This
issue of YAHSHUA'S WITNESS MAGAZINE
was published for October-December-2015
Inside this issue:
FROM
THE EDITOR
The
Parable of the Manna Part II
.......
EDITOR:
Jerry Healan
PROOFREADERS:
THE CIRCUMCISION PROBLEM
An
article recently appeared in an assembly’s magazine concerning circumcision.
The author primarily focused on what we call the “Old Testament” (Old
Covenant) Scriptures to prove his point that physical circumcision by the hands
of man is still a requirement for salvation in this “New Testament” (New
Covenant) age. This is a deep concern for this assembly, and the publishers of
this magazine. Why?
Well….we
are still blessed with eyes to read, and hearts to believe what we do read. We
read that there are TWO COVENANTS, “Which things are an allegory: for these
are the two covenants; the one
from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar,” Gal. 4:24.
Some teach that there is only one covenant, which makes Yahshua’s covenant a
renewed covenant instead of a NEW COVENANT. Paul was revealing that there are
two sons, one by a bondwoman, and the other by the freewoman. Then he states
that this is an ALLEGORY! If you can’t understand that the Scriptures were
written in PARABLES, ALLEGORIES, MYSTERIES, etc., then you simply don’t
understand the Scriptures and the deep truths about Yahshua the Messiah.
The son of
the freewoman was by PROMISE! I know that the English isn’t as clear as the
Hebrew. The Hebrew word for “promise” would be dabar (rBd/WORD)!
Yahshua is the WORD (dabar/rBd). The NEW COVENANT is based upon the appearance of
the WORD OF YAHWEH (hwhy-rBd) in order to bring about salvation through
Yahweh’s grace, based solely upon His word and not on our own works. It is a
work of the SPIRIT, dependant upon the SPIRIT and not the flesh, nor the hands
of men.
The COVENANT
OF MOSES gave men their opportunity to perform their works of salvation by their
own hands and walk. He only made that covenant with the sons of Israel,
descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. While some few Gentiles could live in
the land, embrace the covenant, be circumcised, and enter into the congregation
in the third generation, it just wasn’t possible for the whole world to enter
into the commonwealth of Israel.
Yahshua came
to break down the middle wall of partition. Paul, a Pharisee of all things, was
called to be the apostle to the uncircumcised. With all of his training as a
Pharisee, he still resisted the requirement of physical circumcision by the
hands of men. His former, supposedly converted, Pharisee brothers went out
requiring physical circumcision and the keeping of the law of Moses for
salvation. Paul and Barnabas disagreed. It was such a heated argument that they
had to hold a council in Jerusalem in order to rectify the dispute. (Acts 15)
The Apostle
Peter agreed with Paul reasoning that when he was sent to the band with
Cornelius, the Holy Spirit fell upon that group even though they were
uncircumcised, and the only requirement made at that time was FAITH and WATER
BAPTISM! (Acts 10). James and the rest of the council were convinced to stand
with Paul and Barnabas also!
However,
there were still those who disagreed which caused Paul to write, “Stand fast
therefore in the liberty wherewith the
Messiah hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of
bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if
ye be circumcised, the Messiah shall profit you nothing. For I testify
again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole
law. The Messiah is become of no
effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye
are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of
righteousness by faith. For in Yahshua the Messiah neither circumcision availeth
any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well;
who did hinder you that ye should not
obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you,” Gal.
5:1-8.
Therefore, we
must warn you out of faith and love. Please don’t listen to men who seem to be
adept with the COVENANT OF MOSES (the first covenant), but are purposely
ignorant of the COVENANT OF YAHSHUA (the second and better covenant). We must
also warn that assembly and their elders and leaders that they stand in danger
of causing Yahshua’s little ones to FALL FROM GRACE! We must also warn the man
who wrote that article to repent and learn the truth, the faith, the mercy, and
the grace that we have in our Sovereign and Savior Yahshua the Messiah.
Remember that
Israel themselves fell away from fleshly circumcision while in Egypt. They were
circumcised under Moses so they could partake of the Passover. Then while they
were in the wilderness under Moses and Aaron, and the covenant of Moses,
circumcision was suspended again until just before they entered into the land of
promise (the land of the WORD), they were circumcised under one named Yahshua
ben Nun, a type of Yahshua the Messiah. Our current situation is that we are in
a wilderness much like Israel was under Moses, only for a much longer time. When
Yahshua returns, He will set everything in order as did Yahshua ben Nun.
I am writing
this openly to all because the council at Jerusalem was done in the open and
recorded for our witness and understanding. Paul wrote, “But though we, or an
angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again,
If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him
be accursed,” Gal. 1:8-9.
Please take the warning from Paul! We love you all and don’t want to see anyone to be accursed! Please undo the damage that has been done! Stand with Paul, Barnabas, Peter, James, the Spirit, and the Council of Jerusalem! JH
My
chief occupation in the physical realm has been paint contracting, remodeling
and building repairs. Not long ago I was asked to look at a Baptist Church in
order to do some painting and repairs. The minister was a new addition to the
church. He told me that he just couldn’t handle the miserable state that he
had found the buildings in. His statement was, “This is God’s house. People
ought to respect it, take care of it and keep it in good condition. After all,
many of the members are very particular concerning their own homes. They should
want God’s house to look even better than their own”
Many great and beautiful edifices have been built to glorify and honor
men’s deities. I personally was a member of a congregation that built and
dedicated a house to God. Great care was taken for every detail. Some things
were even gold plated. Everything was exquisite. It was dedicated to the glory
and honor of the Great God. The group was the Worldwide Church of God. The
founder of that organization had been enamored with riches, fine homes and the
best of everything. He looked at David’s example who found himself blessed and
living in paneled houses while Yahweh was still living in a temporary moveable
tent.
