The son of Joash the Abiezrite was Gideon, the fifth judge of Israel
And the name Jerubaal was given to Gideon when he destroyed his father’s Baal altar at Ophrah.
The name
Jerubbaal
is a combination of two Hebrew words:
the first is
riyb or rub,
which means literally
to grapple
and holds the figurative meaning
to wrangle
or
to hold a controversy.
From (1) the verb ריב (rib), to contend,
ריב
This very common verb ריב (rib) means
to strive or contend
and ranges from
a mere bickering to full scale combat.
Noun ריב (rib) means
strife, dispute or plea.
Noun יריב (yarib) denotes
an opponent or adversary.
Noun מריבה (meriba) refers to
a place or agent of strife or contention.
and
The second is the proper noun
Baal, the name of the Phoenician god
that Gideon contended against.
the verb בעל – ba’al, to be lord.
The verb ba’al
בעל
means to exercise dominion over;
to own, control or be lord over.
The noun ba’al means
lord, master and even husband,
and its feminine counterpart
ba’ala
means mistress or landlady.
Jerubbaal/Gideon, had seventy sons by several wives, and he had one son, named Abimelech, by his servant girl, or his concubine. Gideon, as one of the judges in Israel, was a true servant leader, as were all of the judges of Israel, in those days.
גדעון
Gidon: a judge of Israel.
Original Word: גִּדְעוֹן.
Part of Speech:
Proper Name Masculine.
Transliteration: Gidon.
Phonetic Spelling: (ghid-ohn’)
The name Gideon comes from the Hebrew verb
גדע
gada’
meaning
to hew down or cut off:
mostly of religious regalia and holy trees.
There are no nouns formed from this verb,
suggesting that whatever was cut off,
was no longer discussed and
even cut off from speech itself.
The waw/vav-nun/noon extension
of the name Gideon
denotes a personification of the verb:
he who does what the verb means.
His name is connected with his occupation, that is,
Transliteration: Gedeón. Phonetic Spelling: (ghed-eh-own’) Definition: Gideon, an Israelite. Usage:Gideon, one of the Judges of Israel.
The account in Judges tells us that when Israel was experiencing invasive attacks for 7 years by the Midianites, an angel of YeHoVeH appeared to Gideon.
When the angel of the Lord first met Gideon he was hiding out in a winepress threshing wheat – Judges 6:11.
You don’t thresh wheat in a winepress.
The threshing floor stood in the open,
the winepress was usually below ground or in a low area,
a place where someone could easily hide
which Scripture tells us Gideon was actually doing, hiding or fleeing.
At that time, the Midianites were in control in Israel who had no standing army, There was no one to lead an army against the Midianites who were a well armed band of mercenaries who would suddenly appear and raid the Israelites homes killing everyone in that town or city and take what they wanted and destroying the crops on the land, It was a horrible time for the children of Israel and they lived in perpetual fear of an enemy attack that would come without warning. This scenario could be likened to the nations in the world today Many are living in constant fear of attack from both a seen and an unseen enemy such as a virus.
As is the case in most places where people have faith in the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob/Israel, some were on their knees, some interceding by weeping and petitioning in prayer. However, Gideon was not praying, his attitude needed an adjustment because, when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and announced he was a great and mighty warrior (verse 12) his response was to ask why has God forsaken us, why are we being tormented by these Midianites, where are all the miracles, the promises of God? Many are asking that question today and God is answering, we just need to listen and pay more attention to what He is saying. First, the angel of the Lord said that God had called him to deliver Israel and that He would be with Gideon and would empower him (verse 14). Gideon’s response was not exactly full of faith! (verse 15). The second time the Angel of the Lord reassures him in verse 16.
This was still not enough for Gideon and he asks for a sign in verse 17. Gideon prepared an offering and the Angel of the Lord touched it with his staff and immediately it burst into flames.
Gideon was so impressed that he became fearful that he had just seen God Himself and might die. Due to the belief that if anyone saw God they would die or you were dead. However Gideon now had enough confidence to confront the Midianites pagan god and tear down the idol of the and offer a sacrifice to God on the same place.
Judges 6:11-24
The angel of the LORD came and sat down – under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite,
where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites
and instructed him to cut down the altar of Baal that same night
and to destroy the nearby
image of Asherah, אשרה אשירה
plural, אשרים or Asherim
a primary Canaanite goddess namely אשרות or Asheroth.
Judges 3:7, & Judges 6:25.
In the Bible, Asherah is mostly associated with
sacred trees or poles Exodus 34:13, Judges 6:25.
When the people who lived there found their shrines destroyed the next day, it didn’t take them long to find out who had done it.
They went to Joash and demanded that he surrender his son Gideon, because they wanted to execute him.
Joash responded by saying that if Baal wants his revenge, they would be foolish to ruin his pleasure by killing Gideon before their god could get him. He cleverly challenged them by saying that if Baal was truly a god, Baal would contend with Gideon, and if he were not, then Gideon would contend with Baal!
This is why Joash named his son Jerubbaal.
The people were not worshipping the one true God and their false gods and idols had to be removed before they could have victory over their enemies.
This is true for believers in Yeshua today we are to tear down any altars we have made to anything or anyone else in our lives. Putting our Heavenly father first place in everything we do is essential in walking a victorious life by His spirit.
After that Gideon goes after the Midianites and the other members of the Eastern Coalition. 32,000 men from Israel joined up for the battle, after God instructs Gideon to separate out the chosen ones only 300 remain.
He gives the 300 each a trumpet, a pitcher and a torch and at midnight they attack because of their unusual approach it caused the Midianites to stampede. As they fled, Gideon summoned the entire Israeli army and they pursued them, killing their leaders and 120,000 swordsmen.
Judges 7:15, 20: The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword of the LORD and of Gideon!”
After Gideon’s victory over Midian, Israel remains undisturbed for 40 years. When Gideon dies, his son Abimelech takes the office of Judge of Israel.
Gideon had 72 sons, namely Abimelech, the seventy brothers he killed, and Jotham who got away.
Paul mentions Gideon in his letter to the Hebrews 11:32
calling him a hero of the faith spelled Γεδεων, Gedeon
There is much more to the story of Gideon but for the purpose of this post there are 2 points one is in 6:34 where
Gideon was filled with fear and even after five miracles he still needed help to overcome his fears. But there is a reason that He delivered a nation, that God gave him a wonderful victory and restored his land:
He was obedient.
He prayed,
he called out to God
and ultimately let God take charge
so that the world could see this deliverance
was from God and God alone.
echil gbur
masterful man of the valor
translated as
mighty man of valor
If as the scripture says
He
meaning God
put on Gideon
then it would seem clear that His Ruach haKodesh
filled Gideons spirit;
both his inner man as well as his physical body.
