The Answer is in the Yoke…but is a yoke one of bondage or freedom?
In the last post, the times of the Prophet Jeremiah were referenced and the weighing in the balance of Belshazzar, who was found WANTING or EMPTY.
The scales of balance can also refer to the yoke with which we are yoked to Messiah and serve to ensure we too are not disrespecting the Holy things of the Lord. The Temple Menorah which Balthazzar was using to light his festivities, was the very thing that illuminated the handwriting on the palace wall declaring Gods’ judgment of his sin! The line was drawn and his mockery was short-lived, sin only runs for a season then comes the inevitable consequences.
We are in a time now where the refiners fire is here and 1 Peter 4:17 indicates
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
The history of God’s people indicates that judgment always begins within the covenant community.
The dross is being skimmed off the top so we will come forth as gold Job 1:3
Change, was, and still is, the word for this season; we have a lull before the next wave of the storm breaks, just enough time to refill those lamps.
It is a cautionary example for all of us not to be found wanting/empty.
The solution to not having to see the writing on the wall, to not being found wanting/empty is being yoked to Our Heavenly Father with Messiah Jesus/Yeshua. In being yoked to Jesus/Yeshua it means that we are
in Complete Surrender
to His Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit.
However, if the answer is the yoke, is it a yoke of bondage or freedom?
How can it be both?
Why was Jeremiah wearing a Yoke?
What is its purpose and why did Jesus/Yeshua use the reference as a picture?
What can we learn from this image and the pictograph letters, that will enhance our walk along the WAY with Him?
We are familiar with such Scriptures as, the anointing breaks the yoke.
Isaiah 10:27
It will happen in that day, that his burden will depart from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be DESTROYED because of the anointing oil.
Yokes are often like burdens we carry around.
Yokes are bondages that need to be broken off in order for us to be free.
Because of Jesus the Messiah, it is not simply broken but the yoke has been DESTROYED!
This is what we are to remember every day and especially at this season of the Spring Appointed Times. This is what we are celebrating and remembering the scope of what He fulfilled perfectly.
Another reference to yoke is in
2Cor.6:14 be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, and Amos 3:3 can two walk together except they be agreed?
There is also the Jeremiah connection.
In Jeremiah 27 This chapter gives us another illustrated prophecy of Jeremiah’s to the rulers of his day, (and the Yoke of Christ/The Anointed). In this case, it involves not only the king of Judah, but the ambassadors of several small surrounding nations as well.
Jeremiah was known for his dramatic object lessons. For example, when emissaries from surrounding nations came to Judah asking the nation to join a rebellion against Babylon, Jeremiah put a yoke on his neck and went about urging the nations to submit to the yoke of Babylon and live (Jeremiah 27:2-11).
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23).
As we have already seen, God’s prophets preached not only through words but also through object lessons.
At times the prophets had to live out the messages; it was another way to get the point across. Thus, Jeremiah again was called to “live out” the words he was to deliver.
First, he had to wear a wooden yoke. “Thus saith the Lord to me; make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck” (Jer. 27:2).
A hard job, and it became harder because a false prophet challenged what Jeremiah said.
Today the history of nations speaks to us because God has assigned a place in His plan for each nation and each individual. Both people and nations are being tested weighed in the balance and measured by the plum line in the hand of the One who makes no mistakes. All are deciding their destiny by their own choice, and above all God is sovereign overruling every decision for the accomplishment of His plans purposes and final outcome.
No one would break (iron yoke) Gods message about Babylon.
It seemed a strange directive, but it was for the peoples good in the end even though it did not seem to be at the time. Similar parallel to Messiahs day, they wanted a King to free them from the bondage to Rome…. But
Jesus/Yeshua came to serve. (Luke 22:27 but I am among you as he that serveth.)
and submitted Himself to the authorities at the time.
(Mark 12:17. When Yeshua/Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,” He was drawing a sharp distinction between two kingdoms.
There is a kingdom of this world, and Caesar holds power over it. But there is another kingdom, not of this world, and Yeshua/Jesus is King of that one. (John 18:36).
Temporarily we are part of both kingdoms.
Rendering to Caesar is limited and defined by rendering to God. What is Caesar’s is determined by the fact that everything is God’s first, and only becomes Caesar’s by God’s permission and design.
Then, finally bearing upon Himself the yoke of bondage that had imprisoned the people under the heavy burden of the law of sin and death and the overwhelming physical laws imposed by the Pharisees which were impossible to keep.
This is why
…because He came to break that YOKE of bondage to their religious doctrines and dogmas, not by doing away with Gods’ original covenant commandments but by fulfilling them and bringing deliverance and freedom to all who would accept His WAY, restoring things to how Our Heavenly Father intended it to be.
Maybe some of us older readers remember what a yoke is.
A yoke is a farming tool used to accomplish a task – it is a beam of wood placed on a couple of oxen, cows/bulls, horses or donkeys, which are then used to plow a field.
A yoke can be a shaped length of wood placed on human shoulders to help in carrying a heavy load; for example, two buckets of water so fewer trips to the well would be necessary. This only works efficiently if they are balanced!
The Yoke of Messiah was the cross beam used for His crucifixion, the tool that accomplished the work of our salvation. Symbolic of Him breaking the Yoke of bondage.
When Jesus/Yeshua says take My yoke upon you He is saying…
Take up the cross, the yoke and walk with Me, but because My yoke is for two not one, I’ll carry the most weight, the bulk of the burden.
The closer we get to Jesus/Yeshua, the nearer we stay as we walk along His Way, even as pressures increase, He carries the greater burden… always but, if we move away we begin to feel the weight.
By the cross Jesus/Yeshua has accomplished the work of defeating all that burdens us in this life. Yet, we are invited to share in His sacrifice, with the knowledge that the hard work pays off in the end! Because our part of His sacrifice, in union with Jesus/Yeshua is a sharing in the salvation of the world that He accomplished through the yoke placed on His shoulders like a beast of burden.
His yoke, is also the cross of this life’s suffering, the cross of sacrificing ourselves for the sake of family and friends and those in need and it isn’t too heavy to carry because Jesus/Yeshua carried it for us, already. Jesus/Yeshua promises those who voluntarily yoke themselves to Him that, together, His strength will be there to get us through anything that comes our way.
This is the rest, the shalom, the peace of mind and heart He promises.
For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Hebrews 3:14
It is this rest into which the ancient Israelites failed to enter, for “My rest ” is God’s rest, God’s Sabbath rest. This is the rest some failed to enter, but which remains available to us today, a rest received by faith (4:3-6).
We who have believed enter that rest. There is one door/dalet to the safe, peaceful, happy rest of God and it’s the door of faith and Jesus is the door to enter in by. Anyone who puts faith in God’s promises bought for us by the blood of Jesus/Yeshua, and is diligent not to discard that faith, is a part of the ecclesia, His Bride.
His reference to, being as a child, is because the majority of children understand this concept naturally, in that, they trust that parents will love, provide for, and protect them. Most children don’t get too concerned with the details of how parents are going to provide meals or give them a place to live, they just simply trust that they will.
Our Heavenly Father is the divine parent who will do what it takes out of love. Because He knows what is best for us. Jesus/Yeshua called Him Father, giving us that concept in that we need to trust with the same instinctive love that a child has for parents.
In His taking up His yoke/the cross, Jesus/Yeshua trusted His Father; and it is the proof that God will do whatever it takes to get us to that place of peace/shalom and contentment and that we will not let anything defeat us.
Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one. John 18:9 & 17:12 Those whom thou hast given me I have guarded, and none of them is lost,
Messiah didn’t demand of His Father, to achieve the goal some other way. Instead He said in all humility, not my will but your will be done. He knew that His Father would take Him through because the Father could be trusted even if in His humanness, He didn’t know how the Father would make things work for His good.
Even when He asked If it were possible let this cup pass, He still took up His cross believing that even the worst thing that could happen to a person would not defeat Him.
In ancient culture, the word yoke was a term that was used to describe submission. So when someone was described as being yoked to someone or something, it was communicating the idea that he or she was in submission to that person or thing.
So to be yoked to Jesus/Yeshua is to serve and obey Him.
The people in Jesus/Yeshua’s day were using the yoke of the law to pull their life and everything in it along. It left them tired, worn out, and burned out on religion. The yoke of grace Messiah offered was contrary to the yoke of the law. It was a move from depending on one’s own efforts and ability to depending on God’s grace and power.
