Month: March 2023

What Does Redemption of The Firstborn Mean?

Redemption of the Firstborn  –

Pidyon HaBen

 פדיון הבן

The blessing for this ceremony is also distinct –

al pidyon habechor =

for the redemption of the firstborn.

Some say

bechor

instead of

al pidyon haben – for the redemption of the son or

pidyon ha-ben – redemption of the son,

plural: Pidyon Ha-bonin, or Pidyon Ha-bens.

In Hebrew the word for redemption is

Pidyon   פדיון

Ha Ben הבן

means: of the son.

What is redemption and why would it be needed?

Is there a cost, a price for redemption?

If there is  a price – who is responsible to pay for it?

Pidyon- redemption, goes back to the days of Moses during the time the nation of Israel was in the wilderness on route from Egypt to the Promised Land.

Korah, who was a tribal leader in Israel, led a rebellion against Moses. As a member of the Levites, Korah was permitted to minister in the mishkan/tabernacle. However Korah was jealous of Aaron, the brother of Moses, who had been appointed High Priest, and he demanded that he be the one to serve as High Priest instead of Aaron.

The outcome of this rebellion is recorded in the Numbers as He, his followers, and their families and possessions were swallowed up by the ground in a judgment of God.

However in a wonderful picture of grace shown by our Heavenly Father, almost 400 years later, a few of his surviving descendants wrote some of the Psalms.

Psalm 49 is one of those credited to the sons of Korah; who, were fully aware of the consequences of sin and they wrote of redemption and its’ price in Psalm 49:6-9:

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;  None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him;   (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)  That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. ​

In the above passage, it is clearly stated that while many choose to trust in their riches and even boast in them, there is at least one thing that all their riches are unable to pay for.  No amount of earthly riches can secure redemption and rescue from sin and corruption.

The word corruption used here is the word 

pit 

and refers to

the final destination of those who have rejected Our Heavenly Father and His Messiah. 

As noted the word redemption in Hebrew is

Pidyon – פדיון

and in traditional Hebrew it refers to:

a price that must be paid: to redeem, to rescue, or to deliver someone.

Its’ root is a legal term that concerns:

the substitution required for a person to be delivered from bondage.

Pidyon HaBen is usually referred to as the

redemption of the firstborn.

It is a mitzvah/commandment in Hebraic life because the first and best of all things belong to our Heavenly Father and this includes the firstborn of all children. We see evidence of this in the lives of the early patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and even Jacob who received the blessing of the firstborn through transfer from Esau.

 

The firstborn child of every Israelite parent received the birthright, which made him the head of the entire family clan.

A pidyon haben,

or

redemption of the firstborn son,

is a ceremony where the father of a firstborn son/bechor, born to Israelite parents redeems his son/bechor by giving a Kohen or Levi (a priestly descendent of Aaron) five silver coins, thirty days after the baby’s birth and only if male and not by caesarean.

Interpretations differ in what the firstborn son is to be redeemed from, ranging from being redeemed from their firstborn status, which brought negative associations following the Ten Plagues. In Exodus the 10th plague was death to all first born in Egypt but the Israelites were spared because they followed God’s instructions. As a result God declared that every first born son and every firstborn of their animals belonged to Him. Because the Israelites had been saved by God’s hand, they were now to be servants and priests before Him.

Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. Exodus 9:1

You are free, but still you are God’s servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong 1Peter 2:16

We are set free to serve Him, not ourselves.

Originally, the Israelites firstborn were the priestly class and would serve as the priests and ministers to the Lord. He was to be the priest (kohen) of the family. As the bechor, he was responsible to offer avodah /sacrifice.

Ever since the golden calf incident when they forfeited their status, the priesthood was transferred to the children of Aaron. Of all the tribes, only the tribe of Levi was not guilty of participating; because of this the Lord decreed that the Levites were to take the place of the firstborn sons of Israel. Numbers 3:11–12.

Luke 2:25 – 33

Several years after the Israelites departure from Egypt these firstborn sons became the priesthood of the Israelite nation.

However as The Lord began to reveal more of His plan for His people, He designated an entire tribe for this holy purpose. The sons of Levi were chosen as recorded in Numbers 8:14–18. However this presented a problem of what to do with the previously appointed firstborn sons.

In the Torah, (first 5 books of the Old Testament), God gives a solution by specifying that the firstborn sons

be redeemed and

bought back for service other than full-time priesthood.

Since the days of Moses the custom of pidyon ha ben has been a important event in the biblical life cycle. As mentioned in Numbers 18:6 the timing of pidyon ha ben is one month after a boy’s birth. In biblical times, this would require the father to take his new born son into the Tabernacle or Temple where he would offer a specific amount of money for the baby boys’ redemption. The exact amount is stated –  five shekels of Silver.

Because Joseph and Mary were obedient to the instructions given in Torah, they brought the newborn baby boy to the Temple in Jerusalem to fulfill their obligations.

This obligation was two fold:

1st according to Leviticus 12:8, to ceremonially cleanse the mother and make the required sacrifices.

Yeshua/Jesus’ family was not wealthy and in verse 24 we read that Joseph and Mary may have been relatively poor as they presented the less expensive offering of pigeons/doves.

The 2nd part was to redeem the firstborn son through the pidyon ha ben ceremony and Yeshua/Jesus was not exempt from this redemption; because every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord.

Exodus 11:45, 12:29 – 30 and Exodus 13:2, 12, 15 record the observance of the above.

The purification of the mother is described in Leviticus 12:1-8

The firstborn of every house was required to live a dedicated life, and to think of himself as consecrated to special duties. In Hebrews 12:23 it speaks of the firstborn and of the thought referring to the whole company of those who are the firstborn, as they are also the firstfruits of humanity James 1:18.

They brought Messiah to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord. Because the law required that by the end of forty days from His birth, He should be presented in the Temple and that the usual offerings should be made; it seems that Mary and Joseph considered it more convenient to go from Bethlehem, where He was born. It would seem a better proposition as this was only six miles away, instead of after Mary’s recovery, first taking Him to Nazareth, which was a great distance from Jerusalem. We can, reasonably enough believe that they waited in Bethlehem during all the days of her purification, and that they went straight to Jerusalem from Bethlehem.

They entered the temple, and offered the sacrifices necessary for the purification of women after child-bearing, who, according to custom, waited in the Outer Court until the ceremony was performed. 

As it is written, Every male that openeth the womb,  And to offer a sacrifice, a pair of turtle doves.

Those who were wealthy were commanded to bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt-offering, and a turtle-dove, or a young pigeon, for a sin-offering.

It is interesting that Luke mentions the presentation of the child to the Lord before the offering of the sacrifice for the mother’s purification; but in fact this should have been before the presentation, because, until it was performed, the mother couldn’t enter the Temple; and Luke introduces both the parents as presenting the child?

The deeper meaning of:

present Him to the Lord –

meant that every first-born male child

among the Israelites was regarded as

holy to the Lord, Exodus 13:2.

By their being

holy unto the Lord

meant that

the office of priests belonged to them.

It was theirs

to be set apart to the service of God –

to offer sacrifice, and to perform the priestly duties.

It is probable that at first, these duties which were transferred onto the “father,” were, when he became infirm or died, transferred to the eldest son; and the duty of leading family worship should be performed by the eldest son. Afterward, God chose the tribe of Levi in the place of the eldest sons, to serve Him in the sanctuary, Numbers 8:13-18.

Yet it was still necessary to present the child to God, and it was required that it should be done with an offering.

Though most translations read their, it was only the mother who needed purifying from the uncleanness of childbearing.

It was in obedience to this law of Moses, that Mary presented her son unto the Lord,  in the

East Gate of the Court called Nicanor’s Gate,

(see last post for location of this gate);

where she herself would be sprinkled by the priest with

the blood of her sacrifice!

In her case the 2 birds, two turtle doves, or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering, the other for a sin offering.

In due time, we were all to be redeemed by that firstborn son and His Blood is over us.

not with corruptible things as silver and gold,

but with the precious blood of Christ. 1Pe. 1:18, 19.

The consuming of the mother’s burnt offering, and that she was sprinkled with the blood of her sin offering, were to find their eternal transferral, in the fullness of her first born son whose blood which cleanseth from all sin.

All was done obediently, according to the law of Moses.

 Leviticus 12:1. 

And here Mary appeared with her firstborn son, the true Messiah; and this was the first time of His coming into His temple, as was foretold, Malachi 3:1.

