a verse that should be remembered, in this regard:

Exo 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

In Num 35, verses 16 thru 23, note the intent of the guilty or wicked, whereas it is completely accidental for the innocent. Deu 19 went so far as to give an example of one whom is innocent; one cutting down a tree.

We are told that we will be judging Yisrael and even angels when He returns (1Cor 5-6). Num 35:24 is the first proof of this as a body, since it does indeed represent His body even today .... that protects the weak and judges as required and commanded. We will see this same judgment continuing in a time to come:

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Note in Num 35:25 who must die. It is a priest and not any priest, but the one whom is annointed (machach'd). Thus the change of residence and/or inheritance does depend upon the death of the high priest.

Note in Num 35:26 that the slayer is to remain in the safe city, as in His Word and amongst the righteous, and not to leave the border thereof. Once in the hands of the righteous, one must remain there and thus not fall away as if back among those who may be unrighteous or unjust. If one does leave this protection, he or she may be killed by the avenger of blood.

We see in Num 35:28 that the reward for remaining with the righteous, as we may remain in His Ways and with the body of Messiah until our death from this temporary vessel or dwelling place, is being returned to the land of our inheritance. This could certainly signify or be figurative of receiving eternal life.

Note in Num 35:29 that this law of the avenger of blood is forever.

Regarding Num 35:30, the Messiah put this ordinance to the test when the Pharisees all left after attempting to provoke the Messiah with the adulterous woman. Witnesses are always required for any truth and specially to put one to death. To put one to death is to find one guilty of sin.

When looking at Num 35:32, the word that is rendered as 'satisfaction' is the Hebrew word 'kopher', which more importantly connotes the understanding of covering as in covering one's sin. Thus, these two verses are saying not to cover or hide this sin of either a true murderer or one who is questioned and judged; such sin is for all to see and observe. Remember that we are to cover the sins of those that we love, as we see in Pro 12:16, Isa 58:7, and Psa 32:1 to name just a few verses of many.

With regards to Num 35:33, profaning the land is a bit more extensive than most of us probably think. And the profaning of the land seems to be connected to the profaning of His body in Messiah, as in not keeping it clean. This entire chapter's subject is for this purpose of the true separation between the holy and the profane, and the clean and the unclean. Sha'ul understood this in his detail of that judgment day to come in verses 1Cor 15:50-54 in that the corruptible must put on incorruption and the mortal must put on immortality. There is true separation in these things.

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

And when considering the connection to His body, we should understand Num 35:34 to tell us not to defile ourselves, as a living temple in which HE dwells.

Learn, Keep, and Do

Mat 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Mat 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

Mat 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Note how though these Pharisees (that day's rabbis) were showing righteousness outside, they were wicked inside, or in the heart.

Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Rom 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

Rom 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

Rom 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)

Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For clearer understanding in verse 5, 'end' is better translated 'goal' and likewise in verse 6, the word 'but' is NOT the same as in verses 2 nor 8 (alla in the greek), but is the greek word 'de', meaning 'now' or 'moreover' ... 'in addition to'. Thus, righteousness is of Torah (verse 5) and of faith (verse 6). And this is from the heart, again from verse 6. Let's make sure we see this ... And two verses of note regarding rightousness:

Psa_119:172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.

Deu 6:25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

Note that righteousness is achieved with two distinct actions ... to observe (shamar) and do (asah).

Also note verse 10 of Romans 10, where ones faith, which is in the heart, leads to righteousness, in being a verbal witness unto salvation. Thus we see that Torah in the heart leads to external action as a testimony or witness. Recall the Pharisees in Messiah's days ... learning the Torah, teaching and even being a witness to Torah externally, but the external actions were a lie in that their hearts were not circumcised. They assuredly were not acting or doing as per their faith.

And is His righteousness, or Torah, too far away according to verses 6 thru 8? Remember these similar words in Torah, which I believe is quite apparent in that Sha'ul or Paul is replicating in the words he uses of Romans 10:6-8:

Deu 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.

Deu 30:12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

Deu 30:13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

Deu 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

Sha'ul in Romans 10 and Moshe in Deu 30 are both telling us that His truth in His Word is not too far away, and we can easily grasp it, being near or nigh unto you. And see what Moshe says what to do about this Word, in Deu 30:14? He says it's in one's heart, that we may DO it. And recall that Sha'ul was stating that we should preach this Word that is in our hearts, again showing the testimony of DOING His Torah and not solely hearing it; write it upon one's heart.

Deu 5:1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

Deu 5:2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

Deu 5:3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

Deu 5:4 The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,

Deu 5:5 (I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,

Note the listing and order of verse 1 - LEARN (lamad), KEEP (shamar), and DO (asah)

And WHO is He in covenant with? In verse 2, we see it's those that are ALIVE, meaning many are invited, but apparently few are chosen, or worthy of life.

And note how Moshe made it clear in verse 5 that he was their mediator.

Deu 5:6 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Deu 5:7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

Deu 5:8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:

Deu 5:9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,

Deu 5:10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Always note that the first commandment includes the fact that He brought us out of bondage.

Remember that as stated in verse 9, the sins of a father do get passed down through generations if those sons taught in sin continue in it. But this does mean that one is only punished for their own choices, just more harshly if they continue in the sins of their father.

And why the 3rd and 4th generation? Well, consider who the children of Yisra'el are, as stated in these verses:

Deu 7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Deu 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

Deu 7:8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Deu 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

It's because of the fathers Abraham, Yitsach, and Ya'acob. Note how many generations of right and good there were ... THREE. And the result is that throughout all generations, those who love Him and keep (shamar) His commandments. And if you do SHAMAR, then we see He will SHAMAR His oath in verse Deu 7:8. We see this spoken to us again back in Deu 5:10, and even again back in Exo 20:5-6. Thus, we see the likening of generations and mercy repeated as testimonies to us.

Deu 5:11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Deu 5:12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

Deu 5:13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:

Deu 5:14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

Deu 5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

Note that the first 4 commandments between verses 6 and 15, unlike the first rendering of His commandments in Exo 20, seem to have a parenthetical of 'remembering that He brought us out of bondage' around the commandments detailing our love for Him individually. Why is Moshe providing this added detail that was not spoken or written back in Exo 20? Is it a parenthetical or is it directly connected with the Sabbath day and its remembrance? I would love to hear the hearts of many in regards to this matter.

Deu 5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deu 5:17 Thou shalt not kill.

Deu 5:18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

Deu 5:19 Neither shalt thou steal.

Deu 5:20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Deu 5:21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

These are the commandments regarding one's neighbor. We should love others as we love Him, with all of our heart, or from the heart.

Deu 5:22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

Deu 5:23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

Deu 5:24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.

Deu 5:25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die.

Deu 5:26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?

Deu 5:27 Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.

Deu 5:28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.

Deu 5:29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!

Deu 5:30 Go say to them, Get you into your tents again.

The people realized that if they drew near unto Him, they would be consumed by the fire. Thus in verse 27, we see the people requesting that Moshe the mediator mediate the words and thus they will hear (shama) and do (asah). In verse 28, we see Yah stating that they spoke well or surely. And then we see Yah explaining that they did not have the heart in them at that time to fear Him enough to keep (shamar) His commandments. This is the reason why He emphasises throughout Scripture that it's a matter of circumcising the heart. I hope others see as I do that to KEEP (shamar) is to circumcise one's heart. Note that of the LEARNING, KEEPING, and DOING stated back in verse 1, it's the KEEPING (shamar) of the commandments that leads to any nearness of perfection in learning, keeping, and doing His commandments always.

Deu 5:31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.

Deu 5:32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

Deu 5:33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.

It was Moshe's job to teach them so that they would do His commandments, according to verse 31. But then again in verse 32 we see Him clarify yet again the importance of observing (shamar) to do (asah) His commandments. And verse 33 gives us the hope and prophecy of eternal life.

Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

just/righteous - dikaios

faith - pistis

It's not just the 'doing', is it? As with the Pharisees in the days of Messiah, these are ones who appeared righteous on the outside, doing as Torah says. But inside they were not circumcised of the heart. There was no 'shamar' (keeping or observing) in the heart.

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

Isa 45:13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.

Isa 45:19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

righteousness - tsedeq

Note how Yah, who created all things, to include evil, raises His children up in righteousness. It is not too far away, or in secret, but nigh or near unto them. And when He declares something, it is FOREVER!

Hab 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Hab 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Hab 2:5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:

just - tsaddiyq

faith/faithfulness/truth - emuwnah

A proud man lifts himself up, but is not upright. On the other hand, the just live by faith. It's not just their actions which they are able to do on the outside, but able to first circumcise one's heart with the help of Yah, and then to walk according to their internal circumcision. This proud man mentioned reminds me of the Pharisees of Messiah's day.

Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Deu 32:18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

Deu 32:19 And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.