Jesus/Yeshua encourages those who are “heavy laden” to take His yoke upon them, and in so doing they will find rest for their souls. The yoke of Jesus is light and easy to carry because it is the yoke of repentance and faith followed by a singular commitment to follow Him continually.
The yoke to which Messiah invited people to accept, when borne as a co-laborer with Him, is no burden at all. It is a source of rest, satisfaction, joy, and contentment, true shalom because He is our life and strength. When we are yoked to Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach, the joy of the true disciple is in whatever He requires of us to do.
Coming to Jesus/Yeshua, taking His yoke, and learning from Him can all be summed up in one word—trust. Just as we trust Him for our salvation, so we entrust Him with our burdens and rely on His teaching. Jesus/Yeshua assures us that we will find rest for our souls and in that shalom all uncertainty, fears, anxieties, and despair will be dispelled.
Jesus/Yeshua called His WAY being yoked and once we become His followers, it’s up to us to choose whether we are yoked to slavery or freedom. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Apparently as rabbis began to interpret the Torah for their students they emphasized different things in the law: e.g. care for the poor, correct worship, personal piety. It did not mean that they abandoned parts of the given law by God but rather in similar fashion as the gospel writers did, in that they paid attention to the community and culture, etc. of those to whom they were speaking and taught what was most needed for the people and those who were their disciples.
Their interpretation came to be called their yoke.
It would seem logical that when Jesus/Yeshua spoke of His yoke being easy and His burden light, He was calling us to the Way of love and to what He came to reveal of the Kingdom of God.
It is clear that for whosoever truly embraces His teaching; it’s the inner motivation and intention that allow a vision and path of light rather than life’s outer experiences being the deciding factor which we consider as being either easy or difficult.
This doesn’t mean that we’ll never feel burdened, but that in the light of the WAY Jesus/Yeshua revealed to us, we will be able to withstand our tests and trials because of the ONE who came to share His light “yoke” with us.
A Double Yoke
As we read this description think in terms of our relationship to Jesus/Yeshua.
The Purpose: To harness a pair of animals so that together they can pull a load as efficiently as possible. It us used most often with oxen for plowing soil.
How a Yoke is made:A beam carved from a single piece of wood is fitted specifically to the shoulders of an ox, this maximizes both the animals pulling force and comfort. The strap or bow around the neck is attached to pegs to secure the yoke. The hitch point connects the yoke to what’s being pulled.
How a Yoke works:The beam rests in front of the shoulder hump (or withers), distributing weight and enabling natural and comfortable movement. Custom fitting each side allows oxen of unequal size or strength to pull together without one being dragged by the other.
A Yoke is :
Designed to carry burdens.We dont need to drag the heavy weight of sin around because when we repent and come to Messiah, He takes away that burden and gives us His shalom/peace and healing. (Isaiah 5:18).
A Yoke is intended to help get work done.With the Messiah’s yoke, we can do His work because He works with us. It may still be work, however in it we find rest for our souls.
A Yoke is Custom fitted. It’s His yoke we take upon us—the one best suited for us, because His ways help us live in harmony with Him and because He knows us individually. Every hair on our heads is counted and as we lose many of those every day, it indicates He is in constant touch with us always knowing every detail about our lives.
When we come to Messiah to be yoked with Him and His power, that is so we are not the one pulling life’s load by ourselves, but instead pulling it yoked with the Savior and Redeemer of the world, When we do, then our problems, no matter how serious they are, become lighter.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28–30.
The yoke of bondage to sin and death is typified in Egyptian slavery. Egypt being a type of the worlds system, and we all know who is the god of this world, which is why we should not be yoked together with the world or love the things of it or what it offers to us. It all belongs to the prince of this world and we should refuse it just as Messiah did in Matthew 4:1-11.
It’s not the broad and seemingly easy WAY we are to follow it’s the narrow WAY.
So why did Jesus/Yeshua say Matthew 11:29 Take My Yoke
What is the yoke of Jesus/Yeshua and why did He say is it easy?
Here Jesus/Yeshua is inviting His followers to take on themselves the yoke of the marriage covenant which is the New, Renewed or Everlasting Covenant of Jer 31:31, 33 and Heb 8:8); that is, we are to accept Him as our heavenly and everlasting spiritual Bridegroom.
This is the yoke of the bondservant to which all the writers made reference in scripture, when they called themselves the bond servant of Jesus/Yeshua.
We only have two choices: Be a bond servant to Satan/Adversary or to Jesus/Yeshua.
The former leads to judgment against sin which is death, while the latter leads to mercies and forgiveness, deliverance from death and sin through Jesus/Yeshua resulting in eternal life/ never having to be separated from the Father.
The marriage covenant or New/Renewed/Everlasting covenant isn’t one of compulsion based on the fear of death, but rather based on voluntary servitude, a choice of our freewill. Love can’t exist under an atmosphere of compulsion, but only when there’s freewill choice.
It is a Yoke of Love.
This is what we are remembering this week!!! The Bridegroom gave Himself up for His Bride!
Acts 15 shows this freewill choice to take upon themselves the yoke of Torah. When the apostles made a decision in regards to the Gentiles being included into covenantal relationship with Jesus/Yeshua; that being the one that He had already established with the rest of the Jewish believers.
This was because the Pharisee believers were compelling the Gentiles to follow the Torah as a prerequisite for salvation and inclusion into the community of believers Acts 15:1
So, the apostles made it clear that as far as they were concerned, only certain minimum requirements be imposed on the Gentiles to be granted entrance into the community of believers. They believed the Gentiles needed to be drawn into the Torah covenants through invitation and freewill choice based on love, not by compulsion or fear.
In Acts 15:21 The apostles further state that based on this, the Gentiles will learn to take on the yoke of Torah a little at a time out of love not fear for Avinu/Father and Jesus/Yeshua their Bridegroom.
My Yoke is easy and a look at the pictographs are concluded in PART 2..coming soon!
This may not seem to be a timely message yet it is during times of testing that we should make certain that we are securely yoked to Messiah Jesus/Yeshua.
As this season is all about His Blood shed for us…
Oh the blood of Jesus Oh the blood of Jesus Oh the blood of Jesus It washes white as snow.
Shalom, shalom, mishpachah! You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read the posts, please share with others, like and subscribe, it all helps to freely spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth and reaches others with the blessing of His Truths that point us to Our Heavenly Father Through Jesus/Yeshua by the power of His Holy Spirit.
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It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
NOT SURE?
YOU CAN BE..
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
The (hand)writing on the wall is an idiom meaning there are very apparent and obvious signs that something bad will happen in the future. The phrase comes from the Book of Daniel chapter 5, in which the prophet interprets some mysterious writing that a disembodied hand has inscribed on the palace wall.
The expression ‘the writing is on the wall’ is used whenever an inevitable result or imminent danger has become apparent; it came to refer to any prediction or omen that a venture was doomed to failure.
In our Modern understanding we think graffiti is writing or drawings, humorous, rude, or political, scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place usually as a form of artistic expression, without permission and within public view.
Although the common image of graffiti is a stylistic symbol or phrase spray-painted on a wall by a member of a street gang, some graffiti is not gang-related.
One dictionary definition is: Drawings or inscriptions made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and so as to be seen by the public.
God certainly did not need permission to write but it was an inscription made on a wall so as to be seen by the public!
This was no trendy slogan or tag! For Belshazzar it was a day of reckoning
Day of reckoning meaning: God’s judgment of wickedness – the time when one is called to account for one’s actions.
Brief explanation of who was the king in this verse and why the Temple Menorah was in his possession.
Timeline of Jeremiah / Daniel (3304-3399 / 457-362 BCE)
Date Ref 553 BC Dan 7 30 has dream of the 4 beasts
551 BC Dan 8 31 in 3rd yr of Belshazzar, vision of Ram & Goat
539 BC Dan 5 32 Daniel brought to Belshazzar to read writing on the wall by a hand.
I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem” (Daniel 9:1-2)
Daniel is from David’s royal family For hundreds of years, a descendant of David had been on the throne in Jerusalem. In 605 B.C., the dynasty was in its twilight years.
Nebuchadnezzar successfully besieges Jerusalem and carries off some of the treasure from the temple of God to Babylon.
Judah’s exile from Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s prophecy of a 70-year exile was fulfilled
Daniel 5 tells the story of the 539 BC Babylonian ruler Belshazzar, a rich and debauched king/ co-regent of Babylon and a descendant of the great Nebuchadnezzar.
He is referred to as the son of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 5:18, 22), although he was not Nebuchadnezzar’s immediate successor (Jeremiah 52:31).