Luke 2:22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;  23  As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;  24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Hebrews 10:14 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified (set apart).

Hebrew # H5680 One From Beyond

 

Chart of The Ancient Hebrew pictographs

and for the word Pidyon.

Pidyon, as used here, is spelled

 Pey Dalet Yood Vav Noon. 

פדיון

Pey is the picture of

the open mouth

and means to speak. 

Dalet is the picture of

the door 

and refers to a doorway, a place of decision,

or an entrance to life or death.

Yood 

is the picture of

the hand or arm 

and points us to a mighty work or deed.

Vav 

is the picture of

the wooden peg or the iron nail

and means

to fasten or to secure two things that are separated from one another.

Noon 

is the picture of the fish 

and describes activity or life. 

The message found in the pictographs is that:

He is declaring an entrance or a pathway that will require a mighty deed to secure life.

As we have read, NO amount of money will perform this mighty deed, something else will be needed. 

Recall that Hebrew letters are also numbers, and each hold a certain meaning according to how they are used in the rest of the Bible.

They reveal a little more about this:

mighty deed that no amount of money can buy.

For more details on the Alefbet/Alphabet click link below

https://www.minimannamoments.com/ancient-pictographic-hebrew-language/

Pey is the number 80 and means a new beginning and a new birth. 

Dalet is the number 4 and refers to creation.

Yood is the number 10 and stands for ordinal perfection.

Vav is the number 6 and reveals man’s enmity/separation from God.

Noon is the number 50 and describes deliverance followed by rest. 

The Sons of Korah wrote in the Psalms that no one is able to pay the price of redemption.

Did they leave us with a question as to how anyone will ever be delivered from bondage?

Through the meaning in the numbers there is something else found in Pidyon that brings great hope and it’s that this:

redemption will bring a new birth or a new beginning for all creation.  It has been ordained in heaven, and it is the answer to the enmity/separation between us and our Heavenly Father, and it will result in our deliverance followed by rest.  

Hebrews 10:12 describes this person.

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.   

Here we read of a man who was able to pay the price necessary for mankind to be delivered from the bondage of sin.

Mark 10: 45, identifies this man more fully, and the mighty deed/work which He did is also revealed:

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. 

In Ps 49:15 We read that the Sons of Korah knew that God would someday provide a way for us to be redeemed. 

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

One other connection with the Torah requirement in the Mosaic Covenant and Messiah Yeshua/Jesus, is that because He was Mary’s firstborn son, and Mary was of the kingly lineage of the tribe of Judah; He was not of the priestly tribe of Levi or the sub clan of the kohanim; so, according to the directions given in the Torah, He must be redeemed. His presentation at the Temple was to have the Kohanim/Levites represent His avodah/His service then, was ironically fulfilled at the end of His life when He was killed by their counsel!

John 11:49–52 

And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

Avodah. עֲבוֹדָה;

in Hebrew is literally “service”

the word jointly means work, worship, and sacred service.

Avodah, is the same word used for prayer and also the word for slavery, which is involuntary service.

There is irony here in that those appointed to redeem Him as His kohanim, according to the terms of the Mosaic covenant, were the very ones who made Him our Redeemer. In other words those who were appointed to represent Messiah Yeshua/Jesus before His Father God, were the very ones who later offered Him up as a sacrifice for our sins. Our Heavenly Father is truly God of all gods and King of all kings because His ways are so far beyond our ways!

In 1Tim 2:5,6 the mystery is completed and Paul reveals the name of the One who was able to pay the Pidyon:

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

You are loved, appreciated and prayed for..

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are precious in His sight.

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen

Sounding The Trumpet?

Trumpets and horns/shofars are mentioned many times in Scripture. The trumpet/shofar was used to call the Hebrew nation to assembly and was most commonly used as a warning of, and summons to, war; and throughout the Bible during Appointed Times of the Lord, in processions, musical performances, and acts of devotion. 

Judg. 3:27; 1 Cor. 14:8. 

Only the Priests were allowed to sound these silver trumpet shofars.

The trumpets most people think of are those in the Book of Revelation, seven trumpets are sounded, one at a time, to cue apocalyptic events seen by John in his vision Revelation 1:1,9. The seven trumpets are sounded by seven angels and the events that follow are described in detail from Revelation Chapts. 8 -11.

Readers may be familiar with the term the last Trump/trumpet which is part of the description in the Paul’s 1st letter to the assembly in Corinth. It is actually a reference to the 100th trumpet blast sounded during the Feast of Trumpets. The 100th Trump is the final or the last trump; and this is one of those references in which Hebrew idioms must be understood as it represents a specific moment at the very end of the proceedings.

The Trumpet Shofar blasts have names:

The Tekiah – is a long, single blast. It was straight, plain, smooth, continuous note and it is to symbolize the expression of joy and contentment.

The Shevarim – is three short blasts. A combination of three broken notes to symbolize weeping.

The Truah – Extremely short blasts which are a combination of nine staccato notes in a very quick succession of short trill. This symbolizes trepidation, sorrow and sobbing.

The Tekiah Gedolah – Means “the last trump.” This one symbolizes the hope of redemption. It is a very long, final note.

For more in depth on this subject links below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/midweek-mannabite-the-sound-of-the-trumpet/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/blowing-your-own-trumpet-2/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/apocalypse-of-the-trump-shofar-notes-and-numbers-the-sound-of-a-mystery/

In the 100 trumpet blasts during the Appointed Time/feast of trumpets, the first of the three categories above are combined back and forth until there is a total of 99 sounds. Then comes the 100th, the Tekiah Gedolah, a very long-sustained note – as long as the trumpeter had breath to hold it, and this is known as the last trump.

Mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 and Matthew 24:31 “And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

This scripture below in Matthew 6:1-4  includes the words

sounding a trumpet

and it is Jesus/Yeshua warning His disciples about their attitude to giving and it hearkens back to instructions about giving in Deuteronomy 15:7-11.

7 if there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother.  8 Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him whatever he needs.…9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.… 10 Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand.… 11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your land.…

Below versions of Matthew 6:2

1Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. KJV.

New American Standard Bible
“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 

do not sound a trumpet before thee is an idiom meaning:

when giving alms don’t announce it with trumpets.

We have an idiom which is similar when we say:

‘sounding your own trumpet’

its’ meaning: a person is boasting of their own deeds.

This figure of speech/idiom, describes a vain/prideful person as being “their own trumpeter,” or making a “flourish of trumpets” about their own acts, probably common in every country where trumpets have been used. What is meant in scripture is that, whether it is in the offering receptacles of the synagogue, or the alms given to beggars in the streets; there was such a show of generous giving designed to cause men to stare and admire.

To better understand Messiah Jesus, it is beneficial to try to understand the social and cultural background of His Life and times.

Using the Hebrew language is the best way we can get an authentic concept for the culture that has so influenced our lives today. 

WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY DEFINES “IDIOMS” AS:
A speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements

A. A specialized vocabulary used by a group of people; jargon: legal idiom.
B. A style or manner of expression peculiar to a given people.

We look and no doubt when we read this phrase

we naturally think…

Sounding the Shofar

is referring to

sounding the trumpets/blowing the shofar.

Sounding the trumpet as found in Matthew 6:1-4, is a warning by the Messiah to His Disciples, not to sound the trumpet when giving Alms.

During the first century, Alms was a synonym for a charitable gift that was required to be given to the poor.

The word alms

in the Aramaic language is the word

zedhqatha

which means:

a right, or righteous act, the proper thing to do.

Jesus/Yeshua was obviously not against giving to the poor as He had already agreed with the need for these Alms to be given as commanded in the Torah, God’s teaching and instruction in Deuteronomy 15:10; and that there was a reward for all who offered gifts to the poor. The Ancient Hebrews believed that there were 3 evidences of the purity of a man’s heart that would be seen, if the man or woman had repented of sin and was faithfully following the Lord.

These 3 qualities were: Prayer, Charity and Repentance.

Collection boxes are still in Jewish Communities today, and are called tzedakah boxes or righteousness boxes.
Every person is expected to do mitvahs = good deeds.
Tzedakah box,

also known by its Yiddish word, pushke, is a:

receptacle for collecting money that is designated for charity.

The Hebrew word tzedakah comes from the root tzedek,

meaning: justice.

Giving money and resources to those in need

is understood to be an act of justice.

Many families decorate boxes or cans, and make a habit of putting money in them before Shabbat. When they are full the money is taken out and given to a person or organization in need.

