Tag: covenant

What Is The Connection Between 2 Mountains The Ark Of The Covenant And Messiah Being Thirsty? Part 2

In Part 1, we left off reminding ourselves that:

the location was so significant for the reason that it was where Joshua, a type of Mashiach/Messiah, had brought the children of Israel to reaffirm their covenant now they had entered into the promised land; the same covenant that Moses originally made with God for the Israelites on Sinai.

Joshua separated the tribes onto the mountains of blessing and curses.

These blessings and curses would follow their obedience or disobedience to the statutes and requirements of that covenant.

Mount Ebal and Mt. Gerizim looking west.

According to tradition the Mountains represented Good and Evil, Mount Gerizim was lush and fertile, while Mount Ebal was rocky and barren, clearly portraying the ramifications of our choices. We may choose the good path, cleaving to God and following in His ways, leading to a rich, fruitful life. Alternatively, we can embrace evil and negativity, which leads to an empty and barren life, devoid of all things good.

The higher portions of Mount Ebal are barren rock—the name means: bald stone, where only thistles and shrubs grow.

Gerizim’s lower slopes are abundant in fountains and are beautifully cultivated with much olive and fig trees. 

So here we step back in time…

to the days following the children of Israels arrival in the promised land – they had crossed over the Jordan River and had had their first victory at Ai. 

Then, Joshua took the people to Ebal and Gerizim.

He placed the Ark of the Covenant between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. The people then divided themselves on the two mountains and listened to Joshua.

After Joshua gathered the people together he read the Book of the Law to them.

Now Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings. And there, in the presence of the children of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. Then all Israel, with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark before the priests, the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, the stranger as well as he who was born among them. Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them. – Joshua 8:30-35

Mt. Ebal

It is often easy for us as believers to get proud at what marvelous people we have become. Joshua gives us all a good reminder: Remember where you’ve come from. God would later tell King David:

“I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be ruler over My people Israel” (2 Sam. 7:8).

In the New Testament Paul writes:

“Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth” (1 Cor. 1:26).

What made the difference?

God’s grace.

Joshua goes on to say, whatever good there is in us now, remember who is doing it. It is not ours, but God working in and through us. Joshua does not just remind them of Israel’s history but also of God’s grace in Israel’s history.

As the 6 tribes were on Mt. Gerazim and the other 6 tribes were on Mt. Ebal – standing in the valley between the 2 mountains were the elders, the kohanites/priests, the priests assistants.

He placed the Ark of the Covenant between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim.

The people then divided themselves on the two mountains and listened to Joshua.

Hebrew: אָרוֹן הַבְּרִית ‎, Modern: Arōn Ha’brēt, 

Joshua stood beside the ark.

The 12 tribes were present and also the High Priest and the priesthood, who stood in the valley with the container of that marriage agreement – ark of the covenant.

Located between Mt. Gerizim (left) and Mt. Ebal (right), Shechem

Given the history that the Israelites had with this area, as well as the geographical features that allowed for a large group of people to be gathered… 

with this in mind..it is no wonder that Joshua chose this location to remind the people of the Law with God had given to them.

The 6 tribes on Mount Ebal 

listened to God’s curses for disobedience;

the remaining 6 tribes on Mount Gerizim 

listened to God’s blessings for obedience.

In the hearing of all the people, together with all sojourners, Joshua and the Levites read the whole Book of the Covenant “with a loud voice” (Deut 27:14), and the people responded with their vows.

Mt. Gerizim, the modern Jebel et-Tur, stands on the South, Mt. Ebal on the North, of the narrow pass which cuts through the mountain range, opening a way from the sea to the Jordan.  In the throat of this pass to the West, on the South of the vale, and close to the foot of Gerizim, lies the town of Nablus, the ancient Shechem.

Mt. Gerizim was the other mountain on the south and its top was 1 2/3 miles distant from that of Ebal. Ebal is 3077 ft. and Gerizim 2849 ft. above the sea. The valley between them is about 1900 ft. above the sea and in this valley is the town of Shechem which is 5/8 of a mile in length.

Mt. Gerizim – Jebel et-Tur. Deut. 11. 29; 27. 12; Josh. 8. 33; Judg. 9. 7. See also Ebal, Mt. Gerizim was later the holy mountain of the Samaritans, John 4. 20)

Deuteronomy 11:29 – And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.
Deuteronomy 27:12 – These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin:

Joshua 8:33 – And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal;

This ceremony was like a second Mattan Torah ( a second giving and acceptance of Torah). Before these two mountains, they are to renew their vows to God, because now they were physically in the promised land and because they, as a generation, had not known anything but the wilderness and had not experienced Sinai as had the previous generation.

Now they had become IVRI the ones who had crossed over the Jordan, recall this as the meaning of Hebrew and according to:

Deut. 27:12. These will stand upon Mt Gerazim to bless the people when YOU CROSS OVER THE JORDAN. Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph=(Ephraim + Manasseh) and Benjamin

Mt. Ebal to speak out the curses Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebukun, Dan, Naphtali and the Levites will speak and say to all Israel.

The list of tribes is in Deuteronomy 27:12-13 

Those on Mount Ebal, the mount of cursing, are the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali, sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, slave women of Jacob’s two lawful wives.

Those on Mount Gerizim are Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.

Those on Gerizim, the mount of blessing, are children of Jacob’s lawful wives, Leah and Rachel (Gen 35:23-26). Reuben is the exception—though he was one of Leah’s legitimate sons, he was cursed because he had forbidden relations with Bilhah, his father’s concubine 
(Gen 35:22; 1 Chron 5:1).

In Deuteronomy 11, God gives His people the choice to obey or disobey his commands. To obey brings about the blessing while disobedience brings on the curse.

The two mountain peaks of Gerizim and Ebal represent the fundamental consequence of fallen human nature; the struggle between what we should do and what we should not do.

Nablus, which is the site of ancient Shechem, lies in the valley between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal. These two peaks represent our moral dilemmas. God commanded Joshua upon taking possession of the Promised Land to set the blessing on Mt. Gerizim and the curse on Mt. Ebal  (Deut. 11:29). After conquering Ai, Joshua built an altar on Mt. Ebal; the mountain of the curse (Josh. 8:30).