Belshazzar gave a banquet to his court. During the drunken party, the sacred vessels from the Jewish temple, stolen by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC, were used in a blasphemous manner including using them to ‘toast’ and honor their gods and giving praise to idols.
Note Over by the candlestick was a reference to the temple Menorah
The lampstand in front of the wall where Nebuchanezzer saw the finger of God write was the Temple menorah. He was abusing and disrespecting the Holy/set apart things of the Lord and the words written were a warning and a judgment
At the height of the festivities, a man’s hand was seen writing on the palace wall the mysterious words (verse 25).
The biblical account of the mysterious and shocking/frightening appearance of the phrase was no doubt the origin to the modern expression “the handwriting on the wall,” meaning “a portent or warning of inevitable misfortune.”
The biblical record in Daniel 5 has Belshazzar’s knees knocking in fear.
Daniel 5:5-6 In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosened, and his knees knocked against each other.
The king was terrified. But no one could understand what the words meant.
All attempts at interpretation by Belshazzar’s wise men failed. Interestingly it was a woman who told him who to ask. Reminds us of Pilates wife giving wise counsel and advice at critical times. She recognized the True God as she said in 5:10-12 and Daniel was given the name Belteshazzar by the king. (Verse 12)
Daniel was one of the captives from Judah brought to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, so taking the advice given, Daniel is called out of retirement to interpret the writing for Belshazzar, he references Nebuchadnezzar’s eventual obedience to God,
Nebuchadnezzar’ was cut down like tree to a stump until he acknowledged there was a God in heaven who controls everything
He was to be humbled and cut down as the great tree was cut down. As the stump of the tree remained with a protective band of iron and bronze, so Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom would eventually be restored.
Daniel 4:15 But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Now let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the wild animals among the plants of the field.
The Tree would sprout again from the stump so his kingdom would be restored.
Natsar
(reminds us of another branch that sprouted from a root!) see
Daniel advised the king to humble himself, turn away from his sins, and show mercy to the poor.
Daniel 4:24-27. God sent a clear warning to Nebuchadnezzar. Through Daniel, the Lord encouraged Nebuchadnezzar to repent of his sin before it was too late.
However, the King did not take this warning to heart.
Now the same warning had come to Belshazzar,
and then Daniel says this:
“But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.”
He was cut down like a tree to a stump, until he acknowledged there was a God in heaven who controls everything.
Daniel was given wisdom from God to read and translate the words, which meant:
“numbered, numbered, weighed, divided.”
Daniel told the king, “Here is what these words mean:
Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians” (Daniel 5:26–28).
Peres is the singular form of upharsin.
The Bible never identifies what language the words were in. Some translations spell upharsin as parsin.
Parsin – ‘to divide (into many pieces)’
Peres – ‘to divide (once)’
mene mene tekel upharsin
you are weighed in the balance and found wanting
here wanting means empty.
As a menorah lamp is empty of oil and is no longer capable of supporting a flame and thus gives forth no light, If we are empty as the lamps in the parable of the 10 virgins awaiting their bridegroom; we too will be found wanting and will not be inside after the door closes.
Daniel read it Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin and explained it to mean that God had numbered the kingdom of Belshazzar and brought it to an end; that the king had been weighed and found wanting; and that his kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and Persians (Dan. v. 1-28).
MENE – ‘numbered’ or ‘mina’.
Mina is a measure of weight and money weight
TEKEL – ‘weighed’ or ‘shekel’ Shekel is a unit of weight and money
UPHARSIN – ie ‘Parsin’ (singular Peres (verse 28)),
Parsin – ‘to divide (into many pieces)’
Peres – ‘to divide (once)’
As can be seen the words ‘mene’ and ‘tekel’ carry meanings which indicate weight and monetary value. (As a result of this observation many have felt the word ‘upharsin’ should likewise be understood as ‘half mene’ or ‘half shekel’.)
Belshazzar, co-regent of the Babylonian Empire, watched as these words were supernaturally written on the palace wall the very night his kingdom fell (539 BC).
Each of the words the hand wrote on the wall is a measure of weight (like our ounce, pound, and ton, or milligram, gram, and kilogram).
The basic unit of the Babylonian/Chaldaic monetary system was the Gerah.
The unit of weight/table of measures, was the gold Shekel (Tekel in this verse).
The Mena equalled 50 shekels;
the Upharsin (half a mena), equalled 25 shekels.
The four words stood for:
Mena 1000 Gerahs or 50 shekels/tekels;
Mena 1000 Gerahs or 50 shekels/tekels;
Tekel, 20 Gerahs or 1 shekel;
Upharsin, 500 Gerahs or 25 shekels.
The total equalled 2520 Gerahs or 126 shekels.
Twenty of these Gerahs formed one Shekel, or Tekel.
One thousand Gerahs made a Minah or Mena.
Peres or Upharsin (the plural of Peres) means division and was used as we use the word half, for e.g. a half dollar. It referred to a half Minah which was equal to 500 Gerahs
The people of Babylon use shekels and mina for their currency. One shekel weighed one fourth of an ounce. One mina was worth 50 shekels. Sometimes if a Babylonian had to pay a large amount they would sometimes use clay tablets. The people of Babylon could also trade money. E.G one mina for 50 shekels etc.
In addition, each shekel can be divided into even smaller units (as a pound can be divided into ounces, for example). The shekel was equal to 20 gerahs (Ezekiel 45:12). The 126 shekels of Daniel 5:25 is equivalent to 2,520 gerahs.
mene: maneh, mina (a measure of weight) 4484
Original Word: מְנֵא Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Transliteration: mene Phonetic Spelling: (men-ay’) Definition: maneh, mina (a measure of weight)
te’-kel (teqel)
tqal: Tekel 8625
Original Word: תְּקַל Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: tqal Phonetic Spelling: (tek-al’) Definition: to weigh
Tekel, be weighed
means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the scales/balances and have not measured up.
shaqal: to weigh 8254
Original Word: שָׁקַל Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: shaqal Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-kal’) Definition: to weigh
UPHARSIN is plural: divisions;
PERES is singular: divided.
Babylon is being divided once into two branches
(Media and Persia will take their respective portions).
There is no contradiction here, just a linguistic variation to highlight two different aspects of this prophecy, (one separation into two pieces).
Upharsin and they divide, or, And they are dividing.
A Chaldee word, an active plural form with the conjunction prefixed; while PERES or PHARES, from the same root, is a passive participle, and means divided, It is a pure Chaldean word. Peres is only a simple form of the same word.
The u in Upharsin is the conjunction and, while pharsin, or, rather, parsin, is the plural of peres, a noun which implies divisions and also Persians. It appears from Daniel 5:28 that the empires of Babylon and the Medo-Persian empire are those signified as being divided.
The Difference between Upharsin and Peres.
Specifically, the fact that one verse reads upharsin while another has the word peres. Apparently both share the meaning of being divided. The difference is that upharsin is the singular form while peres is the plural.
Most prophetic scriptures clearly portray a time dimension.
The words of the handwriting on the wall symbolize that God had weighed Belshazzar’s kingdom and found it wanting (Daniel 5:26-27). Empty of anything to do with the true living God.
The empire would be given to the Medes and the Persians, who entered and captured the city of Babylon that same night.
Belshazzar is slain by Darius that night and Darius becomes king that night, (he is a Mede, son of Xerxes.
God was about to punish Belshazzar’s realm for 2,520 years.
This is confirmed by another prophecy found in Daniel 4.
Through Daniel, God told King Nebuchadnezzar that a total of seven times of punishment would befall Babylon (verses 16, 25). In prophecy, a time equals a year of 360 days.
This can be seen by noting that 3 1/2 times equals 42 months or 1,260 days (Revelation 12:6, 14; 13:5).
Seven times, therefore, equals 2,520 days, and Nebuchadnezzar himself spent seven years without his human reason, living like a beast (Daniel 4:31-37).
In certain prophecies, however, such as in Daniel 5, each day represents a year in fulfillment (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6). These back-to-back prophecies in Daniel 4-5 show the type (Nebuchadnezzar) and anti-type (Babylon) fulfillment of many biblical prophecies. This is the prophetic principle of duality.
So, then, from the experiences of both Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, it is evident Babylon would be punished for a period of 2,520 years.
Interesting notes: After that time, it will rise again, as symbolized by the tree that sprouted and grew after the iron band was removed (Daniel 4:10-16, 19-26).
Since this period of 2,520 years expired in 1982, we can expect to see the rise of modern Babylon in this present generation (also foretold in Revelation 18); it may even now be well advance in its formation.
Also Daniel is a Hebrew name meaning “God is my judge”!
Daniel Interprets the Handwriting … 26 And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. 27 TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. 28 PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”…
The Aramaic tekel, similar to the Hebrew shekel, used in the writing on the wall during the feast of Belshazzar according to the Book of Daniel and defined as weighed, shares a common root with the word shekel and may even additionally attest to its original usage as a weight. Second Temple period half-Shekel Temple tax
Hebrew: מָנֶה, māne (H4488)
Strong’s Number: H4488
Hebrew Base Word: מָנֶה
Part of speech: Noun Masculine
Usage: Maneh, pound
Definition: Properly, a fixed weight or measured amount, i.e., (technically) a maneh or mina.
As for the bones of fire………
the prophet Jeremiah had been the one to warn Belshazzar’s predecessor Nebuchanezzer and we usually associate Jeremiah with his sadness and distress over Gods rebellious People when he had repeatedly called for them to repent in the generations before Daniels time.
in Jeremiah 46 13 25 because of 44:20-23 he was warning that God would come and strike the land of Egypt.
This description of Jeremiah is not the usual one we see of him weeping over the nation for he was Gods chosen mouthpiece. He was laughed at and even told from the beginning that he would declare God’s word and that no one would listen.
What a calling!
And if he decides to keep his mouth closed and not speak any more in Gods Name, speaking forth His Word, he says; describing it as a burning fire shut up in his bones; he says he is weary of holding it in, indeed he is unable to refrain from speaking.
Is this the case with us or is it that we simply fear the ridicule and rejection of peoples reactions and if we do is it because we are unsure of what we believe what is true reality to us.
Jeremiah was overwhelmed by the power of the word of God not just dwelling but burning within him and he had no choice but to voice Gods words of warning.
Are we like Jeremiah or do we say I am not able. We should be saying I am not able to stop.
The love of God compels us to share, to speak,
to be the voice of hope,
to be the voice of warning,
the voice of comfort,
the voice of faith,
loving kindness compassion, truth and love.
The Voice of declaring the Way to salvation.
Let us no longer be weary of well doing.
Let us desire of the Lord that He ignite a fire in us that cannot be contained.
Let us burn with the Holy Fire of Pentecost/shavuot…
That same fire that filled the room….
The same fire that flowed out to 3000 souls in a day.
Let the fire burn up all flesh that limits those life-giving words…
The Ruach of Shavuot did not come to make us feel comfortable but to burn up everything that is not of Himself.
Let us be the fire brand in the hand of God setting ablaze all that is in our path,
אֵשׁʼêsh, aysh;
fire (literally or figuratively):—
burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.
A CONSUMING FIRE – KAESH כאשׁ
Jeremiah 20:9: “Then I said, I will not make mention of him nor speak anymore in his name. But his word was in my heart as a burning fire and shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forebearing and I could not stay.”
The metaphor that God is a Consuming Fire suggests that He is both indescribable and passionately concerned with our devotion to Him.
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” ( Heb. 12:28-29).
Consuming Fire in Hebrew: ’Esh ’okhlah. Strong’s Concordance numbers: 784, 398.
Esh Oklah is literally translated from the Hebrew to eat by fire. Interesting to think that for a moment there are people who claim to commit crimes in the heat of passion.
Burning fire in the Hebrew text is kaesh which is a destructive or all consuming fire as used in this context. In Semitic literature a kaesh or consuming fire is a metaphor for passion.
As Jeremiah was voicing his complaint to God, God allowed Him to enter His heart and feel His passion. When he felt it he just couldn’t contain it.
As Moses recounts for the people the events of Sinai and commands them to keep the covenant, Moses declared,
“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24).
He would not tolerate worship of others; He was a consuming fire in the sense that He desired all of the worship of the Israelites.Deuteronomy 9:3 also refers to the Lord as a consuming fire. In this context, God would serve as a consuming fire to destroy Israel’s enemies.
Then I said, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name. But His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not hold back.
aish – esh – fire –
alef, sheen/shin,
aysh
Eshshah – strongs# 800
eshshah: a fire
Original Word: אֶשָּׁה Part of Speech: Noun Feminine Transliteration: eshshah Phonetic Spelling: (esh-shaw’) Definition: a fire
Original Word: אֵשׂ Part of Speech: Noun Feminine Transliteration: esh Phonetic Spelling: (aysh) Definition: a fire
the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.
Sometimes we forget this…. We forget that we only live because He deems that we can still be here. We breathe and live at the hand of God and for no other reason. As the Presidents people serve at the Presidents pleasure, it is the same in Gods kingdom. Everything we do is known to the king: not just people like Daniel, who acknowledge Him, but those like Belshazzar who turn and spit in His face and choose to worship other gods.
And there will be a day of reckoning for all.
In case we might choose to relegate this standard to the old testament time and therefore has no relevance to us; consider…. Jesus/Yeshua, said He had the keys of hell and death; and this means no one dies but it is in His hand. He has the keys of death so He approves the timing. We belong to Him not to ourselves. The spirit returns to God who gave it! If we are not His at death then hell follows immediately after… as Rev. 6:8 tells us it will be for those who have not repented and turned to Him.
Yes we are in the age of grace, but grace is not a license to sin and live how we please, we are still required to obey His written Word and Jesus/Yeshua’s teaching as He is the Living Word.
Just as on the road to Emmaus our hearts will burn within us as we allow Him to open the scriptures to us.
The consuming fire is the Akal Esh
pronounced: okhlah aish
Akal is translated consuming and is spelled
Aleph Kaf Lamed.
Aleph
is the picture of the ox
and means the strong leader, the first, or God the Father.
Kaf
is the picture of the palm
of the hand and means to cover or uncover, to open, or to allow.
Lamed
is the picture of the shepherd staff
and means to control, to have authority, or can mean the tongue.
Ancient Paleo Hebrew
Modern Hebrew
Esh – Fire – Alef Shin/Sheen, we find a clear picture of God the Father consuming or destroying.
What He is going to allow or not allow has something to do with the Esh / the fire.
Our Heavenly Father is also a consuming fire, it is an indication that our heavenly Father is going to exercise His control over us by applying Esh to either consume and destroy us or not.
Look at the pictographs of Esh combined with those of Akal.
Esh or fire is spelled Aleph Sheen and is translated fire, flames, or burning.
The fire of God will consume those who refuse to follow and obey His commands, but His fire will also be allowed to lead His faithful followers through any darkness, as well as burn away the dross in the process of purifying their lives.
This process is tied in to the Kapporet/Mercy Seat and the High Priest/Kohen haKadol. Both are connected to Jesus/Yeshua in Lev. 16. The cloud in which God would appear above the mercy seat was the cloud of fire or Esh. Heb. 10 reassures us how each of us can enter the Holy place without fear of destruction. ( Being consumed by fire)
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.
Only by the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, Yeshua Ha-Mashiach, that we can enter the Holy place and we are allowed there because we are under the authority and control of the Heavenly Father who has intended all along that we should be guided and purified by the fire we will experience there and not consumed by it.
The handwriting on the wall proved true.
In fact, it proved fatal for the rebellious Belshazzar.
Just as Daniel had said, the kingdom of Babylon was divided between the Meded and Persians (Modern day Iraq), and it happened
that very night.5:30
When Belshazzar was killed, and his kingdom passed to Darius the Mede (Daniel 5:30–31).
It was his day of reckoning
The scriptures say there are days of reckoning ahead for everyone so we need to be like Jeremiah…on fire for Messiah!
The appearance of mene mene tekel upharsin on the king’s wall is a reminder that whatever we sow, that we will also reap (Galatians 6:7–8).
God is the Judge; He justly weighs all matters and metes out retribution in His time (Psalm 94:2).
Sometimes God speaks very clearly into our lives, convicting us of sin and warning us of pending judgment (see John 16:8).
It does not pay to ignore the “handwriting on the wall.”
The graffiti is for our benefit!
We are to seek to acknowledge a King who holds us, all we do. All our ways, where we live, move and have our being: all of this too is in the hand of God and is of importance to Him.
He love is unconditional and unchanging,
He is always there for us in time of need.
Is our passion for the living God of Yisrael/Israel, a burning raging fire on the inside of us, or has our affection for Him waned and been reduced to a glow?
Has the fire gone out?
Sometimes circumstances overwhelm us and that is when we need encouragement to keep the fire going!
Songs by Janny Grein
It is time to let his Ruach/spirit blow on these embers stirring up the fire, and fanning them until they burst into flame.
