Tag: Jacob

Why Did Amos Mention Bethel & Gilgal?

What is the significance of the place names

Bethel and Gilgal

that Amos speaks of in chapter 4:4?

Amos lists a lot of place names in his book and it was for a very specific reason.

 

Every name of a nation or town/city in the Bible, has some very significant meaning.

In verse 4 Amos mentions Bethel and Gilgal.

Amos 4:4
HEB: בֹּ֤אוּ בֵֽית־ אֵל֙ וּפִשְׁע֔וּ הַגִּלְגָּ֖ל
NAS: Enter Bethel and transgress; Gilgal
KJV: Come to Bethel, and transgress; Gilgal
INT: Enter Bethel and transgress Gilgal

 

Bethel in Hebrew אֵֽל

means:

House of God

Beth = house and El = God

Strongs 1008 Betheel: “house of God,”

a city in Ephraim, also a place in S. Judah

Original Word: בֵּית־אֵל
Transliteration: Betheel
Phonetic Spelling: (bayth-ale’)
Definition: “house of God”

 

Bethel was located about 11 miles north of Jerusalem near Ai. It was a major trading center, Bethel stood at a crossroads, with its north-south road passing through the central hill country from Hebron in the south to Shechem in the north, and its main east-west route leading from Jericho to the Mediterranean Sea.

Only Jerusalem is mentioned more frequently than Bethel in the Old Testament.

Bethel is first mentioned in the Bible in connection with Abram, who built an altar to God there: “From there [Abram] went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD” Genesis 12:8. After visiting Egypt, Abraham returned to Bethel and offered a sacrifice to God Genesis 13:3–4.

Originally named Luz Genesis 28:19; Judges 1:23, the city was renamed Bethel by Jacob after the patriarch experienced a remarkable dream there. While traveling from Beersheba to Haran to escape his brother Esau, Jacob stopped for the night in Luz. As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway or ladder that stretched up from earth to heaven. The angels were climbing up and down the ladder as God stood at the top Genesis 28:10–13. The Lord spoke and revealed Himself to Jacob as the God of his fathers. When Jacob awoke, he declared, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven” Genesis 28:17. Then Jacob set up a sacred pillar, named the place Bethel verses 18–19, and consecrated the site as a place to worship God verse 21.

Many years later, Jacob returned to Bethel, built an altar to God there, and called the place El-Bethel, which means “God of Bethel.”

Bethel remained one of the main worship centers of Israel.

The ark of the covenant was kept at Bethel for a time, and the people often went there to seek God during times of trouble. Judges 20:18–28.

The Bible says Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, was buried under an oak tree near Bethel, Genesis 35:8; and the better-known Deborah, judge of Israel, held court at a site between Ramah and Bethel. Judges 4:5.

During the time of the divided kingdoms, King Jeroboam of Israel established two temples for the northern kingdom, one at Bethel and the other at Dan. In these temples, he set up golden calves.       1 Kings 12:26–33.

The Lord God often sent prophets to preach at Bethel.

1 Kings 13:1–10.

Many of these prophets pronounced judgment and condemnation on Bethel as a center of idolatry.

Amos 3:14; 5:5–6; Hosea 10:15.

On Elijah’s last day of ministry on earth, he and Elisha encountered a company of prophets at Bethel. These prophets confirmed Elijah’s soon departure:

“Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.’ But Elisha said, ‘As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel. The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, ‘Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?’ ‘Yes, I know,’ Elisha replied, ‘so be quiet’” 2 Kings 2:2–3).

Elisha refused to leave Elijah. He was committed to receiving the older prophet’s mantle and did not want to miss the blessing.

Gilgal in Hebrew is: גִּלְגָּל,

also known as

Galgala or

Galgalatokai of the 12 Stones

Original Word: גִּלְגָּל
Transliteration: Gilgal
Phonetic Spelling: ghil-gawl’
Definition: “circle (of stones)“

Greek: Γαλαγα or

Γαλγαλατοκαι Δωδεκαλίθων, Dōdekalithōn,

The Gilgal near Jericho is the Gilgal most frequently mentioned in Scripture.