Deu 32:20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.

faith/faithfulness/truth - emuwnah

just - tsaddiyq

no faith - emuwn

Note that Yah forms us, even our new being. He looks upon us as He is doing so, and we are full of faith. As He is full of faith and truth, so we will be:

Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Be careful in how we understand these words 'according to' in verse 9. This is not saying that the conditions are any different. He explains in verse 9b that this 'according to' means that they broke this covenant with disregard, but we will not. Consider this same greek word 'kata' in:

Mat 9:29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

In the Hebrew, verse 32 actually says 'not the covenant', and there is no such words as 'according to'. But this is apparently understood in that this covenant was not regarded or kept. This can better be seen/explained in these verses:

Lev 26:14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;

Lev 26:15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:

So, not walking in His Ways is breaking the covenant. Look back at Deu 5:3 again, and note that those fathers, all but Yehoshua and Caleb, died in the wilderness and were not alive that day. It's those who live, or choose rightly, that achieve this goal of keeping covenant.

And the point in these two duplicate sections of Scripture is to say that the keeping of His commandments must come from within, from the heart. And though man often does not put it in his heart yet tries himself to walk in Yah's Torah, this leads to failure. Again, likened to the Pharisees in the days of Messiah, who outwardly appeared righteous.

Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

Yah is pointing out that all of His Torah MUST come from the heart. And only then can we walk in it, teach others, and are able to witness through our hands and perception, which is of Yah and His Ways.

Deu 6:17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.

Deu 6:18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,

In the Hebrew, 'shamar' is mentioned twice for emphasis, in verse 17. This is what is needed to possess eternal life. It's from within!

And this leads me to a clarification I would like to share ... what I believe to be an incorrect understanding of a very common phrase that we all know and say on occasion.

Mat 22:1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

Mat 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

Mat 22:3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Mat 22:4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

Mat 22:5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

Mat 22:6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

Mat 22:7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

Mat 22:8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Mat 22:9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

Mat 22:10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

Mat 22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

Mat 22:12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Mat 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

In verse 14, the word 'are' is added in the King James. It would be better rendered as 'have' to indicate that those who attend the wedding are those who have chosen correctly. In the Hebrew, this word is 'bachar' and it's often rendered as 'tried' or 'tested'. The idea of those chosen and those who have chosen is a very subtle difference in the greek and I can see how this could have easily have been interchanged to be better inline with a different agenda.
But notice the context in this parable of the wedding feast. First note the word in english 'made light of' in verse 5. This greek word 'ameleo' actually means disregarded. Does this not ring a bell (covenant ... hint, hint). And those that disregarded the Kings Ways slew the servants with the message, being a picture of the prophets that Yisra'el continued to slay through time. And it was those on the highway that had done both good and evil who were also invited. Is this not a picture of us, who are born into sin but try His Way ie. His highway? All seem to be called but note who actually attends the wedding. It's not those who chose to either disregard the King completely nor those who did not know Him and His ways well enough to wear the correct garment. It was those who chose to follow the Kings ways in their entirety. These are those whom have chosen correctly. This does not have the context of the King choosing those separately in terms of attending the wedding. It was up to each and every individual. It was their choosing. We should see this same likening of the word 'chosen' in the parable of the vineyard laborers in Matt 20:1-16, where we see those who do RIGHT in terms of the labor, are paid. Also keep in mind that it's a Hebrew idiom that one's eye that is evil means that one is stingy with one's belongings (ie. money).

Nebuchadnezzar's Image of Prophecy

Dan 2:31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

Dan 2:32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

Dan 2:33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

Dan 2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

Dan 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Dan 2:36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

Dan 2:37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

Dan 2:38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

Dan 2:39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

Dan 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

Dan 2:41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

Dan 2:42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

Dan 2:43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

Dan 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Dan 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Let's first look at some of the imagery that takes us back to the beginning. We see here that in the gold image, or under Nebuchadnezzar's authority, there would be ruling of the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven. Adam, in the image of Yah, was afforded this same ruling (Gen 1:26). And the seed of man being miry clay is likened to Adam being formed from the dust of the earth (Gen 2:7). Also note the stone from the mountain, hewn without hands... is this not likened to the tablets that Yah first provided to Moshe to represent His covenant (Exo 31:18)? And do we not see 'breaking' both of these parts of the image by this stone and of the stone that Moshe threw to the ground (Exo 32:19)? It's such thematic connections that help us piece truths together and better understand what we are reading and the true meaning of things.

Now let's begin to look at why Yah has used iron as the compound that is trying to mix with clay. But first I'd like to touch on how Yah might differentiate between such metals as mentioned in this image of Daniel and all other materials on the earth.

Num 31:21 And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses;

Num 31:22 Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,

Num 31:23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

This is surely a representation or image of what is needed of man to war against the flesh and to succeed. There appears to be baptism of both water and fire. And water and fire are used to cleanse, depending upon the material. Now let's dive into more detail regarding iron.

Iron (parzel in Aramaic, barzel in the Hebrew) and some examples:

Num 35:16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. - we see that differentiates iron from all other materials and notes how it can be used as an instrument of death

Deu 4:20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. - the iron furnace represents bondage under a strong leadership

Deu 27:5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them. - if iron is an instrument of death as we saw in Num 35:16, this must be related, possibly in the fact that such an instrument is created by the hands of man, and thus man cannot and MUST not have any influence on the perfection of the altar of Yah

Jos 17:18 But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong. - Yah clearly shows us the connection between iron chariots, again being man's instruments of war, and strength

1Ki 6:7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building. - this points out the importance of NEVER bringing iron to His house, and thus likening it to that which is unclean. Recall that which is unclean is NEVER to draw near unto the Tabernacle.

Thus in looking at the different examples of iron throughout Scripture, Yah gives us the picture of iron being a substance of death, representing strength and authority, and thus we are not to be subject to it. Instead, we are to be as clay, to be molded by Him as our potter, to be broken in order to become that 'new man'. He may use such strength and authority against us in cursing, to cause us to turn around and come back to Him. But He truly desires us to be as broken both in spirit and heart, that he may save us, as we see here:

Psa 107:10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;

Psa 107:11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

Psa 107:12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.

Psa 107:13 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

Psa 107:14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

Psa 107:15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Psa 107:16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

Note how Yah uses iron to afflict the ones that He loves, to bring them sorrow so that their hearts are made low to where they cry out to Him and thus He will save them by breaking such strength against them. Consider His usage of the concept of breaking that which is in covenant with His people (His people are sitting in such bondage) and thus the breaking of it breaks the covenant they have with it whereas He can then covenant with His people. Being under any other yoke is considered bondage whereas His yoke not meant to be burdensome if in the right mind-set:

Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

- see that any other yoke is bondage

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

- His yoke entails great meekness that leads to rest and in it all is made easy.

Clay (khasaf in Aramaic, khomer in Hebrew) and some examples:

Job 10:9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

- here we see the direct connection of clay and dust being one in the same, recalling that we will return unto the dust where we came. In the Hebrew, we also see the concept of turning back to Him (shub in the Hebrew).

Job 33:6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay.

- we note here that being of clay is His wish and in His accordance

Psa 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

- it's good to note that as clay, He can bring us from a place of despair unto sure footing where He may guide us in our walk.

Isa 29:16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

- we, as the potter's clay, shall be esteemed in our complete change, which He as the potter is able to do in us.

We should take note in the significance of being made as clay. Clay can be molded and if we let Him, Yah is our potter. It can also easily be broken, which we know is needed for us to become a new creature. The sacrifices of Yah are a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart, according to His Word in Psalm 51. Also, clay is porous and thus can absorb or consume waters. And thus if man is formed like clay, which is earth or ground, we should liken this to the 'dust of the ground' as we see here:

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

It is important to note that this ground in which man was formed, which we know to be of the entire earth itself, is now cursed and that we will return to it upon death:

Gen 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Gen 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

The hebrew word for 'nostrils' in Gen 2:7 and 'face' in Gen 3:19 are the same, the word 'aph'. They are related in usage through the concept of countenance or composure. The flaring of the nostrils shows anger, and anger is the most-often english word used in Scripture to translate this hebrew word 'aph', with wrath being the second-most commonly translated word used. Interestingly, the word sweat is the Hebrew word 'ze'ah', which this is the only instance of this Hebrew word in all of Scripture. Other compound Hebrew words that use the first 2 letter of this word all have to do with strife and suffering. I believe this helps to better understand this word 'aph', which appears to indicate the outward appearance of action and effort in response to feelings within. If you look at other examples of this word throughout Scripture, I believe you will see this as I do.

And a quick side note ... As Chawa or Eve is cursed with sorrow in conception, in Gen 3:16, so is Adam cursed with sorrow in consuming that which comes from the ground (Gen 3:17). Both seem to be related to the cultivation of seed, both of which can be connected with the seed of man.

Looking back at Gen 2:7, this is not only a physical representation showing how a living soul is created, but is should be rendered as a spiritual understanding to show how it requires His spirit put within us to be able to walk His walk / become a spiritual being. Likened to Jer 31:31 and Heb 8:8, we know that it's His spirit within us that is able to circumcise our hearts. Consider this visitation to this creation account:

Isa 42:4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law (Torah).