Reading it one more time
God PUT ON and wrapped Himself in Gideon!
And as the meanings above say,
like He was putting on a garment of clothing
which really seems like
God was wearing Gideon!
Hebrew for PUT ON…
Our bodies cannot function without us inside them so as we are born again by His spirit the scripture tells us Yeshua said,
I and My Father will come to live abide IN you!
If He is inside us then He is wearing us too!
With this thought a inexplicable spiritual reality and His ways not being our ways shouldn’t we then be walking in all manner of holiness.
Christ in us the hope of glory! So when we think are we wearing God as His representative
or is it that like Gideon,
He is wearing us.
This gives another aspect of the things Yeshua said about not being concerned or anxious about what we shall wear, our physique, what we look like or following the fashion.
Fashion is nothing more than the worlds attempt at beautifying the flesh.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. Romans 7:18
and this is a liberating message. Gender,skin tone, shape size weak strong, its all physical and temporary. We will not be taking these bodies with us.
The new ones we are promised may not be exactly as we are now for even Mary did not recognize Messiah in His glorified form outside the tomb until He called her by name (Jn 20:14-16).
This flesh will die, it’s not acceptable in any form to the Father; flesh is full of decay as a result of sin. We must look beyond what our senses say and walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. Yes be a good steward of your mode of transportation and means to fulfill the Lords will for our lives. Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness and we need to feed it healthy food just as we feed our spirits on His life giving word.
We are filled with His Ruach which is joined to our own.
YaHoVeH PUT ON Gideon.
He had prophetically called him mighty man
and then like a garment He put Gideon on!
Conclusion in Part 2
May His true Shalom/Peace
rest upon each one in Jesus/Yeshuas’ Name.
‘Mishpachah’ ‘Family’
משפחה
Mish-pa-KHa
you are greatly loved and prayed for daily..
NOT SURE if you are part of His Family?
YOU CAN BE..
Say the following and mean it from your heart…
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 came in the flesh and 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 in my spirit 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 background to the story is that of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, a relatively good, God-fearing King, but he made a critical mistake by making an alliance with the wicked son of Ahab, Jehoram.
2Kings 3:5-24
But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So at that time King Joram….7 sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?”
Israel was at war with the Moabites but their king had led them in a roundabout route for 7 days, leaving them with no water and dwindling hope.
Kings 3:9-26, 9 “So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched on that roundabout route seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. 10 And the king of Israel said, “Alas!
King Jehoshaphat
המלך יהושפט
Yehoshaphat.
Phonetic Spelling: (yeh-ho-shaw-fawt’)
Definition: the LORD has judged or
Yah Hath Judged/Yahweh Has Judged/The Lord Judges.
The name Jehoshaphat consists of two elements:
1) The name יה(Yah) = יהו(Yahu) = יו(Yu), which in turn are abbreviated forms of the Tetragrammaton; the name of the Lord: YHWH.
2) The verb שפט (shapat), meaning to judge or govern:
King Jehoshaphat plan was to try to take over the land of Moab…but as we know, the end doesn’t justify the means. The plan backfired on him and he found himself with thousands of soldiers and animals and no water.
God never wants us to align ourselves in a common goal with wickedness, those not walking in covenant relationship with Him.
Both old and new testaments remind us
32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. Exodus 23:32-33
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 2 Cor. 6:14
Jehoshaphat had not done right in terms of separating himself from unbelievers, and it ended up costing his people because now their very lives were in danger.
Having commanded some 40,000 men to march 7 days over a hot desert with minimal food and water.
When his options had run out, he finally decides to go to the man of God for counseling; this should have been his first action along with seeking the Lord for His direction. He realized he needed to separate from them, and yet there is no water…
What was the answer to his dilemma?
“Let’s consult ELISHA, a prophet and a man of God to inquire of him. He knows about water. He poured water on the hands of Elijah.”
And Jehoshaphat said, Whether any prophet of the Lord is here, (so) that we (can) beseech the Lord by him? And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, Elisha, the son of Shaphat, is here, that poured water upon the hands of Elijah (Elisha, the son of Shaphat, is here, who poured water upon Elijah’s hands). 2Kings 3:11
Elisha
אלישע
Modern: ʼElīšaʻ, My God is salvation or
God is salvation
Greek: Ἐλισ[σ]αῖος, Elis[s]aîos or Ἐλισαιέ, Elisaié)
So they did, however, the answer was probably not what they were expecting because…..
Sometimes He asks us to be a part of His solutions….
and sometimes in rather strange and unusual ways.
Elisha says:
2Kings 3:15-17
15 But now bring me a musician.”. Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Make this valley full of [ a]ditches.’ 17 For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’.
This word “valley” in the Hebrew is
ואדי
“wadi“,
which is a “dry riverbed
More Hebrew words for wadi.
noun וָאדִי.
gully, ravine.
noun נַחַל. s
tream, river, brook, valley, ravine.
“Cherith, Kerith (Hebrew: נַחַל כְּרִית Naḥal Kərīṯ), or sometimes Chorath (/ ˈ k ɔːr ɑː θ /; from the Septuagint’s Greek: Χειμάῤῥους Χοῤῥάθ cheimárrhous Chorrháth), is the name of a wadi, or intermittent seasonal stream mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.
Now bring me a minstrel/musician… One that can sing and play well upon an instrument of music.
He sent for a minstrel, possibly to calm his mind from the impressions of the physical problem and having been disturbed at the sight of idolatrous Jehoram,
the soft tones of the lyre/harp brought composure to his mind and soul so that he might be inspired to more fervent prayer, and thereby be prepared to receive the prophetic inspiration.
When the musician played, the hand of the Lord came on him and his spirit gave instructions to work the miracle.
minstrel
2 Kings 3:15 HEB:קְחוּ־ לִ֣י מְנַגֵּ֑ן וְהָיָה֙ כְּנַגֵּ֣ן NAS: bring me a minstrel. And it came KJV: But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel
also
נָגַן Nagan
Phonetic Spelling: naw-gan’
Definition. to touch or play a stringed instrument. NASB Translation. minstrel (1), minstrel played (1), musician
Strongs #5059
2 Kings 3:16-18 “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands.“
God lays it on Elisha’s heart what
He,
the Lord,
will do to rescue them:
All they have to do is dig some ditches!
Why?
It sounds completely crazy!
So Why? ….
Because God said to.
Even though He said in v. 17 there won’t be storms or rain!