According to Joshua 4:19

after he and the Israelites crossed the river,

Gilgal

was the first place that the Israelites camped in the Holy Land.

Joshua 4:19
The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.

It was here 12 memorial stones taken from the bed of the river, were set up by Joshua, after the miraculous crossing of the Jordan.

One stone to represent each of the twelve tribes.

When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Pick twelve men from the people, one man per tribe. 3 Command them, ‘Pick up twelve stones from right here in the middle of the Jordan, where the feet of the priests had been firmly planted. Bring them across with you and put them down in the camp where you are staying tonight.’” Joshua 4:1-3

Joshua 4:19
The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.

Joshua 4:20
Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.

Joshua 5:9
Yahweh said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you.” Therefore the name of that place was called Gilgal, to this day.

Joshua 5:10
The children of Israel encamped in Gilgal. They kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho. 

 

Gilgal means:

circle, rolling together or

uniting with God. 

Where Gilgal means ‘a rolling’; it is indicating that something is rolled off you which actually oppressed you. We need not let our past failures hang over us, we need to let the past go and move forward into the future.

Both of the names express the picture of a place of worship, a memorial place where Gods presence was; and a place to praise Him.

In that time when Amos was called by the Lord God to prophesy His message to the Israelites, both of these places were locations where people travelled to experience the presence of God. From historical references it would seem that these were equal to the venues for convention/conference centers or places for retreats today.

Bethel and Gilgal were popular destinations as a gathering place for good teaching, prophesies and miracle services/meetings and 1000’s of people travelled there from miles away, to join in worship to God and to have a time of fellowship.

Why did Amos focus on Bethel and Gilgal? What was wrong with these places?

What did Amos mean to come to Bethel and transgress/sin and Gilgal multiply your transgressions/sins?

The word transgress is Pasha

which means: to Rebel or offend.

Strongs 6586 – pasha: to rebel, transgress

Original Word: פָשַׁע
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: pasha
Phonetic Spelling: paw-shah’
Definition: to rebel, transgress

This transgression is an offense in the speaking of divine power and spiritual insight.

Amos then says go to gilgal and multiply your transgressions.

A word for multiply is ravah – רָוָה

This is the idea of: abundance, increasing or making great, to be saturated, drink one’s fill – but interestingly, in its semitic root, it has the idea of wearing something around your neck as a necklace as a symbol of pride.

These days many gang leaders and popular worldly music stars and celebrities often wear thick, heavy, gold or silver chains around their necks. Pridefully displaying the popularity, wealth and social standing they have achieved.

In Amos day what was taking place at Bethel and Gilgal turned into what we would call a ‘spiritual county fair’ or ‘amusement theme park’. It had become a place where all the prophets, rabbis/teachers gathered together with the, ‘teacher-prophet wannabees,’ all displaying their assumed spirituality and giftings for everyone to admire. It had become a place to show off how spiritually mature one was, replete with spiritual charisma and ‘anointings’ designed to impress others and to give astounding testimonies to back up their claims. This became an opportunity for people to try and ‘out-do’ one another as spiritual giants; and by this, it became a place where people wore their spiritual pride like a necklace for all to see and admire. They had descended into idolatry and spiritual adultery and another aspect of this idolatry showed in the early mornings where sacrifices could be seen by everyone and the unnecessary tithes that were offered were publicly displayed.

The bitter ironic words the prophet uses seemingly calling Israel to the calf-worship of Bethel, and to the similar rites of illegitimate Jehovah-worship at Gilgal are clear in these verses. Both of these locations were full of sacred associations and Holy encounters with the Most High God.  In the english version of the scripture the words for “three years” read every three days. The Torah/law only required a tithe every third year (Deuteronomy 26:12); but here Amos is admonishing the people, pointing out the irony in their overwhelming generosity to the priests and false sanctuaries; and because of the translation, the sarcastic force of the passage is diminished.