Tzedakah (צְדָקָה) often translated as charity, is a mainstay in Israel of Jewish life. The sages teach that the world was built upon kindness. Tzedakah goes one step beyond.

The name “ Tzedek Box” comes from the Hebrew root צ.ד.ק. meaning “righteousness.” 

Tzedakah is a way of looking at the world and understanding the human role in creating a more perfect world—and by doing so, imitating qualities of the Divine. 

tzedakah (charity and righteousness),

chesed (kindness), and

mishpat (justice).

The “right hand” is the higher spiritual element in us that leads to acts of true charity; 

the “left” is the baser, self-seeking nature.

As far as 

Let not thy left hand know…..

This phrase was probably proverbial, and points to and in a way, overemphasizes, extreme secrecy. It’s possible that there may be some reference to the practice of using the right hand as was usual in offering gifts at the altar and was thought to exclude the mingling of motives.

Many people were forced into begging because of unjust rulers who placed heavy taxes and tributes on them, reducing some people to a level of poverty. They were then forced to beg to survive, yet these were hardworking people, the ones who found it extremely embarrassing to beg for a handout. That is maybe why Jesus/Yeshua used this old Aramaic expression when He said do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, in other words do not let anyone know that you are giving alms so as not to embarrass the person who is receiving the support. Jewish sages teach that to humiliate a person in public is as bad as committing murder, so was Jesus/Yeshua only enforcing this understanding of a zedhqatha or alms, the doing of a righteous act?

To understand Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, as a proverbial expression for doing a thing secretly is also to do it as secretly as it is done consistently, first with the fact that an individual is choosing to do it at all; and secondly, doing it in the most effectual manner for the need and never speaking of it afterward, unless there be good reasons for making it known.

That thine alms may be in secret. May be known to none but God, whose glory thou must have in view in all thy works, whether of piety, justice, or charity, and whose will it must be thy intention to obey in all things. And thy Father, which seeth in secret. Who knows every circumstance of mews most retired and private actions; himself shall reward thee openly.  

Tamara qarna are the exact words used in the Aramaic Bible for sound the trumpet.

However the rabbinic textual experts, render this as do not pass the trumpet. Qarna means the horn of an animal, which would fit the description of a shofar. In the first century synagogues the poor box or the alms box was in the shape of a shofar and in many cases was a real shofar. It would be in a quiet area of the synagogue where people could discretely drop in coins for the poor and was western equivalent to the poor box in a church. 

It was not the act of giving in public that Messiah had a problem with, but the fact that the men in the synagogue had started passing around the shofar and taking note of who gave what and how much. Sometimes the religious men in the synagogue would even take the shofar out into the streets and call upon people to drop some coins in the trumpet; and this may be what Messiah was addressing, not blowing a trumpet but passing a trumpet or offering plate?

More than likely it was the attempt by some religious people to bring attention to how much they gave that He was addressing.

The words probably refer to the clang of the coins as they fell into the metal trumpet-shaped alms-boxes in the synagogue. This clanging sound came as sweet music to the ears of the proud giver; and it seems the pharisees never missed an opportunity to show off their self righteousness and would drop large handfuls of coins into these wooden containers which would make a very loud sound as the coins raced through the narrow funnel!

In the tzedakah boxes,

this was known as 

“sounding the trumpets”

in an attempt to draw peoples attention to

the givers act of “righteousness”. 

Giving is about our neighbor not ourselves, so He cautioned the disciples and apostles to not sound the trumpets when giving, as they were required to do!

In the time of the 2nd Temple, in the Outer Court known as the Women’s Court; and under the colonnades is where 13 wooden collection boxes for alms for the widows, the poor, and the orphans were. They were narrow at the mouth and very large and wide at the bottom, with trumpet-shaped bronze funnels to guide the coins into the box.

This area was the actual Temple Treasury, a storehouse; in Hebrew אוצר ‘otsar.

A related term, the korbanas, is found in the New Testament Matthew 27:6 where the money of Judas Iscariot couldn’t be received into the temple “treasury”, or κορβανᾶς korbanas, because it was “blood money”. 

Josephus explains this term korbanas as the temple treasury – 

ton hieron thesauron, kaleitai de korbanas 

(War of the Jews 2.9.4; #175).

The glazophylakion or “treasury,”

a repository of treasure, especially of public treasure, a treasury.

Strongs # 10049

glazophylakion – gad-zof-oo-lak’-ee-on

גלזופילאקיון

The Temple was surrounded by a court called the

Temple Court or azarah in Hebrew.

The inner area of the Temple contained 3 courts. As noted the Eastern most court was the Court of the Women and it contained the Temple treasury where people donated their money Mark 12:41 – 44. Three gates lead into this court; one on the north, one on the south and a third on the east. This third gate on the east side is almost certainly the Beautiful gate that was mentioned in Acts 3.

The Nicanor Gate which was much larger and ornate. It led from the Court of the Women west into the Court of Israel which was elevated by 15 steps. Women were not allowed to go any further than this.

Hieron is the word used to designate the Court of Women, it was closed to Gentiles but open to Jewish women. Jewish men could congregate in that area as well, but the men could also move on to the Court of Israel, into which the women had no access. As well as being the area in the Temple where the women could pray, Luke 2:37, the Court of Women was the one place in the Temple where all Israelites could gather. Because of this, it naturally became the place where Messiah spoke when He taught in the temple, John 8:20; 18:20. It was there that His enemies found Him sitting and teaching one morning, when they came dragging a woman who had been taken in adultery during the preceding night (8:2).

The illustrations above show the colonnade around the court and within it, against the wall were placed the 13 chests.

Maimonides wrote: “There were always thirteen collection boxes available to the public in the Holy Temple. Each box was in the shape of a ‘horn’, the first was for the collection of the half-shekel donations of the current year. The second was for the collection of the previous year’s half-shekel donations…” The collection boxes were in the shape of a ‘horn’, narrow on top, to prevent thieves from reaching inside and taking money.

11 of these chests were carefully marked and were for the voluntary offerings of money and there were 2 at the Shushan gate for the half shekel tax. Nine of the 13 were for the receipt of what was legally required by worshipers, the other 4 were strictly for voluntary gifts.

Historical documents show that Trumpets 1 and 2 were set aside for the annual half shekel temple tribute. It was into Trumpet 3 that the women who had to bring turtle doves for a burnt and a sin offering, dropped the equivalent in money. This was removed daily and a corresponding number of turtle doves were offered. This saved the work of so many separate sacrifices and also shielded the modesty of those who did not want their offering to be known publicly. In Luke 2:22, 24 it may have been into this trumpet that Mary put the value of her offering. Trumpet 4 also received the value of the offerings of young pigeons or doves.

Trumpet 5 was for contributions towards wood used in the temple. Trumpet 6 was for the incense.

Trumpet 7 was for contributions towards the golden vessels for the ministry.

Trumpets 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 were for what was left over from trespass offerings, offerings of birds, the offering of the Nazarite, of the cleansed leper, and voluntary offerings.

It’s possible this is where John 7 & 8:20, records that Messiah was teaching on the Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot. Because each one was specifically marked for its’ purpose, it also shows that this is how Jesus/Yeshua could distinguish between the contributions of the rich from that of the poor widow in Mark 12:41; Luke 21:1.

Messiah was observing the people and what they were bringing. He had an advantage over other would be observers, in that He knew the hearts of each of those in this gathering.

Jesus/Yeshua made the comparison between the gifts that the rich people gave with the two mites. The two small coins donated by the widow might not have made much noise when she deposited them; (Greek: lepta, singular: lepton). These coins (lepta) were so small that they had no designated equal in the imperial monetary system of the day and it is significant that she gave both of them, holding back nothing for herself.

This woman was giving, all her life (holon ton bion in Mark 12:44). Messiah knew that, if a woman was reduced even to ten coins, the loss of a single one of them, was a huge concern. Luke 15:8–10.

Giving her all for God, this widow became a symbol, or type, of Messiah Himself, who will lay down his life (bios) His ALL, to further and fulfill His Fathers’ Kingdom plan and purpose.

How did He know that this widow had cast in two little coins? The sound these coins made against the metal would have indicated how much people were offering.

‘And he sat down opposite the Treasury and watched how the crowd dropped money into the Treasury, and many who were rich dropped in large amounts.’