…but
there’ll be water…
God has spoken.
Dig ditches…..
תְעָלָה
ditch, channel, canal, gutter, culvert, water course
They needed
to act
on their faith,
regardless of how illogical it sounded!
Imagine what passers-by must have thought….
an army digging ditches???
Digging a valley full of ditches,
for water,
to win a battle with no sign of rain!
He didn’t need human logic,
no rain was required,
no river,
just
His power and
simple faith, trusting in Him.
if He says it, He does it!
From the irrational display of desperation to the next morning
….they find that…
Water has flowed uphill and across this ancient plain
that was once a stream bed.
In verse 20, the valley is full of water for the troops
Then a further miracle happens:
the Moabites mistake the water for blood and through this they are defeated.
Nothing is impossible for God, and He achieves it through
His plans,
no matter how illogical and unexplainable they are to us.
He even provides in abundance,
far more than we would expect, for them
AND their animals.
But they had to trust God,
His plan
and what He asked them to do.
So should we.
We think often that God will give us faith to change or to persevere and stand until the situation changes.
However, true faith comes when we walk into the valley, often situations that are opposite to mountain top experiences; and instead of trying to fill the valley, we instead dig until they are filled with ditches.
The Lord requires places/ containers for His waters to collect, so that it won’t run off and dissipate into another stream.
He wants to fill our valleys.
biqah: a valley, plain
בִּקְעָה
Phonetic Spelling: bik-aw’
Strongs#1237
Not only so we can drink, but to have enough for everyone around us who needs it, including crops and animals/ livestock.
Faith is not looking up and seeing rain clouds and seeing the rain fall.
Faith is looking at a clear sky
but being full of expectancy
that the valley will be filled.
You will not see wind nor rain.
He wants us to do things like, dig ditches, with the promise to fill them and in unexpected unconventional ways.
He wants a faith filled people.
He is looking for people who don’t need rain in order to have rainfall!
Faith people who will dig ditches to collect water that never falls from the sky!!!
People who will believe
He will bring water
in His own way and time
all we have to do is act in obedient response,
that is faith!
The ‘ridiculous’ faith of Elisha!
We must sometimes dig a ditch so God can fill it!
That is a clear lesson from this scripture account.
Our Heavenly Father specializes in
FILLING
things
which are
EMPTY.
We are to empty ourselves of the cares of this world, and that makes room for God to fill us!
As we remember, the cares of the world choke the Word of God.
When we empty ourselves of the flesh
and then the Spirit comes flowing in like a rushing river,
filling the valley of our souls!
Our Heavenly Father gets all the glory when He uses our provision of emptiness to fulfill His will in and through us in overflowing ways!
His OUTPOURING into our need!
In the following chapter we see the familiar story of the widow and her empty vessels which God filled for her. Elisha, who challenged the widow woman to create more emptiness for the Lord to fill, had just seen it happen himself as he dug ditches so God could fill them.
Have faith…trust…
lay aside all self-sufficiency,
and instead,
find some emptiness!
The widow of 2Kings 4 brought all the jars she had faith to bring!
How many would we bring?
Sometimes we are called to create some emptiness so God can fill it.
… Dig a ditch,
or God won’t fill it!
A mind occupied with planning
pays homage to the idol of control.
Planning takes little to no faith because it is fore-thought and carefully and deliberately arranged and what is worse, it leaves God completely out of the picture and then we ask Him to bless our way.
Many spend all week planning the weekend, thinking it is Gods’ will when in fact it is just simply what they want to do.
One of the greatest hindrances to living a faith filled life is not making room for God.
In this account, Elisha shows how faith works.
It is echoed in Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Now faith is a well-grounded assurance of that for which we hope, and a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see.
The principle here is
putting
faith
into
action.
Don’t just say you have faith!
Show it by our actions
James said in 2:17…
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” shew me thy faith without thy works/actions, and I will shew thee my faith by my works/actions.
Fulfillment comes in emptiness of self, and being filled with the Spirit maybe its time to dig some ditches???
May His true Shalom/Peace
rest upon each one in Jesus/Yeshuas’ Name.
‘Mishpachah’ ‘Family’
משפחה
Mish-pa-KHa Mish-pa-KHa
you are greatly loved and prayed for daily..
NOT SURE if you are part of His Family? YOU CAN BE..
Say the following and mean it from your heart…
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 came in the flesh and 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 in my spirit 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.
A primitive root; properly, to touch, i.e. Lay the hand upon
First of course, He did what His Father told Him
Yeshua/Jesus always obeyed His Father, but it was not by routine actions devoid of feeling and concern . Yeshua/Jesus cared deeply for the people and all the situations around Him.
In other words, Yeshua/Jesus being moved with compassion was an expression of His Father. Surely, our Heavenly Father ‘feels’ things as deeply as Yeshua/Jesus.
There was a force within Him that was able to alter the elements of reality around Him and effect changes in the lives of the multitudes that followed Him.
Matthew 9:36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Matthew 14:14. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.
Mark 8:2-3 “I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat.
Mark 1:41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, I am willing; be cleansed. Luke 7:13.
Matt 20:34 And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and straightway they received their sight, and followed him.
When we read in Scripture that Yeshua/Jesus was moved with compassion; it was a deeply heart-felt reaction to any given situation that led to an action. When confronted with the evidence that satan had deceived people, and kept them in sickness and oppressed them. He reacted with help, to undo the wrong, to set people free.
In different situations the scripture records Yeshua/Jesus was “moved with compassion.” In other versions it is sometimes translated as
take pity, Indignant, and heart went out to….
However they fall short of the Greek meaning.
“Moved with compassion”
is more than feeling pity or sympathy for someone. This word means a feeling that comes out of the innermost being.
It is that gut-wrenching, feeling we get in the pit-of-the-stomach when something really bad happens or we believe that it is going to happen.in the bowels hence the saying bowels of compassion. Colossians 3:12-13 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, however, it is not a feeling of powerlessness.
At those times when Yeshua/Jesus was moved with compassion, He did something, a physical action followed; whether it was casting out demons, raising the dead, healing the sick or teaching about the gospel of the kingdom of the heavens in order to bring people out of ignorance about their Heavenly Father and His ways.
True compassion involves resistance to the wrong and why some translate it as “indignant” and includes action to correct it or, at least, bring comfort through it.
In our own pain we need to look on others not in pity or with sympathy for what they are going through, but be moved with compassion. We need to become the hand of Yeshua/Jesus in ministering to them. They need to look into our eyes and see the love and compassion of the infinitely caring God looking back at them through us.
in Matthew 20 where Yeshua/Jesus asked two blind men, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”
Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him” Matthew 20.32-34.