Amos was not condemning the places themselves, but rather what was happening in those locations.

It was about people who spent so much time and energy trying to have ‘a new thrill’ or ‘experience’ or ‘a new revelation’, that they devoted little to no time in seeking after Gods heart. He was making a point to remind them that in times past, these two cities were known as being places where Gods’ Holy presence was. However, in the days when Amos was called to prophesy, many of the people who made the pilgrimage to both places had a personal motive and agenda, wanting to promote themselves by drawing attention away from the One True God. This was what Amos was required to speak out about, a call to repent from spiritual idolatry, false worship, faithlessness and adultery.

May we all check ourselves carefully, and identify the real reason we are attending conferences and retreats the next time we are planning to visit a Bethel or a Gilgal. Let’s be sure that our motive is to seek our Heavenly Fathers face, and not the popular speaker; but to be in His presence seeking His heart. We need to be drawing near to the altars of repentance, humility and selfless service, not man made altars with false idols and other gods of self aggrandizement. Let’s make sure we are not doing what Amos called going to Bethel and transgressing or going to Gilgal and wearing displaying those sins around our necks.

 

Shalom aleikhem

chaverim and mishpachah!

Peace to friends and family.

 

Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.

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

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

You are very precious in His sight.

Not sure ..you can be…

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.

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

The Man The Tribe The Land – Yisrael/Israel – Prophetic In Every Way Part 3

The Land

Eretz  land  אֶרֶץ

Yisrael

pronounced: Iss-rah-el

The term

Land of Israel

is a direct translation of the Hebrew phrase

ארץ ישראל ‎ 

Eretz Yisrael,

which occasionally occurs in the Bible,

and is first mentioned in the

Tanakh/Old Testament in

1 Samuel 13:19,

following the Exodus, when the

Israelite tribes were already in the

Land of Canaan.

The Name Yisrael means

God strives,

it is another name of Jacob and his descendants.

ישראל

Strongs 3478

Original Word: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrael
Phonetic Spelling: yis-raw-ale’

The name Israel was first introduced in the Bible in

Gen. 32:29. “And he said, ‘Your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for as a prince you have power with God and with men.

The study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history is called Etymology.

The roots of the word Yisrael come From the verb

sarah  שרה sara:

to become rigid from the retention of liquidity,

and

 the word

el אל

 God.

and from (1) the verb

ישר yashar, to be upright,

and (2) the word אל  ‘el, God.

This name has been translated several different ways including:

he wrestles with God,

Prince of God,

he struggles with God,

and several others.

The name Israel

is actually a complete sentence in one word.

The name has three components –

Y, SR and AL.

The Y is a prefix meaning he.

The AL usually pronounced as

el is the Hebrew word for God.

The SR is the part that seems to have caused

most of the problems in translation.

The Hebrew word

SR

literally means

turn the head.

It is often translated as

prince or ruler

one who turns the head of the people.

The feminine form of this word is SRH or Sarah.

Abraham’s wife Sarah was very beautiful

and probably

turned the head 

of the men who saw her.

Another word related to

SR is yasar

meaning discipline.

When you discipline your children you are

turning their head

from a path of bad to a path of good.

Because the Y is in front of the word SR 

we know that this is a verb and not a noun, this is standard Hebrew grammar; and can literally be translated as

he turns the head of God.

It can be understood that when Israel, either Jacob or his descendants; speaks to God, as the Father of Israel, He stops what He is doing and turns to His son and says

What do you want My son.

Today’s name is the Hebrew name of the

Land of Israel,

E•retz Yis•ra•el.

The word

a•retz

is the general word for

land,

and eretz

becomes more specific, and it means

the land of.

The Land of Israel is one of several names for an area of indefinite geographical extension in the Middle East. Related biblical, religious, and historical English terms/names include:

the Land of Canaan,

the Promised Land,

the Holy Land, and 

Palestine.

The land was called other names before being named Israel and through the centuries, the territory was known by a variety of other names, including

Canaan,

Djahy,

Samaria ,

Judea,

Yehud,

Iudaea,

Syria Palaestina

and Southern Syria.