Located in the Hill Country of Ephraim, the city of Shechem played a vital role in the history of Israel. This location, in the middle of the nation, provided the most important crossroads in central Israel. The city lay along the northern end of “The Way of the Patriarchs.” This road, also called the “Ridge Route” (because it followed a key mountain ridge stretching 50 miles south), traveled from Shechem through Shiloh, Bethel/Ai, Ramah, Gibeah, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Hebron. This route appears continuously in the Biblical text.

After they arrive at Mount Ebal, Joshua was to build an altar for burnt and peace offerings to the Lord to atone for their sins and to thank God for his blessings. But God added a command about the building of the altar,

“You shall wield no iron tool on them; you shall build an altar to the Lord your God of uncut stones” (Deut 27:5-6).

Why uncut stones?

God is saying that the Israelites should not think that they could make the worship of God better by making an elaborate altar and even one mark of a cutting tool would corrupt the worship of God. Further meaning to the stone the builders would reject would become the cornerstone and that His promise that His gospel shall be as the stone cut out of the mountains without hands; the Rock of our salvation.

In the history and drama of redemption, these places and the ceremony itself are significant in their symbolism. Shechem is the place where God first repeated His promises to Abraham when he arrived in Canaan (Gen 12:6-7). Under the leadership of Moses and Joshua, God again makes His promises of blessing to Israel, Abraham’s descendants.

Gerizim is also the site of the temple that the Samaritans built as their counterpart to the Jerusalem temple. They believed that Joshua built the altar on Gerizim and not on Ebal.

When the Samaritan woman mentioned that her people worshiped on this mountain, she was probably including Abraham and Jacob who built altars in the same region.

But Jesus/Yeshua countered by declaring that:

the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. (John 4:21-24).

But what does Mt. Ebal represent?

It represents our disobedience.

Obedience to the commands of the Lord, then, is to give up our disobedience; for it is the disobedient heart that brings on the curse.  

But the terror and misery of the curses on Israel as a result of God’s wrath for their disobedience was just a foretaste of the terror and anguish of hell that our Lord Jesus Christ/Adonai Yeshua HaMashiach suffered in His life and death on the cross.

On Mount Ebal, Israel sacrificed burnt offerings for their sins, a foreshadow of the final sacrifice that God Himself in Messiah has offered for our sins: Christ/Mashiachs’ death on the cross.

We are an accursed people because of our disobedience. Like the tribes on Mount Ebal, we are children of slaves, and we ourselves are slaves of sin. The altar of good works that we build is not a sacrifice that rises as a pleasing aroma to God, because without faith in God’s final sacrifice of His only-begotten Son, our good works are filthy rags, a bad taste, and a repulsive stench before God.

BUT

Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus Christ’s

sacrifice removes the curse from us:

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (Gal 3:13), a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph 5:2).

Our own Mount Ebal is the hill of Calvary in Jerusalem where our sacrifice was offered once for all, hanged on the cross for our disobedience.

So how shall we escape from these curses and receive God’s blessings when we can never perfectly obey God’s law?

We are to -(spiritually)- walk the narrow WAY

through the valley from Ebal, the Mount of Cursing

to Gerizim, the Mount of Blessing,

through the perfect obedience of another Man-

through Jesus/Yeshua – the Dalet/the door –

the mediator of the renewed covenant and our ark of salvation;

paid for in His Blood.

We pass through the valley

Shechem

-(Ps. 23 of the shadow of death-the wages of sin) –

through His Blood on the Mercy seat of the ark/Messiah –

and to the Mount of Blessing

where the children become His stewards/servants/priests –

now a royal nation – 1Pet.2:9 – called out of darkness into His marvelous Light. 

At Mount Gerizim, the blessings are introduced in Deuteronomy 28:1-2:

And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Obedience is really the nature with which God has created us. This is our true state and thus what we truly desire. True spiritual healing is not so much to cultivate a life of striving to follow God’s commands, but to put to death our disobedient nature.

Jesus/Yeshua preached repentance not morality:

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matt 4:17”

Thus to repent –

to turn from disobedience –

is to come naturally into obedience.

It is in a WAY, to build an altar of sacrifice on Mt. Ebal.

Ariel view of Joshuas Altar.

In the new Mount Gerizim where Jesus/Yeshua preached a long sermon on another Mount – in Matthew 5-7, Jesus/Yeshua pronounced His blessings on kingdom citizens as long as they were:

poor in spirit,

mourn over sins,

meek, righteous,

merciful, pure in heart,

had peace with God, and

persevere in persecution for righteousness’ sake.

Our reward is not earthly, but heavenly (Matt 5:2-12).

These are commands that even the holiest of believers can only begin to obey as they are very difficult words.

But in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus/Yeshua challenges us with practical ethics to live by in our life in this imperfect world; while we await the perfect one that He will give us when He returns.

Without the Law, they will not comprehend their sin and misery and their absolute need for a Savior.

And without Christ/Mashiach being sacrificed on the Mount of Calvary to remove the curse from us, we can never receive any blessing from God…

Why?

Because in ourselves, we can never obey God’s law perfectly and be righteous before God, our only hope for blessing is through Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach, who gives His perfect obedience to us- obedience all the way to an accursed death.

Only by trusting Christ/Messiah can we be redeemed from the curse of the Law and then receive blessings from God.

At Shechem in the valley between the two mountains,

Joshua brought the Ark of the Covenant,

which represented the Presence of the Lord Himself.

Here also after the conquest of Canaan Joshua took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak in the sanctuary of the Lord (Josh. 24:24).

While the altar on Mt. Ebal represented a sacrifice – a relinquishing – of their disobedience,

the altar at Shechem was a witness to their obedience to the commands of the Lord.

Shechem means shoulder probably because the city was built mainly on the slope or shoulder, of Mt. Ebal. Some scholars say it means saddleback.

A saddleback is curved in 2 directions – indicating a place of decision.