He sat down opposite 

He wanted to watch men as they gave, so that from it, He could teach a lesson to His disciples. No doubt some of the richer walked up flamboyantly dropping large sums of money in and were no better than the Rabbis who had been described previously. They were not giving to God with the right attitude but were buying publicity and respect, then there were others, humbly and truly expressing their gratitude to God. Mark 12 41.

It is not given exactly where Messiah was sitting while He made His observations, unless He was sitting on the steps. Neither are we told into which of the receptacles she dropped her life savings, her small yet profound gift. One wonders if she put her coins into the treasury for a sin offering rather than for the voluntary offering? There was a precise amount given for the different sin offerings, such as the price of the turtle dove or pigeon, but this amount probably didn’t even meet the requirements, but it was all she had. Was she desperate for forgiveness for some sin at that time? Could she have been a victim of manipulation on the part of the scribes? Maybe she in danger of losing her home to the scribes, as Jesus had alluded to earlier?

Messiah doesn’t speak to the woman or draw anyone’s attention to her actions, except to His disciples. Was she trying to go unnoticed? If she was, Jesus let her remain anonymous; however He used her heart to teach His disciples a lesson. Showing them that the size of the gift means nothing compared to the heart and motive behind it.

The people coming before and after this woman were bringing the required amounts plus their offering, over and above requirements.

We don’t know if His comments on the rich givers were referring to all that day’s contributors, or just to some of them. The account doesn’t tell the reader of their heart condition. However we do know that they could easily afford what they gave and it didn’t cause them any hardship.

The widow had nothing else to live on, because she gave everything she had. It does raise some questions, first being, why did she do that? We aren’t told if she was fulfilling a promise or was she giving in faith, expecting God to care for her because she could no longer care for herself? How much would that penny have bought in food for her?

There was also a special treasury chamber and on certain occasions the contents of the 13 chests were placed, as well as what was called a chamber of the silent, which was where individuals secretly gave money for the education of children from poor families.

The top left picture depicts the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur. The top right picture depicts the kohanim carrying the vessel of water filled in the Shiloach spring, into the Holy Temple’s inner courtyard. The 2nd down left picture depicts the nightly Simchat Beit Hashoeva festivity during Sukkot.

The Nikanor Gate, the eastern gate of the Court, served as both entrance and exit from the Women’s Court to the Court of Israel. It was named after the man who donated the brass doors of the gate, which he brought from Alexandria, Egypt.

As previously noted, the name, Court of the Women was not because it was exclusively for the women but because they were not allowed to go any further except for sacrificial purposes. It was probably the commonplace for worship. The musical instruments used by the Levites were kept in two rooms under the court of the Israelites and the access was from the Court of the Women. There were 15 steps which lead through the gate of Nicanor into the court of Israel. It was on these steps the Levites sang the 15 Psalms of degrees or Psalms of Ascent (psalms 120 to 134), on the Feast of Tabernacles and this is where they got their name. Here was where all that was ordered to be done before the Lord took place; it was here that the cleansed leper and the women coming for purification presented themselves to the priests.

These steps were shaped as a semicircle.

Each step was half a cubit in height.

These steps led up from the Women’s Court to the Court

(which was higher by 7.5 cubits). 

As we think about the widow, her gift has another level if by looking at her heart instead of focusing on the coins. Some individuals who only give a small portion, could represent people trying to withhold a portion of their heart from the Father?

It would be like saying to our Heavenly Father, that He can have this section of our heart, but we’ll take care of the rest on our own, whereas the widow placed her whole heart in the Fathers’ hands.

Was her heart saying? I know it’s not much, but it’s all I have, please take it and do with it as You see best. I trust You with all that I have. Please take all of me.

This is the heart condition our Heavenly Father is searching for and desires above all else – a heart that is wholly His. He doesn’t want us closing the doors of our lives against Him, where we hide the dirty washing. He wants to be able to see and have complete access to every hidden corner, because only then can we truly be His.

Maybe the following words apply to us today…

Father in Jesus Name, I truly believe I have given You access to all the rooms in my heart and life, but I admit that sometimes I try to hurry and push You out, or I only let You in after I think I have cleaned things up. There are times that things sneak in and I try to quietly shut the door thinking You won’t see it. But You always see it and yet in your loving patience You sometimes allow me to wait a little while before asking me to deal with it. Even though You speak to me gently, it often takes a louder voice and brighter light before I deal with it completely. Thank You that You don’t give up on me, or on helping me clean up my life, again. I know you gave Your all for me and I want to be fully Yours, holding nothing back….

One day soon we will hear that welcome sound of the last trump it will not be the sound of coins dropping, but the sound of the trumpet of our Heavenly Father calling us home. Lets make sure we are as ready as we can be….

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

You are loved, appreciated and prayed for..

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are precious in His sight.

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen

Is There Such A Thing As An Excellent Spirit?

In

Daniel 5:12 and 6:3

we read about a man who had

an excellent spirit:

HEB: דִּ֣י ר֣וּחַ ׀ יַתִּירָ֡ה וּמַנְדַּ֡ע וְשָׂכְלְתָנ֡וּ

KJV: Forasmuch as an excellent spirit,

Strong’s Hebrew: 1840.

דָּנִיֵּאל

Daniyyel or Daniel

Daniyyel or Daniel

is a masculine name,

a surname of Hebrew origin and

means: God is my judge

Original Word: דָנִיֵּאל.

Transliteration: Daniyyel or Daniel.

Phonetic Spelling: daw-nee-el is pronounced Dah-nee-eyl in the Hebrew text of the Bible.

This name is composed of two words:

– דני (dah-nee) and אל (eyl).

The Hebrew word דן (dahn) Via דין ( din ): means a judge. 

and

אל (eyl) Via אל ( ‘el ):

Daniel 5:12 
HEB: דִּ֣י ר֣וּחַ ׀ יַתִּירָ֡ה וּמַנְדַּ֡ע וְשָׂכְלְתָנ֡וּ
NAS: [This was] because an extraordinary spirit,
KJV: Forasmuch as an excellent spirit,
INT: whom spirit an extraordinary knowledge and insight

יַתִּירָ֡ה   excellent- yattir

pronounced: yat-eer

YATARA’ RUCHA  רוח יתירא

Resh vav cheth yod taw yod resh aleph

 

EXCELLENT. ek’-se-lent ‘addir, yattir (Aramaic);

Strong’s Hebrew: 3493.

יַתִּיר (yattir) — preeminent, surpassing

Definition. preeminent, surpassing.

NASB Translation. exceedingly (1), extraordinary (4), extremely (2), surpassing (1).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek

3493 yattir: preeminent, surpassing

Original Word: יַתִּיר
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: yattir
Phonetic Spelling: (yat-teer’)
Definition: preeminent, surpassing, excellent

 

The translation of various Hebrew words, chiefly of:

‘addir, “great,” “honorable”

Psalms 8:1,9; 16:3; 76:4;

yattir, “surpassing,” is Aramaic,

occurring in Daniel 2:31; 4:36; 5:12,14; 6:3.

Other words are: bachar,

“to glow,” “try,” “choose” Song of Solomon 5:15;

ga’on, “mounting,” “swelling” Isaiah 4:2;

gadhal, “to make or become great” Isaiah 28:29,

In the New Testament we have diaphoroteros, “greater,” “better” Heb.1:4; 8:6;

kratistos, “most excellent,” “most noble” Luke 1:3; Acts 23:26;

the KJV a voice to him from the excellent glory,

the ASRV and the ERV, margin “the Majestic Glory”

kath’ huperbolen “very surpassing” 1 Cor. 12:31,

“Yet I show unto you a more excellent way,”

the RV(UK and USA)

“most excellent”; pleion, “greater,” “fuller”

Heb.11:4.

Strong’s Hebrew: 4022.

מֶ֫גֶד (meged) — excellence

meged: excellence

Original Word: מֶגֶד

Part of Speech: Noun Masculine

Transliteration: meged

Phonetic Spelling: (meh’-ghed)

M g d

מֶ֫גֶד  noun masculine excellence

More Hebrew words for excellence:

noun הִצטַיְנוּת distinction ….noun גָאוֹן genius,

 6833-  metzuyan. מצוין –

excellent, exceptional, wonderful; marked, noted …

Daniel had an

excellent spirit

that sustained him when his faith was tried and tested

by facing hungry lions.

Daniel chapter 3 records the story of the three young men that are thrown in fire because they refused to worship the image of gold that Nebuchadnezzar made. King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Daniel 3:1

There is a promise made by Messiah Himself recorded in Revelation 3:5

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Here is a spiritual law in connection with the laws of opposition. We are at war and there has been no real peace on the earth since Jesus time.