Isa 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

In the KJV, the spirit is given to those that will walk in His Torah. Since it's simply two Hebrew words, 'ru'ach' and 'halak', it could easily be rendered 'and the spirit to them to walk'. This walk, in context, would fall back to His Torah in verse 4. An ugly translation in my eyes would be the NIV where it is translated 'and life to those who walk on it'. The Hebrew word 'chay' is not in this verse and thus the word 'life' should not be there. And would there be no life to those who cannot walk ON the earth? This certainly makes no sense in context and masks the truth being given to us by the prophet. And this concept of walking in His Torah is from the beginning, and certainly carries to the end, as we know regarding the account of circumcision of our heart:

Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

I can't help but recall the 3 actions that so impressed me in Deu 5:1 ... to LEARN, to KEEP, and to DO, regarding His commandments. We see this same concept with Ezekiel. And we note that it does take His spirit within us to fulfill all righteousness. Sha'ul or Paul knew this concept in his words ....

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Thus as Sha'ul details for us in multiple accounts, walking spiritually is as Eze 36:27 specifies, to walk in His statutes, keeping His judgements, and doing them. And thus as the potter's clay, we are broken in the flesh, giving up such covenant or bondage in our lives, and thus our broken or circumcised heart enables His Torah to be written in us and enable us to walk in His ways as a spiritual being.

Recall that Adam and Chawa were created in the image of Yah:

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

But since they were divorced from the garden of perfection,

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

man was thereafter created in a different image, shown as the image of man:

Gen 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

Recall the image given to the Pharaoh in Gen 41, being the only other instance in Scripture where a wicked ruler is given a dream of prophecy in which a righteous man must interpret. Time was a factor in this vision, as well as the vision given to Nebuchadnezzar. This image given to King Nebuchadnezzar was of various man-made authorities (denoting gold, silver, brass, and iron), denoting man's covenants through time, which Yah breaks with the stone made not of man's hands. This stone, likened to a great cornerstone of the earth for the building of a great Temple, becomes a great mountain (denoting authority and worship), which fills the earth. This stone is most certainly a picture of Messiah, who we know will come in that day of the mixing of iron and clay and will be as a great sword to divide and thus break apart. And this day of Messiah's return also entails the summer threshing floor which represents the summer feast day called Shavu'ot or Pentacost. This is the wheat harvest, in which the wheat and the tares are separated upon the threshing floor. We represent that wheat and WE are waived as an acceptable fruit before the Father on that day. And though He strikes the feet of mixture of iron and clay, possibly indicating WHEN He comes to perform this action, we see that all of the covenants of the ages before are also broken in His action, thus making a way for ALL of us, even through the ages, to become His and covenant with Him.

And thus, in conclusion, we see that in whatever image or yoke of man in which we are under the bondage of, and throughout the ages, He is able to break such bonds and will bring it all to fruition in the end of days. We, the clay, will be in the midst of the iron, or strong authorities, in that day (as we are today). He breaks such covenant with others so that He may covenant with us. And we have been told of this covenant, since the early days, and Sha'ul or Paul also references these words in his own words of Heb 8:8-10. His cornerstone will become that great mountain in which His Tabernacle is to be built upon. And thus, always remember what is soon to come:

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Christmas Reality

Let's look at what Torah teaches we should or should not do regarding OTHER walks or customs:

Exo 23:24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.

'do after their works' - asah ma'aseh - ma'aseh can mean acts, business, or operations

Lev 18:3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

doings - ma'aseh

Deu 18:9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

Deu 18:14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

Lev 18:30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

- do not learn to do the ways of the nations, which will defile oneself

Num 15:39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

- what one seeks from one's own heart and what looks good in one's own eyes may cause one to partake in whoredom

Deu 5:32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

- a change to the right or left will lead one astray from His Ways, which are straight

Deu 12:1 These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.

Deu 12:2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:

Deu 12:3 And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.

Deu 12:4 Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.

Deu 12:5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

Deu 12:6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:

Deu 12:7 And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

Deu 12:8 Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.

- destroy that which is of wickedness or not the ways of Yah. And do not do such ways for Him, nor worship Him in those ways. Do not do that which is right in one's own eyes.

Deu 12:29 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;

Deu 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

Deu 12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

Deu 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

- do not seek to find nor follow the ways of the wicked. Do not do such ways unto Yah. Do not add nor take away from His commandments and ways.

Deu 20:16 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:

Deu 20:17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:

Deu 20:18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.

Deu 20:19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege:

Deu 20:20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.

- even though we are amongst the wicked, we are to remove such wickedness from amongst us and not learn of their ways. And as He likens men to trees, we are not to cut down those that bear good fruit.

It seems clear through multiple accounts that we are not to learn nor do the traditions or ways of the wicked; it does defile oneself. He calls their ways an abomination. He also specifies not to perform such traditions or ways unto Him. We should not add nor take away or diminish from His Word, nor turn to the right or the left from His Word. He specifies that one's own ways, even from one's own heart, are also evil.

Let's take a look at one example of such tradition:

Jer 10:1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

Jer 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

Jer 10:3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

Jer 10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

Jer 10:5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

This is clearly an example of what we see today as a Christmas tree. He tells us here not to perform this custom, yet we do it today in abundance. Let's look at an example of how He does not like being worshipped like other gods:

Exo 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

Exo 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.

Exo 32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

Exo 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Exo 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD.

Exo 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

Exo 32:7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:

Exo 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

They honored Him thru pagan customs, which He hated. Considering He had told Moshe earlier than this account that the Mitsrites (Egyptians) would see him (Moshe) as an Elohim, now this mixed multitude wants to substitute Moshe for this golden calf and say that this golden calf brought them out of Mitsrayim (Egypt). And they sacrificed to Yah on His feast day while worshiping the golden calf. It is a mixture, which again, Yah hates.

Consider the chapter of 1Sam15 in your readings. This chapter details how Yah commanded King Sha'ul (Saul) to destroy all of the Amalikites, to include men, women, children, and animals. Instead, King Sha'ul kept the best of the sheep, for example, to sacrifice unto Yah... thinking it was a good and right thing to do. He was SO wrong that Yah then stripped the kingdom from him. His advisor and prophet, Shamu'el, detailed the error clearly in verse 22 by saying, "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice". Sha'ul knew that sacrifice was a good thing, yet he superseded Yah's Word with it.

Let's look at the only two examples of birthdays being recognized in Scripture:

Gen 40:20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

Gen 40:21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

Gen 40:22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

Mat 14:6 But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

Mat 14:7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

Mat 14:8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

Mat 14:9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.

Mat 14:10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

Mat 14:11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

In both examples, we see that evil men, the Pharaoh and King Herod, celebrated or kept their birthday as well as brought a man to death. Thus, we see the ways of the wicked. Are we to do or even seek after such traditions? We should know the answer is NO.

Let's look at two examples of how such ignorance leads to vain worship:

Mat 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Mar 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Mar 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Could this have been prophetic across time? I think so; I think folks today worship Him in vain, not knowing what He wants and actually walking in and even teaching the doctrines of men (any doctrine not of Yah). Let's take Christmas for example. This appears to be a feast that was not prescribed in Scripture and also appears to be a doctrine of man since it's in recognition of a birthday. Let's look at what the world today has to say about this phenomenon:

Encyclopedia Britannica vol.2 1973:

Dec 25th - birthday of Persian god Mithras, Sun of Righteousness

since as far back as 1500bc

Encyclopedia Brittanica:

Saturnalia, the most popular of Roman festivals. Dedicated to the Roman god Saturn, the festival's influence continues to be felt throughout the Western world.

Originally celebrated on December 17, Saturnalia was extended first to three and eventually to seven days. Remarkably like the Greek Kronia, it was the liveliest festival of the year. All work and business were suspended. Slaves were given temporary freedom to say and do what they liked, and certain moral restrictions were eased. The streets were infected with a Mardi Gras madness; a mock king was chosen (Saturnalicius princeps); the seasonal greeting on Saturnalia was heard everywhere.

The influence of the Saturnalia upon the celebrations of Christmas and the New Year has been direct. The fact that Christmas was celebrated on the birthday of the unconquered sun (dies solis invicti nati) gave the season a solar background, connected with the kalends of January (January 1, the Roman New Year) when houses were decorated with greenery and lights, and presents were given to children and the poor.

Ancient History Encyclopedia:

Originating from archaic agricultural rituals the Roman festivities came to include a general round of gift-giving, merrymaking, and role-reversals so that it became one of the most popular celebrations in the calendar and certainly the jolliest. The similarities of some of its features and the timing - pushed later into December over time - suggest a strong influence on the Christian celebration of Christmas.

USCatholic.org:

Ancient Christians found a happy coincidence between these festivals that sought the sun's return and the birth of the "Light of the world." Pagan festivals became Christian festivals, with many traditions remaining intact. Yule logs and lighted trees, holding off the seemingly endless night, are examples of such adaptations. Sometimes, though, to tone down the partying, some local bishops tried to institute fast days, especially just after the New Year, to stamp out pagan practice.

Readers Digest:

Dec 25th was not called Christmas until the 9th century. Until then it had been the mid-winter feast, a combination of the Norse Yule festival and Roman Saturnalia, both of which took place in late Dec.

Encyclopedia Americana:

In the 5th century, the Catholic Church ordered the celebration of Christmas on the Day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol Invictus, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed.