Because of geopolitical reasons, the boundaries of

Eretz Yisrael

and, hence, the final borders of the

State of Israel,

have not yet been agreed upon between Israel and its neighbors.

The major obstacles are the territories of Judea and Samaria, which are claimed by the Palestinians as their land.

Biblically, these areas are under the definition of the

Land of Israel,

and especially those which comprise of major large parts of Jerusalem.

The official name of

Israel

in

Hebrew

is

 מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל ‎,

Medīnat Yisrā’el

or the

State of Israel.

And upon gaining independence in 1948,

the country formally adopted the name.

Israel has been the name of an ethnic group in the Levant going back at least 3200 years, based on the first known mention of the name in the written record, which was in ancient Egypt.

Based on the Bible itself, the ancient peoples of the Levant were generally named for their progenitors.

For example,

the smaller southern

kingdom of Judah

is named for Judah,

the son of Jacob.

The Levant

is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia

with its islands

and neighboring countries.

In this post we have seen

the prophetic nature of

Israel

The Man – The Tribe – The Land 

in scripture

as in just how many prophecies have been fulfilled, not least that of Isaiah; in chapter 35:1-2,

the prophet said that although Israel would become a desolate land, its deserts would one day bloom again. Isaiah lived about 2,700 years ago.

He declared that the wasteland will come to life and recent rains in Israel have caused the deserts to bloom, just as Isaiah prophesied!

 

These prophesies confirm and reaffirm

YHWH

Yehovehs

hand is on His chosen place and people spiritually and physically; and leaving no doubt that as each one has been fulfilled to date that everyone yet incomplete will be, in His perfect timing.

15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

Exodus 3:15

https://www.minimannamoments.com/i-will-put-my-name-here/

His ways are not our ways and His thoughts not as ours.

As it’s only within the confines of the physical earth realm that we experience time constraints; the hour of His revealing will no doubt come as a thief in the night to the unprepared.

He has given us His Word both written and in Messiah Who was His Word made flesh.

Everything is written for our understanding so we should not be surprised or fearful of how He concludes His plan and the events of the end of the age. We are clearly given the signs/signals of their unfolding in His teaching about the very last days before His return, He told His disciples to watch Israel/Yisrael and the increasing interest that other nations show in her, as a sign/signal of His coming:

When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that it will soon be destroyed….

This is recorded in Matthew 25, Mark 16 and Luke as well as in His Revelation in the Brit Chadashah /the new Testament; and by all the Prophets in the Tanakh/the old Testament.

 

Surely the end times began as Yeshua/Jesus’ physical earthly life ended. The religious leaders and many others missed the day of their visitation. It seems crazy that all the prophets had told them ahead of time what to look for, that they did not see it, and recognize the events unfolding before their very eyes as literal prophecy was being fulfilled in real time.

But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.

And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 2 Cor.3:14.

2000+ years later let’s be sure that we do not miss the signs/signals of His imminent return according to His Word and specifically those of Yeshua/Jesus recorded in

Matthew, Mark, Luke and Rev.

For as certain as those we have just looked at have already come to pass; so will every word ..

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. Matthew 5:18.

Maranatha  – Come Lord Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach

The cup of indignation of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Yisrael is full.

Once more it is at critical measure and the earth is again filled with violence as in the days of Noe/Noah and Lot. This time He is not sending a flood but fire and He is coming as judge to those who have rejected Him, His Son, and His offer of forgiveness and redemption.

The compensation is that on seeing Him,

the scripture says

all Israel/Yisrael will be saved

for they shall look upon the one they pierced.

As the veil is removed from their eyes.

Mishpachah’

Family

משפחה

Mish-pa-KHa

we are grafted in to spiritual Israel;

A Jew is not one

outwardly

but

inwardly

and there is no scripture that demands anyone convert to the religion of Judaism. The words of Jesus/Yeshua are clear..