When nations declare war, everything changes. Preset protocols are initiated and security systems are enforced and all military and defenses are put on high alert. Life without war is impossible in both the natural and spiritual realms until Messiah establishes His rule and reign of Shalom/Peace in the Millennial Kingdom which is here in part and yet still to be fulfilled by His return/second coming.

Daniel was a man living by faith in a hostile world. The same could be said of believers in Messiah today.

When John saw Messiah open the seals was it a future event??

In Revelation 6–7 Jesus Christ opens the book with seven seals. As each seal is opened, John sees a representation of an event or events in the earth’s history. Chapter 6 records the opening of the first six seals.

The seven seals are one of a series of end-times judgments from God. The seals are described in Revelation 6:1–17 and 8:1–5.

Jesus/Yeshua said in Matthew 10:34:

I have not come to bring peace

I have come to bring judgment.

In

John 16:33 I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will …

 have trouble. But take heart! … I have overcome the world.”

In this world we will have tribulation.

Note in the verse He is telling us so that IN HIM we will have peace/shalom not in the world. The peace we will know is inside us in our spirit, a deep inner knowing that when our lives are lived IN HIM we are safe and secure. The world cannot and will not provide the peace we need.

The end times began when Messiah Jesus came. There has been no peace since then, wars and rumors of wars, pestilences and famine have been all been ongoing and will continue until He returns.

Rev 5:1 only Messiah is worthy to open the seals.

One of the Elders comforts John with the great news that there is someone worthy to break the seals and read the book. The Lamb of God is equal to the task.

Here we read of a new song in Rev. 5:9  And they are singing a new song, saying “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and You bought for God with Your blood some from every tribe and nation.

Only Messiah is worthy and able to open the seals because of His newly resurrected status. 

We are in a battle and connected to both realms/kingdoms. We are  supernatural eternal spirits in natural physical bodies which will decay, it is not a supernatural body, not yet.  It is a fact that there is a continuing struggle in the physical, mental, moral and spiritual areas of life. Spiritual Health is the balance between the physical parts of our bodies and all the things and forces surrounding us. To maintain good health we must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external.

Everything outside our physical life is designed to cause our death, including other humans. If we have enough inner strength to fight, we help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true for the mental life we have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance we identify as thought. We are to take captive all thoughts…2 Cor. 10:5

Morally it’s the same, because anything that does not strengthen our morals is the enemy of virtue within us. …If there be any virtue…Phil. 4:8….Whether we overcome and produce virtue depends on the level of moral excellence in our lives….

However we must fight to reach that standard, because morality does not occur by accident or chance, or by itself, it is acquired. This also means that anything which is not spiritual can lead to a downfall.

Again…Jesus/Yeshua said,

in the world you will have tribulation… John 16:33

However He also said, be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

We must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against us and in that way produce the balance of holiness in our lives; if we do, then it will create in us a positive attitude when we meet opposition.

Without holiness no man can see God. Heb. 12:14

In context: Hebrews 12:13-15

New American Bible
Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed.  Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God, that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble, through which many may become defiled.

Here we see the danger of roots of bitterness that can grow when peace holiness and grace are lacking…

Everything Adonai says is out of His Holiness.

Psalms 89:36; Amos 4:2;Ps. 60: 8.

God in His Holiness spoke and like the psalmist, we can take joy in His promise and the Nehemiah 8:10  joy of the Lord is our strength.

Holiness is the balance between my/our nature and the law/directions for living/teaching of God/Torah, as expressed in and through Messiah Yeshua/Jesus.

 Excellent Spirit –   

YATARA’ RUCHA  רוח יתירא

in Aramaic 

Resh vav cheth yod taw yod resh aleph

Daniel was a godly man forced to serve a pagan Persian king whose belief system was Zoroastrianism, which is one of the oldest monotheistic religions dating back to ancient Iran 3,500 years ago. It’s similar in some ways to the Hebrew faith and yet still very different. The Zoroastrianism god is known as Ahura-Mazda (as in the make of the car). This god is considered the supreme deity and the name means Wise Lord. The belief is that this Ahura -Mazda is almighty but not omnipotent; the emphasis on duty to protect nature puts it in the pantheistic fold of religions.

Although not by any Hebrew standard Godly, Darius was a spiritual man and he saw an excellent spirit in Daniel.

Chapters 2 through 7 in Daniel are written in Aramaic and the remaining portions are in Hebrew. The Dead Sea Scrolls have revealed five copies of the Book of Daniel and all are in perfect harmony.

In Aramaic the word excellent is yatara

which is slightly different than the word in Hebrew:

yetar and infers more of the idea of: an abundance;

whereas the Aramaic word

yatara carries the idea of pre-eminence.

This suggests a 

yatar rucha or excellent spirit

is one where:

the Spirit of God’s desires, is pre-eminent over a persons flesh/carnal life and desires.

King Darius was very perceptive and he noticed something different in Daniel compared to all the other wise men because Daniel seemed to be more focused on his relationship with God than the other wise men did. The other wise men were continually seeking the king’s favor, yet Daniel was seeking only the favor of his God. Darius recognized Daniel was a man whose spirit was pre-eminent over his flesh.

Daniel would speak of new and wiser things from his God, innovations that would bring about a transformation whereas all the other wise men were repeating the same old things.

Did Darius see a man who was not focused on making an impression but one who would speak the truth of God?

Maybe he could sense Daniels rucha or his spirit/mind?

Whatever the reason, the king recognized that there was something different about Daniel that was pure and holy; and this was no doubt due to the fact that Daniel had a pure heart and pure motives.

Daniel, was a man who had every reason to hate his employer, who was also his king and was now trying to replace his God too. Daniel had to divide and separate within the context of the existing relationships and by establishing boundaries for that which was the preeminent focus of His life and calling. His excellent spirit was the deciding factor and resulted in his elevation before both God and man. Our Heavenly Fathers’ patterns are threaded throughout His Word. When we recognize them we will understand how He is leading us and dealing with us for His Glory. 

Daniel 6:3: “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”

It may be true to say that if a person who loves Jesus with all their heart and has an excellent spirit, a yatar rucha, other people will notice but the individual will probably not even be aware of it.

In 607BC, when the people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon their identity was to be totally changed by being brainwashed and if necessary, beaten into total submission.

All their hopes were now forced to focus around the ruler Nebuchadnezzar who was also now to be their god: and any dreams of a future family life taken away.

Some 70 years later Belshazzar, while drunk sees the writing on the wall and being terrified, was advised to call for this now elderly seer who may by the Spirit of God, be able to interpret this phenomena.

On meeting Daniel he asks, “Art thou Daniel, which art of the captivity of Judah …”

This once young prince of Judah was now a very old resident of Babylon, yet there was no change at all to the man of faith inside because his character and the qualities that endeared him to his captors; those that made him stand out, had been formed when he was very young, not in Babylon but in the court of Josiah.

Daniel was a handsome young man; and had the bearing of a person of noble birth, as one from a royal line, dignified but not arrogant; being well educated, and both knowledgeable and wise. Because he could manage himself, he could also manage others, his discerning ways were superior to those of his peers.

Furthermore he was full of courage and faith in His God, which supported this bravery. Equally notable was that he was unwavering and from youth to old age, his outlook and conduct as a man of faith never really changed and due to this steadfast loyalty to his God, his enemies could not take advantage of him.

He must have retained humility to the degree that great rulers promoted him to positions of great power and never felt threatened. They could make use of his insight without being afraid his ego would challenge their leadership.

The one attribute that set Daniel apart which was repeated 3 or 4 times was an excellent spirit, and seems to be the key to really knowing him.

What does an excellent spirit mean?

Basically, that wherever he went and the way he conducted himself and his attitude to life, made an lasting impression on people.

Because he had an excellent spirit in him, he showed respect and dignity to others; He was able to solicit a tender affection from men who were brutal and hardened in cruelty by the careful way that he answered people. He could turn away the wrath of kings and change the attitude of courtiers.

Something noble shone forth from him and they saw in him a disposition that was warm and appealing, by maintaining that throughout his whole life: it never left him and neither did the favor of those around him.

This favor was said of both Samuel, and Messiah, that they grew in favor with God and men. And Daniel had the same spirit, because he pleased God and men doing the right thing and in the right way.