Catholic Encyclopedia:

Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church. The first evidence of the feast is from Egypt. Pagan customs centered around January calendars gravitated to Christmas.

History.com:

In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention a date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia.

The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston. Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings.

In the early 1800s, English author Charles Dickens created the classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol. The story's message-the importance of charity and good will towards all humankind-struck a powerful chord in the United States and England and showed members of Victorian society the benefits of celebrating the holiday. As Americans began to embrace Christmas as a perfect family holiday, old customs were unearthed.

Records of the General Court, Massachusetts Bay Colony May 11, 1659:

To the great dishonor of God and offense of others: It is therefore ordered by this court and the authority thereof that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, upon any such account as aforesaid, every such person so offering shall pay for every such offense 5 shilling as a fine to the country.

Pastor Charles Spurgeon on Dec 24th, 1871 said:

(C.H.Spurgeon, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, 1971, pg. 697)

We have no superstitious regard for the times and seasons. Certainly we do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas: first, because we do not believe in the mass at all, but abhor it, whether it be said or sund in Latin or English; and secondly, because we find no scriptural warrant whatever for observing any day as the birthday of the Savior; and, consequently, it's observance is a superstition, because not of divine authority.

Wiki:

German settlers brought the Christmas tree custom and other German Christmas traditions to the United States.

Various Sources:

First states to celebrate Christmas:

Alabama - 1836

Louisiana and Arkansas - 1838

The Chaldeans called Dec 25th 'Yule Day' - day of the infant (Tammuz the son of GOD)

Sol Invictus - birthday Dec 25th

Tammuz - birthday Dec 25th - son of Nimrod (great-grandson of Noah), Nimrod's wife was impregnated from the rays of the sun after Nimrod's death ... Nimrod was made a Sun god and Nimrod was reborn from a dead stump of an evergreen tree as Tammuz

Scandinavians dedicated the 'Yule' log that was burned in the hearth for 12 days

Goddess Ishtar or Easter, the mother of Tammuz

Scandinavians worshipped the sun-god Odin (Wodan), who later becomes Santa Claus

- was a tall old man who had a long white beard and carried a staff

- travelled around the world on a white horse with 8 legs (were originally 8 reindeer, Rudulf was added later)

- carried a dark helper (Krampus) behind him (ie. elves), who beat the children if they were bad

Sun gods with Dec 25th birthdays

Baal - Nimrod

Isis and Osiris - Ishtar and Tammuz

Osiris, Horus, Ra of Egypt

In 1900, only 20% of Americans celebrated Christmas, mostly German immigrants

Now let's take a look at what Scripture says about His birth:

Zachariah (8th course - 1 week, 24 courses)

1Chr 24 shows the division of priests, showing Abijah as the 8th - Zacharias

John was born at Pesach (Passover) and Messiah was born 6 months later, according to Luke chapter 1, thus putting Messiah's birth around Sukot (Feast of Tabernacles) - early Fall

Luk 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luk 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

- Sheppards are brought in from the fields in the rainy season, right after Sukot, until March (in the Talmud)

Thus, His birth being in December is proven biblically as FALSE

Mat 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

Mat 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Mat 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Mat 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Notes on these verses:

- In travelling from a distant land with many gifts for the king, probably on camels, it would have taken these wise men a very long time to reach the king, apparently a year or two. Why this time? Note how old Herod knew Him to be, which enquiry of the wise men revealed .... nearly two years.

- These gifts were certainly not birthday gifts, esp. since there is no mention of His birthday here. It was clear in Mat 2:2 that they simply came to give worship to a king. And it is normal for ones to bring gifts when first visiting or seeing a king:

1Ki 10:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

1Ki 10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

2Ch 9:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

2Ch 9:9 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.

1Ch 18:2 And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.

1Ch 18:6 Then David put garrisons in Syriadamascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

Harod died in 4bc, and thus Messiah would have been born 5-6bc. Some say Messiah had to have died around 30-33ad, since he was 33 years old when He died. Is this even possible? Apparently not.

With such adherence to the traditions of man (ie. Christmas) and the wholehearted acceptance of such lies in our hearts, might we consider that in end-time prophecy the following may be true in our day and even unto this very adherence:

Jer 16:19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.

Should anyone continue in accepting the lie of Christmas as it is adhered to, knowing the error and knowing that Yah does not want us to continue in error once it is revealed? Have we not seen a number of examples in what we have read that Yah does not like the mixture of good and evil? Consider what 'knowledge' is in this verse:

Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

This word 'knowledge', or 'da'ath' in the Hebrew, has to do with intimacy and depth of understanding. It is not the same word 'know' as in this verse:

Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

This word 'know' is the Hebrew word 'yada' and would be a closer fit to our current understanding of knowing something or having knowledge of something. But this tree in Gen 2:17 had intimacy of the mixture of good and evil. To consume such fruit of this tree would be to desire such great depth of wisdom in the mixture of good and evil. Even Messiah knew of the great falling away that occurs with such mixture when He said these Words:

Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

To be hot or cold, good or evil, would be clear to others and not so much of a threat to those poor in the knowledge of Him. But we know that a little bit of leaven leavens the whole lump and this is what is so dangerous to our survival in Him. We must choose rightly in all that we do and thus strive to be perfect. We see this in so many places throughout Scripture (for example):

Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: Gen_17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Deu_18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

2Sa_22:33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.

1Ki_8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

Psa_19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Mat_5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

2Ti_3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

It is the choice to do good which results in His works, that makes us perfect. We are not to mix such good with anything which He did not command and especially not with those things that He points out specifically not to do, such as learning the ways of the heathen. We cannot rely on our own wicked hearts nor think we know what is good or right. We MUST rely on His Word to differentiate between right and wrong, good and evil. And for a last consideration, consider these verses:

Pro 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Consider keeping His feasts (the term 'His feasts' is notated in Lev 23:2, and NOT the Jewish or gentile feasts), which are detailed in Leviticus chapter 23. These are based upon the events surrounding the 1st and 2nd coming of our Messiah. Should we care about such feasts if they are regarding our Messiah? Should we care about them because they are our Creator's feasts? Do we not see Messiah keeping these feasts during His days on earth, and even Sha'ul or Paul long after the passing of Messiah? PLEASE consider laying these feasts upon your heart and not the feasts of man!

We Are the Temple

John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

John 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

John 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

We all remember this verse, and accept that Messiah sees His body as a temple. Thus, so should we!

Acts 7:44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.

Acts 7:45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;

Acts 7:46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

Acts 7:47 But Solomon built him an house.

Acts 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

Acts 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

This word REST (katapausis in Greek) is only used in this verse and a few times in the letter to the Hebrews chapters 3 and 4 ... all of which appear to be specific about a day to come as in eternity. He certainly will not reside for eternity in a tabernacle built by man.

And note verse 46 uses the word FIND and not BUILD. It takes great seeking to find Him and learn of His Ways, which David did. How exactly might this be applied to a building made with man's hands, or can it? The following verse 47 shows that Solomon BUILT a house for Yah with man's hands, unlike his father. And we know that Yah does not dwell forever in that house that was built by Solomon. It was apparently a 'fashion' or 'pattern' as we see in verse 44.

1Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1Cor 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Sha'ul is clear in indicating that we are a temple to be kept clean for the dwelling of His spirit.

1Cor 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

1Cor 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

1Cor 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Verse 20 would be more likely translated as 'redeemed with honour or value', meaning an internal action vice external. As an external action, it does not match the context of the verse whereas YOU are glorifying Him, and not something external. Teemay in the Greek is much more often translated as 'honour' than it is 'price'. And when translated as 'honour', it's used in a manner of resolution or finalization of one's eternity. And an interesting usage of this word in John 4:44 does point to one's own country not being of Yah and thus having to do with one's state. Otherwise, look at such verses as Rom 2:7-10, Rom 9:21, 1The 4:4, Heb 2:7-9, and Rev 21:24. It's normally together with 'glory' and often pointing to Him.

2Cor 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

In the same phrase from Exo 29:45, one can see in His Ways that 'among' and 'in' are one in the same. Thus consider these words deeply:

Exo 29:43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

Exo 29:44 And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office.

Exo 29:45 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.

Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

With the knowledge that a cornerstone is the guide for the entire building, our Messiah is our example or image that we should follow. If we can then learn, trust, and DO as He and His Father show and teach us, then He may help us through His Spirit in building a holy temple within.

Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

We can see here that just like how the menorah lit up the inner santuary, so does Yah when we are with Him forever more, as in a tabernacle made with His hands. And note how both Zec 4:10 and Rev 5:6 thematically connect the light of the menorah to eyes, which are the seven spirits of Yah.

Acts 15:15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

Acts 15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

- which is a reiteration of:

Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

What tabernacle did David build? Is this what Acts 15 and Amos 9 were talking about?

2Sa 6:17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

That moment was especially important to David in that he danced so much and with so much praise that he made his wife jealous. But we can tell that he pitched this tabernacle and did not actually build one. Might the tabernacle being spoken of be from within, or of the heart? Could it even be something physical, as his son Solomon had built? We'll see this soon.