In Mark we are told about a man with leprosy who “came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed.” The man said, “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”
Again, Scripture reports,
“Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed” (see Mark 1.40-42).
There are other similar occurrences in Scripture. Each time Yeshua/Jesus feeds the multitudes, we’re told,
Yeshua/Jesus “had compassion on them”
(e.g., Mark 6.34; Mark 8.2; Matthew 14.14).
Often, when Yeshua/Jesus saw crowds of people who seemed lost, He was moved with compassion.
It is quite fascinating that mercy or compassion, nra-cha-min, is derived from the name of the most motherly place in the human body: the womb, re-chem.
This is where the strongest connection of compassion and love are bonded between the mother and the baby, respectively. Men may need to learn this, if you are a mother, you will have experienced this compassion first hand.
This connection has been referenced in previous posts and although it is generally understood that our faith is in Gods ability and must be present to heal; there are many scriptures where the word compassion is used as a precursor to the power for healing being manifested or miracles taking place.
Some examples referenced below:
Jesus was moved with compassion, Matt. 9:36 (Matt. 20:34; Mark 1:41; Luke 7:13). A certain Samaritan had compassion on him, Luke 10:33.
Ephesians 4:32 – And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Mark 6:34 – And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
Colossians 3:12-13 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Compassion seems to be a spiritual force that moved Yeshua/Jesus to action and without that action it is simply observation and sympathy.
In the Torah there are clear guidelines that anyone touching a leper would be unclean
Did Yeshua/Jesus give evidence of His deity because He cleansed the leper and the leper did not make Him unclean or did it?
In reading scripture during the course of study there are differing opinions as to the meaning of this as concerns Messiah the options follow so the reader can draw their own conclusions.
This story which most people are familiar with. On one of His return visits to the Galilee, Yeshua encounters a leper who begs for healing. Yeshua, being filled with compassion, touches the leper and he is healed instantly. However, there is more going on in this incident than what lies on the surface.
And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” (Mark 1:40-44)
It is important to take a look at leprosy from a biblical perspective. The typical mental image is of a debilitating disease which leaves a person scarred and disfigured, with missing fingers and toes.
This seems to be a misrepresentation being forced onto the Scriptures due to the use of the English word, leprosy.
Biblical leprosy is known as tzara’at (צרעת)
and has no relation to modern leprosy, otherwise known as Hansen’s Disease. which is a bacterial infection affecting the skin and the nervous system,
biblical leprosy tzara’at involves none of these symptoms.
The parameters of tzara’at can be found in Leviticus 13 and 14. In the introduction to Leviticus 13, most Bibles will have a footnote saying something to the effect of,
Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases.
The text,says that tzara’at was very specific in its identification and had to meet certain criteria before it could be labeled tzara’at by the cohen(priest) NOTE: not a doctor/physician.
Also, we find that not only is it associated with a skin condition, but it can also be a type of mildew-like substance that can appear on the walls of a house (Lev. 14:33-53), or in fabric or in leather-goods (Lev. 13:47-59).
Other distinguishing factors of biblical tzara’at are its severity and transmission. According to the biblical texts, tzara’at does not transmit physical ailment akin to Hansen’s Disease. It does, however, transmit ritual impurity (making one “unclean”).
“A person or object in contact with a leper becomes both unclean and contaminating.”
What does this mean?
It means an ostracizing of the metzora (a “leper” in biblical terms).
In other words, when one has been diagnosed as being a metzora, one must remove himself from the community so as not to “infect” others
The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp. (Lev. 13:45-46)
leper מצורע
lazar. lā′zar, לזר
one afflicted with a loathsome and pestilential disease like Lazarus, the beggar.
The Septuagint, a translation of the Hebrew Bible originally used by Greek-speaking Jews and Gentile proselytes, translates the term tzaraath with Greek lepra (λέπρα), from which the cognate “leprosy” (a term now referring specifically to the bacterial infection aforementioned as Hansen’s disease) was traditionally used in English Bibles.
Although this seems like a harsh treatment for someone who has a non-life-threatening, semi-communicable impurity (and not a disease, per se), one must remember that this command was given while the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness and encamped together in close quarters.
Any contact (intentional or not) with other people or objects would immediately transfer ritual impurity to the person or object, thus rendering them tamei (טמא) as well.
This contact with ritual impurity would make these individuals unable to participate in communal worship and the sacrificial system. In order for this to be contained, the priesthood was commissioned with identifying and quarantining outbreaks of tzara’at.
A metzora had to undergo routine inspections to monitor the condition of their infection.
We have to keep in mind, however, that ritual impurity (being “unclean”) is in no way equivalent to sin.
Remembering that the definition in Torah of being unclean, was not the same as committing a sin!
Being “unclean” was part of the routine of life during the days when the Tabernacle or the Temple were standing. Women became ritually impure during their monthly cycle or during childbirth. Both men and women became unclean with any kind of bodily emission.
Tzara’at, however, was one of the most severe cases of ritual impurity, even surpassing corpse contamination, since one was only able to be purified on the condition the symptoms had vanished.
Once the symptoms were completely gone an elaborate series of sin offerings, sprinklings, immersions similar to the purification rituals of corpse contamination were required in order to be declared officially clean (“ritually pure”).
The only way sin would be connected to impurity is if an unclean person entered the Holy Temple. They would be guilty of defiling the earthly abode of the Almighty and be held liable.
There is, however, an odd condition in regard to tzara’at which makes its spiritual / ritual nature explicit. Once a metzora was completely consumed with tzara’at, and covered from head to foot and has turned completely white, he was pronounced tahor (טהור) clean / ritually pure and was free from his quarantine (Lev. 13:12-13).
Once new skin began replacing the infection, however, he was quarantined once again and the entire inspection cycle was begun anew.
There was no known cure for tzara’at. The priesthood did not affect the affliction, but only diagnosed it.
Based on several inferences in Scriptural, there are seven sins for which one may be afflicted with leprosy: slander, the shedding of blood, vain oath, incest, arrogance, robbery and envy.
The word metzora as a compound word comprised of the words “motzi [shem] ra”
this means one who “brings forth [an] evil [name].”
In other words, a leper is one who spreads gossip and slander. The sages viewed evil speech as so damaging that they interpreted slander to be one of the most grave sins:
If this is the case, it is interesting to note that this is one of the few instances in which Yeshua did not also tell the one he was healing that his sins were forgiven. Why? Because sins committed against God can be pardoned by either God or His earthly agent. However, the only way sins committed against another living human being can be pardoned is from the one whom we have wronged (Matt 5:23-24; John 20:23).