(Think multitudes in the valley of decision עֵ֖מֶק הֶֽחָר֑וּץ, valley of strict decision or judgment, in Joel 3:14 )

Understanding Hebrew Language:

OBEY OR DISOBEY

The words KEEP and BREAK are usually interpreted as:

OBEDIENCE and DISOBEDIENCE

The Hebrew word for KEEP is: SHAMAR

רמש

ש מ ר

RESH MEM SHEEN

R – MA – SHA

Literally means: GUARD, PROTECT/PRESERVE and CHERISH

Strong’s Hebrew: 8104. שָׁמַר (shamar) — to keep, watch .

 It’s the same verb that described Adam in Eden: to cultivate it and keep it.

KJV: of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 

Genesis 3:24

Malachi 2:7 Guard – The Hebrew verb šāmar means to watch over, to guard, to keep, to preserve and to care for.

It is from the word SHEMA

שְׁמַע

A Hebrew word meaning:

To listen intently with willing anticipation and readiness to DO what is heard.

It is used in the most important statement of the Hebraic faith…

Shema Inscription on the Knesset Menorah Jerusalem, Israel.

SHEMA YISRAEL

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל

Strongs #8086 shema: to hear

Original Word: שְׁמַע
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shema
Phonetic Spelling: (shem-ah’)
Definition: to hear

Here in Deut. 27:9 is the one line prayer called:

the SHEMA – Listen/Hear O Israel and obey!

It is the directive for them to Keep the words of the covenant and do them.

Shema Israel or Sh’ma Yisrael; 

Hebrew: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ‎;

Hear, O Israel

 Shema (hear/listen) is the Hebrew word that begins the most important prayer in Judaism.

It is found in Deuteronomy 6:4, which begins with the command to Hear.

The whole Shema prayer, which includes verses 4-9, is spoken daily in the Jewish tradition: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

The Complete Shema – Hear O Israel, the LORD our God is One LORD.

Shema: the First Passage.

In the recitation of Deuteronomy 6:4-9, special emphasis is given to the first six Hebrew words of this passage:

Shema Yisrael, Adonai eloheinu, Adonai echad

and a six-word response is said in an undertone

barukh shem kevod malkhuto le’olam va’ed.

and focus is on the meaning:

HEAR – LISTEN and DO

It was the answer Jesus /Yeshua gave in Mark 12:29-30 to the question as to which of the commandments is the most important of all….

“The most important one,”

answered Jesus, “is this:

‘Hear, O Israel:

The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 

Further reiterated by Jesus/Yeshua many times, when He spoke with the Hebrew understanding of 

HEAR – LISTEN also means to DO

James 1:22 reminds us to:

פָּרַר PARAR

 

The Hebrew verb here is פרר – parar,

Strong’s #6565 and means:

to trample underfoot.

Literally means: TO TRAMPLE UNDERFOOT

Hence the meaning behind Hebrews 10:29 trample underfoot is break and disobedience

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath

trodden underfoot 

the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing

κοινὸν, a word commonly denoting things unclean; Mark 7:2; Acts 10:14, 28; Acts 11:8; Romans 14:14; and Hebrews 9:13

 

How much worse (sterner and heavier) punishment do you suppose he will be judged to deserve who has spurned and [thus] trampled underfoot the Son of God, and who has considered the covenant blood by which he was consecrated common and unhallowed, thus profaning it and insulting and outraging the [Holy] Spirit [Who imparts] grace (the unmerited favor and blessing of God)?

verse 29: they have trampled under foot the Son of God. The Son of God laid his life down for them to receive as their substitute, and instead of receiving him as their life and hope, they paused, got some religion, and then stepped on him and went on to other things. Verse 29b: they regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant.

The ancient Hebrew understanding of these words:

The keeping or breaking of the commandments of God…

is not about mechanical obedience and disobedience of His commands

but rather

our attitude towards them.

Will we cherish His commands or will we throw them on the ground and walk on them?

Heavenly Father/Avinu in Jesus/Yeshuas’ Name may we have a heart to know, eyes to see, and ears to hear.

Conclusion coming in part 3..

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family and cheverim/friends!

Time is running out please don’t leave this page…until you

Know for certain you are His…

You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read the posts. If they have been a blessing and if you haven’t already, please sign up for free email notification, like, share and subscribe, it all helps to freely spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth and reaches others with His Truths.

Meanwhile let’s remember to stay alert and ready, be in prayer and in His Word for in an hour we think not He is coming… and…

it’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and 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

Climbing Mountains and Leaving For Home – Comings and Goings

Having just completed the 49 days of Counting the Omer.

This season runs from the First Fruits – בִּכּוּרִים – Bikkurim/Resurrection

to

Pentecost/Shavuot/שָׁבוּעוֹת which begins on the 50th day from פסח – Pesach/Passover.

We remember Yeshua/Jesus was with them for 40 days after His Resurrection and appeared to many during that time, up to the day He returned Home to heaven/shamayim.

1Cor. 5:16. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

In John 20:17 we are told that on the first day of the week after Passover/Pesach, Jesus/Yeshua appeared to Mary Magdalene, (Miriam of Magdala).

The women that came to the tomb (Mary the Mother of James, Salome, and Joanna), then a first appearance to Peter. He also appeared to the rest of the 12 Disciples with Thomas absent, later He appeared to them with Thomas present.

The occasion recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, to 500 at one time, then to James (presumably James the brother of Jesus), then to all the Apostles, and last to Paul himself.

There was also the meeting with the 2 disciples on the Emmaus road.

The 40th day of the Omer was when His Ascension took place and the promise was given to those present that He will return the same way they saw Him go.

Click link below for more on Ascension

https://www.minimannamoments.com/are-we-in-a-divine-pause/

His second coming shall be in like manner as Acts 1:10-11 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.

His Cross is the door/Dalet by which whosoever will can enter into the eternal life to be with the Father.

Dalet door of the cross

Click link below for more on Dalet/door:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-pesach-dalet-in-time-a-man-between-2-realms-yonah-and-the-watches-of-the-night/

Because of His resurrection, Jesus/Yeshua, has the right to give eternal life to anyone, and by His ascension our Savior entered heaven, keeping the door open for humanity.