2Cor 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2Cor 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

2Cor 5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

2Cor 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

2Cor 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

2Cor 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

2Cor 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

2Cor 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

2Cor 5:9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

2Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Verses one through three begin with the fact that we groan in our flesh, or earthly house, and desire not to be found naked or ashamed in our sin, but to be clothed with righteousness and perfection. Verses four and five detail how in our flesh we groan and feel burdened in the work towards perfection, and He helps us in this through giving to us His Spirit. Verses six through nine are very unique in that the greek words for 'present' and 'absent' are only used in this particular chapter all throughout Scripture. But fortunately verse seven seems to be a parenthetical to explain these unique words in that walking by faith and not by sight is likened to being absent from the body and present with our Master. And thus the burden, used in previous verses, or labour, used here, should be performed in confidence and knowing that He will still accept us. Verse ten further explains how our labour and the end result of what we do and whether it is good or bad will be judged by our Master. The middle is what is so often misconstrued by Christianity, incorrectly injecting an idea of an after-life experience in being with Him. The context is about whether at any given moment we are walking in the spirit with Him or walking alone in the flesh. We should desire, as Sha'ul indicated we groan, to walk in the spirit but this cannot always be so. Christianity twists the meanings in these verses to speak of life on earth and life in the grave or heaven, which is completely out of context. The true context is that Yah builds a house within us as we make the right choices and thus His spirit dwells within us. Our choices, moment by moment, can be absent of or present with Him. And in either case, we will be eventually judged by these choices.

Hebrews Chapter 9

(for the reader's homework)

2Ch 6:7 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

2Ch 6:8 But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:

... and ...

1Ki 8:17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

1Ki 8:18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.

Though the fleshly hands could not replicate physically what He had built in his heart due to the blood on his hands, it was GOOD or RIGHT to have such built in his heart. But keep in mind that just like Yah (the Father) showed Moshe (the son) spiritually, thus Moshe had to build physically. This is the same thematically as David showing his son what to build and allow Solomon to build it.

Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

Exo 25:9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

Exo 25:10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

Note that Father Yah showed Moshe all of the patterns of the tabernacle and its contents so that His son Moshe could build it, just like David shared the patterns with his son Solomon in order to build it. The pattern was that of the heavenly tabernacle as David's was in his heart.

Exo 25:16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

The testimony that He gives is His ten matters, or commandments, which are written upon the tablets, as we are to write upon the tablets of our heart.

Exo 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

Exo 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

He says this testimony is all that He charges upon His children, which we know all instructions hang from. And is it any wonder that He mentions this along with the fact that this is necessary for Him to commune with us?

Exo 25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

Moshe is the picture here of man being shown to build a replica of the heavenly temple after seeing the pattern. Thus, all men in that day could see the pattern of what had been built and build a replica within ... in their hearts.

1Chr 28:10 Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.

1Chr 28:11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,

1Chr 28:12 And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:

1Chr 28:13 Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the Lord.

Note that the patterns that David gave to his son Solomon were patterns he had by the spirit.

1Chr 28:18 And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

1Chr 28:19 All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.

1Chr 28:20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

Now note how David was made to understand these patterns by Yah writing upon David. And where does Yah write upon man? Upon his heart, just like He did on the two tablets of stone. And this great work of building a tabernacle requires courage, strength, and true faith in Him, just like the works of our own heart.

Eze 43:9 Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

Eze 43:10 Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.

Eze 43:11 And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.

Note how man, or the entire house of Yisra'el, are measured of and shown 'the house'. What we build within must be measured against or found the likeness of the tabernacle of Yah. It was given to us as a pattern to copy upon ourselves so that Yah may dwell in us, as a holy place.

1Tim 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1Tim 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Note that Messiah came to show forth the pattern that we needed to replicate within ourselves. We needed clarity for salvation and He came to provide it. This is why He said what He said in:

Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Anything contrary to what Yah has shown us as good works is evil and one will feel naked and ashamed.

Deu 25:14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.

Deu 25:15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Deu 25:16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

Are we not seeing the same concept given to us here in Deu that we read in Titus ... that that which is contrary to just weights and measures is unrighteousness and thus and abomination to our Father.

Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Rising and measuring is most assuredly metaphoric for standing before Yah and found righteous in judgment. And we are given such patterns of the tabernacle to recreate within ourselves and desire to clothe ourselves in righteousness. Our goal is to be found doing His works, and thus deemed worthy in judgment. Those that are strong will not fear and fall short, but will continue to rise up and walk straight the best we can. We must fill our minds or hearts with His Words and His Ways, that they may direct our steps through His spirit within us. For we are such a temple that is built with His spiritual hands.

The Hands of Change

Num 27:18 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;

Num 27:19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.

Num 27:20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

Num 27:21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

Num 27:22 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:

Num 27:23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

Deu 34:9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.

- Moshe giving the spirit of wisdom to Yehoshua (lay and laid is SAMAK H5564 in the hebrew - to lean into or take hold of)

Moshe laid his hands upon Yahushua (Joshua) but Yahushua did not do this upon anyone else. Thus, it appears to be a one-time event for the transference of the spirit of wisdom. Though Yahushua was noted as a spiritual man, he needed the spirit of wisdom to carry the people forward.

Num 8:9 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:

Num 8:10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:

(put their hands is SAMAK H5564 in the hebrew)

Num 8:14 Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

Num 3:12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

Num 3:13 Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.

We see in Num 8 that Yisra'el is told to lay their hands on the Levites. Something apparently had to be transferred from the firstborn of Yisra'el to the Levites. And there is a special note in verse 14 that the Levites are His. I wanted to also note that Num 3 details this as well, to indicate that it was first the firstborn who were His but this was changed to the Levites. If you recall, this change from the firstborn to the Levites occurred as a result of the golden calf incident. This is also a cycle, in which later in Hebrews chapter 5 we see the Levitical priesthood being replaced with the Melchizedekian priesthood.

Lev 24:10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp;

Lev 24:11 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)

Lev 24:12 And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.

Lev 24:13 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Lev 24:14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.

Lev 24:15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.

Lev 24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.

(lay is SAMAK H5564 in the hebrew)

This incident shows that witnesses of the persons sin had to lay their hands upon the sinners head, exactly as one bringing a sin offering to Yah at the altar was to lay their hands upon the animals head. Thus we should see that the sin remains on the head of those that are touching the one. This sinner thus dies with the sin upon him or her. This is a judgment in which death is proclaimed.

Gen 48:11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

Gen 48:12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

Gen 48:13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.

Gen 48:14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.

Gen 48:15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

Gen 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

Gen 48:17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.

Gen 48:18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

Gen 48:19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

Gen 48:20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

(stretched out is SHALACH H7971 in the hebrew - to send away or send forth)

(laid is SHIYTH H7896 in the hebrew - to appoint, regard)

This appears to be a unique instance of this Hebrew word SHALAK, where Yisra'el stretched out his right hand. Like with the proclamation of sin, a blessing from father to son appears to also involve the hand and the head. Though SAMAK and SHALACH are completely different words, we do see similarity in the action. Let's look at more common uses of this word SHALACH:

Exo 3:20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

Exo 7:5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

Exo 9:15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

Jer 15:6 Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.

Eze 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

These are just a few iterations of the many times SHALACH is used during the plagues upon Mitsrayim (Egypt). And likened to its usage throughout the prophets, it points out or proclaims judgment and a change upon man. Here is another verse that uses the same word SHALACH but is probably incorrectly translated 'laid':

Gen 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

This is another action bringing one to death, which is more often translated with such words as 'stretch forth'. And we should notice the difference thus in the two words SAMAK and SHALACH, which one seems to be more inward and the other more outward.

Exo 24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.

Exo 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.

Exo 24:9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:

Exo 24:10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

Exo 24:11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.

Exo 24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

I believe this might not have been such a good translation to use the English word 'laid' instead of let's say 'stretched forth' (for the word SHALACH), since Yah did NOT strike the chief men of Yisra'el. I can't see any other way to understand this action.

The Brit Hadeshah, or New Testament, uses a common theme when seeing the laying of hands as we can see in these verses. Since these words are in Greek, we cannot directly correlate the Greek with Hebrew words, but at least we can note what is occurring through the action.

Luk 4:40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

Luk 13:13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

Act 8:17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

Act 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Act 28:8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.

Two actions appear to be clear in these cases. One is that the Holy Spirit filled them. And two is that they were healed. Both indicate a change within a person

Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

We see 'put forth' in v.22 and 'sent forth in v.23', both being the Hebrew word SHALACH. We don't see the word 'hand' used here, but we do see the action of expelling or sending away as we often do with this word SHALACH.

Gen 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Gen 9:4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

Gen 9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.

Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

The word 'require' in verse 5 is most interesting. It can mean to seek, to inquire, to tread, to frequent, or to care for. Thus in context, especially when Yah mentions that man was created in the image of Yah, I believe these verses can be found very profound. The words blood and life (or living and breathing creature, NEPHESH in the Hebrew), can be used interchangeably. The hand of all flesh or living creatures, related to our actions and works, seem to be what Yah is paying attention to, or frequenting. This verse could surely be related to judgment and what Yah expects if you see it in this profound way. It's much easier for animals to live by their instincts, which Yah gave unto them. But it's much harder for man to choose correctly given the choices before him and his flesh.