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly,

nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 

but he is a Jew who is one inwardly;

and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose [a]praise is not from men but from God.

Romans 2:28

Let’s remain humble and thankful in a

repentant attitude of heart and mind.

In the midst of the worlds chaos

we must stay in that place of true shalom/peace.

As Job said,

I know that my redeemer lives

and He is returning for

His Bride

and we are

His Kallat Mashiach

His K’doshiym – His Holy Ones.

Israel/Yisrael is the apple of His eye

His land

His first fruits

it is where

He chose to put His Name. 

https://www.minimannamoments.com/i-will-put-my-name-here/

And it is His focus for timed events to unfold.

So do NOT be afraid or dismayed when events concerning Yerushalyim/Jerusalem are in front of our eyes and she is surrounded by her enemies once again.

Luke 21:20

According to scripture all

These things must take place; and when

is trodden underfoot for 42 months,

remember…

it was prophesied,

and so it will happen.

He is cleansing

His House – Beit El

and Mt Moriah;

it begins with the house of God.

1Pet 4:17 So, Judgment begins in the house of God

means:

That discipline begins in the house of God.

Accountability begins in the house of God.

Weeding (holiness; separation) begins in the house of God.

Time to circumcise our hearts….Because

The Man The Tribe The Land Yisrael/Israel

IS Truly

Prophetic In Every Way..

His will be done His kingdom come both in the earth and in our individual lives…

 

Shalom shalom

‘Mishpachah’

‘Family/Tribe’

משפחה

Mish-pa-KHa,

friends, visitors and every reader…

Please don’t leave this page before making certain you are His

and are truly born from above.

Know of a certainty that Jesus/Yeshua is

your Redeemer, Savior, Lord

and soon returning King

and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

It’s all about Life and Relationship, not Religion.

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus 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 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 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.  Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

The Man The Tribe The Land Yisrael Israel Prophetic In Every Way Part 2

Last post we looked at the origin of the name

Israel/Yisrael

and that it began with a man called

Yaakov/Jacob.

Yaaqob  יעקב,

Y A K B

Pronounced: Ya’ah’kov

(Remember the Hebrew letters b and v are interchangeable)

When we think or speak of

Israel/Yisrael

ישראל

pronounced: Iss-rah-el

we instinctively refer to Israel the country

and not how it came into being.

Continuing our theme the next part focuses on

Israel/Yisrael

ישראל – the tribe.

The tribe of Israel began with

Jacob/Israels’children,

who are known as

Israelites

Jacob had 12 sons

(Joseph had 2 sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were included by Jacob into the family tribes making 13 altogether. In various scripture references some of the names are omitted and others added e.g. Dan is not listed in Revelation, however the number seems to always add up to 12. )

They became the tribes of Israel.

Shivtei Yisrael

 שבטי ישראל‎ 

His children and subsequent generations continue even to today.

We looked at the tribes in a previous post

Link below

https://www.minimannamoments.com/21-12-21-12-12-12-12-12-12-conclusion/

His parents are Isaac and Rebekah;

Genesis 25,

and his grandparents are Abraham and Sarah.

The nation of Israel came from

4 matriarchs.

Leah and her servant Zilpah,

Leah’s sister Rachel and her servant Bilhah.

Their 12 sons would become the patriarchs of the 12 tribes of the nation of Israel.

Israel’s 1st born son is Reuben.

Rueben – see a son

ראובן – Ra-Ah-Wa-Ban

Genesis 29:32.

His mother is Leah. Reuben forfeits his station of 1st-born son when he sleeps with Bilhah, the mother of his two half-brothers Dan and Naphtali. Gen. 35:22.

Israel’s 2nd son is Simeon, also with Leah

Simeon Affliction heard

שמעון – Sha-Ma-I-Wan

Gen 29:33 49:5-7

Simeon forfeits his position in the family/tribe when he and his brother Levi revenge the rape of their sister Dinah by Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite. Gen. 34:2;

by killing every male living in the city of Hamor. Genesis 34:25.