His previous Transfiguration which began on another Mountain was completed on the Mountain of Ascension.

The Transfiguration was a manifestation of His glory a powerful demonstration of His divine nature, which He possessed prior to coming to earth in a human body.

Before Abraham was I AM. John 8:58

Undoubtedly, the purpose of His transfiguration, into at least a portion of His heavenly glory, was so that those of His disciples who were closest to Him, could gain a greater understanding of Who He was. Surely He underwent a dramatic change in appearance when the disciples saw Him in His glory.

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them “his face did shine as the sun,” “and his garments became glistering, exceeding white, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them.”

Luke 9:27; Matthew 17:1-8.

One of the purposes of the Transfiguration may have been to strengthen the faith of the disciples in His divine nature before they experienced the shock of the difficult days ahead of them.

In early times, the mount of the Transfiguration had become known as the holy mount. (2 Peter 1:18). It seems to have been known by the faithful, and one tradition identified it with Mount Thabor/Tabor.

The other view, and probably more likely one, is that Mount Hermon was the site of the transfiguration.

Hermon means: Devoted or Sanctified!

Mount Hermon from the Sea of Galilee

It is in the far north, the location of Caesarea Philippi, at the southwestern foothills; 25 miles northeast of the Sea of Galilee to the Golan Heights.

It is situated on a terrace 1,150 feet high overlooking a lush fertile valley. Here also, is the easternmost source for the Jordan River.

It is one of the four major headwaters.

During the Hellenistic period (323 to 31 B.C.), this city was originally called Panias (also spelled Paneas) because of its close association with the Greco-Roman god Pan. The modern name, Banias, is an Arabic corruption of the original.

In order to distinguish it from the harbor city on the Mediterranean called Caesarea Maritima, it became known as Caesarea Philippi. Philip, one of Herod the Great’s sons, renamed it so in honor of Emperor Augustus in 2 B.C.

Here in Caesarea Philippi, there was once a magnificent temple which dominated the landscape, constructed of white marble by Herod the Great to the godhead of Caesar. An earthquake in 363 C.E likely destroyed the city.

There is a cave immediately to the north of Caesarea Philippi.

This cave was said to be the birthplace of the Greco-Roman god Pan/Faunus, the god of nature, fields, forests, mountains, flocks and shepherds.

The pagan worshipers would make sacrifices at the mouth of the cave where they had built a sanctuary to Pan/Faunus.

It would seem to make sense for the transfiguration to take place in that region where Messiah had been ministering and where Peter made his confession.

Not coincidentally, at the base of this mountain was the place known as the gates of Hades, (gates of hell).

To the pagan mind, the cave at Caesarea Philippi created a gate to the underworld (Hades), where they believed fertility gods took up residence during the winter.

This location was especially unique because it stood at the base of a cliff where spring water flowed. At one time, the water ran directly from the mouth of a cave set in the bottom of the cliff. This region is referred to in the Old Testament by the name Baal-gad, which is described in the northernmost conquest of Joshua as being in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon (Josh. 11:17; 12:7; 13:5; also see: Judges 3:3; 1 Chron. 5:23).

The name Baal-gad meant literally Master Luck, the name of a god of fortune who may later have been identified with Pan. One good reason the Bride of Messiah should refrain from using the term good luck when offering encouragement to one another; but rather offer shalom and blessings to each other in Jesus/Yeshuas name.

This region was the northernmost extent of Yeshua/Jesus’ ministry and no doubt He found some privacy here with His disciples in this non-Jewish region, no less, because it was beyond the jurisdiction of Galilee’s ruler, Herod Antipas. It was here in the district of Caesarea Philippi, not long before before His final journey to Jerusalem and crucifixion that He asked the 12 disciples,

Who do you say that I am?

Matt.16:15.

It is a very important point that Jesus/Yeshua chose to ask this question here, since there were few areas anywhere else with more religious significance; and because it was filled with the temples of ancient Syrian Baal worship. Historians have identified at least 14 such temples, it was a place beneath the shadow of ancient gods.

Imagine the scene, Jesus/Yeshua was standing in an area with the temples of the Syrian gods, a place where the Greek gods were believed to look down, and the place where the most important river in Israel has its source, (the Jordan river), and asked them Who they thought He was.

Messiah knew what He was doing when choosing the 3 disciples, Peter, James and John to follow Him to the summit of Mount Hermon. His choice was not random and because of His well-defined objective, He was not concerned the rest would feel rejected or resentful but did what needed to be done. Peter would testify later, saying:

“for we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the father honor and glory when such a voice came to him from the excellent glory: “this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” and we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with him on the HOLY MOUNTAIN.” 2 peter 1.16-18

Some may wonder why He didn’t choose His beloved Mount of Olives, or where He heard the prayer of His servant/prophet Elijah, and responded with fire on Mount Carmel? Or even the Mount of Beatitudes, where He taught, revealing the secrets of eternal life? Why did He choose the highest and most difficult mountain to climb in Israel?

Psalm 133 gives us an answer:

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments.

It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing – life forevermore.”

Yeshua/Jesus chose Mount Hermon, because He wanted to point out to His disciples what it represents, as described in the Psalm.

It was prophetic because it spoke of unity, harmony and perfect peace/shalom, among the children of God in the Kingdom of Heaven; and accurately portrays the picture of our Heavenly Fathers’ family gathered around His throne. He expresses His joy and delight in seeing His children around Him, the fruit of the sacrifice of His first born, Jesus/Yeshua.

Comparing the joy to: like the precious oil upon the head.

This precious oil upon the head represents the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the form of a physical anointing/Shavuot/Pentecost; and it is something that can only be understood by those who have had this experience.

Like the dew of Mount Hermon is the reference to the sources of water that form the rivers, which merge together forming the River Jordan. Mount Hermon is the water source for all of Israel. Water is life/chaim, it is impossible to live without its existence and in those days, the greatest wealth of a community was water, for that reason, settlements were always built around wells/water sources. Another reason He said, John 4:14; but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

When the Psalmist writes, the dew of Hermon that descends upon the mountains of Zion, he is portraying the fullness of life that Gods’ children enjoy in His presence.