And since Yah uses this word 'hand' in many contexts of spirituality and action, we should also be able to extend this to the finger, can we not? After all, it is an extension of the hand itself. Consider these two verses to show that the disciples did understand what the finger referred to:

Luk 11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

These is the same phrase in both gospel accounts, but the words 'finger' and 'spirit' are used interchangeably. Thus we know that His finger is His spirit, even as we contemplate in this verse:

Exo 8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

And since we should know or may know that the tablets of stone within the ark of the covenant symbolize our hearts, then we should be able to connect the idea of 'finger' and 'spirit' with such verses as these:

Pro 7:3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

Exo 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Thus, Pro 7:3 is saying that binding His commandments upon ones spirit IS writing them upon ones heart. And this refreshens or renews ones heart, as His commandments are written upon them. And once His commandments are written upon our hearts, we are able to walk perfectly as He desires .. AMEIN!

So we see how His spirit makes change, especially in man, whether good or bad. And especially when it comes to ones heart. So I wanted to make not of some instances where we may have seen His spirit in the midst of verses but maybe didn't realize that it was about to bring change. Let's look at a time or two in the beginning:

Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

Immediately after Yahs spirit moved upon the waters, massive change began, which was His creation week. A note in Gen 3:8 is that the Hebrew word for 'cool' is 'ru'ach', which means spirit. And immediately after we see His spirit upon the scene, judgment is proclaimed and massive change occurs. I would hope that we see that as a witness to all things, especially change, we see His spirit begin the change in all things. His spirit, or hand, or finger, IS the indicator and witness of change that is needed to keep us and the world around us straight in His ways and His walk.

The Cloud

I think we all recall our Messiah leaving this world in the following way:

Act 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Act 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

And as He left in this way, I'm sure we've all pictured Him returning as we see in this verse:

Rev_10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

So, my question in the past has been, why does He leave and return in a cloud? Well, let's look at some examples of His use of the cloud and see if we can't put two and two together to get a bit of a better understanding of this. And let's start with it's first instance in Scripture:

Gen 9:13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

Gen 9:14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

Gen 9:15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

Gen 9:16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

The first thematic connection that I instantly make with this instance and the previous two are that in all cases, something important is seen in a cloud. This rainbow is seen in the cloud just as we see Messiah in the cloud in the previous verses. And this is a good time to note that in both verses 14 and 16, Yah is making a distinction in the fact that we and He are looking at this cloud, meaning it will be seen.

The word 'Cloud' - ANAN (H6051) has a root, 'AN', which means to watch. We see in various dictionaries and concordances that this word cloud also is seen as a covering and a veiling over the heavens. We may see this fact in other instances in the use of the word cloud in Scripture. Lastly, the word 'ANAN' in Hebrew is also translated as soothsayer, observer, sorceress, and enchanter. In this meaning, it has to do with making what's in front of you cloudy and less visible; thus the truth is hidden from you.

Exo_13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

Exo 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

We see here while He was in our midst on this earth that He was as a cloud to guide their walk and lead His people with the cloud. When the cloud moved, they moved with it and thus were led throughout the wilderness period in this way. Let's look at another account of this:

Psa 105:39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.

This verse in the Psalms is clearly an account of Him being both a cloud by day and a fire at night in the wilderness, but it might be a bit more revealing if we consider its application throughout time, and even unto today. This word covering, 'masak' in the Hebrew, means a veil, curtain, or hanging. Such veils were hung at every gate and door to the tabernacle, if we recall. Thus, the veils in the tabernacle surely give us a straight path from our lives without Him to Him directly. We should connect this meaning in Psalms of the use of the cloud with that in Exo 13, in the way in which we are led. And since we truly are such a tabernacle, He assuredly leads us in creating such a tabernacle within us for Him to reside in.

Num 9:17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.

Num 9:18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.

This is another clear example of Yah leading His people throughout this wilderness period. Note how when Yah and His cloud resided upon the tabernacle, there was rest. Is this not a picture of how we are at rest when we are with Him, in being that tabernacle for Him to reside within? We should notice how the more we draw near unto Him in this building of a tabernacle for Him that He gives us rest . not only on Shabbat, but also throughout our days and in our lives.

Exo 16:10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.

Here is a clear example of how He appeared to His people within a cloud. Again, we see the object to be seen being seen within a cloud.

Exo 19:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.

Exo 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

The word thick in verse 9 can also be rendered as dark. In either case, it's a distinction when looking at the cloud and again we are seeing this idea of visibility in terms of the cloud. But we know we can't look upon Him and live, so this cloud truly does provide protection in that all could look upon the glory within the cloud and live.

Mat_17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

I see this account of Yah being within the cloud and speaking as a likening to what we saw in Exo 19. The cloud was seen, a voice was heard, but assuredly it was our Creator.

Lev 16:2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Lev 16:13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

As I mentioned in regards to Exo 19, we see that a cloud was needed for protection, even as Aaron was creating his own cloud in the use of incense. The sages teach an understanding of Aaron's cloud meeting His cloud above the ark to form a kiss between Yah and man.

Eze 8:11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.

This is just another example of the incense being burned to create such a cloud, that goes up to Him. Thus, as He draws near to us in a cloud, we also draw near unto Him with a cloud.

Isa 4:2 In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

Isa 4:3 And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:

Isa 4:4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

Isa 4:5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.

Isa 4:6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

This is a prophetic word of His people after the 'day of the Lord', or Messiah's return with judgement. Note that even in that day, will He be as a cloud and smoke by day, to be a defense and a refuge. I would connect this time period to the Shabbat millennium, after Zec 14 and His second coming. This would be a time where His people are now Zion, which are changed, but are still on the earth with sinners and Yah's repercussions.

Isa 44:21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

Isa 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

Note how Yah is connecting the ability to draw near unto Him by the blotting out of our sin and transgressions to the likening of the cloud. In other words, there would be no cloud if He did not forgive us, nor would He be present with us.

Lam 3:42 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

Lam 3:43 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.

Lam 3:44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.

Though we've seen how His cloud gives us protection as we walk in His ways, this example shows how it creates separation to those who do not walk in His ways. The prayers of the wicked are not heard.

Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Now that we have seen many examples of why Yah uses a cloud to be seen, to provide protection, and even to separate from the wicked, we should now have a better understanding why we should expect to see our Messiah coming in a cloud. Would the son of the Creator not come and go in the ways of His Father? Should our Messiah NOT be a testimony or witness to the ways of our Creator and Father? I say we should assuredly expect Him to come and be seen in the same ways as that of the Father and thus be seen with power and glory.

1Co 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

1Co 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

1Co 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

I wanted to finish with these verses, giving us clarity in that there is baptism and spirituality in being under His cloud. As we build His tabernacle within us, for Him to dwell within, He most assuredly cleanses us within as if His cloud is above us. We eat of the truth in His Word and thus we become new spiritual entities, wherein He gives us rest. Thus, let's all remember and have distinction in how He comes in 'the cloud'.

The Sabbath - A Time For All Times

Gen 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

This is His first proclaimation of this cycle in which He 'sabbaths' the day and sactified it. You see in verses 2 and 3 the word 'rested' in the English, but this is actually the word 'shabbath' in the Hebrew, which is closely related to the word seven, or 'shebee' in the Hebrew. Thus is the Hebrew, or our Creators concept of the number seven having to do with completion.

The first instance given to us of the idea of actually 'resting' on the Sabbath isn't until the Sabbath commandment is detailed in Exo 20:11 (don't be fooled by Exo 16:30, which is the Hebrew word 'shabbath'):

Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

This word 'rested' is the Hebrew word 'nuach', which means the rest that we in the English language consider. It's likened to the opposite of work, which we would understand as to rest. Thus we see one of the reasons for this seven day cycle or Shabbat, which is to rest from any and all work. Another similar concept in understanding this need is in this portion of Scripture:

Exo 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

Exo 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

Exo 31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

Exo 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

Exo 31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

This word 'refreshed' in verse 17 is the word 'naphash' in the Hebrew and has the same meaning we would consider in English to where this rest would provide a renewal of sorts. BTW, a second witness to this idea of being refreshed is in Exo 23:12. As a side note, He points out in verse 16 that this is a covenant forever throughout all generations. It might help in understanding this word 'refreshed' if one considers another Hebrew word of the exact same Hebrew lettering, which is the Hebrew word 'nephesh'. In the English, this word is defined as 'soul', as we see here:

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Thus we should see the thematic connection in that it takes refreshing or renewal to continue in or as a living soul. Without His renewal that He gives His people in the Sabbath, His people might become what Scripture calls the 'walking or living dead'.

Many folks who know me know how I love to tie things back to my understanding of His Word in Deu 5:1:

Deu 5:1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

Not only do we 'learn' and 'do' His Word, but we must 'keep' or 'put in our hearts' what we learn, before we begin 'doing' it. To keep is to put in one's heart so that once in the heart, the cleansing comes from within and helps to clean to the outside or one's works (to do). Note this in most every instance of the Sabbath commandment whereas He continues to tell His people to 'keep' the Sabbath. We know His people are to learn and to do as well, but it's MOST important to 'keep' or to put the understanding of the Sabbath in one's heart.

And likened to this idea of putting the Sabbath in one's heart as our Creator has done Himself, we should also note and understand what we saw from the beginning in that He sanctified the Sabbath day. One might immediately think this is an external action but we will soon see that it is not. Look at this example of the word sanctify or 'qadash' in the Hebrew:

Num 20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

We see here in Num 20:12 that Moshe was to sanctify Yah, which we know must be internal in that there must be a level of respect and honor, which are internal actions. Thus, just as Yah sanctified the Sabbath in the beginning (Gen 2:3) in making it special within Himself, or putting it in His heart, so He wants His people to be like Him and do the same as we see in this rendering of the fourth commandment:

Deu 5:12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

Deu 5:13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:

Deu 5:14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

Deu 5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

We see here in Deu 5:12 both the concept of 'keeping' the Sabbath Day, or putting it in our hearts, and 'sanctifying' it, or giving it the respect that Yah would expect of His people. His people are to be like Him in doing so, as He sanctified it from the beginning. Also note that the Sabbath is truly reverenced once one realizes that His people were removed from bondage, as in the bondage of sin. Once His people come to Him and His understandings, they should begin to see and keep close to their hearts His Sabbath.

Let's consider another angle on the Sabbath that Yah gives us:

Lev 23:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

Lev 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

First note that the end of verse 2 points out that these 'feasts' are HIS. And if they are HIS, might one consider to make it their own? Secondly, the word here for 'feasts' is the word 'moedim'. A better understanding of this Hebrew word might be 'appointed times' or even 'cycles'. One common rendering of it that we know of is the word season, like we see here:

Gen 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

This word 'season' is the Hebrew word 'moedim'. And note that all things mentioned in this verse could be likened to or connected to cycles, and do consider that seasons are cycles themselves. But these cycles are His, and not just for anyone or anything. Consider these other instances of this word 'moed' or 'moedim':

Jer 8:7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

Gen 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

We see in Jer 8:7 that these stork has her own appointed times, or cycles. These are not of Yah, and Yah's cycles pointed out in the chapter Lev 23 are not for the stork. Gen 18:14 points out a cycle in which a child is conceived and birthed, which is a 9-month cycle. This cycle has its own importance and reason, but again is not connected with the cycles pointed out in Lev 23. Psalm 104 gives an interesting example of the lunar cycle and how it affects nocturnal animals. But getting back to Lev 23, if we take time to note both the weekly and annual cycles pointed out in this chapter, we should see that they are important for us to understand and put in our heart (to keep or 'shamar' in the Hebrew), just as they are His.

So we see that Yah sanctified His Sabbath in the beginning, at creation . and this santification has continued even with His people through the giving of the Torah and the forming of His church in the wilderness. Let's continue through time .

2Ch 2:1 And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.

2Ch 2:2 And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

2Ch 2:3 And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.

2Ch 2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

We should see as we do in so many other instances throughout Scripture that the building of the tabernacle, even within ourselves, is tightly connected with His Sabbath. To be whole as a living soul in building His tabernacle within us, He wants His people to put His Sabbath within their hearts, as we see King Shelomoh doing in his days . long after the days of Moshe. And note again that King Shelomoh understands that this is a covenant forever.

Isa 56:1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

Isa 56:2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

Isa 56:3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

Isa 56:4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;

Isa 56:5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

Isa 56:6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

We see that in the days of the prophet Yishiyahu, or Isaiah, that the Sabbath was still an eternal covenant between Him and His people. This was the time of the prophets, and YishiYahu, or Isaiah, lived in 8th and 7th certuries BC. Now let's move to the days of our Messiah and find out what Scripture says about His keeping of the Sabbath:

Mar 6:2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?

Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Luk 4:31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.

It was our Messiah's custom or cyclical routine to come to the synagogue and keep the Sabbath. There are many examples in the gospels of our Messiah keeping the Sabbath, as was His custom. If it was His custom, should it not be ours?

Now let's look at days not too long after Messiah's departure from us:

Act 13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

Act 13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

Act 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

Act 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

Act 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Act 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

Act 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

Act 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

It clearly appears to be the custom of the gentiles who wanted to learn of Yah, and this same understanding for the disciples who were bringing such gentiles to know Yah, to come to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Why might this have changed between then and now? This should be a question for every Christian to think about. Let's even consider Sha'ul, or Paul, regarding his customs after Messiah had left:

Act 16:13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

Act 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,

Act 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Notice that as it was Messiah's custom to keep the Sabbath, so it is Sha'ul's manner to do the same, long after Messiah had left the earth. Was Sha'ul not following Messiah's example?

Sha'ul spent quite a few verses from Heb 3:7 through Heb 4:11 explaining how our Father desires us to desire and to choose His rest via belief and thus ceasing from his own works. He ties this in with the gospel being preached throughout time in Heb 4:2 and with the seventh day of rest that our Creator did cease from His own works. This word rest, 'katapausis' in the Greek, is used all throughout these verses that I first specified. But I do want to point out a specific verse where most translations use the word 'rest' but the Greek is a completely different word. This is most important in understanding what is meant by the verse so let's take a look at it as well as a verse before and after for additional context:

Heb 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

Verses 8 and 10 contain this Greek word 'katapausis' (or a derivative of it) as does the entire section that I had mentioned earlier. This, resting from one's own works, is certainly the subject throughout the section. But verse 9 contains a completely different Greek word that is only used once in all of the New Testament. This Greek word is 'sabbatismos' (Strongs# G4520). The meaning of this word would be like taking the word 'Sabbath', or 'shabbaton' (Strongs# G4521) in the Greek, from Matt 24:20 and adding 'ism' or 'ismos' to the ending as we are accustomed to using the words 'baptize' and 'baptism'. Thus, 'sabbatismos' would be the custom or act of keeping the Sabbath. Thus, Sha'ul wants to specify in verse 9 that even after Messiah has left us, there still remains a keeping of the Sabbath. Here is a rendering from one of my favorite translations of Scripture, 'The Scriptures':

Heb 4:9 So there remains a Sabbath-keeping for the people of Elohim.

Let's also look at some prophecy about these days between our Messiah's 1st and 2nd visitations. And let's start with our Messiah's prophecy that He gave to His disciples regarding the 'end of days':

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Mat 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Mat 24:17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

Mat 24:18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

Mat 24:19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

Mat 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

We see here that our Messiah expected both His disciples and all of those who read His words to be regarding and reverencing the Sabbath in those days as well, before His 2nd visitation. So why is it that SO MANY of His followers, even of today, do not reverence the Father's Sabbath .. Might this be in prophecy as well?

Lam 2:6 And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.

Here we see prophecy of a day to come in which His tabernacle is taken away, as the garden had, and His people would no longer be keeping His appointed times (mo'edim) and His Sabbaths. I believe Zion is also a word for His people, but more focused on His people later in time. Might this point out to how His people are in THIS day and even for the past 2000 years? Please consider!

And finally, what about the coming millennium, which many call the 'Sabbath millenium', in that it is the 7th 1000-year period since creation.

Isa 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

Here we Yishiyahu prophesying of a day to come in which all flesh will come to worship Him on the Sabbath. This is likened to Zec 14:16 in which all the earth will come and worship the King in Jerusalem every Feast of Tabernacles. Such prophecy points to the days at and after the 2nd visitation of our Messiah.

To finalize the concept at hand, do we not see that the Sabbath has been from beginning to end, consistent? Do we not see how our Creator desires ALL to reverence the Sabbath as He does and to continue this throughout time? Thus, for His people, the Sabbath is a time for all times!

And for those interested in more detail on the keeping of the Sabbath, please consider YishiYahu's (Isaiah's) words in Isa 58:13-14 and how this is how to 'repair the breach' and 'restore the path'.

His Sabbath And His Sanctuary

Lev_19:30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

Lev_26:2 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

Eze_23:38 Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.

These are the only 3 instances in Scripture where He references both His Sabbath and His sanctuary in the same breath. So what's the connection between the two? Well, we should know that the Hebrew for the Sabbath has such roots as sheba, seven and shaba, to swear. In His thought, these three words are very closely related in that they all are a form of firming up something. To keep His Sabbath is to truly sanctify His day as He did from the beginning, and to partake in walking His paths. But what might this have to do with His sanctuary? Let's consider the first instance of this word sanctuary or 'miqdash' in the Hebrew:

Exo 15:17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.