What about these great edifices and great works made by the hands of man?
Are they acceptable to the Great Creator? Is He pleased with great buildings
erected with great care for every detail and the great expense required? Who is
really impressed with the great buildings, the great edifices supposedly erected
to the glory of the Creator? Really and truly, its man himself who is the one
impressed with these things.
Yahweh says, “The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool:
where is the house that ye build unto me? And where is the place of my rest? For
all those things hath
mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith Yahweh: but to
this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and
trembleth at my word,” Isa. 66:1-2.
Stephen was also inspired by
the Holy Spirit to proclaim, “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. Which also our fathers that came
after brought in with Yahshua into the possession of the Gentiles, whom Yahweh
drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; Who found
favour before Yahweh, and desired to find a tabernacle for the Elohim of Jacob.
But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most
High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the
prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye
build me? Saith Yahweh: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made
all these things?” Acts 7:44-50.
PAUL’S WITNESS
The Apostle Paul declared to the Athenians, “Now while Paul waited for
them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given
to idolatry. Therefore
disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in
the market daily with them that met with him. Then certain philosophers
of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will
this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Elohim:
because he preached unto them Yahshua, and the resurrection. And they took him,
and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine,
whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears:
we would know therefore what these things mean. (For all the Athenians and
strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell,
or to hear some new thing.) Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and
said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this
inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN Elohim. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto
you. Yahweh that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is
Sovereign of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made
with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands,
as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to
all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood
all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath
determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That
they should seek Yahweh, if haply they might feel after him, and find him,
though he be not far from every one of us: For in him
we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own
poets have said, For we are also his offspring.,” Acts 17:16-28.
Do you get that? Paul had to have disputes with almost everyone! He
disputed with the Jews in the synagogues and with the Gentiles without.
Furthermore, he confirmed Isaiah and Stephen in declaring that Yahweh does not
dwell in temples made with hands, nor is worshipped with men’s hands. We are
His creation; we are made by His hands, therefore it is IN HIM that we live, and
move, and have our being, our existence.
Too many misunderstand and thus, dispute with Paul today! Isn’t it
amazing! Paul was utilized by Yahweh to write the greatest part of the
Scriptures we call the New Testament, yet there are so many, many so-called
believers who still dispute with him to this day, or twist his writings to make
them say things that he never meant to say.
Paul heard Stephen’s witness. Even though he was pricked in his heart,
he was a Pharisee and went along with their ways until Yahshua appeared to him
and changed the scope of his understanding. Paul witnessed that we live, and
move, have our being in Yahweh. Surely, he wrote the book of Hebrews, which
declares that all things are not only made by Yahshua, but are upheld by the
word of His power (Heb. 1:2-3).
Paul understood that the present heavens and earth are a temporary
dwelling place made by the hands of Yahweh, “Have ye not known? have ye not
heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood from
the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the
earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the
heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in,” Isa.
40:21-22.
A tent is a temporary, moveable dwelling place. The tabernacle of old,
which was made under the direction of Moses, was a type of that temporary
heavenly dwelling place. The temple made by Solomon was another type. It was a
type of the more permanent dwelling place that Yahweh is in the process of
making, to wit, the new heavens and the new earth. (Rev. 21)
Yahshua came to bring to an end
the old types, the tabernacle and temple, which are made by the hands of man. He
came to begin building a NEW DWELLING PLACE FOR YAHWEH! Yahshua prayed to the
Father, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe
on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me,
and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that
thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou
gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in
them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;
and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou
hast loved me,” Jn. 17:20-23.
A TEMPORARY
DWELLING
The Heavenly Father Yahweh was dwelling in Yahshua the Messiah, the
Anointed, “I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to
stone him. Yahshua answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my
Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying,
For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou,
being a man, makest thyself Elohim. Yahshua answered them, Is it not written in
your law, I said, Ye are elohim? If he called them elohim, unto whom the word of
Elohim came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father
hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am
the Son of Elohim? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I
do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father
is in me, and I in him,” Jn. 10:30-38.
“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?
The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that
dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me:
or else believe me for the very works' sake,” Jn. 14:10-11.
Yahshua came as flesh and blood so that He could taste death for
everyman, “But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that
thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest
him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour,
and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in
subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he
left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put
under him. But we see Yahshua, who was made a little lower than the angels for
the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of
Yahweh should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all
things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make
the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that
sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is
not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my
brethren, in the midst of the assembly will I sing praise unto thee. And again,
I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which Yahweh
hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might
destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them
who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage,” Heb.
2:6-15.
The truth of the matter is that man is composed of flesh and blood. Flesh
and blood is physical, carnal and temporary. Yahshua, Who was and is the Word
Yahweh (Dabar-Yahweh; Jn. 1:1-4, 14), had the inheritance of eternal life as an
eternal spirit being before His birth. Yet, He emptied Himself of that glory and
honor in order to become a man, dwell among His people, suffer the penalty for
sins (not for His own sins for He sinned not; 1 Pet. 2:21-22), in order to raise
up a new dwelling place for Yahweh, “Let this mind be in you, which was also
in the Messiah Yahshua: Who, being in the form of Elohim, thought it not robbery
to be equal with Elohim: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him
the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross. Wherefore Yahweh also hath highly exalted him, and given him
a name which is above every name: That at the name of Yahshua every knee should
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And
that every tongue should confess that Yahshua the Messiah is Sovereign, to the
glory of Yahweh the Father,” Phil. 2:5-11.
The temple had been built in Jerusalem to the glory and honor of the name
Yahweh. It was to be His dwelling place on the earth. But now Yahweh was no
longer going to live in edifices made by the hands of man. Yahshua came to
provide a new dwelling place for the name Yahweh on the earth. That dwelling place was to be in man, in flesh
and blood, “And he is before all things, and by him
all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the
preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all
things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things
in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by
wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death,
to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye
continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope
of the evangel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature
which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; Who now rejoice in my
sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of the
Messiah in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the assembly: Whereof I am
made a minister, according to the dispensation of Yahweh which is given to me
for you, to fulfil the word of Yahweh; Even the mystery which hath been hid from
ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom
Yahweh would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among
the Gentiles; which is the Messiah in you, the hope
of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every
man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in the Messiah Yahshua:
Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me
mightily,” Col. 1:17-29.
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of Yahweh, and that the Spirit of Yahweh
dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of Yahweh, him
shall Yahweh destroy; for the temple of Yahweh is holy, which temple ye are,”
1 Cor. 3:16-17.
“And Yahweh hath both raised up the Sovereign, and will also raise up
us by his own power. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of the
Messiah? Shall I then take the members of the Messiah, and make them the members
of an harlot? Yahweh forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an
harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined
unto the Sovereign is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth
is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own
body. What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy
Spirit which is in you, which ye have of Yahweh, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify Yahweh in your body, and in
your spirit, which are Yahweh's,” 1 Cor. 6:14-20.
“O ye Corinthians, our mouth
is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are
straitened in your own bowels. Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as
unto my children,) be ye also enlarged. Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and
what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath the Messiah with
Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement
hath the temple of Yahweh with idols? For ye are the
temple of the living Elohim; as Yahweh hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them;
and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from
among them, and be ye separate, saith Yahweh, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons
and daughters, saith Almighty Yahweh,” 2 Cor. 6:11-18.
THE CORNERSTONE
Yahshua is the chief cornerstone of a new dwelling place not made by the hands of man.
The Prophet Isaiah was inspired to declare, “Therefore thus saith the
Sovereign Yahweh, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone,
a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make
haste,” Isa. 28:16.
The Apostle Peter is inspired to declare, “Wherefore laying aside all
malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As
newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If
so be ye have tasted that Yahweh is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living
stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of Yahweh, and precious, Ye
also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual
house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to Yahweh by Yahshua the Messiah. Wherefore also it is contained in
the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and
he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which
believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the
builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of
stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being
disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth
the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous
light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of Yahweh:
which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy,” 1 Pet. 2:1-10.
Do you get that? We are living stones, which are built up into a
SPIRITUAL HOUSE OR TEMPLE! We are a different temple and priesthood from the
Aaronic Levitical priesthood of old with its temporary tabernacle and then the
more permanent temple at Jerusalem both made by the hands of men. Our sacrifices
are not the physical animal sacrifices, the drink offerings and grain offerings
of old. Our sacrifices are SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES!
The book of Hebrews proclaims,
“We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the
tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the
sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore
Yahshua also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered
without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing
his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we
seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice
of praise to Yahweh continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to
his name,” Heb. 13:10-15.
THE REJECTED
STONE
Too many reject the spiritual applications and want to return to the old
physical hand-made, man-made things. Some have even taken to sacrificing a lamb
or goat for Passover. Too many are looking to physical man-made, hand-made
things like tassels, tallits, kippas, head coverings, etc.
This cornerstone was rejected by the builders of the temple as the
Scriptures reveal. Yahshua told the people of His day, “Yahshua saith unto
them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders
rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is Yahweh's doing, and
it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of Elohim
shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits
thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on
whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief
priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of
them,” Mt. 21:42-45.
The Hebrew word for “builders” is banah. It has to do with builders or even
children. The Hebrew word for “son” (ben)
is a derivative of this word. Ben
means “a son” as a builder of the family name. The Israelites, both the
northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, had forsaken
Yahweh, His commandments and ways and gone the way of the nations around them.
In Yahshua’s day the leaders of the people were the priests, scribes,
Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, etc. They forsook Yahshua, the true stone
chosen by Yahweh to be the cornerstone of His spiritual temple. They were
fulfilling Psa. 118:22-23 which says, “The stone which the builders refused is
become the head stone of the corner. This is Yahweh's doing; it is marvellous in
our eyes.”
This same situation applies in
today’s world. Of course, many of the descendants of Judah and Israel are
still in the process of rejecting the stone, but the ones who are the leaders
and builders of the faith that supposedly follows the Messiah have also fallen
short and are now in denial and rejection of the stone. They have been deceived
to follow another stone who is more of a rebel against Yahweh, His commandments,
and ways rather than an obedient son.
WITHOUT HANDS
Nebuchadnezzar was given a prophetic dream during his reign. The Prophet
Daniel was given the interpretation of that dream. Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed of
a great image whose head was of gold, his breast and arms of silver, belly and
thighs of brass/bronze, legs of iron, feet of iron and clay, and toes of iron
and miry clay. This image that Nebuchadnezzar saw was an idolatrous figure. It
was given to present a thumbnail sketch of the history of the kingdoms of this
world under Gentile (non-Hebrew) leadership as well as their idolatrous
religions. During the time of the fourth kingdom a stone appears, “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….And
in the days of these kings shall the Elohim 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. 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 Elohim hath
made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is
certain, and the interpretation thereof sure,” Dan. 2:34, 44-45.
Yahweh had also revealed this stone to the Prophet Zechariah, “Hear
now, O Yahshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for
they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
For behold the stone
that I have laid before Yahshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes:
behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith
Yahweh of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land
in one day,” Zech. 3:8-9.
Yahshua is the Stone spoken of by Daniel. He appeared shortly after the
Roman Empire was established under the authority of the Caesars. That empire
continues to greatly influence today’s world. It is still in existence, it
simply has changed its nature to make it look like it is holy and good. Yahshua,
the Stone will appear a second time striking the kingdom on its toes and then
establish the kingdom of heaven upon the earth.