Mount Hermon could be said to be a sanctuary that is invisible to the eyes of the wicked, being revealed to the chosen ones, because of its splendor and spiritual significance, no wonder the Messiah chose it from among the others and,

from it,

God commands the blessing

and life/chaim/lifes, forevermore!

 

It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing – life forevermore.”

Small wonder the devil tried to usurp it for his own!

Because of this significance, no doubt Messiah deliberately set Himself against the world’s religions and was asking to be compared with them. Here in this setting, is where Peter boldly replies with his great confession,

You are the Messiah/the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matt. 16:16.

Now the significance of this tremendous statement of faith becomes clearer and it changed everything for the disciples.

Then Yeshua/Jesus responds in Matt. 16:17-18 Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell [literally, Hades] shall not prevail against it.

Here His reference to the cave and the gates of Hades at Mount Hermon, makes complete sense!

It is plain from Scripture that His ascension from another mountain, that of Mount of Olives; was a literal, bodily return to heaven. He rose from the ground gradually and visibly, observed by the disciples. Straining to catch a last glimpse of Yeshua/Jesus, when a cloud hid Him from their view, then, 2 angels appeared and promised the onlookers…in just the same way that you have watched Him go. Acts 1:11.

The daily route Jesus/Yeshua took in and out of the city passed over the Mount of Olives. From ancient times the revered rise overlooking Jerusalem from east was seen with importance.

The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jerusalem’s Old City. It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes. He led the disciples over the summit and onto the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. Interestingly, the journey was what is defined as a Sabbath’s journey; or a little more than 1/2 mile.

Mark:11:1; [Luke:19:29];[Luke:24:50

The ascension was the ultimate, indisputable evidence that Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach was triumphant, conquering ha satan/the adversary and all his hosts. Here is the extent of His victory, but it also reveals the measure of the power which has been bestowed upon His saints to carry out His work on earth until He returns.

It emphasizes the fact that we are given the serious responsibility of putting His will into effect on earth, as He reigns from heaven.

Matthew 6:9-13 verse 6:10.

The Rabbi/Teacher’s parting words commissioned His people to make disciples of every creature among the nations throughout the earth (Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 24:47).

This was 10 days before Shavuot and the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh outpouring.

Pesach/Passover is incomplete and Shavuot/Pentecost obstructed and the Second Coming of Messiah impossible without His Ascension!

Acts 2:5  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

Click below for previous posts which focus on Shavuot/Pentecost.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/50-days-later-an-earthly-and-spiritual-harvest-pentecost-shavuot/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/2-x-3000-a-marriage-made-in-heaven/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-look-of-shavuot/

This reference to Cloven Tongues may have been an indication to them that the fire was not strange fire but Holy acceptable fire from heaven.

Leviticus 11:3. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is cloven footed, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

However one of the main meanings to them was that Pentecost/Shavuot was the celebration of the giving of Torah in the wilderness and the manifested presence of God came as fire and remained with them by night for 40 years; and furthermore, fire was always known as a cleansing agent.

This was the presence of God, the impartation of His spirit infilling the properly prepared vessels; igniting that zeal to go and make disciples of all nations.

One final interesting point is that, a critical scene was repeated post resurrection but pre ascension.

The location was beside the Sea of Galilee in Luke 5:1-11; Matt.4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20.

Notably the place/HaMakem, of Calling.

See 

https://www.minimannamoments.com/have-we-heard-it/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-calling-part-2/

Here in Matthew 4:22, Yeshua/Jesus called them and they left everything to follow Him….. (Have we?)…

But not until after He told them them to let down their nets for a catch. Which they did and pulled in a huge haul of fish.

He stated He would make them fishers of men. Then in John 21, He is again in Galilee beside the sea and tells them to let down their nets for a catch.

Once again the nets were filled to overflowing.

He tells them to come and eat.

Again the reference to feeding them for He is the bread of life.

This is at the end of His time with them.

We see the reference to

the beginning and the end

the first and the last

the Alef and Tav

the Alpha and Omega,

(Rev.22:13)

start and finish of their time with Him.

The catch of fish to becomes the catching of men,

catching souls for the kingdom of the Heavens.

The 2nd time was the place of commissioning.

A question arises always where did the fire, hot coals, fish and bread come from?

The coals/ Stones were hot so it would seem that He had been there a while.

Bring some fish He says.

Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. John 21:10

The bread wouldn’t have been the flat crisp sort so that it could be broken, not a soft loaf like we usually think of.

This makes another question. Where did He get the bread from, was it another miracle?

Did He turn some of the stones beside the sea of Galilee into bread?

Stones that look very much like bread!

This was the very subject of an earlier temptation the devil used against Him, to prove that He was the Son of God/YHWH.

Now it was no temptation, but instead, a provision to feed His children-mishpachah/disciples-talmidim/friends-cheverim.

He was and is the Son of the Living God, the Creator of the universe, who took the elements of the dirt of the earth He created to form us. Surely then, as the devil came testing/ tempting Him, He was able to do just that… or it would not have been by its’ very definition – a temptation?

What we do know is everything points to Jesus as Messiah, savior and He points always to the father. Everything has meaning whether we fully understand it or not.

Pentecost/Shavuot was a ‘second giving’, of the Torah.

A giving of Himself, of His risen Spirit/Ruach;

to fill them and fire them up.

His Torah/Word is no longer written on stone but in their,

and our,

hearts of flesh.

He is the living Torah, the living Word made flesh and is still living amongst us.

Knowledge is not the end goal here in these posts… but Relationship is.

Knowledge and understanding, are simply an aid to a deeper understanding of the One who gave His life for us.

This Shavuot /Pentecost allow the Ruach/Spirit of Holy Fire to do His complete work in us that we become vessels fit for the Masters use.

The purpose being that so many more souls are added to His kingdom.

As we are climbing the mountains with Him following His lead know we are soon leaving for home too. It’s possible that when He said earlier meet me in Galilee it was also related to meet me in the kingdom of God because Galilee was a home where the meeting could go on without any distraction! Did Yeshua/Jesus choose Galilee to show them how they would also join Him in the Kingdom of God, the kingdom of His Heavens?