Have we given ourselves so completely to the word of Adonai/God that we have to be restrained from bringing Him anymore?
As disciples of Messiah may our hearts be set ablaze and no longer cold or lukewarm towards him. (See Revelation 3:16 for the end of those who are lukewarm).
We are to give Him all that He is due, with everything we have and all that we are. Let us give of ourselves continually, abundantly and passionately, to the one who died for us. Let’s forget our religious traditions and doctrines of men making us rigid and conformed to accepted images of what a Christian should be; and exchange it from a shriveled dried up bunch of leaves, for the childlike innocence of a new flower opening its petals and releasing the zeal of youth. He will renew our spirit like the eagle, that is His promise.
Father/Avinu in the name of Jesus/Yeshua, restore to us the joy of our salvation which will by its very essence strengthen us and then let us rise up and declare You are My Lord and we will not simply shine but be ablaze with Your Holy Fire and raise our voices like a Yubel!
Let us not grow weary of well doing of boldly presenting the truth and love of Messiah; instead may our zeal be so hot shut up in our bones, that we instead become weary of holding it in.
The answer to not being found wanting is in the yoke!
Shalom, shalom, mishpachah! You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.
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It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
NOT SURE?
YOU CAN BE..
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
There is a precious connection to the servant heart of a brave, courageous, faith filled and obedient woman called Hadassah whose memory is celebrated each year at Purim and to the coming Messiah. He came the first time as the suffering servant whose brave, courageous, faith filled and obedient life and death opened the WAY to eternal life in the presence of God for whosoever will accept His offer.
One thing is clear and that is we are to emulate and follow Him. His instructions for our new life in Him are recorded for our benefit and education. His Words are instructions for life/chaim.
Mark 9:35 KJV: And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, [the same] shall be last of all, and servant of all.
First a word of encouragement…
It is soon the time of year we remember Messiahs sacrificial death and the celebration of His resurrection which gives us more than a fleeting wishful thought of a future with the Lord; it is a hope that is rooted deep in faith anchored in the foundation of the written word of promise which was fulfilled in the physical life of a physical savior; and who is Himself the living Word and will physically return.
The spirit of Jesus/Yeshua is the spirit of prophecy; and He is that self fulfilling prophecy whose words of promise will not pass away but will be fulfilled just as He spoke. These words are recorded for us in the 4 gospels, Acts and in Revelation.
He is faithful and true and we can be assured that all is well.
He is in control of all things.
Nothing is a surprise to Him because He is the great co ordinator watching over His creation to will and to do His good pleasure.
1 Chronicles 28:20 – And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do [it]: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, [even] my God, [will be] with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
5 Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said,
I will not
in any way fail you
nor give you up nor leave you without support.
[I will] not,
[I will] not,
[I will] not in any degree leave you helpless
nor forsake
nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)!
[Assuredly not!]
Hebrews 13:5 Amp.
Do not be dismayed for those things coming upon the earth.
Joshua 8:1, God says, “Fear not, neither be dismayed.”
Yes, there may be a dark and evil storm raging around us, and some tribulations coming upon the earth at this season; for we are in a time of great change.
Things will be different going forward as scripture is being fulfilled before our eyes. BUT the Lord says,
“Do not be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
and He has armies that we do not see.
So let the peace of God rule and reign in our hearts, His true Shalom!
there is a need for us to know our identity… who we really are.
We are not the persona we have created for ourselves, namely the one we show to the world or even the one we show to church members, nor even maybe family members. In reality we are who God made us to be, and as we have accepted the terms of the renewed covenant;
we are grafted in to the olive tree of spiritual Israel and
now part of Messiahs Bride/Kallah.
We are joint heirs with Him.
We are now to become the person that He strategically placed and positioned here on this earth for this season and His reason.
We are bought with a price that we could never repay and like Esther/Hadassah, for such a time as this we were called into His Kingdom.
The church age is finite.
In that, it had a specific beginning on the day of Pentecost and it will have a specific end; an alpha and omega, an alef and tav.
One day this age will end.
That day will be the day Messiah comes for His Bride, His Challah and time is running out.
2000+ years have passed and if we believe the 1000 year to a day ratio, then 2 days are completed and
on the third day I will raise you up!
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
30 will fail to receive many times more at the proper time—
and inthe age to come, eternal life.”
The Kingdom Age is an eternal one, infinite and it’s the one we are familiar with and say as part of the Lords /apostles/disciples prayer.
THY KINGDOM COME…..
We are, saints, children of the Most High, and are to be sharing the good news that the DALET/door to salvation, the WAY to eternal life is still available for whosoever will.
Encourage all to Seek Him while He may be found. As Messiah said:
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
And So must we…
This Gregorian calendar year of 2020 reminds us of the optician chart that measures if we have 20-20 vision… the message is clear for those with eyes to see and ears to hear.
One aspect of 2020 is that it overlaps with Hebrew year 5780, where the Hebrew character that represents 80, (PeyFey) is a pictograph representing an open mouth.
A reference perhaps to prophecy, and the spoken word. It also speaks of grace for reaching the lost through declaring the gift of salvation through Messiah. We are to speak out and boldly declare the signs of the times.
And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel. Eph. 6:19
The salvation of the people is the most important thing and that it can be found by turning to Jesus and turning means repenting of our rebellion and sinful ways.
Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways, and correct your ways and deeds. Jer.4:1
Turn and keep on coming.
There is always resistance to this message of repentance and holiness, but the word says:
But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.
On the behavioral aspect of Holiness that Hebrews 12:14 touches on, its clear, without pursuing holiness – noone will see The Lord.
Intimacy with God, communion with Ruach HaKodesh/ Holy Spirit, will not be taking place unless one pursues holiness.
It requires a cleansing of our hearts and allowing Him to wash us clean with His precious blood.
And a purging by fire.
It surely is not ‘coincidence’ that the whole world is being told to wash its hands!
They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations. Isaiah 1:16
As above so below,
on earth as it is in heaven;
the duality of spirituality.
What is happening on the earth is indicative of what is taking place in the spiritual realm.
Everything we need to know is in His Word – He has EVERYTHING covered!
Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” James 4:8,
This is not insignificant as many of todays pulpits are not calling for repentance or holiness. It does not have the same appeal as other subjects yet
Jesus own words in Luke 13:1-9
3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish…
If you don’t get right with God, you are going to perish.”
This is part of our calling, to pray more will be saved.
It was David who then pondered who could go into the presence of such a holy sovereign Lord…
(i.e., to the tabernacle on the hill [holy hill in Psa.2:6] of the Lord and its holy place).
Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
Ps 24:3
Verse 4 answers: He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Only those whose heart is pure and hands are clean.
God’s hill is, in reality, the highest heaven, wherein He has His dwelling-place. Then its’ representative on earth was, Mount Zion, where it was already pre determined that the temple should be built, and where David was about to transfer the ark of the covenant.
This question was asked as a warning to the Levites, because David was ready to have them move the ark. He was ensuring that they would purify themselves in heart and soul before taking part in the serious and holy ceremony.
Or who shall stand in his holy place?
Who: This refers to those who shall stand and minister inside the tabernacle, when the ark has been placed inside, and it has thus become, God’s Holy place?
His throne/kapporet/presence, here on earth.
We are to rend our hearts in true repentance and sorrow for Salvation is by God’s decision and God’s decision is based on what He sees (1 Samuel 16:7).
These give an elaboration of this answer, which is remarkable, because it expresses in language so clear that a child may understand it.
It is simply that the only service, the only character which can be thought worthy of such a habitation, is that which conforms itself to the laws of:
truth,
honesty,
humility,
justice,
love.
Millenia have passed, Jerusalem has fallen, the Jewish monarchy, its priesthood with its rituals and religion have been missing, yet Davids words by which all wise and good men would measure the worth and value of men remain.
Only those that are truly His.
Only those that love and trust Him enough to continue to abide in Him, through obedience and love.
Those who, knowing His word, loving it, and living it, will speak it, without fear or compromise.
Those who answered His call to true Holiness/set-apartness.
Sadly it is not those who claim to be His and yet do not obey His commands, or continually follow His Way.
He is still calling with the open invitation, yet only a few will come. Matt. 7:14
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it.
The truth is clear that if we are in sin we cannot stand in His Holy/Kadosh place. A Holy God does not live where sin is, and we must be filled with His Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKodesh, clothed with His Spirit, that robe of righteousness –
the correct wedding garment.
Once we let the light of His love and glory shine upon us, in us and through us, all will be revealed to us that we need to do to remain His.