After considering the details of tzara’at, returning to the passage in which Yeshua encounters the metzora, a man who has contracted biblical leprosy. The man requests one thing of Yeshua.
“If you will, you can make me clean” (v. 40).
Notice his request was not healing, but purity.
This is an especially important aspect to the story now weve learned what Leviticus says in regards to tzara’at.
The man must have had advanced stages of tzara’at, because Luke 5:12 describes him as one who was full of leprosy. However, it is reasonable to say that he could not have been completely covered Leviticus 13:12-13 or he would have been considered tahor, ritually pure/clean. If he was already clean/ritually pure, then why would he have need of Yeshua’s touch to make him clean/ritually pure?
With this in mind, this man was still a legitimate metzora and brought uncleanness/ritual impurity upon anyone touching him.
Some teach that although Jesus/Yeshua touched the metzora, He did not become unclean and proved His Divinity.
However, if that is correct and Yeshua could not contract ritual impurity, then He was not truly human?
Scripture says, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
He was not merely human in appearance, but human in every regard.
If we think now with a Hebrew mind would it be true to say thta being in an unclean state was not a new experience for Yeshua? He would have no doubt dealt with this numerous times in His life. Examples being: the woman with the hemorrhage who touched Him; and then He went on to touch Jairus’ dead daughter raising her to life.
Also the raising of the widows son in Nain.
Remember, being ritually unclean is NOT the same as sinning.
His identification with humanity through taking upon Himself flesh and blood allowed for Yeshua/Jesus to truly identify with the temptations and the sufferings of mankind.
Mark tells us that Yeshua was
moved with pity, and therefore “stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, ‘I will; be clean.’”
Called the Leper Messiah by the Rabbis in Accordance to Isaiah 53:4‘Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted.’
Yeshua used this understanding as evidence that He was indeed the long-awaited Messiah when questioned by the disciples of John the Immerser:
And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed
and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” (Matthew 11:4-5)
Did He became the Leper Messiah for our sake, bearing our griefs and carrying our sorrows by intentionally touching the lepers and taking upon himself their afflictions? His skin did not break out in white scabs. However, it seems He did become unclean/ritually impure for the sake of this man. Rather than speaking a word of healing and remaining clean / ritually pure, His compassion and empathy prompted His hand to reach out and touch the impurity of another.
Yeshua not only understood this and demonstrated this, but taught hHs disciples to do likewise by telling them,
Heal the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers,
cast out demons (Matthew 10:8)
With the healing of the leper, Yeshua sends the man away with a mission:
“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them” (Mark 1:44).
In doing so, Yeshua was commanding the man to travel to Jerusalem (a 2/3 day journey from the Galilee) to be inspected by the priesthood in the Temple. Once he was seen and declared clean, he was to offer up “what Moses commanded” for the purification of a metzora (from Leviticus 14).
This included:
Two live clean birds for purification ceremony
One male lamb for a guilt offering
One female lamb for a sin offering
One male lamb for a burnt offering
Flour and oil for grain offerings
Reading Yeshua’s instructions to this man, it raises some questions
One, if he is already clean, why does he need to show himself to the priesthood and undergo the purification rituals?
This involves an issue of obedience to Torah. Although the man has already been purified, he still needs to be declared clean by the administrating priesthood according to Leviticus 14:1-32. Without the declaration from the priesthood, the man would not be allowed admittance back into his community (or any Jewish community for that matter). Also, to refuse to do so would have been a direct violation of the Torah. In other words, he would have been sinning. By telling the man to show himself to the priesthood, Yeshua upheld the command of Torah which tells the proper procedure for declaring a metzora to be clean
Two, main stream Christianity usually teaches that Yeshua came to do away with the Temple, the priesthood and the sacrificial system/law and that we are under grace alone. so why would Yeshua/Jesus give the man specific instructions to “offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded?”
This involves the priesthood and the sacrificial system. By having the man show himself to the priesthood and offer the prescribed sacrifices in the Torah, Yeshua demonstrated the intended interpretation of his teaching in
Matthew 5:17, in which he said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.”
By doing this He upheld both the commandments and the earthly function of the levitical system. He showed that His soon coming atoning work was not in competition with the levitical priesthood and system, but that His work was greater than these and the very thing upon which they were based/foundation.
His sacrificial death and resurrection were in place long before the creation of the heavens and the earth.
In Revelation, John declared Yeshua to be
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13:8.
It is this pre-existing act of Yeshua on which the entire sacrificial system is based, reflects and points toward?
Three, what was Yeshua hoping to prove to them by sending this man to the priesthood as proof?
This involves evidence submitted to the priesthood.
But what did it point to?
It actually makes a connection to the two previous questions. Yeshua/Jesus remained a lamb without blemish in regard to all of the righteous requirements of His Father, by having the man submit to the commands, the authorities and the procedures given by YaHoVeH in the Torah,
He would have immediately invalidated Himself as the anticipated Messiah and would have broken at least one, if not several, of the commandments and thus become a sinner Himself, if He had ignored or changed any of these procedures or had instructed the man whom He healed to do so. Matthew 5:19
The man would have presented a threefold evidence to the priesthood:
Firstly, that he was indeed healed and could begin the rituals which would allow for him to be declared clean and thus re-enter his community.
Secondly that there was indeed a healer of lepers in Israel, which would have given rise to messianic hope.
Thirdly that Yeshua was indeed qualified as one who could lead his people as the righteous Messiah and not a lawless false prophet who had come to tempt the Israelites away from Torah with signs and wonders. Deuteronomy 13:1-5.
Exodus 29:37. you shall make atonement for the altar and sanctify it and it shall be an altar most holy whatever touches the altar shall be holy.
This is clearly prophetic of Messiah Yeshua.
He is the atonement for sin. Hebrews 9:12.
The part of this story which has relevance to us today is in this scripture.
Lev 6:20 whatever whoever TOUCHES the flesh of the SIN offering becomes HOLY cleansed, sanctified, made atonement for.
He was fulfilling Old Testament – Torah – law and He said
I came to fufil it.
He touches us in our state of sin in the same Way He touched the leper
Whoever touched it became holy. Leviticus 6:18.
As already noted, Leprosy was also a type of sin.
Lashaon hara – evil speech. RA opposite of shalom.
Evil = out of harmony with God and His will.
Healing + Instant cleansing.
The flesh of the sin offering was Jesus/Yeshuas physical body. The human contact, the physical contact, the transference of Gods healing/restoring /redeeming/ cleansing power
The leper touched the flesh of the ultimate SIN offering.