It is noteworthy that Daniel and Ezekiel were of similar age and both spent their childhood and early teenage years in Jerusalem. They carried Jeremiah’s mantle together into the Babylonian captivity even though they lived around 50 miles or 80 kms apart.

In a nutshell, Daniel’s life began around 626BC born of royal stock. His relationship to King Josiah although close is not certain. Following the rediscovery of the book of the Law, the palace walls echoed with the words and prophecies of Jeremiah so His childhood was lived in an era of spiritual regeneration/revival.

Josiah was killed in battle when Daniel was around 15 years old, and 3 years later the conquering king of Babylon arrived in Jerusalem and Nebuchadnezzar forced the Jewish academics and intellectuals to relocate to Babylon. These included Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah who were all very gifted young princes. They were selected to serve as royal court officials. They were made eunuchs which was a very cruel act to the self worth of any man and especially to ones so young. It meant that even though they were of a royal blood line they now had no possibility of royal offspring.

The city that Daniel found himself was the one that had come to dominate the world.

Daniel, was already an accomplished scholar, further achieved remarkable proficiency in many disciplines, along with his three colleagues. We may be more familiar with them as Shadrach Meshach and Abednego who was already an accomplished scholar,

A royal decree was issued to slay all the wise men of the kingdom for their failure to help Nebuchadnezzar recall a mysterious dream he had seen. Daniel heroically averted this when with less than 24 hours to live, the 4 of them pleaded before the Lord to interpret the dream. Their request was granted and Daniel was able to remind the king of his dream, and also gave him a remarkable vision of the future.

King Nebuchadnezzar was so impressed that he promoted Daniel to the governors position over the whole province of Babylon and also to be prime minister over all the wise men of Babylon, whose lives were also spared.

Daniel served the One True God and he prayed and worshiped God faithfully every day. There is something about a person when their light is shining that causes them to be noticed.

The wisdom and favor with the king given to him by God caused jealousy in the hearts of the 120 Princes, who tried to find fault with Daniel however the only thing they could find was to pick on was his religion. He was faithful to his God and to the king and all he did was blessed so the Princes planned to trick the King. They suggested that the King make a decree that for 30 days that no one be allowed to ask anything of anyone else except of the King and the penalty for breaking this decree was the offenders were to be cast into the lions den.

Here we have a spiritual principle, which shows that Daniel was not rebellious, but he was faithful to his God.  There are times when we must obey God over human civil rulings when it violates what the Scriptures decree.

We should obey God rather than man…

Acts 5:29

The scheming Princes found Daniel praying as he always did and told the King who, realizing he had been deceived, tried to find a way out, but he couldn’t as the men reminded him that his own decree was irreversible. Finally the King summoned Daniel and told him, I believe your God is able to save you, and I hate to do this, but I must cast you into the lions den.

The King fasted and prayed all night, until morning and with a sorrowful voice he called out, “Daniel, was your God whom you serve, able to deliver you?”

Daniel replied, from the lion pit,“Oh King, my God sent an angel to shut the lions mouth and I am safe.” 

 The King was relieved and angry at the same time; relieved that Daniel was alive but angry at the Princes.  He ordered them and their wives to be cast into the lions den; their bodies did not reach to the den’s floor before the lions killed them.

The third chapter of Daniel tells another account of King Nebuchadnezzar who made an image of gold to be worshipped and any failure to do so would result in being cast into the fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, refused to bow down to the statue and some of the Chaldeans reported their rebellion.

The King was angry but gave them a second chance to worship the image.

They stated, Be it know to you oh King, our God is able to deliver us, but if NOT, we will not serve your gods.

Infuriated by their non compliance, he commanded that they be bound and cast into the burning furnace, however as the people watched, they clearly saw not only the three men but also a fourth figure walking around in the fire.

The king became fearful and called them to come out, he realized that their God had sent an angel to protect and deliver them. When they emerged from the furnace, they were not harmed, their hair wasn’t singed, nor did they even smell of smoke. Because of this miracle, the King promoted them with honor making a new decree with penalties, that no one was to speak against the Hebrew children’s One True God.

We may all have had people we thought were our friends, and then they planned evil against us, perhaps they snared us into a pit, betraying our trust and bringing great sadness to our lives….but God’s plan is to bring us new life in Messiah Jesus. He can restore what has been lost or stolen from us in every area and relationship and with our loving Heavenly Father the new is always better. He has a good plan for each of us and will bless those who are faithful to keep His commands and serve Him, charging His angels to protect and watch over us. It is up to us to keep our relationship with our Father in Heaven consistent and to be like Daniel, who was faithful to pray and worship Him every day. Reading His Word and building ourselves up in our faith and courage by feeding daily on fresh manna, getting to know Him and the reason we are here and what He wants us to do.

Continue to be faithful family and know that the choices we make to love and serve Him with our whole heart, mind and strength really do matter.  We know not one of us is perfect, only He alone is perfect, yet He is continually working on us, with us and through us, to become mature/perfection in His eyes, by our willing obedience and fulfilling the task He has placed before us; and like Daniel staying humble, that excellent spirit may come to indwell us too!

Daniel purposed in his heart  …we can too!

Understand that Messiah is returning soon for those who have repented of their sins, been washed in His Blood and fully received Him into their life.  All we have to do is Ask, Seek, Knock and the door of salvation shall be opened unto you. Luke 11:9.

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

You are loved, appreciated and prayed for..

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen

What’s The Connection Between Nathaniel, Bartholomew, A Fig Tree, Jacob and A Ladder?

What’s the connection between Nathaniel, Bartholomew, a Fig Tree, Jacob, and a Ladder?

According to John, the first 5 men who became the original disciples of Jesus/Yeshua were: John, Andrew, Simon who’s new name was Cephas/Peter, then Philip and Nathanael being number 5. The 12 are listed in Matthew 10:1-4.

Nathanael is an interesting character and he was called by another name, Bartholomew, in the Synoptic Gospels.

נתנאל

Nathanael/Nathaniel written in Hebrew is a combination of two words,

Nathan meaning give

and

al or el,

meaning God;

therefore the name would mean

Given to God.

The name Nathanael is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Nethanel,

Nathanael in Biblical Greek

Ναθαναηλ

Strong’s Greek: 3482. Ναθαναήλ (Nathanaél) — Nathanael …

Transliteration: Nathanaél

Phonetic Spelling: nath-an-ah-ale’

Definition: Nathanael – probably the same as Bartholomew

Usage: Nathanael, of Cana in Galilee, an early disciple,

Strong’s Hebrew: 5417. נְתַנְאֵל (Nethanel) — “given of God …

From the Hebrew name נתנאל Netan’el (Nathanael/Nathaniel) which ends with the element אל, the common abbreviation of Elohim, the Hebrew word for God:

From the elements Strong’s #5414

נָתַן  natan meaning: to give

which is a combination of the verb נתן  N.T.N,

and the noun

אֵל  ‘el meaning: mighty one or God.

Full meaning: God has given or Nethanel: given of God,

Phonetic Spelling: neth-an-ale’

Bartholomew was

the other name

Nathaniel was also called 

בר תלמי

Natanel Bar Talmey / Nathanel …

Bartholomew or Nathanael son of Talemai/Talmai

John 21:2

The name Bartholomew is an Aramaic Hebrew name that is written as בר תלמי (bar talmey).

The Aramaic word בר (bar, Strong’s #1247)

means:

son of..,

so bar talmey means: Son of Talmey.

תלמי  talmey, Strong’s #8526

is a Biblical Hebrew name derived from the noun

תלם (telem, Strong’s #8525) meaning furrow.

It is likely that Bartholomew’s full Hebrew name is

נתנאל בר תלמי

natanel bar talmey / Nathanel son of Talmey.

John 1:43-44 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.

Jesus went down to Galilee to attend the wedding at Cana…

When He reached Galilee, He first encountered Philip and called him as a disciple saying “Follow Me.”

The town of Bethsaida was the original birth place of both Andrew and Simon Peter who now live in Capernaum, located south of Galilee and east of Jordan River.

It was a place heavily influenced by foreigners, gentiles.

The names Andrew and Philip were typical Gentile/Greek names.

Philip’s name appears 12 times in the Gospel of John yet nothing more is said of him as an individual in the other gospels.

Who was this man Nathanael whom Philip went to find? John is the only writer to record the name Nathanael, it is not included in any of the lists of the twelve disciples recorded in the other Gospels but Bartholomew is and many consider Bartholomew to be the same person whom John calls Nathanael.