The Apostle Paul understood all of these principles and wrote of them
continually. He wrote, “For we know that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved, we
have a building of Elohim, an house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens,” 2 Cor. 5:1.
The book of Hebrews says,
“But the Messiah being come an high priest of good things to come, by a
greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands,
that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves,
but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us…For the Messiah is not entered into the holy places
made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now
to appear in the presence of Yahweh for us,” Heb. 9:11-12, 24.
THE NEW CIRCUMCISION
That’s why Paul withstood physical circumcision made by the hands of
man, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after
the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after the
Messiah. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Deity bodily. And ye are
complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are
circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,
in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of the
Messiah,” Col. 2:9-11.
“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh,
who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
That at that time ye were without The Messiah, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
hope, and without Elohim in the world: But now in the Messiah Yahshua ye who
sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of the Messiah. For he is our
peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new
man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto Elohim in one body
by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to
you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both
have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the
household of Elohim; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Yahshua the Messiah himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all
the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in Yahweh: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of
Yahweh through the Spirit,” Eph. 2:2-22.
“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that
circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one
inwardly; and circumcision is that of
the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men,
but of Yahweh,” Ro. 2:28-29.
“For we are the
circumcision, which worship Yahweh in the spirit, and rejoice in the
Messiah Yahshua, and have no confidence in the
flesh,” Phil. 3:3.
Too many think that they are righteous and exhibiting that righteousness
by wearing physical man-made, hand-made things. They even think that physical
man-made, hand-made circumcision is a necessity. But what did Paul warn about
the circumcision made by the hands of man? “Stand fast therefore in the
liberty wherewith the Messiah hath made us free, and be not entangled again with
the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, the Messiah shall profit
you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a
debtor to do the whole law. The Messiah is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of
you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace,”
Gal. 5:1-4.
What does he mean, “…he is a debtor to do the whole law?” It can
mean only one thing. If you circumcise the flesh in accordance with the law of
Moses, then you are indebted to keep the whole law by the power of your own
strength made by your own promise. In other words, you are placing yourself
under the same oath that Israel took at Mount Horeb in Sinai. You must
circumcise not only your own flesh, but your own heart. You have engendered
yourself to Mount Sinai, which is Hagar, the bondwoman, not to Mount Zion who is
the FREEWOMAN!
Remember that flesh and blood
cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven (1 Cor. 15:50). The evidence of the
Scriptures and of history is that the house of Israel could not and did not
fulfill the law. They took an oath of blessing and cursing. If they fulfilled
the perfect law of liberty, then they would be blessed, but if they failed they
would be cursed. Their history reveals that they came under the curse to
destruction.
THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE
The Pharisees were a case in point. They looked (and still do) so
righteous outwardly, but they were so deficient inwardly, “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. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within
ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity,” Mat. 23:27-28.
How many of our own people, supposedly true believers, believers in the
true Sacred Names, go about making themselves look like the Pharisees of old and
also the Pharisees of today?
Paul wrote, “For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law:
but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his
uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which
is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and
circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly;
neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew,
which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and
not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of Yahweh,”
Ro. 2:25-29.
Do you understand what Paul has written here? Yahshua said that our
righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees (Mt. 5:20). Wait a
minute! In Mat. 23, Yahshua condemned the righteousness of the Pharisees. What
does He mean then, that our righteousness must exceed theirs? The answer is very
simple indeed. The Pharisees were as righteous as a man could be outwardly. But
their righteousness was by the power of the spirit of man, not the Spirit of
Yahweh. Our righteousness must exceed theirs by the power of the Spirit of
Yahweh. Even though the Pharisees were as careful as they could be, their
righteous looks were by the hands of man. They wore the kippas, the tallits, the
tassels, the beards, and they were circumcised outwardly in the flesh by the
hands of men. They looked beautiful outwardly. They looked righteous outwardly.
But they lacked one most important ingredient. They weren’t circumcised in the
heart by the Spirit of Yahweh. Therefore all of their righteousnesses were as
filthy rags (Isa. 64:6).
Paul set the record straight! But not many understand him. He did say
that circumcision truly profits much if one keeps the law. But the problem is
that he reveals elsewhere that there is a law of sin in the flesh, which causes
us to fail in fulfilling the righteousness of the law. (Ro. 7). Therefore, if
one is uncircumcised in the flesh, but has the Spirit of Yahweh and through the
Spirit of Yahweh is fulfilling the law inwardly from the heart, then he is
counted righteous. Our praise then is not of men, but of Yahweh, because it is
the Spirit of Yahweh that is directing our steps, not the spirit of man.
If we have received the Spirit of Yahweh in the state of physical
un-circumcision, then why be circumcised by the hand of man? Our faith is in
Yahweh and His Spirit, not in the flesh. As Paul reveals, if after we receive
the Spirit of Yahweh through Yahshua, we circumcise the flesh, then we have been
deceived to turn to the flesh, trusting in the power of the flesh rather than
the Spirit of Yahweh; we are no longer under the grace extended to us by Yahweh
through Yahshua.
“But if our evangel be hid,
it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the
minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious evangel of the
Messiah, who is the image of Yahweh, should shine unto them. For we preach not
ourselves, but the Messiah Yahshua the Sovereign; and ourselves your servants
for Yahshua's sake. For Yahweh,
who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of
the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh in the face of Yahshua the Messiah. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of
the power may be of Yahweh, and not of us,” 2Co 4:3-7.
THE TWO PRIESTHOODS
There are two priesthoods, the Levitical and the Melchizedek. The
Levitical priesthood served a physical man-made tabernacle and later a physical
man-made temple. Their sacrifices offered were by the hands of man. They
sacrificed oxen, sheep, goats, doves, pigeons, grains and wine. All of their
righteousness was the righteousness made by the spirit and hands of man. It was
an outward righteousness, but the righteousness that comes by and through the
Spirit of Yahweh was lacking. They eventually failed.