The spotless lamb of God.
The leper was kneeling, submission, homage, respect and with the TOUCH
he was made holy/whole/ kadosh/set apart /cleansed unto the Lord.
His life changed forever he was no longer a leper, no longer a stigma, a named category of society shunned an outcast.
The TOUCH of God
the TOUCH of Messiah
caused his life to take another direction..
towards the priest to be accepted and restored to society.
His sins forgiven. His body restored and healed and
made holy – so that the at one ment with God was redeemed
and broken relationship was re-established.
Whoever touches the flesh of the sin offering becomes holy!
Reach out and Touch Him!
When we come and humble ourselves in a true genuine authentic attitude of repentance with deep Godly sorrow we touch Him and He touches us as our sin offering and we become holy!
When we understand and accept that He is our sin offering we are instantly cleansed.
Because the lamb of God has shed His blood as the ultimate sin offering and
our sins are not only covered but removed forever.
He is also our High Priest, so verse 4 for us is included within our relationship and He presents us to the Father as our mediator.
This is the good news -this is the gospel!
This is the creator of the universe TOUCHING His creation
and bringing us into the kingdom of His heavens.
Eternal love and everlasting life/chaim.
Let Him touch each one of us today.
He is willing
verse 4
I am willing
His life touched the world
His death at Pesach touched the world
His resurrection at First Fruits touched the world
and it has never been the same since because
He is still touching the world today through us.
He touched us and we are made whole and as He resides within us.
He touches others through us and darkness must flee,
light fills the souls that are touched and
human spirits are reborn and reconnected to their heavenly father
reconciliation, restoration, redemption and royalty are the result.
The touch of Yeshua/Jesus is what we need.
The touch of the masters hand
The touch of the saviors love
The touch of the redeemers forgiveness.
And the hope of His return.
IF you need the touch of Yeshua/Jesus
make sure He is given access to the sanctuary of our hearts
let Him in to heal, cleanse and deliver and fill us
that He may in turn touch others through our lives.
Many will be familiar with the older chorus above, never truer than today:
May His true Shalom/Peace
rest upon each one in Jesus/Yeshuas’ Name.
‘Mishpachah’ ‘Family’
משפחה
Mish-pa-KHa Mish-pa-KHa
you are greatly loved and prayed for daily..
NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..
please make sure you are secure in the knowledge that you are saved….
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 homes of poor families were small and simple, the walls were built of mud-brick or rough stone.
The roofs were constructed of clay covered woven branches.
The living spaces were used for cooking and weaving/household work. The family’s domestic animals, (e.g. donkey/goat), were kept in the lower level for protection at night. Each floor was about 7ft (2.13meters) high; same width and length of 24ft (7.32meters).
Below a typical 3rd to 8th Century house: built of Basalt.
Other examples of stone built – בַּיִת – bayit – similar to which Jesus/Yeshua may have lived in.
Is it possible that Yeshua/Jesus was born in the lower area of a house where the animals and the mangers were kept? The scriptures tell us in Matthew 2:10-11 that when the wise men came, they visited Him in a house – bayit, so the family had obviously moved there from somewhere else. Matthew described the arrival of the wise men from the East:
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
So it was probably a bayit, a house similar to those in the pictures.
Shalombayit (also shelom bayit, shlom bayit, or (Yiddish) sholom bayis or shlom bayis)
Hebrew: שְׁלוֹם בַּיִת, literally:
peaceof the home.
Shalom Bayit is the Jewish religious concept of domestic harmony and good relations between husband and wife.
In the Hebrew Alef Bet the second letter B is Bet.
In the ancient pictograph language
the letter B- bet, was represented as a tent/home
Bet – b – Family, house, in tent floor plan.
Other words beginning with BET:
The mystery of Kaphar Nachum –
kə-PUR-nee-əm – נַחוּם כְּפַר
– Kfar Naḥūm,
It literally means ‘Nahum’s village”.
It was a fishing village established during the time of the Hasmoneans, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Satellite picture of the Sea of Galilee.
Traditions indicate that this was the birthplace of the prophet Nahum, hence the name.
It was in existence from the 2nd century B.C. to the 7th century A.D.
Capernaum was built along on the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee /Lake Tiberias, in what was then called Palestine and had up to 1500 residents.
Capernaum, was a small, prosperous fishing center as well as a crossroads for merchants traveling the Via Maris (Latin for “Way of the Sea”), an ancient road connecting Egypt with what today would be Syria, Iraq and Iran.
This made Capernaum a very strategic location for Yeshua/Jesus, due to fishing, trade and agriculture as well as a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the region. (Matthew 4:12-16).
It is best known as the birthplace of Peter and his home was here Matt 8:14, so also were the homes of John, Andrew and James as well as the tax collector Matthew and the centurion whose servant Yeshua/Jesus healed. Matt. 8:5.
Yeshua/Jesus made Capernaum His home/
Bayit – בַּיִת
– a place of Love – Ahavah
and
Welcome – Be’ruchim ha’ba’im
during the years of His ministry:
Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. (Matt 4:13).
Archeology suggests Capernaum, like other fishing communities in the north shore of the Sea of Galilee was founded during the Hasmonean period of independence, before the Roman Empire occupied the land. So when Messiah resided there, Capernaum may only have been in existence for 1 – 200 years.
Yeshua/Jesus came to Capernaum כפר נחום (kaphar nahum), from Nazareth right after His temptations by Ha’satan (Matt 4:13)
Following confrontation and rejection in the synagogue of His childhood home, Nazareth, He relocated His ministry to Capernaum.
Nazareth in Biblical Greek
Ναζαρετ Ναζαρεθ
Hebrew Strong’s #3478: Nazareth = “the guarded one (pronounced nad-zar-eth’)
Some scholars derive the name from נצר I (nasar I), meaning to watch, and translate it with something like Watch (tower) or Sentinel. Others like to believe that the name Nazareth came from the verb נצר II (nasar 2), meaning to be green, and translate it with Branch(es).
From the verb נצר (nasar), to protect or preserve, means to watch, guard or keep.
or the noun נצר (neser), branch or shoot alludes to the prophetic, messianic words in Book of Isaiah 11:1, ‘from (Jesse’s) roots a Branch (netzer) will bear fruit’.
From the verb נזר (nazar), to consecrate oneself.
From the verb זרע (zara’), to scatter to sow, or זרה (zara), to scatter to winnow.
The name Nazareth also means Scattered or Sown, and became applied to that form of Judaism (that of the Nazarenes) that harvested adjacent cultures for insights.