Keep your eyes upon Jesus/Yeshua.

Look full in His wonderful face

and the things of this world will grow strangely dim

in the light of His glory and grace.

Be ready… Look to the Son!

When we look at this do we see son rise or sun set?

https://www.minimannamoments.com/sonset-sunrise-sunset-sonrise-apocalypse-of-the-tamid/

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family and cheverim/friends! You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read the posts. If they have been a blessing and if you haven’t already, please sign up for free email notification, like, share and subscribe, it all helps to freely spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth and reaches others with His Truths. MMM will continue as long as the platform is accessible… meanwhile let’s remember

it’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and 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.

Pictures of Faithfulness – The Quality and Seal of a True Talmidim

Faithful Disciples

aman talmidim

   אֵמֻן   תלמידם 

Faithfulness

the seal/trademark/quality/characteristic/hallmark

of a talmidim

can we say amen to that?

Remember Hebrew reads from right to left.

This characteristic is one of the most important traits that a follower of Jesus/Yeshua can have. Sadly, it was one of the things that the children of Israel constantly failed at because they kept turning away from The Lord to other gods/idols and because of the marriage covenant made at Sinai, their lifestyle became the same as a spouse committing adultery, breaking vows and being unfaithful.

Shavuot/Pentecost is the Appointed Time of Remembering that wonderful promise of the Father as He made the children of Israel His Bride, betrothing Himself to them and the giving of Torah.

For more of  Shavuot /Pentecost click links below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/2-x-3000-a-marriage-made-in-heaven/ 

https://www.minimannamoments.com/50-days-later-an-earthly-and-spiritual-harvest-pentecost-shavuot/

When people assign the attribute of faithfulness to others it is a positive and encouraging one.

In Prov. 22:1 we are told that to be known as a person of integrity is worth more than silver or gold.

A good name [earned by honorable behavior, godly wisdom, moral courage, and personal integrity] is more desirable than great riches; And favor is better than silver and gold. AMPC

“They [the words of God] are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold” (Psalm 19:10).

As we are to seek a good name instead of riches, so we are also to seek loving favor over riches. There is no better way to garner loving favor than to have a good name and people will love and gravitate towards us for having integrity and being faithful.

Scripture firmly establishes the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father.

1Thess. 5:24. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

 1 Corinthians 1:9. God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Psalms 119:90  Your faithfulness endures to all generations;  you have established the earth, and it stands fast. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

2 Chronicles 34:12 faithful workers.

It is interesting to note God does not use this term liberally in the scriptures or say people are faithful too often, it is reserved for only a few. Because of this we must understand it is very highly valued in His eyes and as such, is no doubt the reason why He was so upset with the children of Israel/His people when they kept going astray and being unfaithful to Him.

To be proclaimed a faithful servant by the King of the Universe Melekh HaOlam, is almost beyond words let alone our understanding;

so much so, that we need to take more than a quick glance at the statement.

Numbers 12:7
My servant Moses is not so, who is FAITHFUL in all mine house.

Moses is one of the few and of course Jesus/Yeshua, who He is both pleased with and Yeshua/Jesus is also called a prophet like unto Moses.

Deuteronomy 18:15
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

There is a principle applied to the interpretation of the Scriptures that is called the Law of First Mention.

This term means the literal first mention of a word, theme, teaching, topic or doctrine, will then always connect it to the mind of the Lord in any future mention of the same theme, topic or word.

In Scripture, where there is the first mention of a word, it takes on special significance as it discloses God’s initial and primary intended meaning/focus of that theme and therefore it needs to be considered as a primary/1st witness whenever the word occurs elsewhere in the text.

Here there is another first mention concerning one who is to come. It is called a type or a shadow, of which there are many in the old testament scriptures.

Paul echoed this prophetic statement confirming its fulfillment in Hebrews 3:1-5:

 

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

 And also in

Acts 3:22
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

As we read again the first mention of the Hebrew word Faithful we know that over the millennia meanings of words change and also take on other attributes. To find out what Yahweh (or Yehoveh/ YHWH/ YHVH), means we can look at some of the earliest recorded script available, pictographs, to see if maybe there are details hidden in the pictures and meanings for the letters of the word. 

The first point to aid in understanding this hidden meaning is to recall that Moses was a shadow/type of the coming Messiah as recorded in the prophetic text of

Deuteronomy 18:15
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

When we follow these scripture verses, like the bread crumbs of His manna, (provision to eat and stay alive and thrive), through the scriptures, we will always find they lead us to the Messiah,

THE Bread of Life.

Messiah who said He was the Bread which came down from Heaven the Bread of Life/Chaim. Just as in the wilderness, for Moses and the Israelites, the manna came down from heaven (provision to eat and stay alive and thrive),

Jesus the Messiah/Yeshua Ha-Mashiach is hidden right in front of our eyes in the concepts of the pictographs for the three letters Aleph, Mem and Noon that make up the Hebrew word which is translated as FAITHFUL in both English and Hebrew.

AMN

אֵמֻן  noun [masculine] trusting, faithfulness

faithful, truth 

Alef Mem Nun

From ‘aman; established, i.e. (figuratively) trusty; also (abstractly) trustworthiness — faith(-ful), truth. 

see HEBREW ‘aman

  1. aman

aman: to confirm, support

: אָמַן
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: aman
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-man’)
Definition: to confirm, support

אֵמוּן

emun: faithfulness

Transliteration: emun
Phonetic Spelling: (ay-moon’)

Strongs 529

Some DEFINITIONS:

The Word ‘Faith’ In Hebrew:

emuwn – trustworthiness; faithful.

emuwnah- honesty; truth; faithfulness; firmness; official obligation.

The first time this word is used in the text is found in Exodus 17:12: “But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side.

In the New Testament the adjective “faithful” is a derivative of the Greek noun meaning “faith.” Here we get the translation “faithful” as a natural derivative of faith. Once again the fundamental meaning is that the one so described is trustworthy and loyal. The root idea is that one has fidelity toward another person or toward God.