There was also a kingly line established in the kingdom of Israel through
David and his lineage. The priests were not kings, neither were the kings
priests. But both served the purpose of typifying the true priestly and kingly
line brought in by Yahshua the Messiah. The Scriptures reveal that the kingly
line also failed.
Yahshua is made a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, “So also
the Messiah glorified not Himself to be made an High Priest; but He That said
unto Him, ‘Thou art My Son, to day have I begotten Thee.’ As He saith also
in another place, ‘Thou are a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec’,”
Heb. 5:5-6.
In ancient Israel as well as in our world today, there was/is a condition
called “separation of church and state.” The lineage of the priests and
kings were to be kept separately. Today, politicians (professional liars) run
the government, while ministers (more professional liars) run the churches.
Examining the name Melchizedek is interesting because it comes from two
Hebrew words melek
(king) and tzadak (righteous). Thus
Melchizedek means “King of righteousness”, “For this Melchisedec, king of
Salem, priest of the most high Elohim, who met Abraham returning from the
slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part
of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also
King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without
descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto
the Son of Elohim; abideth a priest continually,” Heb. 7:1-3.
It is Yahshua the Messiah, in the capacity of High Priest after the order
of Melchizedek, Who has the power to bring both church and state together in
one. He will reign as both High Priest and King of Kings forever, HalleluYah!!!
Hebrews 7 continues, “Now consider how great this man was, unto whom
even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that
are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a
commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their
brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them
received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is
blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but
there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so
say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in
the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him,” vv. 4-10.
The evangel of John records an incident that occurred between Yahshua and
the people of His day, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw
it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old,
and hast thou seen Abraham? Yahshua said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but
Yahshua hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of
them, and so passed by,” 8:56-59.
The Jews understood that Yahshua was telling them that He had seen
Abraham face to face. One reason that Yahshua told them this is because He
appeared to Abraham in the office of the High Priest Melchizedek and Abraham
gave Him tithes of all. The record reveals that the Levitical priesthood paid
tithes to the Melchizedek Priesthood while they were still in the loins of
Abraham.
Yahshua had told them, “I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall
die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill
himself? Because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them,
Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this
world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins,” Jn. 8:21-24.
This is another powerful point of faith that comes through the
Melchizedek Priesthood! The Melchizedek Priesthood believes and teaches, yes,
knows assuredly that Yahshua is the very One Who revealed Himself to Moses as
the I AM! The Scriptures and the Spirit witness and testify to this fact!
THE LAW
The book of Hebrews chapter 7 continues, “If therefore perfection were
by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,)
what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of
Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of
necessity a change also of the law,” vv. 11-12.
The priesthood has been changed from the Levitical to the Melchizedek!
The Greek word for change is metatithemi, which is defined as; to
transfer, i.e. (literally) transport, (by implication) exchange, (reflexively)
change sides. Thus, we find that there was a need to transfer the priesthood
from Levi to Melchizedek because the Levitical priesthood was unfaithful in
teaching the law (Mal. 3).
When it says, “…there is made of necessity a change also of the
law,” the Greek word for “change” in this instance is metathesis, which is defined as;
transposition, i.e. transferral
(to heaven).
It is the Priesthood of Melchizedek that has power over the law now. The
power of the law has been transferred to the Melchizedek priesthood in heaven
because there was no man’s lineage that was perfectly faithful in teaching and
observing it. That is why there has to be a New Covenant, based upon better and
more faithful promises, that is the promises of the word and Spirit of Yahweh.
If we belong to Yahshua then we are of the Melchizedek Priesthood. The
book of Hebrews continues, “For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth
to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is
evident that our Sovereign sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake
nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after
the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal
commandment, but after
the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest
for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of
the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For
the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the
which we draw nigh unto Yahweh. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made
priest: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by
him that said unto him, Yahweh sware and will
not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
By so much was Yahshua made a surety of a better testament (covenant). And they
truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of
death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable
priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come
unto Yahweh by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For
such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from
sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high
priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the
people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh
men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since
the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore,” Heb. 7:13-28.
“We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the
tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the
sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore
Yahshua also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered
without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing
his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By
him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to Yahweh continually, that
is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to
communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices Yahweh is well pleased,” Heb.
13:10-16.
We have a covenant which is far better than the covenant made with
Israel, because our covenant is administered by a High Priest and King Who is
eternal. The covenant made through Moses was made for temporary, physical,
carnal flesh. The covenant made through Yahshua is for eternal, immortal,
incorruptible spirit beings. There have to be differences in them even as there
are great differences between that which is flesh and that which is spirit.
Which ministry, which priesthood, which kingship are you a part of? Are you of the one that is without hands or are you one that trusts in the works of the hands of man? We encourage you to walk in the light and faith of Yahweh's word.
There is tremendous importance to this letter that we must
address. It is prophetic of the first appearance of the Messiah.
The fourteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the nun. It looks like this n/n/n in the Pictorial, Paleo, and Modern
Hebrew respectively. It is spelled nfn/nwn/!wn in each alphabet respectively. It is
equivalent to the number 50, while the numerical value of its “spelling”
would be 106 (n = 50 + f = 6 + n = 50 = 106). However, in
Modern Hebrew, the final form (!)
can also be equivalent to 700 which is 50 x 14.
The word nfn/!wn (noon) means; to resprout, i.e. propagate by shoots, fig., to be perpetual (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #5125), also to shine (The Inner Meaning of the Hebrew Letters by Robert M. Haralick). It also has to do with fish in ancient Hebrew according to Dr. Frank Seekins (Hebrew Word Pictures, pg. 64). The Aramaic and Arabic both present this letter as fish.