This was an ideal spot for Messiah to deliver His messianic message; it was larger than Nazareth and was on the main Damascus Highway. As a result, Yeshua/Jesus was able to reach out to more people. It was also a safe distance from the dangers of Herod in Tiberias.
The Gennesaret area was one of the most prosperous and crowded districts of Palestine/Israel.
Capernaum as mentioned, lay on the great Via Maris highway between Damascus and Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean Sea, and between Tyre and Egypt.
It was located not far from other important sites mentioned in scripture such as, Bethsaida, the Mountain of Beatitudes, and Tabgha, as well as the Jordan River and Tiberias on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Since Capernaum became Yeshua/Jesus’ home town and many of His miracles occurred there, the people of Capernaum had a front row seat to much of His ministry.
However the conversion rate was disappointing and in Matt 11:23, He pronounced a strong curse on His village, it was one of the three cities cursed by Yeshua/Jesus for its lack of faith.:
“And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You shall descend to Hades, for if the miracles that happened in you would have happened in Sodom, it would have remained until today..But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.”
The city rejected the Lord Jesus, and its doom was sealed.
So completely has it perished that the very site is a matter of dispute today.
Today the ruins of Capernaum are owned by two churches: the Franciscans control the western portion with the synagogue
and the Greek Orthodox’s property is marked by the white church with red domes.
Yeshua/Jesus has invited four disciples —Peter, Andrew, James, and John— to be fishers of men.
On the Sabbath, they all went to a local synagogue in Capernaum.
Yeshua/Jesus teaches in the synagogue, and again the people are astounded at his manner of teaching.
He does so as one having authority and not as the scribes.
Soon after Yeshua/ Jesus settled there, He began to preach in the synagogue. The town was soon referred to as“his own city.” (Mt 9:1)
“They went as far as Capharnaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.”
While Yeshua/Jesus was teaching, we read that a man with an unclean spirit entered and addressed Him.
“In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and he shouted, `What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God’. But Jesus said sharply, `Be quiet! Come out of him!’ and the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsion and with a loud cry went out of him.
The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. `Here is a teaching that is new’ they said `and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him’. And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.” (Mk 1:21-28)
However, to the Jewish people of Capernaum, Yeshua/Jesus’ teaching came more from His heart, rather than the text on a scroll to be read aloud. In addition, Jesus had a new Gospel to share with them and they believed His promises. (Mark 1:21-22, Luke 4:31-32)
The Synagogue
Greek and Latin writing on some of the basalt columns of the synagogue in Capernaum.
The ruins of the synagogue
and even the house of Peter’s mother-in-law have been discovered at Capernaum.
Perched in the middle of town, adorned with Corinthian columns and friezes, are remains of a synagogue which dates back to the fourth of fifth century.
Later excavations revealed that, in fact, two synagogues were built here, with the first one dating back to the first century.
Scholars propose that Christ taught here, just as mentioned in the Gospels. Here, Jesus taught about the bread of life: (John 6:35-59)
I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst… I am the living bread that comes down from heaven, so that a man may eat it and not die. I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever, and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world…
The 1st century Synagogue of Capernaum where Messiah preached.
In the Byzantine period, the white synagogue would have stood out dramatically from the surrounding black basalt buildings, whereas in the 1st century, the Capernaum synagogue blended into its setting.
The dating of this synagogue is debated, but it is clearly later than the first century. Excavations have revealed a synagogue from the time of Jesus with walls made of worked stone and 4 feet thick.
These earlier walls were preserved up to 3 feet high and the entire western wall still exists and was used as the foundation for the later synagogue.
Yeshua/Jesus was confronted by a demoniac while teaching here (Mark 1:21-27).
In Capernaum, Jesus healed the servant of the centurion. This Roman official was credited with building the synagogue (Luke 7:3).
During excavations beneath the foundations of this octagonal Byzantine martyrium church at Capernaum, archaeologists made one of the most exciting Biblical archaeology discoveries: they uncovered one residence that stood out from the others – a simple first-century A.D. home that may have been the house of Peter, the home of Jesus in Capernaum.
This house became the object of early Christian attention with 2nd century graffiti and a 4th century house church built above it.
In the 5th century the large octagonal Byzantine church was erected above this, complete with a baptistry.
Pilgrims have since referred to this as the house of Peter.
When visiting Israel in the early 90’s it was a very special experience to stand in/close to, the place where Yeshua/Jesus healed the man with the withered hand, raised Peter’s mother-in-law from her sick bed, and made the first of His seven “I AM” declarations after feeding the 5,000, saying,
“I am the Bread of Life whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35)”
From the ancient ruins of Capernaum on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, it’s possible to see in the distance, the town of Magdala, home of Mary Magdalene.
As already noted in Messiah’s day, Capernaum, (also meaning – hamlet of repentance or comfort), was one of the Chief cities of Galilee on its north-west shore. The “land of Gennesaret,” very close to, if not in which it was situated, was one of the most prosperous and crowded districts of Israel. This city lay on the great highway from Damascus to Acco and Tyre.
There is no mention of it prior to the Babylonian captivity. It has been identified with Tell Hum, about two miles south-west of where the Jordan flows into the lake. Here are extensive ruins of walls and foundations, and also the remains of what must have been a beautiful synagogue, which it is conjectured may have been the one built by the centurion (Luke 7:5), in which our Lord frequently taught (John 6:59; Mark 1:21; Luke 4:33).
Other scholars have suggested that the ruins of the city are to be found at Khan Minyeh, 3 miles further to the south on the lake shore.
Some scriptures that are also connected:
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Matthew 11:25
Mark 1:21
And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
Mark 2:1
And again he entered into Capernaum, after [some] days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
Mark 9:33
And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
Luke 4:23
And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
Luke 4:31
And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum
Luke 10:15
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
John 2:12
After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.
John 4:46
So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
John 6:17
And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
John 6:24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
John 6:59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
When Jesus finally departed from Nazareth, He dwelt in Capernaum (Mt 4:13) and made it the main center of His activity during a large part of His public ministry.
Near by He called the fishermen to follow Him (Mk 1:16), and the publican Matthew the Tax Collector (Mat 9:9; Mk 2:13, 14; Lk 5:27, 28). from the receipt of custom
It was the scene of many “mighty works” (Mt 11:23; Mk 1:34).
Here Jesus healed the centurion’s son (Mt 8:5),
the nobleman’s son (Jn 4:46),
cast out the unclean spirit (Mk 1:23);
and here also, probably, He raised Jairus’ daughter to life (Mk 5:22, etc.).
In Capernaum the little child was used to teach the disciples humility, while in the synagogue Yeshua/Jesus delivered His ever-memorable speech on the bread of life. (John 6).