The Hebrew root word for faithful includes the idea of confirmation or proof. God always proves to be reliable when it comes to His relationship with us. The Bible verse in which this name of God appears links the name to God’s covenant reliability.

The meaning is trusty or reliable. The only two other occasions it appears in the Hebrew it is rendered faith or truth. A noun derived from ‘âman that occurs three times rendered faithful is ‘ĕmûnâh (H530).

The Hebrew word for faith is אמונה (emunah – Strong’s #530) and is an action oriented word meaning “support”. This is important because the Western concept of faith places the action on the one you have faith in, such as “faith in God”. But, the Hebrew word אמונה places the action on the one who “supports God”.

FAITHFUL – אֵמֻן – AMN

The Pictographs

We know from previous posts that the letters and their pictures have several meanings and we are told in

Prov 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.

אֵמֻן

Alef/Aleph – Mem – Nun/Noon

Various meanings of Alef/Aleph

Strong Leader – Leading – Strength – Aloof – Separate
Gentle – Head of the Family – First – The Beginning
God the Father – OX and

based on past word studies, we’re already aware that we are dealing with the ideal meaning of the letter. Because the context of the verse is about Faithfulness it is fairly clear that God the Father is the ideal picture of Faithfulness.

 

Mem

Various Meanings of Mem

Liquid- Waters – like a Tsunami Chaotic and Destructive Seas & Massive Ocean Waves

coming down like Rain as Life giving Water

a brook or stream of refreshing Waters  

Waters which make Deserts bloom

The Living Water as the Word of God that brings Life

Removing some of the possible meanings, which seem obvious from the context of the scripture that they do not refer to a Tsunami, Flood Waters nor Chaos or Confusion.

The reference sounds like it’s about Moses but recall that Moses is just a shadow of the individual really being alluded to.

 

NUN/NOON

seed – life – continuity.

Taking a fresh look in John 6:26 where there is an account recorded in Jesus/Yeshua’s ministry, it’s one we all know well; the feeding of 5000 with 2 loaves and 5 fish!

Note the pictograph!

And then read what He said the very next day to that very same group of people.

Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

The Messianic significance of Manna doesn’t need any clarification.

Then immediately after miraculously feeding 5000 men, (women and children numbers not included!) the same unbelieving Jews that had partaken of the miraculous feast, surrounded Messiah in order to ask Him this ..

What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

Showing they had no comprehension whatsoever. They did not understand that Jesus/Yeshua was speaking of spiritual matters and it was an invitation to all who heard to enter into a relationship with Him that would result in eternal life. Sadly all they were looking for was unlimited free-meals. 

This is when Jesus/Yeshua makes the connection between the true Manna that comes from heaven and Himself.

John 6:35-36

 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

Why did He use the word manna to refer to himself?

the meaning of the Hebrew word Manna, 

 Usually we hear it said that manna translates as “WHAT IS IT?”

We spell or write it as Manna. 

The Hebrew letters used are MN – Mem and Nun once again the meanings are the fish, seed, life and water.

Pictorial Meaning of Manna

Mem

The Living Word of God
That comes down from Heaven
Like the rain

Exodus 16: 13b -14

And in the morning the dew lay round about the host.
And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.

Noon

LIFE

Jesus/Yeshua The Living Word of God
That comes down from Heaven
Like the rain…

to reverse the curse of sin and death

and bring Eternal Life!

John 6:32b
I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

There seems to be a the direct connection between Manna, the bread that came down from heaven, and the last two letters in the Hebrew word Faithful because the last two letters in the word Faithful are the two letters Mem Noon, the word for Manna.

Looking carefully at the words He said to them

recorded in John 6:32 and add in the hebrew letters alef mem nun

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my

Father

giveth you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven

and giveth life  unto the world.

Here is the meaning to the hidden puzzle we are meant to find when we read the first mention of Faithful.

John 6:35
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

The Manna that first descended from Heaven to earth was given a name with specific letters that would eventually open the door/dalet of understanding, revealing/apocalypse of a mystery. 

The One who came from Heaven has many names and He IS The true Manna.  Messiah, the Anointed One, Emmanuel, The Sinless, Spotless Lamb of God, also called Faithful and True in

Revelation 19:11a
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True,

Another fact that cannot be ignored is in Revelation 3:14
Messiah’s Name is also AMEN

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the AMEN, the FAITHFUL and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

the Hebrew word Amen is also spelled

AMN – Alef mem Nun

Recall this first use of the Hebrew word Faithful had the shadow of another One who was even more faithful than Moses in view. The One to come

in Deuteronomy 18:15 Moses says prophetically that God is going to raise up another prophet who is greater than himself who the children of Israel should listen to:

Deuteronomy 18:15
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

Shadow is revealed by Apostle Paul to be Yeshua Ha-Maschiach

Then in Hebrews 3:1-5. Paul tells us who that Prophet is none other than Jesus the Christ /Yeshua Ha-Mashiach.

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

In John 6:32 He reveals what the word faithful truly means and we can insert the Hebrew letters here too.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my

Father  

giveth you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is he which cometh down from

heaven

and giveth life  unto the world.

So the sum of this is He is the one that the Heavenly Father sent down from Heaven to give us eternal life. Jesus/Yeshua is that Manna sent from the Father. Jesus/Yeshua is the bread of life and Jesus/Yeshua is revealing He is literally faithful, not simply an attribute He IS Faithful. This is possible because the word FAITHFUL is used only one time in the entire Scripture as a personal pronoun. 

And because of the principle regarding the order of first mention spoken of earlier, which applies in all languages including the Hebrew, Greek, and English language, that means all other times the word is mentioned as a noun or adjective, the first mention supersedes them. Here is why we need to study to show ourselves approved unto the Lord… its only by digging for the pearls and treasures that we will find those truths that make us say WOW! (Worthy Of Worship!) and when His light shines on a verse making it even more precious we see with clear vision there is always more to the Word of God.

By comparison to our faithful Heavenly Father who sent His faithful Son to accomplish the salvation and deliverance of fallen, sinful man, everyone else pales in comparison. and all who are loyal, trustworthy and keep their words of promise cannot be compared to Him.