We are to run to His light today and be so full, that others will see this light and want it for themselves. this is what He calls us to do, reveal the light of Jesus to the world.
Being of service to others – by being a servant that is how to be the true bride/challah of the King, holy – without spot or wrinkle. Holiness unto the Lord – this is also engraved on the crown of the High Priest.
Dedicated and single minded.
Like both Esther/Hadassah and Jesus/Yeshua.
He is faithful and true.
Doesn’t He deserve the same attributes and character from His bride to be? And surely why He asks if will He find faith(fullness) in His servants when He comes? Luke 18:8.
Being faithful means to be true to one’s word or promises, be steady in allegiance, and be consistent with the truth. A faithful person is loyal, reliable, trustworthy, and believable. From a Spiritual perspective, faithful means to literally be full of faith.
The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times? Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes. Truly I tell you, that he will set him over all that he has.
Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
It immediately preceeds the parable of the 10 virgins which has a similar eschatological theme of being prepared for the day of reckoning.
What is the meaning of being a Servant?
Servant in the New Testament is the correct translation of 3 Greek words: Diakonos oiketays and doulos.
These three words are worlds apart because
Diakonos is also translated as minister and Deacon while
doulos and oiketays are also translated slave,
meaning bond servant.
An oiketays was a bond servant who was only a household servant: a maid, a Cook, a nurse, a butler or similar work.
A bond servant is a person who has been purchased for a specific time or job.
We are to be serving the servant King.
In the late 1800s it was common for people in Europe to agree to work for an American Company for a specified time in payment for their passage to the USA.
A believer is to be this bond servant for the Lord in the sense that we are obligated totally to Him because our Redeemer purchased us with His blood/His life. He is more than an employer because He has each of us under contract/covenant.
This is different from slavery because we have free will and can the break contract if we desire.
In Romans Paul wrote to Titus, in Jacobs letter to Peter and Jude also starts by referring to the author as a doulos, a bond servant of God or Yeshua.
The relationship to people is as a diakonos and some translations use servant/minister to illustrate this point.
A minister is ordained to serve people, as Jesus/Yeshua came to serve, not to be served. Matthew 20:28
In the Hebrew scriptures, the references to slaves are overwhelmingly to bond servants and specifically that meaning.
In Greek and Roman law, slaves were possessions, like furniture, that an owner could treat however he wanted to, even killing a slave was not considered a crime.
In Scripture, the slaves were bond servants who had to be set free if they were injured. Exodus 21:26:27.
Every Hebrew bond servant was released in the seventh year and all bond servants were released in the Jubilee 50th year.
Ezekiel 27:13 is The only reference to slavery in the Hebrew Scriptures, where the phrase nefesh adam is used, it’s commonly translated as human lives or human souls.
In the New Testament the only reference to Greek and Roman slavery is in Revelation 18:13 where the Greek word somata is used of the merchants weeping over the loss of their wealth with the destruction of Babylon.
Here it is speaking of them as possessions which was the case with slavery and was not only in Greece and Rome but also in other countries. This was not the slavery of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Hammash is a Hebrew word that means servant. shammash (also spelled “shammas”) As in servant candle on the menorah.
Also He was the Branch as the branch of the menorah and the branches of the myrtle/haddasah/Esther, as well as other trees, mentioned in Nehemiah 8:15; were to be used as construction for the booths!
The booths/tabernacles, the sukkahs, the temporary shelters, for the final feast of succot which represents God tabernacling/dwelling with His people.
The Word for Servant in Hebrew:
A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers. KJV: a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. INT: be Canaan A servant of servants shall be to his brothers. Genesis 9:26 HEB: וִיהִ֥י כְנַ֖עַן עֶ֥בֶד לָֽמוֹ׃ NAS: And let Canaan be his servant. KJV: and Canaan shall be his servant.
Genesis 9:25 HEB: אָר֣וּר כְּנָ֑עַן עֶ֥בֶד עֲבָדִ֖ים יִֽהְיֶ֥ה NAS: be Canaan; A servant of servants KJV: [be] Canaan; a servant of servants
Strongs 5650.
ebed: slave, servant
Original Word: עֶבֶד Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Transliteration: ebed Phonetic Spelling: (eh’-bed) Definition: slave, servant
5649
abad: slave, servant
Original Word: עֲבַד Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Transliteration: abad Phonetic Spelling: (ab-bad’) Definition: slave, servant
Ezra 5:11 HEB: אֲנַ֣חְנָא הִמּ֡וֹ עַבְדוֹהִי֩דִֽי־ אֱלָ֨הּ NAS: us, saying, ‘We are the servants of the God KJV: are the servants of the God
עַבְדִּיאֵל
proper name, masculine servant of El;
strongs 5661
עַבְדִּיאֵל Abdiel
8334 sharath: to minister, serve
Original Word: שָׁרַת Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: sharath Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-rath’) Definition: to minister, serve
Genesis 39:4 HEB: חֵ֛ן בְּעֵינָ֖יו וַיְשָׁ֣רֶתאֹת֑וֹ וַיַּפְקִדֵ֙הוּ֙ NAS: in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer KJV: in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer INT: favor his sight and became made over
Genesis 40:4 HEB: יוֹסֵ֛ף אִתָּ֖ם וַיְשָׁ֣רֶתאֹתָ֑ם וַיִּהְי֥וּ NAS: in charge of them, and he took care of them; and they were in confinement KJV: Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season
Exodus 24:13 HEB: מֹשֶׁ֔ה וִיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ מְשָׁרְת֑וֹוַיַּ֥עַל מֹשֶׁ֖ה NAS: with Joshua his servant, and Moses KJV: rose up, and his minister Joshua: INT: Moses Joshua his servant went and Moses
An attendant in the service of someone, as Joshua was the servant/minister of Moses (Numbers 11:28). (3) As a ‘term of respectful self-depreciation referring to one’s self, thy servant, or your servant is used in place of the personal pronoun of the first person:
Hebrew Words for Servant:
Ehbed
עֶבֶד
and
Sharath
שָׁרַת
The Hebrew word for ‘Servant’ is משרת (meh-sha-ret) for male and משרתת (meh-sha-reh-tet) for female.
This is used mainly for domestic servants and is not considered politically correct anymore so we say rather someone is a person employed by another to perform tasks and duties serves only at the employers pleasure as they are not related to the one they are working for.
The first time God called someone My Servant,is in Job 1:8
The book of Job is considered the oldest of the books and immediately we read that haSatan /adversary is in the Courts of Heaven.
He doesn’t own up to anything specific but only that he has been going to and fro about his business as the prince of this world. When Satan least expected it, an irresistible opportunity is dangled in front of his eyes and he doesn’t waste any time taking the bait as he seeks to enlarge his own reputation at the expense of what he erroneously imagines is an incorrect assessment of Gods Servant Job.
Job 1:8:
The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”
Surely it aggravated Satan that God had built a hedge of protection around righteous Job. We know that because of his instant response and not needing to even check Job out…
“Take down the hedge of protection and stretch forth your hand and take away all his blessings and he will curse you to your face”
“I will not do that” reported the Lord. “But I will allow you to do your worst against Job except you must not take his life.”
No doubt Satan immediately rushed out eager to begin doing his worst against the one man that God considered precious in His sight.
The one who God called, My Servant Job.
Genesis 18:1-3. The Hebrew word Servant is in the story of the Lord appearing unto Abraham to announce the soon arrival of the Promised Son!
And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
Ehbed דבֶעֶ
Ayin beyt and dalet
Dalet/daleth beyt/bet/beit ayin
(or Avdi) Remember b is also a letter v.
The word servant used for Moses is
Ehbed and indicates ownership.
It is often used as a term to describe a bond-servant or a slave who has been set free by the owner but chooses by his/her freewill to remain with his owner and serve him out of love and devotion.
Both Joshua and Moses are called servants the one for Moses is Ehbed;
but the word used for Joshua is very different, it is Sharath. This tells us more about each of them and their ministries.
Joshua 1:1,2 opens with a command to the new leader.
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
In this verse the Hebrew word ehbed is servant and used for Moses indicating ownership. (As we just saw above, it’s often used to describe a bond-servant who has been set free but chooses to remain with his owner and serve him out of love and devotion.)
The word used for Joshua is very different it is Sharath. The word here which is translated as Moses’ minister, also means servant; but refers to a high ranking servant, who directly and personally ministers to his master.