From the scripture we read that Capernaum was a city of considerable importance. Some scholars think that the words “shalt thou be exalted,” etc. (Mt 11:23; Lk 10:15), mean that it stood on an elevated site. It may perhaps refer to the excessive pride of the inhabitants in that city. It was a customs station, and the residence of a high officer of the king (Mt 9:9; Jn 4:46, etc.). It was occupied by a detachment of Roman soldiers, whose commander thought the good will of the people worth securing at the expense of building for them a synagogue (Mt 8:5; Lk 7:5).
Capernaum is also the location of the healing of the paralytic lowered by friends through the roof to reach Jesus, as reported in Mark 2:1–12 and Luke 5:17–26.
Artists reconstruction of 1st century courtyard house at Capernaum
Ark of the scrolls at Capernaum.
The Torah shrine, the niche showing a wooden cabinet carved in stone. Representing the covenant given to Moses here in an ancient synagogue.
Close up of Menorah carved in stone.
Under the monumental building are the remains of the early Roman synagogue from the times of Messiah, which was built with the local (black) basalt rock. This earlier synagogue was the center of activities of Yeshua/Jesus, where He taught.
Mark: “And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.”
Mosaic found in Caparnaum.
Peter, also known as Simon Bar-Yonah, was one of Jesus’s 12 apostles.
Peter’s Primacy
Because he was a fisherman, his house was also located close to the lake.
The shape of an Octagon, was typical of early churches and structures such as Kathisma south of Jerusalem.
In 1990 a modern church was built over the 5th century church, over St Peter’s house. You can walk up to the main floor, which has a glass bottom in the center, and view the site.
The house of Jesus at Capernaum Luke 5:19 Mt 4:13 Mk 2:1 9:33
Did the roof have ceramic tiles?
the Greek word keramos is used, as in pitched roof not flat!
This photo is of a restored Talmudic era village modeled on the ruins of a fourth – eighth century village at Qatzrin in the Golan Heights. Similar basalt construction was found in the ruins of Capernaum during the time of Messiah.
The unhewn logs were used as rafters with branches and saplings as cross support.
The top was overlain with tightly packed clay.
A view from the white synagogue at Capernaum towards the lake.
These are the ruins from the first few centuries AD. The houses were built of basalt igneous stone, the same as in the Talmudic era villages.
Yet the Greek says:
Luke 5:19 And not finding by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
Flat topped roof of timber and branches overlain by packed clay with clay pigeon house on edge of wall.
Isaiah 61:1-3;
Matthew 4:13; Matthew 16: 24
Many quote that He had nowhere to lay His head:
Matthew 8:20; Luke 9:57– 62
He states that to simply fulfill Isaiah 9:12
The Government of the Promised Son – Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan.
He spent time also in Peter’s house.
There is a story that says that Son of Man had nowhere to lay His head…
however He had to have slept, He had to eat somewhere during that three years of ministry.
The disciples asked Him where He was from… He said Come and See John 1:39
Scripture tells us that He was in the house…
This place? Ha Makom – was on the shores of Galilee, the village named Capernaum.
This was where He had a base of ministry, a home where He lived when not traveling. People came here from all over the Galilee and He received them here showing mercy, forgiveness and compassion. This place, brought restoration for those that were condemned, had sickness, depression, disease. Where the blind, lame, paralyzed and rejected, found healing and wholeness.
This was the center of His ministry. The reason why it is called Capernaum is, it a translation of its’ original name.
Caper is for the Hebrew Kaphar and can be translated as town or village.
So what is The Mystery of Kaphar NachumOur Home from Home?
and what has the prophet Nahum got to do with Messiah’s ministry?
Naum is the name Nahum or Nachum which is the same name as the prophet Nahum the Elkoshite in the Old Testament who gave the prophecy of Nineveh.
However there is NO REAL CONNECTION to the prophet – so this really is a mystery!
Why this village, why here for there is no word for coincidence in the Hebrew language there is no such thing as chance or luck? Rather it could be providence, synchronicity, serendipity, orchestrated our heavenly fathers purposeful timing and reasoning. God is very specific, everything He does has a reason.
A deeper look into the name reveals that it is more that just a persons name it is full of meaning:
To comfort,
console,
to repent,
to change direction
and as the center of Messiah ministry Capernaumcould be translated as the village of comfort, the village of consolation and repentance;
where all who came were received with compassion; sins were forgiven, lives were changed, broken were restored sick were healed, oppressed were delivered and set free.
No one was turned away all were taken in, all who were rejected were received and comforted and accepted. As we turn to Him we are comforted and became whole.
And wherever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and sought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole. Mark 6:56
In this Place – Ha Makem of Kaphar Nachum. The Place of Miracles is where we will find Him and His compassion and tender loving kindness.
We don’t need to travel to Israel to the Galilee.
For the mercy, comfort, healing and restoration are not confined to one location. Call on me and I will hear you…
2 Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; 3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jer. 33:2-3
He is the place /Ha Makem of Kaphar Nachum.
So He was completely identified with the name of that town/ City.
And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Berean Study Bible.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Col 1:17
In Him are all the riches of His glory.
We all have a home – for heaven is our home – but we are not there yet…
However while we await His return and we are busy about our Father’s business, we can Abide in our home from home – abiding in Jesus/Yeshua – the place of comfort and consolation.. HE IS
Ha Makem of Kaphar Nachum.
He is HOME – Bayit – בַּיִת
the place of comfort and consolation
– the place of Love – Ahavah
and
Welcome – Be’ruchim ha’ba’im!
For in Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28
We all have a home from home it’s the place of Kaphar Nachum.
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. John 15:7
In Revelation 3:20, Messiah tells us, “…if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will comein to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
To sup, means to eat and fellowship with someone. When you sup with someone, you and they are sharing in and partaking of the same things.
Call upon Me and I will answer you, says the LORD. I will not turn you away. You have access to Me. I will hear your prayers and answer them. Jeremiah 29:12
When he calls out to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor.
Psalm 91:15
Shalom, shalom
‘Mishpachah’ ‘Family’!
משפחה
Mish-pa-KHa
Please don’t leave this page until you make sure that Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Kaphar Nachum…
your home away from home…
for until we get to our real home in heaven abiding in Him is our abode, our
Bayit – בַּיִת
our kaphar nachum
the place of comfort and consolation
– a place of Love – Ahavah
and
Welcome – Be’ruchim ha’ba’im!
Make certain Jesus 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?
Then simply 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 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.
which is very interesting!
Close up of Menorah carved in stone.
where all who came were received with 
In this 
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