Notice the concepts being given to us here that the sanctuary is a place for us to dwell in, in which He establishes with His own hands. Is this not the same concept for the 6 days of creation where Yah created the heavens and the earth, for all to dwell in, and were created soley by His own hands? Can we not see how thus the Sabbath was the rest or peace that Yah sanctified immediately after creating a dwelling place in the heavens and the earth by His own hands? So if the heavens and the earth are defined the same as His sanctuary, then we should begin to see the connection between His Sabbath and His sanctuary. Let's consider the meaning of the very first word in all of Scripture:

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

breshiyth

- the letter BET means house

- BET RESH (BAR) means son

- the son of the house is the Creator

- ESH is a consuming fire

- the letter SHIN is about the Father being ALMIGHTY

- reshiyth is the firstborn, who is the son, who builds the house

- beriyth is covenant

So the very first word in Scripture gives us the idea of an Almighty Father, as a consuming fire, desires to build a house for His son, to bring forth a covenant with His sons, the firstborn. And the verses immediately following show how He did truly did build a house, or heaven and earth, for His sons to dwell in and to covenant within. This was His seven-day cycle from the beginning, and it is focused on the building of a sanctuary. And we know that Yah shows us time and time again that as He does, we should do. Thus, if He builds a house for us, in six days and rests on the seventh, so in our thousand year understanding (Psa 90:4 and 2Peter 3:8), we should also be able to build a house for Him in six thousand years and rest with Him on the seventh or Sabbath millenium. When we consider His Jubilee cycle as His largest cycle, we may also deduce that there was a 'SODE' level understanding, in the Hebrew, to the verse Gen 6:3 in that one hundred and twenty years of stiving with man can be rendered as 6000 years ... do the math! Let's look at more connecting verses:

1Ch 17:9 Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,

1Ch 17:10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house.

1Ch 17:11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

1Ch 17:12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.

1Ch 17:13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:

1Ch 17:14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.

Wow, is this not a beautiful prophecy of a day to come where His people, Yisra'el, will be raised up from His seed and established in His house forevermore, and shall be moved no more? That sounds like eternity to me!

Heb 3:4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

Heb 3:5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

So we see His house as also being metaphoric of us being echad or one with Him. And we should know that in that day, when we are echad with Him, that He will be dwelling in and amongst us.

Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Our Messiah uses the same words as our Father, in that all that is made is from our Father and is of our Father's house. And for Him to prepare or establish is for Him to firm up or fulfill what is to be and what has been promised. Thus that house or sanctuary will be ready for us in the end of that Sabbath cycle to come. His ways and His cycles are to be considered, are to be sanctified, and are to be made ours as they are His. Thus, we should see in full the connection between His Sabbath and His sanctuary.

Ken's Topics

TOPIC INDEX:

TOPIC NOTES:

Who is Israel, how and why were they split, and how will our Creator bring them together again in the end according to Ezekiel?

How is Israel defined?

Differences within

Why were they split?

He likens the House of Israel to Ephraim

There is strife between the Houses and with Yah

What was Messiah's focus?

The promise to both Houses

And the promise of being made ONE in the end

Has this not been the plan all along, to divide or set apart when evil enters the body, and to eventually bring it back to the way it was in the beginning?

What is the Passover of Exodus 12 and what is Paul's suggestions to the gentile converts in his first letter to the Corinthians regarding this feast and the feast of Unleavened Bread?

Which English words are translated from the Hebrew 'moedim' and do we see how they are likened to cycles?

Note that only the 'knowing' are shown the beginning of cycles

Here is the Passover and Unleavened Bread, explained to those beginning the new cycle

Paul explains the deeper meaning of Unleavened Bread

Is the old and unleavening likened to the old man and the new man according to Paul?

More Passover and Unleavened Bread detail, to be observed forever

His cycles and or feasts are passed on through generations; also pay attention to the translational detail

Note the detail and importance of who keeps it and who does not

Note how Paul backs up Yah's Passover commandment and commands it's importance and proper observance

The Feast Days Are All About Messiah

Why did Messiah read a portion of Scripture (stopped in the middle of a verse) and say that this is fulfillment?:

Here are the verses that Messiah began to read from the book of Isaiah (they are practically word for word, but notice that he read the first half of a humble servant and not the latter half of the conquering king):

Here is the Wave Sheaf Offering, which signifies Messiah as the first of the firstfruits:

Here is the Feast of Weeks or Firstfruits; the wheat harvest which signifies us:

Here is the Feast of Trumpets, which proclaims and begins the 7th month feast and signifies the coming of the king:

Here is the Day of Atonement, which signifies judgement and is often referred to as 'the Day of the Lord':

Here is the Feast of Tabernacle or Booths, which signifies the marriage of the lamb. The Eighth day signifies eternity, without sin in the world:

The Grave, Hell, and the Resurrection

Except for the first example that depicts the place of burial, all examples of 'grave' are the hebrew word She'ol. The following examples of hell are the exact same word in the hebrew.

Even the use of the word 'hell' appears to be in the same context as 'grave'. Thus it is the translators that are making the difference in the two English words and not the author of the Hebrew.

So all sleep, even King David, according to most Scripture. Many copies of Enoch were found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, in which some scholars say prove that Enoch was considered Scripture. Chapter 22 of Enoch has the clearest account of souls once the body dies.

The Book of Enoch seems to jive perfectly with the Scripture verses that we have brought forth. And has anything changed since Messiah came and was resurrected?

Note Acts 2 says both Messiah and David went to hell. We should now know this is the grave. So all men sleep until a time of resurrection. When is this and what will it look like?

Were these souls raptured up to leave the wicked as many have been taught? What are His Ways and is this consistent in the 'end of days'?

We see time and time again that the wicked are 'cut off' and the righteous remain. We also see in the commandments that those that sin are cut off from his people. Messiah confirms this removal of the wicked in the end of days as well, via His parables.

He Likens Us to Sheep, Stones, and Plants

Sheep:

In Romans 12, Sha'ul tells that Torah teaches that all sacrifices are without blemish and set apart, as we are to be when giving of our fleshly desires and putting His Ways ahead of our own. In Psalm 51, King David is clear in that we truly are the sacrifice, and it all starts from within.

Stones:

Trees - Herbs - Grass

We seem to be likened to grass along with the idea that grass will wither. We also see that as a tree, we are to bear good fruit. We can also be likened to herbs and flowers. Now consider the metaphors eluded to in Job 14:

Is Yah not showing us that even if man is old and even brought to the grave, that might he live again?

Consider that in a world that is 'null and void', as in death, herb yielding seed and trees yielding fruit sprout to life in the first chapter of the world. Is this not a sign of resurrection? And is He not showing us this to occur on the 3rd day? I don't think this is a coincidence.

Hoshea certainly confirms that even though Yah cuts us off or even brings us down to the grave, He will raise us up again. And we see yet another witness that this resurrection will be on the 3rd day.

He Likens Death to Exile

Read Psalms 88 and determine the themes. Where is the author? We will stick closely to thematic connections.

ArtiScroll Tanach Edition commentary on Psalm 88: An impassioned plea for deliverance from Israel's long and almost unbearable exile

Interesting that both Psa 88 and Deu 32 are songs.

Deu chapters 28-31 and Lev 26 are about the curses and punishment of Israel that Psa 88 adds context to, detailing one who is undergoing such punishment

Troubles:

Lack of Strength:

Fear:

Eyes Dim with Grief:

Hide My Face:

Exile is Detailed Specifically in:

Gen 2:17 details that eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil will lead to death on that very day. Did they die that day?

Gen 3:23-24 was the result as punishment and thus this is the first equating of death likening to exile

Gen 11:6-9 also shows that Yah punishes again with scattering

Gen 49:5-7 shows Simeon and Levi's punishment for killing men is separation from family and scattering

To conclude, read Psalm 30 and consider the cycles eluded to throughout. Would you agree that these verses fit death, or exile?

The Land

Why is this sabbath made for man and what does it do for him? Well, let's start with its first instance in Scripture:

It appears to be a cycle of 7 days in which Yah worked 6 days and rested on the 7th. And this cycle with its 7th day rest appears to be holy, in which Yah has sanctified it. Let's look at this first given to man in the 4th Commandment:

And likened to the 7-day cycle of the Sabbath for man, there is also another Sabbath cycle:

We see here that Yah wants us to keep the Sabbath cycle once we come out of a different land, a land where we were servants and apparently not free. Let's consider another cycle that Yah desires us to keep and guard:

We count seven weeks or Sabbaths, and the next day appears to be the 50th day in counting. This is called the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot. In Greek, they call it Pentacost. So this totals a cycle of 50 days, and then the firstfruits are waived before Yah as acceptable. Is there another such cycle?

This 'giving of the land' is connected with eternity, and we, in the flesh as Abraham was, are strangers to it.

To achieve this inheritance, one drives out or defeats wickedness little by little.

We are removed from another land, under bondage, and lead to where Yah dwells within us.

Just like how the wicked amongst us are brought to death or exiled, to keep the body clean, the land expels the wicked.

Aspects of being in the land are existing in complete peace, without wickedness, and no strife of any kind.

We should desire to be as babes in order to inherit the land. Men have been stiffnecked in not desiring to walk in Yah's ways.

This land has always been presented to us. All we need to do is be strong, lift ourselves up, and take what He offers us.

Life is given to those that heed the word of Torah, and the reward of life is in the possession of the land.

It's not one's own righteousness or works that brings one to possess the land, but the dispossession of wickedness. This can be likened to the circumcision of one's heart.

Yah promises that He will fetch us from everywhere, even unto the grave, and bring us to this land, where our hearts will be fully circumcised so that we may live.