The Patriarch Yahshua, who took over from Moses to lead the children of
Israel into the promised land of Canaan, was named “son of Nun” (nfn/nwn)!
His name was spelled exactly like the full name of the Savior
([vwhy/ psfei), and prophesied
as to when the Savior would appear!
According to Psalms 19, the heavens are declaring the glory of El (v. 1).
How can this be? The sun, moon, and stars have been declaring Yahweh’s
purposes and plan, but few have really paid any attention to the real evangel
message declared therein. Yahweh’s calendar throughout the ages has been
determined by the sun, moon, stars, and equinoxes. When Adam and Eve were
created, the vernal and autumnal equinoxes were occurring in Taurus and Scorpio.
It so happens that Adam’s name began with the aleph
which is the picture of the head of an ox (a).
Scorpio has to do with a scorpion whose sting brings death. Man
(Adam) had come under the sting of death.
There is a phenomenon called the precession of the equinoxes. It takes
around 2000-2500 years for the equinoxes to traverse the various constellations.
During this time, the anthropomorphic gods and goddesses of men were presented
as bull gods (to wit: Pharaoh of Egypt being worshipped as the son of god
through the Apis bullock. The female goddesses also had the cow horns on their
heads with the sun disk between them.) Eventually, they moved out of Taurus and
Scorpio into Aries (the heavenly ram, or lamb) and Libra (the scales of
justice). This was announcing that Yahweh would deliver His people out of
bondage through the Passover lamb (Aries), and would give them His righteous law
(Libra - scales of justice). During this time, Yahweh did deliver them out of
Egypt, gave them His righteous law in the wilderness, and eventually raised up
the shepherd kings (David, the shepherd) to rule His people.
When Yahshua, the true Son of the Eternal Creator Yahweh was born, the
equinoxes were moving out of Aries and Libra into Pieces and Virgo. Pieces has
to do with fish! Angels appeared to shepherds in the field declaring His birth (Lk.
2:1-18). The true Passover Lamb had arrived to fulfill the sacrifice of
deliverance from the bondage of sin, and begin to write the law upon the
people’s hearts.
However, when Yahshua began His ministry, He didn’t call shepherds, rather
He called fishermen! His very words were, “Follow me, and I will make you
fishers of men,” Mt. 4:19 (See also Mk. 1:17).
The nun is also equivalent to the
number 50. Fifty is the number for jubilee, liberty, freedom, etc.! It is also
the number 5 multiplied by 10. The letter for 5 is hei (e/h/h)
which is also the number for revelation and grace! The number 10
is the yod, the hand of Yahweh (i/y/y)! The name Yahweh is
efei/hwhy/hwhy,
which can be read as; hand (i) revealed (e) that establishes
(f) grace (e), or hand (i)
revealed (e)
nail (f) revealed (e)!
The nun is the fourteenth letter and
the Passover takes place on the fourteenth day of the first month on Yahweh’s
calendar. The fourteenth of Abib is the very day that Yahshua died on the cross
in order to become our Passover lamb, “Purge out therefore the old leaven,
that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even the Messiah our Passover
is sacrificed for us,” 1 Cor. 5:7.
The nun (n) is preceded
by the mem (m). These two
letters together form the word nm (manna), the bread from heaven. Yahshua told
the people of His day that He was the true bread from heaven (Jn. 6:22-58).
Previously, in this chapter, Yahshua had fed 5,000 with 5 loaves and two fishes,
“After these things Yahshua went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of
Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles
which he did on them that were diseased. And Yahshua went up into a mountain,
and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was
nigh. When Yahshua then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto
him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And
this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered
him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one
of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother,
saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so
many? And Yahshua said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the
place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Yahshua took the
loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the
disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they
would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the
fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them
together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley
loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men,
when they had seen the miracle that Yahshua did, said, This is of a truth that
prophet that should come into the world,” Jn. 6:1-14.
The two fishes represent Pieces, the
very time that He had appeared!
There are hidden messages in the Scriptures! The two fishes represent
Pieces, the very time that He had appeared! The equinoxes had shifted into
Pieces and Virgo. He was announcing the new age wherein He would send His
disciples to fish for His virgin bride! Barley was the grain of Passover. The 5
barley loaves represented Him as the bread from heaven administering grace. The
5,000 represented how His grace can be multiplied! The 12 baskets remaining
would represent the 12 tribes of Israel, which will also include the non-Hebrews
grafted into Israel through Yahshua! (Ro. 11)
The mem (m/m/m)
also precedes the nun
(n/n/n)
because water must be present for fish to live, and seed (n)
also needs water in order to germinate grow and produce! Furthermore, the manna
(nm) reveals that
Yahshua was the seed (n)
of the Spirit (m)
that the Scriptures indicate, “And in the sixth month the angel
Gabriel was sent from Elohim unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin
espoused to a man whose name was Yoseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's
name was Miriam. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art
highly favoured, Yahweh is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she
saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of
salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Miriam: for
thou hast found favour with Yahweh. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy
womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Yahshua. He shall be great,
and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and Yahweh Elohim shall give unto
him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of
Ya’acob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Miriam
unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel
answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit
(m) shall come upon thee, and
the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing (n) which shall be born of thee
shall be called the Son of Elohim,” Lk. 1:26-35.
Remember that Yahshua likened the Holy Spirit to water (m) in Jn. 7:37-39).
Remember
also that Yahshua is the heir (n).
Yitzchak Ginsburgh writes, “The word nun
(!wn) means ‘fish’, and (in Hebrew) ‘kingdom,’ particularly,
‘heir to the throne’.” (The Alef-Beit,
pg. 215) He continues, “The nun
is the fourteenth letter of the alef-beit,
which equals to dwd,
David, the progenitor of the eternal kingdom of Israel. The heir to David is Mashiach ben David, of whom is
said: !mv !wny vmv ynpl, “As long as
the duration of the sun his name shall rule.” (IBID,
pg. 208) (NOTE: David = dwd = d (4) + w (6)
+ d (4) = 14).
Let me interject here that the dalet
(d) is the picture of a door. The name
David has two doors nailed (w = the picture of a nail) together, which
represents the reality that our DOOR into this world is the first Adam (~da). In other words, we are his descendants. However,
in order to enter into the world to come, we need another DOOR which is Yahshua,
the Messiah the son of David who is the last or second Adam (~da).
The last two letters in the name Adam (~d)
is also the Hebrew word for blood. The life of all flesh is
in the blood (Lev. 17:14). The mem,
being the picture of water, can also represent spirit or breath. This is exactly
what the blood does. We breathe the air into our lungs which adds the oxygen to
our blood and the blood carries the life giving oxygen to the rest of the body.
The blood (~d)
is our door (d) to life and
breath….spirit (m).
The main Hebrew word for son (ben)
consists of a beit (b) and nun (n).
The beit is the picture of a house,
tent, temple, family, etc. while the nun
is the picture of a seed, in this instance. Thus, the son (nb) is a seed, or
heir of the house,
family….
Psalms 119 reveals under the nun (n), “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” v. 105. The Hebrew for “lamp” is ner (rn/rne),
“word” is davar (rbd/rbd),
“light” is owr (rfa/rwa),
“path” is netiv (bitn/bytn). Yahshua is called the “word” in Jn. 1:1-14; 1 Jn.
1:1. He, Himself, said that He is the “light” in Jn. 8:12; 9:5. He also said
that He is the “way” (path) in Jn. 14:6. Is there any doubt that Yahshua is
the “lamp” (ner/rn/rne)?
HUMILITY
The “bent” form of the nun
(n) typifies an “afflicted” (yn[), “humble” (wn[), yet “faithful” (((!man)
servant.
This, of course, perfectly relates to Yahshua who was so humble (hn[) that He was willing to empty Himself of the
power, glory, honor, esteem as Elohim to become a man, “Let this mind be in
you, which was also in the Messiah Yahshua: Who, being in the form of Elohim,
thought it not robbery to be equal with Elohim: But made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross,” Phil. 2:5-8.
Look at all of the powerful miracles that He performed, yet He never sought
to exalt Himself to take power and rule. Rather He submitted Himself to be
treated in a shameful manner as Isaiah proclaims, “Who hath believed our
report? and to whom is the arm of Yahweh revealed? For he shall grow up before
him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor
comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire
him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with
grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we
esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet
we did esteem him stricken, smitten of Elohim, and afflicted (hn[). But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and Yahweh hath laid on him the iniquity of us
all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted (hn[), 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. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall
declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for
the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the
wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither
was any deceit in his mouth,” Isa. 53:1-9.
David sang and wrote of this, “False witnesses did rise up; they laid to
my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling
of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I
humbled (yn[) my soul with fasting; and
my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been
my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the
abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did
tear me, and ceased not: With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon
me with their teeth,” Psa. 35:11-16.
Humbling our soul with fasting also has to do with afflicting our soul.
Humble and afflict are the same Hebrew word (hn[/yn[).
Yahshua both humbled and afflicted His soul for all of us, all of our
iniquities, all of our transgressions, yet He is still served with hypocritical
mocking and feasts (false pagan holidays).
Psa. 9 records, “Sing praises to Yahweh, which dwelleth in Zion: declare
among the people his doings. When he maketh inquisition for blood, he
remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble,” vv. 11-12.
Interestingly, this Psalms ends with ~yyna
~ywna (anyim
anovim, afflicted humble ones). Again, Psalms 10 says, “Arise,
O Yahweh; O El, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble,” v. 12. The same
wording is utilized as in Psalms 9 (anyim
anovim) referring to his afflicted humble ones.
The word “humble” looks like this
fno in Pictorial Hebrew. It
would have to do with one seeing (o)
himself (f)
as a child (n).
, It is written, “At the same time came the disciples unto Yahshua, saying,
Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Yahshua called a little child
unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children,
ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever
therefore shall humble himself as this little child,
the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven,” Mt. 18:1-4.
FAITHFUL
Moses was not only a humble man, but he was faithful (!man) in all Yahweh’s house (Num. 12:7).
Yahshua said that Moses wrote of Him (Jn. 5:46).
The Hebrew word for faith is aman/amen (!ma).
“Believe” is the same Hebrew word. Abram believed (!ma) Yahweh and it was counted unto him as
righteousness (Gen. 15:6). But there was no “faith” (!ma) in the children of Israel of Moses’ day
(Dt. 32:20).
Furthermore, Numbers 12 is the account of Aaron’s and Miriam’s rebellion
against Moses. Consider Aaron who forged the golden calf to represent Yahweh
while Moses was in the mount. This one event reveals that the Aaronic priesthood
would be a people pleasing, self pleasing priesthood as is revealed in the
instance of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas in 1 Samuel chapters 1-4. The book of
Malachi also is a record of the failings of Aaron and his descendants.
However, in the account with Samuel, it is revealed that Yahweh would raise
up a “faithful” (!man)
priesthood. This was a prophecy of the time when Yahshua would appear to
re-introduce the more “faithful” eternal Melchizedek Priesthood, “For
verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of
Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his
brethren, that he might be a merciful (!nx/chanan) and
faithful (!man) high priest in things pertaining to Elohim,
to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath
suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted,” Heb.
2:16-18.