Another possibility is that Nathanael became a disciple of Messiah but was not one of the twelve, because He had other disciples in addition to the twelve. Nathanael makes a second appearance in John 21:2, where he is included in a list of disciples who saw the resurrected Messiah by the Sea of Tiberias. There he is called, “Nathanael of Cana in Galilee.” So we know that like Philip, Andrew and Simon, Nathanael was from the region of Galilee, and specifically he was from the town of Cana.

We are not told the circumstances of Messiahs’ meeting with Philip, or whether He already knew Philip when He called him to follow Him. The first impression that Philip had formed of Yeshua/Jesus was that He was the Messiah, the one who had been spoken of by Moses and the prophets. Philip was acquainted with the scriptures and knew that they spoke of a coming Messiah, One Who would bring deliverance to God’s people and establish God’s kingdom and he now believed that Jesus was the fulfillment of those promises. Philip was excited about this discovery and wanted to share the good news with his friend Nathanael and when Philip found Nathanael he said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph”. John 1:45. However, Nathanael however did not seem to be impressed and asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  Nathanael’s focus was not that Philip thought he had found the Messiah, but the mention of the town of Nazareth.  Could anything good could come from a place like Nazareth, which was a small, insignificant town, not known for anything great. Could the Messiah, the one spoken of by Moses and the prophets, come from such a place?

First impressions are always considered the most important. The impression that we form of a person at our first meeting is often the impression that stays with us the longest. John records a series of first impressions that some people formed the first time they met Yeshua/Jesus. John the immerser identified Him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” in John 1:29. and this was the first impression overheard by two of John’s disciples who then started following Yeshua/Jesus. One of them was Andrew, who after spending some time with Him, went to find his brother, Simon telling him, “We have found the Messiah.” Andrew had quickly come to the realization that Yeshua/Jesus was the Messiah, and wanted to tell his brother. Jesus/Yeshua decided to travel to Galilee the next day and when he met Philip He called him to follow Him. Philip then went to find his friend Nathanael and said to him,

John1:45. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.

Philip introduces Yeshua/Jesus as the fulfillment of all the prophecies pertaining to Messiah, beginning with Moses and concluding with the prophets. And added “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph”.

Is what seems to have bothered Nathanael most, not that Yeshua/Jesus is “the son of Joseph,” but that He is “Yeshua/Jesus of Nazareth.”?  We also know that historically, Nazareth was despised by the Jews because a Roman Army garrison was located there! They considered it a town for betrayers! It was maybe a little prejudicial and if he had given into that thinking, without investigating further, he would have missed Messiah! However, Philip did not seek to get into an argument with Nathanael, he didn’t try to persuade him that he was wrong and something good could come from Nazareth. He simply invited him to Come and see for himself, then he could then make up his own mind.

Matt. 2:23 He will be called a Natzrati

Yeshua/Jesus is both Netzer/branch from the stock of Jesse /Yishai King David’s father. Is 11:1 and Nazareth from which Natan’el nathanael questioned. Natzaret can anything good come from there John 14:6. This is a remez referring to the many BRANCH prophesies in the Tanakh. For example: Ps. 22; Is. 52:13; 53:16.

It is not clever arguments that will convince people, but simply telling others what Jesus/Yeshua means to us. People must be able to see that Jesus/Yeshua has made a difference to our own lives, before they will be willing to come and see for themselves.

John1:47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

In this statement:

Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit! 

Jesus/Yeshua evaluates and praises the character of Nathanael. There was no deceit, fraud or treachery in Nathanael. He is a genuine Israelite, a descendant of Jacob who fears and obeys God. This was what Messiah saw in Nathanael. Perhaps He was comparing Nathanael’s character and that of Jacob, his forefather. Jacob was known for his guile/deceit; after Jacob had tricked his brother Esau out of his blessing. In Genesis 27:35-36 Isaac said to Esau, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” Esau replied, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing”. It was only later, when he ceased being deceitful, that God changed Jacob’s name to Israel. Nathanael was an Israelite, and therefore a descendant of Jacob, in whom there was no trace of deceit.

What did Nathanael think at that time? and why he was so surprised? 

Nathanael was amazed because Jesus/Yeshua intimated that He knew exactly what he was reading!

(Israel=Jacob’s new name because as Jacob= man of deceit.)

Nathanael would have known the story of Jacob and was Messiah saying that Nathanael was not 

old Jacob which is man of deceit but

new Jacob which is truly an Israelite?

Messiah knows what we are really like! 

and He did not need anyone to testify concerning man [and human nature], for He Himself knew what was in man [in their hearts—in the very core of their being].

John 2:25

The human heart has always been creative in finding new ways to deceive, however one thing we can do is to be on the lookout for people who reflect the character of Nathaniel. It would be first of all, someone who believes in our Heavenly Father’s promises; meaning, someone who hasn’t given into the world’s cynicism. Someone who has not stopped believing that, even if right now it seems very unlikely, there will be vines and fig trees for all, that our Heavenly Father can and will make it happen. That is the kind of faith we need.

Next is Nathanael’s response and Jesus’ reply.

John 1:48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

He had never met Yeshua/Jesus before, he maybe a little suprised as to how this man could have formed an opinion about him so quickly?

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

This immediate reply causes Nathanael to believe that Yesua/Jesus is the Messiah he was waiting for!

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” John 1:49

This is a very important thing that we may have missed, Nathanael/Nathaniel was the the first one who recognized Messiah’s true identity, and the first one to say and emphatically declare He was the Son of God, King of Israel, which parallels him to the Magi in Matthew 2:1.

How was he convinced so quickly?

Then Jesus/Yeshua further confirms that He knew exactly what Nathanael was doing – but what was that?

In Israel custom and culture,

the fig tree is an idiom or a symbol of home.

It was understood as:

a private place for prayer, meditation and study

and on a practical level for its shade from the hot sun.

It is a place for Fellowship with God.

In Jewish thought, the idea of sitting under a fig tree

was an image of

peace and security.

1 Kings 4:25 pictures the peaceful conditions of Solomon’s reign, “And Judah and Israel dwelt in safety, from Dan even to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon.”

A man could sit under his fig tree, undisturbed and untroubled, praying and meditating upon God’s Word.

Next came the amazing statement in

John 1:50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.”

He then added,

“Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

John 1:51.

Was this a final confirmation that Yeshua/Jesus knew everything Nathanael was reading and meditating on?  Was he reading and thinking about Jacob and that’s why Yeshua/Jesus prophetically declared what He was going to do… using the account of Jacob’s ladder as an illustration?

Jacob’s ladder is found in Genesis 28:12.

Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place. He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants.” Genesis 28:10-13

Here we are told that God spoke to Jacob in a dream. God often spoke to prophets in dreams and visions as indicated throughout scripture. The dream is unusual because Jacob sees a ladder that is placed on the earth and reaches into heaven. The Hebrew word for ladder is sullam, and it means ladder – not stairway. Some say that it’s not a ladder but a staircase because angels are going up and down it.

There are two key points that this is a ladder. One, if the Fathers’ Spirit of Holiness had wanted to say this was a stairway, He could have used the Hebrew word maala, which translates as stairway. 

Two, some scholars say that this must be a stairway because angels are going up and down at the same time. However the passage does not say that they are going up and down at the same time. Jacob saw a ladder in his dream with angels going up and down. If the angels were going up and down the ladder simultaneously it does not affect the message of the scripture.

This Hebrew word for ladder/sullam is used only one time and is more like a portal, a gateway, a door, and this was where Jerusalem is right now.

There are references to angels/messengers interacting with people in the old and new testaments. Is this the designated entrance/exit, Portal/gateway; through which they came and went, into and out of the spiritual and natural realms?

Some examples: Abraham, Lot, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, Shepherds and the women at Messiahs tomb.

Jacob’s Ladder in Hebrew:

סֻלָּם יַעֲקֹב  Sūllām Ya‘aqōv

is a ladder leading to heaven. 

There is no explanation given in scripture as to why the ladder and angels appeared in the dream. However, they appear to symbolize that God is communicating with Jacob as the Hebrew word for angel, malak, actually means:messenger; and God is standing at the top of the ladder. It has become known as Jacob’s ladder and has come to symbolize a connection between Earth and Heaven (or the cosmos), as well as the history of mankind, in which the steps of the ladder represent the succession of the worlds’ ruling kingdoms.