Final thoughts for a different perspective on AMEN AMN

How is amen connected to faithful?

Its what we usually say at the end of a prayer. There are several opinions on its meaning.. some say its so be it as an affirmation and agreement to what has been voiced in the preceding prayer.

We have also heard and maybe thought it has no specific meaning or is an acrostic abbreviation. We are all learning and no one person knows everything so we add another pearl of knowledge and understanding as line upon line precept upon precept.

Ahmein pronounced in hebrew

Amazingly AMEN is found 28 times in the Old Testament

Psalm 89:52
Blessed be YHVH for evermore. Amen, and Amen.

Hebrew word AMEN is found in the Greek and English translations of the New Testament 51 times.

1 Peter 5:11
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Now we must ask ourselves, what are we declaring every time we say AMEN at the end of a prayer to our Heavenly Father? We are in truth, proclaiming the fulfillment of the very first prophecy ever given to humanity and we are declaring that our Heavenly Father is faithful to keep His promise of a Redeemer; that which was given to Eve after the Fall and eviction from the Garden of Eden/GanEden. This is celebrated every time we say AMEN because Jesus/Yeshua has fulfilled that promise.

For more on Eden/pictographs click link below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/back-to-the-future-past/

Every time your spirit prompts you to say AMEN after receiving the words of life into your heart, we are proclaiming that our Faithful Heavenly Father sent His precious and only begotten Son from heaven to the earth in order to accomplish OUR Salvation.

Amen is the testimony that you have eternal life because

Yeshua became FAITHFUL.

The one name FAITHFUL and TRUE is only one sent from Heaven. He alone was given the power and authority to save humanity from the curse of sin and death and by the Faithful Spirit of Our Father, He freely gave the gift of Faith that guarantees eternal life, even though not one is deserving of such a gift.

Next time we read the word FAITHFUL it will take on a whole new meaning.

So what are we really saying?

the Hebrew word for AMEN is exactly the same word as the Hebrew word FAITHFUL; Aleph Mem Noon!

The word faithful in Hebrew pretty much means the same thing it does today. It describes someone who always does the right thing even when no one else is looking. This person will always be truthful and true. They’re filled with integrity and will hold up their end of the deal no matter the sacrifice.

The Lord is absolutely truthful and faithful.

It is derived from the Hebrew root having the basic meaning “to trust (a person),” or “to believe (a statement).”

This is the same root that gives us the word “amen.”

The derived meaning is that the one so described is trustworthy, dependable, trusting, or loyal. Moses was faithful in all God’s household (Numbers 12:7).

As well as being the Manna from Heaven

His Name is also Faithful

and Amen

Revelation 19:11a
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True.

Revelation 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

No surprise then that Yeshua/Jesus asks the question

When the Son of Man returns will He find faith on the earth?

He was speaking of Faithfulness in all its fullness!

If we are true disciples we will remain faithful to the last. These are the disciples who have not compromised nor wandered off the straight and narrow path but with perseverance patience and long suffering stay in the WAY.

Faithful is He who called you.

This is the ideal expression of Our Heavenly Father and of the Son

Who also vows I will not leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews amp

Lets make sure we are in a position to hear those cherished words well done thou good and faithful servant/disciple enter thou into the joy of the Lord

because

and

Faithfulness – AMN – is without doubt the seal/trademark/quality/characteristic/hallmark of a Talmidim/Disciple who follows their Master;

can we say amen AMN to that?

Most assuredly we can!

Amen and Amn!

Faithful to the end.

Shalom, Shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.

משפחה 

Mish-pa-KH

Thank you so much for taking the time to read the posts. If they have been a blessing and if you haven’t already, please sign up for free email notification, like, share and subscribe, it all helps to freely spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth and reaches others with His Truths.

Please Do Not leave this page without the surety in your heart that you know the faithfulness of Messiah in your life as the days draw ever closer to the end of the age..

NOT CERTAIN?

YOU CAN BE..

Make sure Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

Its all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and very precious in His sight.

He longs to give you the Shalom He paid the ultimate price for..

SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT 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.

 

 

Swords, Mountains and Gardens

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.

Sin is dealt with in the court where the Bronze altar and bronze laver were and the sacrifice was made..

we can now enter in sinless because of the blood of Messiah that is already on the Mercy seat between the cherubim/The kapporet.

We can enter in to His presence, His ruach hakodesh, His Holy Spirit as the wind/ breath of His presence; blowing the sweet fragrance of spices from His Garden. And with His presence filling the house (our bodies), the temple, the inner sanctuary, not the outer court or the inner court of the temple; but the Holy of Holies. (Jesus/Yeshua in the tabernacle); the sanctuary, which is the body in which we live.

The temple is the whole plan in a structure, where Gentiles/ heathen were welcome in the outer court; so it’s precise that we are the sanctuary of the Lord – His inner place of glory, ha makem of the Shekinah presence.

Ha Makem’- ‘The Place’-המקום

Psalm 27:5 is the pavilion, the safe shelter, the secret place of His tent.

Tent as in Mishkan, and Sukkot booths or tents; (temporary residence, also symbolic of the fact our bodies are temporary residences while here on earth.)

The fulfillment of Sukkot will be when He tabernacles with men forever.

The links to the Mishkan/Tabernacle, 3 Gardens and Sukkot, together with the Herev of The Lord, seems undeniable. Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is in everything we just have to know where to look!

It is only by passing through the

sword of the cherubim in Messiah,

the Word of God made flesh,

that we can enter the Garden

and the life of grace

that contains all the blessings

within the shalom of Messiah.

This is the WAY (back) as if we are accessing EDEN passing through the cherubim and the flaming sword/Herev.

The hope of His calling us, the sukkah of His shalom, the hashkiveinu (spread over us the tabernacle of your peace)…

Don’t leave this page without the certainty that you are able to pass through the cherubim and that you can enter into His Presence washed in the blood of the Lamb of God.

Shalom, Shalom!

Please don’t leave this page without making a decision.

Its all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and very precious in His sight.

He longs to give you the Shalom He paid the ultimate price for..

SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT 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.