Israel’s 3rd son is Levi, also with Leah.

LEVI joined to me

לוי – La-Way

Gen. 29:34 49:5-7

He also gives up his position on the family, along with his brother Simeon.

 

Israel’s 4th son is Judah 

Judah praised most high

יהודה – Ya-Ha-Wa-Dah

Gen. 29:35 49:8

Due to the crimes of his three older brothers, Judah rises to inheritance position of ‘firstborn’.

The land of Judah is central to Israel, and the capital of Israel, Yerushalyim/Jerusalem, was situated in Judah. King David was from Judah, and Joseph, the father-by-law of Yeshua/Jesus was from Judah as well.

By the time of Yeshua/Jesus, the name Judah has been applied to the Roman province of Judea, and the Israelites who made it out of the Babylonian exile became collectively known as Jews, meaning those of Judea.

The 5th son of Israel is Dan.

Gen.30:6.

His mother is Bilhah, the servant of Rachel

Gen.30:4.

The 6th son of Israel is Naphtali, also with Bilhah.

Naphtali my wrestling

נפתלי – Na-Pa-Tha-Lay

Gen 30:8 49:21

Israel’s 7th son is Gad 

Gad troop

גד- Gad

Gen. 30:11 49:19

Gad’s mother is Zilpah, the servant of Leah.

Gen.30:9.

 

Israel’s 8th son is Asher

Asher happy

אשר – Ah-Shar

Gen. 30:13 49:20

Asher’s mother is Zilpah as well.

 

The Twelve Tribes of Israel

Hebrew:

שבטי ישראל ‎,

Shivtei Yisrael,

the breastplate had to be worn to atone for the sins of the children of Israel. These twelve stones also correlate to the foundation of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 

Deuteronomy 27:12–13 lists the twelve tribes:

Reuben (Hebrew רְאוּבֵן‎ ‎ Rəʼūḇēn)

Simeon ( שִׁמְעוֹן‎ ‎ Šīməʻōn)

Levi ( לֵוִי‎ ‎ Lēwī)

Judah ( יְהוּדָה‎ ‎ Yəhūdā)

Issachar ( יִשָּׂשכָר‎ ‎ Yīssāšḵār)

Zebulun ( זְבוּלֻן‎ ‎ 

Dan (דָּן‎‎ Dān)

Naphtali (נַפְתָּלִי‎‎ Nap̄tālī)

Gad (גָּד‎‎ Gāḏ) Asher (אָשֵׁר‎‎ ’Āšēr)

Benjamin (בִּנְיָמִן‎‎ Bīnyāmīn)

Joseph (יוֹסֵף‎‎ Yōsēp̄),

later split into two “half-tribes”:

Ephraim (אֶפְרַיִם‎‎ ’Ep̄rayīm)

Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה‎‎ Mənašše)

Israel’s 9th son is Issachar,

Leah’s 5th son

Issachar he is hired

יששכר – Ya-Sha-Sha-Kar

Gen. 30:18 49:14

 

Israel’s 10th son is Zebulun,

Leah’s 6th son

Zebulon dwelling

זבולן- Za-Ba-Wa-Lan

Gen. 30:20 49:13

Israel’s 11th child was a girl.

Her name is Dinah and her mother is Leah

Gen.30:21.

Israel’s 11th son is Joseph. His mother is Rachel.

Gen.30:24.

In time, the tribe of Joseph breaches in two sub-tribes, named after Joseph’s two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. Their mother’s name is Asenath.

Ephraim fruitful

אפרים – Ah-Pa-Ra-Yam

Gen. 41:52

Manasseh  made to forget

מנשה – Ma-Na-Shah

Gen.41:50-52.

 

Israel’s 12th son is Ben-oni or Benjamin. 

Benjamin son of the right

בנימין- Ba-Na-Ya-Ma-Yan

Gen 35:16-18 49:27.

The name Israel/Yisrael appears also frequently in the Brit Chadashah/New Testament, 78 times in 12 of the 27 books; Specifically in the 4 Gospels, Acts, the letters of Paul (where he said he was a Hebrew of the Hebrews), and Revelation.