Genesis 9: 25 is the first place where the word Ehbed is used
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
Ehbed of Ehbed means Servant of servants and reveals the consequences of the sin of Canaan/Cain. This being that he is destined to never again serve God, his true master, but instead he will be forced to serve only other servants. It will not be his free will choice but he will be forced to serve out of duty and not out of love and devotion. This indicates he will be the lowest of servants.
Ehbed is spelled Ayin Beyt Dalet.
A look at the pictographs may give some more insight.
Ayin is the picture of the eye and means to see, to know, or to experience.
Beyt is the picture of the tent and indicates a family or a dwelling place, and is the first letter in the Torah that identifies the Son of God.
Dalet is the picture of the doorway and points to a pathway, a gate, a place of decision, or a place where change can take place.
The pictographs reveal the meanings of the original Hebrew words show in the word Ehbed that Moses could willingly choose to serve God because he hadnot only experienced Him but had come to know God the Son and in this relationship he came to a place of decision. Moses was the author of the accounts in Genesis of Abraham and Jacob and their meetings with God in the flesh, which seems to be indicating the person of Jesus/Yeshua as the preincarnate Messiah.
Genesis 39:4 is the first place Sharath is found. When in Egypt, Jacobs son Joseph, was serving as a personal slave to Pharaoh’s captain of the guard, Potifer.
And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
Sharath translates as the word served and tells us Joseph was a high ranking and trusted slave even though he was in a foreign land.
The conditions Joseph was in and the grace extended to him indicates he must have served with whole-hearted devotion.
in Exodus 33:11. Joshua showed this same whole-hearted devotion towards Moses
And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
The verses in Exodus 24:13 & 33:11 tell us that in the Tabernacle Joshua was in Gods presence with Moses and on the mountain.
Joshua was there to serve Sharath Moses wherever he went.
Sharath is spelledSheen Reysh Tav.
And the pictographs of Sharath reveal the following:
Sheen/Shinis the picture of teeth and means to destroy or to press and is the one letter God uses to identify Himself.
Reysh/Resh is the picture of the head and stands for the leader, the highest, the most important, or the prince.
Tavis the picture of crossed wooden sticks and symbolizes a covenant, a sign, or a cross and can mean to seal.
The pictographs of Sharath reveal how devoted Joshua was in his service to Moses.
At this point we need to remind ourselves that Joshua is a type of Jesus/Yeshua. Joshua served with the same loving devotion that the Son of God would show His Father as He went to the cross.
Hidden in the pictographs was the mystery kept for us, so that we could see that it was written so long ago. Declaring that in loving devotion to His Heavenly Father, Jesus/Yeshua would go to His death on the cross of His own free will.
The Sharath /servant, Messiah would by doing so fulfill the Father’s plan of salvation for all those under the curse of sin.
Known also as the suffering servant.
Remembering that each Hebrew letter is also a number, we can gain a little further insight.
The letter Sheen is the number 300 and signifies the final blood sacrifice of the Perfect Lamb of God.
The letter Reysh is the number 200 and balances the complete sufficiency of God with the insufficiency of man.
Tav is the number 400 and stands for a divinely ordained period of time that will bring about deliverance and renewal.
Here we see a summing up of the plan of God:
the blood sacrifice of Jesus/Yeshua, the Lamb of God, will be sufficient to deliver fallen man from the bondage of sin and bring us to a new life in Him.
There is one more mystery we can now see makes sense.
(And as there is no word for coincidence in Hebrew as everything is considered part of Gods plan.)
It is more than interesting that of all the 22 letters of the Hebrew Aleph Beyt; the last 3 letters
sheen reysh tav
make up the word Sharath.
Just as the first three letters Aleph Beyt Gimel stand for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and begin/genesis our story,
av ben ruach
father son spirit
the last 3 show us there will be a
Servant
sheen reysh tav
Sh-r-th
Sharath
No we know who will finish this story for us:
the Son Yeshua will be Sharath to the Father
and will finish the plan of salvation
at the Tav,
the wooden cross.
Servant
Dalet Beyt Ayin
4 2 70
the meaning of the three letters in the Hebrew word we translate into English as Servant.
Ayin
To See Know Experience To Understand
Beyt
The House or Tent
God the Son
Dalet
Jesus/Yeshua The Door that Leads to Eternal Life…
God has placed a hidden in plain sight revelation at the root of the picture meaning of the word Servant.
This revealing/apocalypse, is meant to cause us to re-examine the concept from God’s vantage point and to understand the ultimate purpose of a servant, ehbed.
Recall earlier, that servant is defined in the dictionary as “a person employed by another to perform duties, most often those duties are domestic.”
The servant is the one person who is welcomed into the home in order to assist in the smooth management of the household. The servant is not related to the master of the household but serves at his pleasure.
Hebrew Word Picture for the Servant is below and gives another picture of a servant.
there is a discernible difference in the meaning:
To see, know and experience the Home of the Prince of Heaven, the Son of God by entering into the Door that sets us on the path/WAYto heaven and eternal life.
God called Job My Servant.
BUT
Job had not seen, known or experienced the home of the Prince of Heaven, the Son of God…or had he??
Had Job entered the door that leads to Eternal Life? Actually the answer is YES, if we consider Jobs declaration of faith in the Redeemer as recorded in:
Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
Therefore it should surely follow that those who are God’s servants here on earth will one day see, know and experience heaven. But we know our Heavenly Father is not looking for domestic servants in shamayim/heaven.
So what is God’s plan for His servants here on earth?
If it were not promised in the Scriptures over and over again, the answer is almost too incredible to voice, because the answer is, that the God who called Job, My Servant, would one day call Job His adopted son!
His spiritual future destiny was to call his Creator Father, Abba, Av /Avinu, his Heavenly Father.
Job’s
spiritual future destiny is also our
spiritual future destiny…
if we love God and have put our faith and trust in His only begotten Son; who came to undo the curse brought into the world by Satan and sin; and redeem us from it by His own blood.
Messiahs promise to His disciples:
John 15:15
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Listen to what Yeshua/Jesus says to us:
John 1:11
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
First, Yeshua/Jesus came as the servant of all
and now we understand the fuller meaning of the mystery contained in the Ancient Hebrew Pictograph word pictures.
His servant heart preceded His Coronation
and so too does ours!
The king is coming!
Now we understand what a servant is, even though we are also His friends, let us be found faithful servants; discerning the fullness of His calling on our lives as we each serve Him in all truth as a bond-servant…..
ONE who has been set free but chooses to remain with his owner and serve him out of love and devotion.
Bond servants – ehbed and sharath
for the coming king of kings and Lord of Lords.
We Have this BLESSED ASSURANCE!
The suffering servant Ehbed and Sharath
will return as our Conquering King!
THIS IS our story..
THIS IS our song!
How Marvelous How Wonderful!
Please don’t leave this page before you commit to be His bond servant and if you are not sure you can be.
Shalom, shalom, mishpachah!
The JOY of the Lord is Your Strength!
You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.
Fear not, simply rest in Him and be comforted, God is WORKING!
Stay alert, prepared and be ready!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read the posts and for all your kind and encouraging comments. Please continue to share with others, like and subscribe for notifications of new postings. It all helps to freely spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth and reaches others with the blessing of His Truths that always point us to Our Heavenly Father, Through Jesus/Yeshua by the power of His Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh.
Share His comfort to those going through times of testing and trouble…be an encourager of hearts and tell them GOD IS WORKING behind the scenes!
As always, a very warm welcome to each and every subscriber/follower/visitor, both old and new; and remember that the post is best viewed on the Homepage site in full color!
Please don’t leave this page without the knowing in your heart you are totally His.
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
Its 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/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 Spring season of Appointed Times of the Lord/Moedim were initiated this week with Purim.
The remembrance of Purim is a precursor to the 7 on the Hebrew Calendar; and it commemorates the selfless action of woman chosen for a specific time and purpose. Purim is always 30 days before Passover/Pesach. It’s almost like a heads-up, a marker, for those with eyes to see and ears to hear, of what is about to begin!
Although previous posts have highlighted Esther /Hadassah/Myrtle, one aspect of this story was not included in:
This aspect concerns the fact that Gods name was hidden in this book. It did not mean He was not there or didn’t know what was going on.
Although the name of God is not written as a literal word in this book, it is however, conspicuous by its absence. In that absence, it is more of an indication that, although God is hidden and not obvious in the text; He is working behind the scenes.
From here He is causing His will to proceed and come to a victorious conclusion in bringing about the salvation of His chosen people, even though at the same time, the devil was trying to orchestrate their extinction.
When His Name is not obvious, on and in the events, as in the book of Esther, readers may think He has forgotten, deserted or has abandoned them.
NOT SO and nothing could be further from the truth.
He is working?
How do we know that?
Because His Word tells us He Never slumbers nor sleeps:
Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. … Psalm 121; Psalm120; Psalm 122.
Hinei lo yanum v’lo yishan shomer Israel
A further confirmation being one of the Covenant Names of God, that shows and qualifies His attributes is:
YHWH-Shammah —
“The Lord is present”
(Ezekiel 48:35)
God is ALWAYS present with us.
Phonetic Spelling:
(yeh-ho-vaw’ shawm’-maw)
read from right to left under each Hebrew letter
<maw shaw h-va-ho-yeh <
Pronounced Ya-wa or
Yod–Ha-Vav-Ha Sham-ma
God is intimately and intricately involved in the lives of His people. He is constantly at work in every aspect of their lives. But everything He does is for a purpose.
Job 34:20
In order for the scenes to change in the faith experience, the Lord, Who is“the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2),must work behind the scenes.
Although people and circumstances are always associated with where we are in the spiritual drama, the Bible teaches that God is the major Force behind the ever changing scenes of life.
God had been working behind the scenes, in the lives of two men Joseph had never met. God worked in their life circumstances in what initially appeared to be negative events in order to bring these three men together in the same place for this very moment. Specifically so that Joseph could interpret their dreams.
Joseph said, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please” (v. 8).
The whole of Josephs early life and experiences were in preparation for the time He would save his family, his people and his whole nation which included the line from which Messiah would come to bring salvation.
Gideon also had an experience of God working In Judges 7:9-15 as the warrior was about to face the troops of Midian with a much smaller and less-equipped force.
Although Gideon was a willing servant of God, he needed assurance that it was, in fact, God calling him to this task (vs.17).
In accomplishing the mission set before him by God, Gideon proves himself to be faithful, as well as a mighty warrior, becoming a strong leader of men (Judges 7:17).
9 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. 10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:
Judges 7:9-15 KJV.
The following night the Lord commanded Gideon to go down to the camp of the enemy, as He had given it into his hand.In the Hebrew language text, here the perfect is used to denote the purpose of God, which had already been formed.
In the same way as in Judges 4:14,
God had worked behind the scenes!
This working, is not confined to the Old Testament/TaNaKh, but is further confirmed for us in Yeshua/Jesus own words informing us that God is always working His purpose out.
God is working right now!
John 5:17, NIV: In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day,
“My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” John 5:17 NKJV
He is watching ever mindful of us and all the events unfolding. At the appointed time, He intervenes. He reveals Himself in all His glory and ability to bring events to a perfect and timely conclusion.
To coin a couple of well known phrases:
The wedding will take place – the show must go on.
It also has a worldly meaning that people often push forward in their own strength, when they are not supposed to, regardless of how negatively pressing and unfavorable circumstances may be.
For us, knowing that He is WORKING, it brings COMFORT..
and have faith in His and the Fathers ability to accomplish all that has been planned from the foundation of the world;
because He Is:
Omnipotent (All-powerful)
Omniscient (All-knowing)
Omnipresent (Ever-present)
His word will come to pass.
All scripture will be fulfilled.
All prophecy will happen just as it has been written.
Esther came into the moment.
Into the time line.
Just as the events seemed set to wipe out Gods’ children for good.
The enemy’s plan was to destroy and totally annihilate the people of God, the tribe of Judah, the Jewish race and in turn to stop the future birth of Messiah.
Consider how many times that was attempted and every time it failed!
הֲדַסָּה
Hadassah
Esther’s Jewish name comes from the Hebrew word הֲדַס hădaç Hadas which means ‘myrtle’.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the thorn/brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. To set forth his glory. Of God’s deliverance, and that he will never forsake his Church. Isaiah 55:13
Read that one more time………
To set forth His glory.
Of God’s deliverance, and that
He will
NEVER
FORSAKE
HIS CHURCH!!!
church = ecclesia = called out/apart ones/His BRIDE.
That’s all of us who meet His criteria!
Instead of the thorn, (from the crown of thorns of the suffering servant); shall come forth the myrtle
the flower
the servant
and the chosen one
the hidden bride.
Esther’s name has a meaning of hidden, this meaning is that the bride of Messiah is to this day hidden from the Jewish people. Esther disguised herself as a Gentile, but secretly she was a Hebrew (Ivri )/Yahuwdiy (Jew).
In the same way, those who are born-again by the blood of the lamb are not recognized by many who call themselves Jews because, as of today, many do not acknowledge Jesus/Yeshua as their true Messiah, but one day they will see Him who they pierced.
To be the true bride kallah/challah of the King.
We have seen that as believers symbolically God is our bridegroom and we are His challah/kallah, His bride.
Yeshua/Jesus our Heavenly Bridegroom was born – nothing could stop it. No devilish plans could prevent His coming then,
and it will not now either.
His second coming will occur at the appointed time.
Events will unfold on time – His time — just as they did in Esther’s day.
The devil still seeks to destroy God’s family, he wants to prevent the wedding taking place., but he does not succeed!
——
Where is God’s Name in the story today?
He is WORKING behind the scenes.
The salvation of His people is the focus through Ruach HaKodesh /Holy Spirit, whose mandate according to Scripture is:
as an expression of His love and mercy, the Holy Spirit seeks to convict or convince us that Jesus is the cure for sin.
8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; (John 16:8-9)
Jesus/Yeshua promised the apostles that the
Ruach HaKodesh /Holy Spirit would convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
The world is a sinful place, and one of Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit’s tasks, is to convict the world of its’ sin. No amount of preaching, pleading, or pointing of fingers will bring about the conviction of sin, unless Ruach HaKodesh /Holy Spirit is at work in the sinner’s heart.
It is the Ruach/Spirit’s job to bring conviction to a soul.
God’s desire is that they will be motivated to look for defense counsel: (Jesus/Yeshua) before they appear before the Judge (Father God) for sentencing.
To bring all to repentance and like Esther, beg petition from the king for clemency.
As Esther was prepared to do, we must lay down our lives for Him…
Esther laid her life on the line for her people..
Jesus/Yeshua laid His life on the line for His people.
Instead of the briar comes the myrtle..
Up came the Esther/the Hadassah/Myrtle, to speak for those about to perish.
She was the picture of servant hood and sacrifice, just as Yeshua/Jesus with the crown of thorns was the picture of servant hood and sacrifice…
Both willing to lay down their lives for others and in this case for a whole nation. Had she not done so, the line through which Messiah came, would have perished and He would not have been able to lay down His life for the whole world.
Esther
The epitome of a true and faithful servant – loving not her life even unto death!
Self sacrifice, laying down her life – chaim, for others.
As we remember Esther, it is also the initiator of the appointed times on the Hebraic calendar year cycle.
The Appointed Times/Moedim, always begin with sacrifice
-self-sacrifice,
laying one’s life down for another… for Her people, a nation..
and as we are about to begin the cycle of the Spiritual Calendar with Passover/Pesach the epitomy of self sacrifice –
laying one’s life down for another… for His people, a nation..
and in Messiahs case, for the whole world.
The trick the enemy was preparing ended up being the agent of his own demise. God was working and always is.
Even when we don’t see it plainly or see His Name on events, the myrtle will blossom in it’s time.
This is 2020 = we must have perfect vision…spiritually so we can SEE Him WORKING!
Esther/Hadassah/Myrtle, was the model of true servant hood in her timeline and Jesus/Yeshua was the model of true servant hood in His…
In part 2 we will look at what the pictographs of this Word servant show us.
Happy Purim
Shalom, shalom, mishpachah!
You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.
Fear not, simply rest in Him and be comforted, God is WORKING!
Stay alert, prepared and be ready!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read the posts and for all your kind and encouraging comments. Please continue to share with others, like and subscribe for notifications of new postings. It all helps to freely spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth and reaches others with the blessing of His Truths that always point us to Our Heavenly Father, Through Jesus/Yeshua by the power of His Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh.
Share His comfort to those going through times of testing and trouble…be an encourager of hearts and tell them GOD IS WORKING behind the scenes!
As always, a very warm welcome to each and every subscriber/follower/visitor, both old and new; and remember that the post is best viewed on the Homepage site in full color!
Please don’t leave this page without the knowing in your heart you are totally His.
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
Its 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/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.
Kaf 
Lamed.
of the hand and means to cover or uncover, to open, or to allow.
and means to control, to have authority, or can mean the tongue.
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