Recall that Jacob’s dream happened as he fled from Esau, his twin brother. According to the story in Genesis, Jacob is said to have stolen his brother Esau’s birthright, which was his claim to inheritance and his father’s blessing. As a result of this, Esau was furious with Jacob, and sought to kill him. Jacob was warned of his brother’s intention by Rebekah, their mother. He was also told to flee, and to go to the house of his uncle, Laban, in Haran, until Esau’s fury subsided.  On the journey, Jacob arrived at a certain place, and as the sun had already gone down, he decided to stay there for the night. According to one source, this place was the site of the future Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which was also the site of the binding of his father, Isaac. Jacob then took a stone and used it as a pillow and fell asleep, and while he was sleeping he had his dream about the ladder that connected heaven to earth.

In the dream God repeats the covenant promises made to Abraham and Isaac regarding a homeland for their descendants:

Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:14-15 (NASB)

God promises to fulfill the covenant and never leave him. The entire dream reveals our Fathers’ sovereignty and faithfulness to His covenant; though Abraham and Isaac were dead, God would remain faithful.

Messiah Jesus/Yeshua as God/man now intercedes between us and our Heavenly Father God as

the Ladder between heaven and earth.

John 14:6-7 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Messiah tells Nathanael 

“From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Nathanael the man who saw for himself!

When Yeshua/Jesus said, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Nathanael’s reaction indicates that there is more to this than Him simply seeing Nathanael sitting under a fig tree. Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the  Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49). There was something significant in those words that had a tremendous impact upon Nathanael. It is not just that Messiah saw him sitting under a fig tree that caused Nathanael to proclaim Him to be the Son of God and the King of Israel. Wasn’t it that when Nathanael heard these words he recognized that Jesus/Yeshua possessed a clear insight into the things he was thinking about under the fig tree? Was it Yeshua/Jesus’ intimate knowledge of the thoughts and meditations of Nathanael’s heart that produced this reaction? Nathanael realized that Yeshua/Jesus had seen into the depths of his heart where he had the faith that Jesus/Yeshua must be the Son of God and the King of Israel, because by using these titles, Nathanael expressed his absolute belief that Jesus/Yeshua was the Messiah.

Messiah knew what was in Philip and Nathanael, Andrew and John.

He knows what is in us when He saves us. 

He also knows what He will do in and through us, by His grace and power, He knows our character, our weaknesses and our strengths. 

Most of all, He knows what He has purposed to achieve in us, and He will achieve it: 

“I am sure that the One who began a good work in you will carry it on until it is completed. That will be on the day Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6

Jesus/Yeshua will later go on to expand the “angels ascending and descending” to say that “no one has gone up to heaven except the One who has come down from heaven” (John 3:13) and to say “I am the way”(that leads to the Father) (John 14:6).

In this dream, Jacob saw a ladder that connected heaven to earth and saw God at the top of the ladder. 

Here is a promise that because of his belief in Yeshua/Jesus as the Messiah, Nathanael will be blessed to witness greater evidences of Yeshua/Jesus’ deity and Messiahship. As a disciple, Nathanael must have witnessed many of the miracles that He performed, and surely the greatest of all would’ve been to witness the resurrection. Yeshua/Jesus told Nathanael what he would see, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man” John 1:51. referring to the incident from Jacob’s life, recorded in Genesis 28:10-17, Jesus/Yeshua suggests to Nathanael that He is that Ladder between heaven and earth. The picture of the angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man implies that communion/relationship between heaven and earth is established through Messiah; He is that connection or mediator between mankind and God. It was prophetic that Nathanael would be privileged to witness these things by becoming His disciple.

Jesus/Yeshua praised Nathaniel because there was no deceit in him. The word deceit is used most often for someone who is being sneaky or treacherous; often a person is outwardly nice but is scheming to take advantage of another. One of our sins in dealing with others is using them for our purpose rather than for theirs, or God’s.

 In less obvious ways we’re not aware of how much we use others for our own purposes with little to no care for their interests.  Our Savior took on horrendous sufferings in His human nature to give us the incredible gift of eternal life. The lesson He gave us..  “You shall love one another as I have loved you” John 15:12. To love like He did, is to love others without self-interest. Not in loving just so we look good to others or so they can be a help to our personal plans.

When we live without deceit and without being sneaky, we love like He did. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20.

And we also need Nathaniels, who are not in it just for themselves – not just for their own fig tree, but who are willing to hold out for the whole community to have what they need to survive, and how much we are in need of that these days!

We need Nathaniels who are not afraid to speak up and share the truth as they see it, even if it is the truth about the Branch from Nazareth that no one wants to hear, no matter what it might cost!

We need Nathaniels and we need to be looking for them underneath the fig trees of this world, which means we need to start spending time under those fig trees ourselves. Isn’t that why Jesus/Yeshua found a kindred spirit in Nathaniel, He was doing the same thing? In order to find a Nathaniel, we need to be a Nathaniel.

There is one more reference worth mentioning concerning

the fig tree.

When a New Testament writer leaves something unexplained, as he does this scripture, it’s the writers intention for readers to search for the meaning and interpretation in the Old Testament scriptures.

As there is an idiom here which was understood as specifically  coming from a promise that is repeated a few times in the Old Testament. The promise goes like this: “They shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid.” (Micah 4:4)

1 In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised up above the hills.
Peoples shall stream to it,
2     and many nations shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more;
4 but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees,
and no one shall make them afraid;
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

In many ways, that is one of the key promises of the Old Testament. It envisions a nation where every family has its own little piece of land, with the iconic fruit trees that are common in that part of the world. It  gives a vision of an agricultural society where everybody has the basics of survival.

This shows us how tough life could be back then, if their big dream was just to be able to have their own vine and fig tree. Many talk about their dream life/home etc., well that was an Israelite dream; and a part of that dream was for a bit of leisure time – to be able to sit down underneath their own fig trees for a while.

This is why it later became an expression for discussing the Torah when, in later times, Jewish men became prosperous enough to have a little bit of leisure time. In Nathaniel’s day that most basic Israelite dream of every family having a fig tree and a vine to live under had become completely out of reach for huge numbers of people. People had lost their family farms and vines and fig trees. Huge numbers in the population were consigned to living as slaves or just getting by, working as day laborers. Maybe what Yehsua/Jesus saw in Nathaniel was that he was trying to keep that ancient Israelite dream alive?

It’s interesting that He refers to Nathaniel as an Israelite, that word is rarely used in the New Testament. It had become outdated, like the dream of everyone having their own vine and fig tree. In Jesus’ day normal word that would have been used was Judean or Galilean, which means they’d begun to call themselves what the Romans called them. However, Messiah sees Nathaniel as an Israelite sitting underneath a fig tree.

Maybe Nathaniel had been doing what he could to keep that dream alive, reminding people of God’s promise that “They shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid.”

If Nathanael’s first impression was that nothing good could come from Nazareth; it was quickly shown to be a false when he met Jesus/Yeshua, he declared Him to be the Son of God, the King of Israel. By accepting Philip’s invitation to “Come and see” Nathanael had come to his own conclusion about Jesus which had led to this expression of faith.

In this he is an example to all those who are willing to search out matters for themselves. His response in declaring Him to be “the Son of God…the King of Israel” is what the correct response should be when someone comes in contact with Jesus/Yeshua and has seen for themselves.

Nathanael the man who saw for himself

Nathaniel wasn’t under the fig tree to impress anyone, he wasn’t trying to be religious nor was he trying to create a reputation – he was searching for his Heavenly Father. We must not have a faith that’s found in someone else’s experience; we must find our own fig tree and search for our Heavenly Father and like Nathanael, find Him for ourselves.

When we are sitting under our fig tree let’s be sure we are meditating not on our personal dream home and earthly future, but that of Jacob/Israel, who saw heaven opened and the Way to our heavenly home up the Ladder.

Let’s focus on the come and see

and the later call to John in Revelation…

…come up here.

Jesus Messiah is our Way,

our ladder to ascend

into the presence of the Father,

the creator of heaven and earth.

He is the gate of heaven שַׁ֥עַר (ša·‘ar) is the gate

הַשָּׁמָֽיִם (haš·šā·mā·yim) of heaven

Shamayim

Hebrew: שָׁמַיִם‎  šāmayīm, “heavens”

is the dwelling place of God, other heavenly beings and very soon also His Bride!

Whatever visions or dreams we may have through life, the one that will outshine them all is when we see Jesus/Yeshua for ourselves and know that He is the Messiah, the Way the Truth and the Life everlasting.

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

You are loved, appreciated and prayed for..

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen