Connecting some more dots with some of the places and things mentioned in the last few posts.… with God there is always more and this post takes a look at a link to the Mishkan, Gardens and Sukkot.
The wilderness camp was at the base of Mount Sinai.
Mount Sinai was also called mount Horeb, the word Horeb is linked to the word HEREV which means sword.
(Hebrew: חרב , Sword) (Remembering that b and v are the same letter bet/vet.)
From charab; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement — axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.
This is interesting and significant on several levels, as here was where God cut the covenant between Himself and the children of Israel so it could also be called the mountain of the cutting.
Strong’s Hebrew: 2719.
חָ֫רֶב (chereb) — a sword
In Genesis we read that God
“drove the man out of Eden and stationed east of the garden of Eden the cherubim and the fiery ever-turning sword, to guard the way to the tree of life”
(See last post for more on Eden.)
SWORD OF God = cherev shel hashem
The Hebrew word for sword is Charev or Harev with the start of it being just like the word Hanukkah sometimes spelled Chanukah.
As noted, the Hebrew word for sword is Charev or Herev/Harev – חרב
The pictograph for Zayin looks like a sword, a weapon; the classical Hebrew script is constructed of a Vav with a large “crown” on its head.
There is a Mystery in the Zayin as it is considered a “crowned” Vav and just as Vav represents “yashar,” which is ‘straight light from God to man’, so Zayin reflects the (or chozer), of the vav as the ‘or chozer/ returning light.’
Think for a moment of other places where a crown is mentioned in scripture and what the symbol of the vav is…
Zayin (also spelled zain or zayn or simply zay) is the seventh letter of the Semitic abjads, including Phoenician Zayin , Hebrew ‘Zayin ז, Yiddish Zoyen ז, Aramaic Zain ,
Thought to mean Glowing/Heat, Mount Horeb is one of two names given to a mountain mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy as the site where God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses.
The second name of Horeb in Exodus is, the Mountain of God/the Mountain of YHVH.
Mount Horeb, Hebrew: חֹרֵב,
Greek in the Septuagint: χωρηβ,
Latin in the Vulgate: Horeb.
Mountain in paleo is: har
Hey – Resh
Meaning: behold the head above the rest.
Mt. Horeb – Most likely synonymous with Sinai, was the scene of the burning bush,
of the giving of the Law, and of Elijah’s vision.
We saw the first time the word HEREV is used Genesis was when God places the cherubim at the entrance to the Garden of Eden with the flaming swords, or Herev, because
the Herev is a sword raised up against sin!
And is familiar to us as being symbolic of the Word of God in Ephesians 6:17 and Hebrews 4:11
At the fall from Grace
They were removed from the Garden of life
after accessing a tree and
causing sin to reign –
God took man out
of a garden of life
and they died spiritually
(broken relationship/separation from The Father.)
The day sin was put to death
the opposite occurred:
man took God down from a tree/wooden cross,
and placed Him in a garden of death,
the garden tomb
where He was resurrected into LIFE
and restored the broken relationship
with the Father having experienced the separation from Him.
In the Song of Solomon, there is another garden we read:
blow upon my Garden that the spices may flow.
Spices permeate the beautiful story, the Song of Solomon; Shir Hashirim, is the equally pleasant presence of the fragrance of spices.
Without the spices mentioned in this book of love between the Messiah and His Bride Israel, one could hardly imagine the prophesied marriage, or the communion of believers with their God. Spices seem to be referring to the ascent to the heights of Israel and also pointing to enraptured heights of being in the presence of the Lord and Savior.
The spices are found in the presence of both Bride and Bridegroom, and in the ‘garden enclosed’—representing a virtual garden of each delicate and holy spice.
Most of the spices mentioned are the spices of the Tabernacle, the use and purpose of each spice commanded by God to Moses and Israel, and pointing to the pleasant, beautiful realm of Heaven and the throne/presence of God.
A deeper look at each spice, shows not only the symbolic value of each substance, but the nature of the spices; which in turn point to Messiah and His suffering. (not included in this post).
This should be our prayer..
Breathe upon us with Your Spirit/Ruach wind and stir up the sweet spices of Your life/chaim within us. Spare nothing as You make us Your fruitful gardens and hold nothing back until we release Your fragrance. Come walk with us as You walked with Adam in Your Eden garden and taste the fruits of Your life in us.
When Solomon talked of his beloved feeding the garden and gathering lilies it indicates that, the Lord keeps on feeding and strengthening those who are maturing spiritually; while gathering to Himself, those who are away from His word and still need to know Him.
So man placed God in a garden of death and laid on Him spices, which also came from a garden.
In the Song of Solomon reference to the bride, (us), is also made.
Note the crown!
Let my beloved come into His garden.
The tomb of God is a Garden tomb.
Meaning it is not just a place of death and ending… it is a garden
the place of life
where things sprout and grow.
The place of new beginnings
that place
Ha Makem’- ‘The Place’- המקום
of life/lives
Chaim.
All life now comes out of death.
We all must die in order to live.
Really, we should rejoice to enter His tomb..
to let the old man die
then we will find true new life.
And we are to raise another sword/herev,
the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit.
As the law, is the instructions for life to be lived righteously, was given on the
Mountain of the sword/Horeb/Herev.
Or :
the mountain (behold the head above the rest) of HisWord.
This instruction was as a sword to be raised up against sin.
Not only corporately but at an individual level in life. We must use that sword against sin, which is, whatever does not line up with the Word of God. Use it to cut away (zayin) and circumcise our hearts putting every sin to death and driving out of the garden of our heart where sin will choke His-word .
The meaning of the letter bet also seen in the temporary house of Sukkot/Tabernacles ….. a place of safety and protection.
Coming from the ancient Hebrew prayer, which is called the hashkiveinu, and it describes an usual picture asking for:
His tabernacle to be spread over them.
Hashkiveinu is the second blessing following the Shema during Maariv.
It is a petitionary prayer to be able to lie down in peace/shalom at night and to return to life the following day.
Like a continual resurrection to life, where His Mercies are new every morning!
The prayer envisions God as a guide and shelter during the night ahead and praises God for watching over us, delivering us, and being merciful.
Here we ask God’s protection from the terrors of night “in the shadow of Your wings”- i.e., like the shelter that a mother bird gives to her young
Psalm 91:4 You will cover us with Your pinions, and under Your wings shall we take refuge.
This word is requesting, (actually commanding), God to make us lie down. We lie and down sleep as an act of surrender to God’s will that we sleep.
Hashkiveinu (hash-kee-VAY-noo), is one of the most beloved prayers of the evening service. It goes back to ancient times, when sleep was poorly understood.
Hashkiveinu Adonai Eloheinu l’shalom Spread the shelter of your peace over us.
V’hamideinu malkeinu L’chaim
Raise us back our King to life.
Keep us safe through the night
Till we wake with morning light.
Revelation 7:9… is the vision of the multitude standing before the throne in white robes holding palm branches…
which is what they held at the feast of tabernacles, or sukkot.
verse 15 says he who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.
The same unusual picture and the same words as the prayer.
God wants His people to dwell under His Sukkah, His BET/house/tent/His tabernacle, the place of his peace/ the Tabernacle of His shalom.
A Sukkah can be built anywhere. The one in the wilderness was mobile, so where ever we are, we can ask Him to spread over us the tabernacle of His shalom; which means we can live in, and under, that place of peace which includes grace and mercy.
The secret place of his tent is the now the Garden of our heart.
A pavilion is a safe shelter, here His Tent often referred to as the Tabernacle of David. The place of our hiding.
For in the time of trouble He will hide me in His pavilion He will hide me in the secret place of His Tent.
This is connected to Rev 7:9 and Tabernacles Sukkot Revelation 7:15
Revelation 7:15 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 15 For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. Revelation 7:15 (Or sanctuary.)
This Greek word, sk’enos, means ‘tabernacle, booth, shelter, or covering’ and also appears in Rev. 21:3.
This same word, sk’enos, is used to speak of Jesus/Yeshua during His first coming, (John 1:14).
Here we can see the protection provided in Rev. 7:16, corresponding to Isa. 4:5-6, and the fountain of living waters in Rev. 7:17 and 21:4.
For this reason, they are [standing] before the throne of God; and they serve Him [in worship] day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them and shelter and protect them [with His presence].
פָּרֹכֶת
Poreketh – po-reh’-keth = separation
Veils in Hebrew the sacred screen — vail. Strong’s #6532
Greek Strong #: 2665 ‑ καταπέτασμα
(kat‑ap‑et’‑as‑mah);
Eph. 3:18 MAWSAWK; The Life – The Way –(includes: HOLY OF HOLIES Mercy Seat The veil Golden Altar of Incense HOLY PLACE Eternal Life Access Prayer Holiness Entrance Atonement.)
The poreketh as the vail of the Old Testament is misleading when applied to katapetasma in the New Testament. There are two katapetasma’s in the Holy places. There are two masak’s in the Holy places. There is only one poreketh. (see diagram below).
The way back between the cherubim is through the curtain, upon which the cherubim were represented visually. This curtain was hanging between the holy of holy’s and the inner Court. It was torn from top to bottom at the time of Messiah’s death as He torn for us.