Yahshua is the faithful (!man)
witness (d[/do), “And from Yahshua the
Messiah, who is the faithful witness,” Rev. 1:5. A witness is one whose eye (o) is the door (d) to an event whether past,
present, or future.
MERCY
The Psalmist cries out, “Turn thee unto me, and have mercy
upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted,” Psa. 25:16.
The Hebrew word for “mercy” is chanan (!nx//nnh).
Amazingly, John the Baptist’s name was !nxwy!
It looks like this nnhfi
in Pictorial Hebrew. Furthermore,
the Hebrew word for “grace” is (chen)
!x/nh.
The I is the picture of a hand
while the f
is the picture of a nail or tent peg with which something is nailed down, or
together, or established.
John (!nxwy/nnhfi) was sent to proclaim the
appearance of the hand (i)
of Yahweh that was going to establish (f)
grace (!x/nh) and mercy (!nx/
nnh).
Evidently, John’s father was faithful in the priesthood, but the others
around him had become corrupt. John would have rightfully been able to serve as
a high priest because his father was a high priest and both his father and
mother were descendants of Aaron.
But John was sent into the wilderness in order to announce that a greater
and more faithful High Priest was going to appear.
Grace (!x/nh) has to do with the seed,
child, heir (!/n) being protected with a
fence. However, the chet
(x/h)
also serves as the number 8, which in the spiritual significance of numbers, is
the number of new beginnings!
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as the
Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also
should walk in newness (x/h) of life (n/n),”
Ro. 6:4.
“….that ye put on the new (x/h) man (n/n),
which after Yahweh is created in righteousness and true holiness,” Eph. 4:24.
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the
blood of Yahshua, By a new and living way,
which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
And having an high priest
over the house of Elohim; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies
washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering; (for he is faithful
that promised;),” Heb. 10:19-23.
Eight (8/chet/h) is also the number for the
masculine Hebrew word for “love” (bea).
As has been shown before, the aleph
(a) and beit (b)
are not only the first two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, but also serve as the
Hebrew word for Father (ab/ba). If we insert the fifth
letter hei (e) between the letters for
father, we obtain the word love. The Father’s heart is revealed who, through
grace (nh), (also represented by the hei [e
= 5], surrounds His children, His seed (n)
with His love (8/h/bea).
LIBERTY
The nun is equivalent to the number 50 which is the number of freedom,
liberty, restoration, atonement, etc.
Isaiah was inspired to prophesy, “The Spirit of Adonai Yahweh is upon me;
because Yahweh 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; To proclaim the acceptable year of Yahweh….,”
Isa. 61:1-2.
When Yahshua faced the devil Satan and gained the victory, He proclaimed,
“The Spirit of Yahweh 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, To preach the
acceptable year of Yahweh,” Lk. 4:18-19.
Paul writes, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we
are the children (n)
of Elohim: And if children (n),
then heirs (n);
heirs (n) of Elohim, and joint-heirs
(nfn) with the Messiah; if so be
that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature
waiteth for the manifestation of the sons (n) of Elohim. For the creature
was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath
subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered
from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty (n)
of the children (n)
of Elohim,” Ro. 8:16-21.
Again he writes, “Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great
plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the
children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is
abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same
vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away
in the Messiah. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon
their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to Adonai (the Master), the vail
shall be taken away. Now Adonai is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of Adonai
is, there is liberty (n). But we all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of Adonai, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of Adonai,” 2 Cor 3:17.
CLOUD (-S)
The Hebrew word for “cloud” is anan
(nno/!n[). Yitzchak Ginsburgh writes, “The mem, the waters of the sea, is the natural medium
of the nun, fish. The nun “swims” in the mem, covered by the waters of the “hidden
world.” (The Alef-Beit, pg. 208.
I utilized this excerpt in order to come to understand how the word anan means “cloud.” We, as heirs (n), don’t swim through the
waters, but there are clouds on earth that do help to prevent those walking upon
it to see the “hidden things” of Yahweh. After all, clouds are moisture,
water, mem.
Yahweh utilized a pillar of a cloud to protect Israel from the deadly rays
of the sun in the wilderness (Ex. 13:21-22). He descended from heaven in a thick
cloud so the people wouldn’t be able to see Him (Ex. 19:9, 16). His glory was
revealed in a cloud (Ex. 16:10; Num. 16:42; 1 Ki. 8:10-11).
After the flood, Yahweh set His bow in the cloud as a covenant that He would
never destroy the earth and the life on it with another great flood (Gen.
8:13-14).
A cloud received Yahshua out of the disciples sight (Acts 1:9). He said that
the earth will see Him coming in clouds, with power and great glory (Mt. 24:30).
John writes, “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: And he had in his hand a
little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on
the earth, And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had
cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had
uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven
saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write
them not. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted
up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who
created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things
that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there
should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel,
when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of Elohim should be finished,
as he hath declared to his servants the prophets,” Rev. 10:1-7.
This angel has the rainbow on his head, a symbol of Yahweh’s covenant, he
roars like a lion; Yahshua is the lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5). His
feet on the sea and the earth represent his power over both which is what
Yahshua has qualified for since He has overcome the serpent Satan.
The Scriptures are written in parables, and those parables are about
Yahshua. Yahshua’s apostles speak in mysteries, “But we speak the wisdom of
Yahweh in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which Yahweh ordained before the
world unto our glory,” 1 Cor. 2:7.
Furthermore, it is written, “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, Looking unto Yahshua
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 Yahweh,” Heb. 12:1-2.
There is so much more that could be written about this marvelous letter, but
we must close this research due to lack of space. We will continue to look
deeper and deeper (Yahweh willing) into the Scriptures, the Hebrew language, and
the Hebrew alphabet in order to bring forth much more concerning the wondrous
esteem of our righteous Redeemer and Savior Yahshua the Messiah. Please stay
tuned….. JH