In Greek, Israel is spelled Ισραηλ, and the ethnonym.

Israelite in Greek is spelled Ισραηλιτης and appears 9 times.

The Jewish people are referred to by many different names in the Bible.

They are called:

Israelites,

Jews,

Hebrews, 

children of Abraham,

Daughter Zion,

God’s chosen people, etc.

One of the most common names for the Jewish people in the Bible is Israelites.

A second common name for the Jewish people is Jews.

The word Jew comes from the term Judah, the leading tribe of Israel.

A Jew was, literally,

one from the land of Judah,

although the word later came to be applied to any Israelite, regardless of the tribe to which he belonged. The first occurrence of the word Jew in the Old Testament is in Esther 2:5 where Mordecai is called Mordecai the Jew.

Another common name for the Jewish people is Hebrews. The first mention of a Hebrew in the Bible is Genesis 14:13

where Abraham is called Abram the Hebrew.

The term Hebrew is the same word used for both the language and the people.

It is עברי. Ivri or Ibri

pronounced Erverh

and literally means:

from the other side

and also means:

to pass through to the other side

or one crossed over.

Related to Abraham crossing over from his fathers home of idol worship to follow the call of the One True and Living God. Then prophetically to the crossing over of the Reed Sea out of Egypt and again across the Jordan River into the Promised Land/Canaan/Yisrael; and to our future crossing over into the spiritual Promised Land of the Heavenlies.

IVRI

The script used in the Torah scrolls is the original

Ktav Ivrit which was revealed to

Avraham Avinu who was the first 

Ivri-Hebrew.

 

This script is the one with which God created the world.

The proper pronunciation in the native language of the ancient Israelites’ designation, commonly known, as Hebrew in English is IVRI 

pronounced Erh-Verh.

Many believe Hebrew in this context is related to Eber, an ancestor of Abraham mentioned in Genesis 11:14–16.

Independent of the term’s meaning, its original connection is with Abraham as founder of the Jewish people.

The apostle Paul addressed the Jews in Antioch using this term in Acts 13:26;  Romans 9:7.

Children of Abraham, points to the relationship between

Abraham and the Jewish people.

Yeshua/Jesus and Paul both called upon Jews not only to be

children of Abraham by birth,

but to imitate the faith of Abraham.

John 8:39–40; Romans 4.

The term,

Daughter Zion,

is found in many prophetic books and is

a poetic reference to the nation of Israel.

Often, the passages containing

Daughter Zion or daughter of Zion

deal with the redemption and salvation of the remnant of Yisrael/Israel, especially in the context of the coming of the Messiah/Mashiach.

Zephaniah 3:14; Lamentations 4:22;

Micah 4:8; Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 52:2.

In the TaNaKh/Old Testament,

God’s chosen people

is another name for the Israelites

1 Kings 3:8; Isaiah 47:6; 65:9.

This term highlights the fact that the Israelites/Jews/Hebrews have had a special purpose and calling from the time of Abraham to the time of the Messiah, and according to scripture, they will again be central in God’s plan for the future, fulfilling all prophecy.

 

You are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. Deuteronomy 7:6.

God promised a blessing to all the people of the world through the descendants of Abraham. Genesis 12:1–3.

Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ,

of the tribe of

Judah,

was born in Bethlehem/Beit lechem,

and resided in Nazareth of Galilee.

The Man The Tribe The Land Yisrael Israel Prophetic In Every Way

continues in Part 3

 

Shalom shalom

‘Mishpachah’

‘Family/Tribe’

משפחה

Mish-pa-KHa,

friends, visitors and every reader…

Please don’t leave this page before making certain you are His

and are truly born from above.

Know of a certainty that Jesus/Yeshua is

your Redeemer, Savior, Lord

and soon returning King

and that you have a personal relationship

with our Heavenly Father and with Him.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

It’s all about Life and Relationship, not Religion.

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus 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 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 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.  Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen.