24 Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 Forwhoeverwantsto savehislifewill loseit,butwhoeverloseshislifefor My sakewill findit. 26 What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?…
Matt 16:25 AMP. or whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity].
Also in Matthew 10:39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
John 12:25 Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
In Revelation 12:11 Messiah again speaks of not loving our physical earthly lives above Him. And they loved not their lives unto the death –
Meaning that they did not so love their lives that they were unwilling to die as martyrs. They did not shrink back when threatened with death, but remained firm in their attachment to their Savior, and left their sacrificial death as a testimony to the truth and power of faith.
In the well known chapter of Hebrews 11:33 where the heroes and heroines of faith/trust/batak are recorded. Verse 33 says who by faith [that is, with an enduring trust in God and His promises] subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions…
Closed the mouths of lions,
is a reference to Daniel and the story we are quite familiar with.
The following historical information may not only be of interest but help to explain the reason for the strong faith exhibited by Daniel in the lions den and his 3 companions who were thrust into the fiery furnace. Both are extra-ordinary accounts of faith filled men whose lives were lived in exile and under tight control of idol worshippers.
Many in the west are unfamiliar with any government /royal kingdom that operate under strict rules with penalties that include death/torture for breaking the conditions by which all citizens and or foreigners in exile there, are to live their lives. Regimes that enforce unrighteous regulations are notably those who serve false gods and not the true living Creator of the universe. Many of these so called gods are the fallen angels who followed Lucifer and are still, like their master, deceiving the masses into false religions, idol and demon worship; an ongoing issue recorded all through the Bible.
Like Daniel and the 3 who did not fail their testing times, we are to stand firm on what we know to be the Way the Truth and the Life. Scripture warns us that times are at hand when every persons faith will be tested.
When faith is tested, we can expect to be tempted, however we can also expect to be strengthened; even when it brings out our shortcomings and inadequacies. In this respect, testing is a positive and good thing because it allows us to see where our lives need improvement. Only when our beliefs are tested can we truly know ourselves and if we are principled men and women of integrity; and that He is our Father and we are truly His children.
Matthew 4:1-11
The story of Messiahs’ testing/temptation, shows how the Son of God/Son of Man was to fulfill His calling by only using His power in obedience to His Heavenly Father’s purposes and plans; and we are encouraged that “No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
“…we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering works perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope: and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5.
Testing proves the quality of our faith and of our character, by confirming the integrity of our beliefs and values; thus building confidence in our Heavenly Father and imparting to us a greater strength of resolve.
We know that there will be times when we will be put to the test and have to stand strong in our faith in Him. When that time comes, we must remember His promise to us to be strengthened and that He will be with us.
In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7.
Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
James 1:3
Going from the verse in Hebrews 11:33 to the Book of Daniel 3:8-30, readers are introduced to three young men: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
This account takes place about 600 years before Messiah was born during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who besieged Jerusalem and took captive into exile, many citizens of Israel. Among them were four young men from the tribe of Judah who, after they were living in captivity, they were given new names. Daniel was called Belteshazzar, Hananiah was renamed Shadrach, Mishael was called Meshach, and Azariah was named Abednego.
As well as being fellow Hebrew captives, they were also Daniels’ friends. The four young Hebrews soon proved themselves to be exceptionally wise, they found favor with King Nebuchadnezzar when Daniel was found to be the only man capable of interpreting one of his troubling dreams. The king placed him in a high position serving as chief governor over the whole province of Babylon, including over all of the wise men of the land. Then at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as Daniel’s advisors.
These brave believers in the Most High God held on to their faith even when threatened with death by fire. Their lives serve as inspiration for those whose faith is challenged or those who face persecution, torture and hardship for their beliefs.
But why were they so courageous?
Why did they not try to save their own lives?
Sometimes martyrdom fulfills the Father’s plan and other times divine intervention better accomplishes His purpose.…
The lesson for believers is that we must be ready and willing to serve the Lord whether in life or by physical death.
King Nebuchadnezzar had a huge golden image built as a symbol of his power and glory. He then commanded his people to bow down and worship this image whenever they heard the sound of his musical herald.
Those who disobeyed the order would be thrown into an immense, blazing furnace.
According to classical historians, Nebuchadnezzar was, the man responsible for making Babylon one of the wonders of the ancient world, and was credited with building the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Interestingly ‘Nebuchadnezzar’ seemingly wasn’t his name, because the second ‘n’ was apparently an error?
His Babylonian name was Nabū-kudur-usur, if so, he should be called Nebuchadrezzar. The ‘mistake’, supposedly by author of the Book of Daniel, has become the most frequently known name by which the Babylonian king is now referred to.
Nebuchadnezzar, like most absolute rulers, insisted on his subjects coming to the gold statue of himself and paying homage to it, and by association, to worship Nebuchadnezzar himself.
Because Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego worshipped only the One True God, they refused to bow down to the false idol and by association to the king.
3:12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
For some reason, Daniel is not on the list, so he avoids this punishment, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are summoned to appear before the king; yet, they remained courageous in the face of Nebuchadnezzar’s demand to bow down in front of the golden statue. They said:
Daniel 3:16-18: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter. If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O King. But even if he does not, let it be known to you O King, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Not only did they refuse to bow down to his idol, but they just call him ‘Nebuchadnezzar‘ not prefixing it with ‘King’, and they did not finish what they said with ‘live forever;’ and the letter ‘O’ in most translations is not there in the original Aramaic. Their reply was, lo chashechin and in the KJV it’s translated as: “we are not careful to answer you.” which is basically the meaning of lo chashechin saying in a blunt fashion: “we do not need to answer you.” In a way it’s a disrespectful answer, like saying,
“I don’t have to answer to you.”
But note they add the word pitegam
which is rendered:
on this matter.
Pithegam is not a matter but a decree, a demand or command.
The word matter is pithegam which is: a decree.
The three Hebrews were not defying the king in everything, only in this specific decree. There is a lesson for us here, that when we are living under leadership that is not in line with scripture, we are only obligated to obey unless it is in directly against the command of our Heavenly Father.
When Nebuchadnezzar heard that the three Hebrews had refused to worship his idol he was furious. He summoned them and would normally have had them cast into the furnace immediately, but instead he gave them a second chance. However, by doing this, he gave himself a challenge in front of everyone; was he going to face disgrace and embarrassment by backing down to their God?
The three young Hebrews may have known that Nebuchadnezzar respected their God, which in turn may explain the attitude toward him. What the young men told Nebuchadnezzar was, “If our God is able, He will deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire.” The next word should read as then, not and. Then he will deliver us from your hand /or your power.
The word deliver is shazav
which means: to rescue,
but in this form, it would really be inciting the king because they were saying: If our God is able he can rescue us from the fire, then we will really be rescued from your power…. or in other words:
If our God is able he can rescue us from the fire we’ll never have to submit to your power and it will prove who’s really in charge.
Then they added a final insult to the one who dared to defy their God. But even if He doesn’t choose to rescue us, we are still not going to worship your gods.
For the three men the emphasis was not that they were confident that they would be saved from the fire, but rather on their commitment that they wouldn’t bow down to any other god/idol.
All through the history of the ecclesia, right to the present day there are Christian believers similar to these three young Hebrew men who took their stand in faith for God, but they’re not delivered. Many have been thrown to lions, burned at the stake, tortured, shot, hung, beheaded and many other horrors. Just as the 3 Hebrews, they stood strong saying: “My God can rescue me, but even if He doesn’t, I am not about to deny Him.” Have we ever had to face such a decision, or maybe we are about to?
Nebuchadnezzar was furious and ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than normal. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound and cast into the flames. The blast from the flames was so hot, it killed the soldiers who had put them in.
Then he was amazed marveled at what he saw:
“But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Daniel 3:25, ESV
Calling the men to come out of the furnace, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged unharmed, and not even a hair on their heads was singed and their clothing didn’t even smell of smoke.
This made such a huge impression on Nebuchadnezzar that he made a declaration saying:
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.” Daniel 3:28, ESV
Due to the miraculous deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the King made a decree that the rest of the Israelites in captivity were now to be protected from harm and that they were guaranteed freedom of worship; furthermore they all three received a royal promotion.
The most important fact is that being Hebrew/Israelite/Jewish, they were forbidden by the Ten Commandments to worship any ‘graven image’, because it is a form of idolatry, these men could not in good conscience kneel before the Babylonian king’s statue. There are rare instances within Hebrew/Israelite/Jewish law that mandate an individual to sacrifice their own life rather than engage in something that violates the commandments written in the scriptures.
They were still determined to die rather than bow to the idol, even if God did not raise them from the dead.
Yehareg ve’al ya’avor
“Let him be killed rather than transgress”
refers to the requirement to give one’s life rather than transgress a law.
Although ordinarily one is permitted to transgress halakha when a life is in danger, certain situations require an individual to give one’s life.
There are three sins for which one is always required to die rather than transgress:
idolatry
sexual misconduct such as incest, adultery, homosexuality, or bestiality
murder
Adultery and idolatry are also excluded; according to most authorities, a person must give up their life rather than violating these prohibitions. The Talmud (not scripture) also says that if the violation would be public — and especially if it’s a time when the ruling authorities are seeking to get Jews to violate the Torah’s commandments — one must give up your life rather than commit even the smallest infraction.
The first exception, idolatry, is extrapolated from Deuteronomy 6:5 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might,” meaning that one should even surrender one’s life rather than serve any divinity aside from God.
For us the meaning of the story of the fiery furnace is that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship a graven image/idol of the Babylonian king, for the simple clear reason that God forbids it; and for their faith and loyalty, they are saved from the oven or furnace. The story also reveals God’s power directly to Nebuchadnezzar and offers a moral lesson to everyone living under tyrannical regimes and also to those rulers who would try to set themselves up higher than the One True Living God.
In chapter 6 we read of Daniel also defying a kings decree.
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
Praying 3 x a day refers to the 3 daily requirements:
shacharit the morning prayer
minchah the afternoon prayer
and ma’aariv the evening prayer
These date back to the time of the patriarchs and are referenced in Daniel 6.
Apparently the king Darius Daryavesh the Mede didn’t want to deliver Daniel over to the lions. Daniel would have been in his 80’s. However the new Persian law forced him to deliver Daniel up to his accusers since no decree or edict once issued by the king could be revoked. Verses 15/16 15 Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” 16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.
Has anyone ever wondered why the importance of the lions?
Why a lion pit?
Below is a picture that shows King Darius’s son Artaxeres II standing before the figure of the goddess Anahita riding on a lion.
Anahita is the Sun God of ancient Persia and the protector of Persia. (Persia is modern day Iran.)
Mithras, or the lion is the symbol of the Persian identity depicting strength and unity.
That unity was very important as the Persian Empire was made up of many conquered nations, but each conquered nation shared in the governmental structure of the Persian Empire.Daniel was one of its three presidents who was a prince of the Judean Empire.
The lion symbolized the strength of the Persian Empire and it’s this strength that would maintain the united Empire together with the conquered nations. They believed that there was strength and power in unity. For this unity to be kept, all those who were a part of it had to agree and worship one primary god and in this case Anahita was picked and the picture shows her riding on the lion.
The Lion and Sun Motif of Iran
On the left is King Artaxerxes II he is facing the goddess Anahita who sits on top of a lion.
In the background to Anahita can be seen the clear display of the sun which is a representation of the ancient Iranic god Mithras, the sun emanates 21 rays, the same symbol which is used by varous ancient Iranic cults among the Kurds of Iran, Iraq and Turkey. The 21 rays related to the festival date of Mehregan (Festival of the Sun-god Mithra) which takes place from the 16th to the 21st of Mehr of the Iranian calendar.
If anyone violated or placed another god above Anahita, they would have to face the wrath of the lions and this is the reason why the lion’s den was kept.
These lions were kept to punish anyone who desecrated the authority of the reigning god or goddess.
That is why it was so easy to set Daniel up and get King Darius to sign the proclamation that no one could worship any other god than Anahita!
This was not simply a battle in the physical realm but it was in the spiritual realm too. If Daniel survived being thrown into the lion’s den, it meant that the whole religious order, if not the existing governmental structure of the kingdom would be under threat. This is the reason why King Darius ordered everyone to worship Jehovah, Daniels’ God. All the elite of Darius’ kingdom witnessed their sun god Anahita challenge Daniels God Jehoveh and there was no comparison. At the same moment he was thrown into the lion’s den, Daniels’ God Jehovah supernaturally
closed the mouths of the lions.
Research shows and scripture suggests that there must have been very many lions in there.
This is because the servants of Anahita were thrown into the same den afterwards and they with their families numbered almost 300 and the Bible says they were devoured before they hit the ground!
Once in the lion’s den is it a possibility Daniel, who in his wisdom, understood the secrets of God, exercised some scriptural dominion, (Genesis), over the lions and they became docile and full of shalom?
However one thing is certain, King Darius knew that Daniel had a personal relationship with the Creator God of the universe; and not only that Daniel would be protected by this God Jehovah but also because this God clearly loved Daniel. This was a great deal more than could be said for false goddess Anahita, who did nothing to either save or protect her servants when they were thrown to the lions.
It appears King Darius was so impressed with Daniels dedication to God that he adds something very revealing. He said that
God will deliver him.
The Aramaic word used here for deliver is shazav
which means
to rescue or deliver,
but it is a deliverance made out of love and affection!
Scripture records that King Darius is really saying,
‘that if your God loves you so much, He will not let you suffer this fate.’
It could be true to say that sometimes God will not only deliver us out of a trial because He loves us, but He will also act to protect His Name and good reputation revealing what kind of Righteous and Loving God He is.
Both Daniel and the 3 Hebrew youths were very aware of the fact that they had all been raised to know and keep the 10 commandments; and to not deny the living God, nor to bow in worship to any other idol even unto their own death.
We need to understand the Hebraic mindset and that they were prepared to die, having no fear. They were full of faith in Gods’ ability for the outcome, whatever that may be.
They trusted their Heavenly Father that because they had been faithful in their obedience to His commandments, to not to bow and worship any idol; that He would either deliver them from the lions and fire by a miracle, or raise them from the dead if they burned or were mauled. Or, they would simply die and be in His presence. Either way was win-win situation for them all.
Belteshazzar/Daniel, Hananiah/Shadrach, Mishael/Meshach, and Azariah/Abednego is what every one of us is going to need in the days that lie ahead, and starting today, not in somewhere off in the distant future.
We need to ask ourselves the very serious questions..
Do we truly love Him?
Are we keeping His commandments? because…
“If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.
John 14:15
And echoed by Messiah in
Mark 12:30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.” John 14:21
That includes those given in Deuteronomy 6:5 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Are we loving our lives more than Him?
Is our faith unshakable unto death?
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God; we need to stay in His Word and remain strong in the Lord and the power of His might. NOW is the hour of preparation, keep your lamps filled family, and keep your eyes on Him the author and finisher of our faith…keep looking up for our redemption our deliverance and our exodus is drawing very nigh!
Messiah is coming
He is even at the door….
שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם,
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim and mishpachah!
Peace to friends and family.
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
Not sure ..you can be…
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; Walk [habitually] before Me [with integrity, knowing that you are always in My presence], and be blameless and complete [in obedience to Me]. AMP.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Walk before me, and be blameless. NHEB
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect. ASV
The word BEFORE
is
Strongs 6440
Original Word:פָנִים Transliteration: panim or paneh Phonetic Spelling: paw-neem’
Hebrew Rabbis teach that the words we have in English Bibles translated as
Plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh {paw-neh’}; from panah); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.) — + accept, a-(be-)fore(-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ – out), till, time(-s) past, (un-)to(-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), WITH (-within, + -stand), X ye, X you.
This changes the perspective
of Abram’s relationship with the
Almighty God – El Shaddai –
which we render as:
the all sufficient God
or the Almighty-Breasty-One.
The Hebrew language incorporates numerical value to letters and words and it is understood that the number
9 is the number of completion
and
90 is the number of Humility.
According to this it would indicate that when Abram became
99, complete in humility,
he recognized and understood that God was truly
El Shaddai – all-sufficient
and he could
walk WITH God.
Torah scholars definition of humility is that, we are not for one moment to be trusting in self, in the arm of flesh, our own capabilities, knowledge, talents or any kind of security we have built; or any dependence on wealth or provision from any source other than the Lord/El Shaddai.
It is having complete total TRUST in our
Heavenly Father as El Shaddai,
to be all-sufficient for us.
We are to put our trust/batak in our Heavenly Father as He and Abram did. Messiah never put His trust in people because He knew and understood the shortcomings and weaknesses of the fallen human nature.
Jesus didn’t commit Himself to them. John 2:24,25.
He was never suspicious, yet He was discerning and wise.
He was never bitter, resentful or offended, nor did He take vengeance toward anyone; and yet at the same time, He never gave up hope for them.
Why?
Because His BATAK/TRUST
was totally and completely in His Father first.
If we place our trust in people before Him and not in the Father, we will quickly experience despair, hopelessness and disappointment towards them. This can lead to bitterness and resentment because they didn’t measure up to how they presented themselves. Understanding that not one individual, except Messiah Yeshua/Jesus, can ever be right or perfect in this life, prevents the negative assessments in others. The only part of a person or ourself we can trust, is God’s spirit of grace and mercy in us.
Hebrews 10:9. He came to do God’s will.
An individual’s obedience is to what they see and determine to be a need. Messiah’s obedience was to His/our Fathers will. To seek and save the lost and tell the heathen about Him. However, first we are to make sure that God’s needs and His will in us personally are being met. Jesus/Yeshua said for us to be mindful of this in Matthew 6:5-15
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.[a] 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done,[b] on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread,[c] 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.[d]
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
The purpose of our training as His disciples, is to get us into the right relationship towards the needs of our Heavenly Father and His will, plan and purposes, NOT ours. Once our Father’s needs in us have been met, He will then open the way for us to accomplish His will, which is meeting His needs, plan and purposes somewhere else.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18
We are also to remember that He said: Matthew 18:5 who ever receives one little child in my name receives me.
Messiah came as a child Himself. He is entrusting Himself to each of us and desiring our individual lives to be a Bethlehem; where He can grow up, where the natural life could be slowly transformed by the indwelling life of the Son of God. His ultimate purpose is that the life of Messiah be manifest in and through us. The same life/ chaim that was in Him can also be in us, by the power of HIs Holy Spirit, just as it was in
Luke 1:41. and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh.
And we are to be always ready with a listening ear for the slightest whisper of His Voice/kol, calling to us. In the Song of Solomon there is a verse that says:
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land; 2:12
A season of the voice of Messiah, the bridegroom is calling.
This season is also a time of pruning, to bear more fruit for His Kingdom.
The dove, Yonah (Jonah) in Hebrew, reminds us that Messiah Jesus pointed to Noah and Jonah as end-times signs.
The dove was a sign for Noah and Yonah/Jonah/Dove
was a sign to the people of Nineveh
to repent and turn to the Lord before His judgment came.
Matthew 12:39; 24:37.
The entire book of the Song of Solomon is a picture of Messiah’s love for His bride; into whom we are grafted and His voice calls to us in unconditional love and devotion. He is calling to His Bride.
Those who truly love Him will respond to His loving call.
Like always attracts like- what is common between people will draw like a magnet, just like the old saying, birds of a feather flock together.
Like desires, like lifestyle, like interests, like goals, etc.
If you ever feel you don’t fit, like you are a square peg in a round hole, then you’re probably in the wrong place with the wrong group. The Spirit of God within people draws them together.
Phil. 2:2-8. fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit.
1Pet 3:8 Finally, all of you be like-minded [united in spirit], sympathetic, brotherly, tender-hearted, and humble in spirit;
Romans 15:5 Now the God of endurance and of encouragement give to you to be like-minded one toward another, according to Christ Jesus;
2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be perfected, be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
We are to have Messiah as the center and the priority of our lives.
Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit which is given to us and like Elizabeth/ John leaped when in the presence of his Messiah.
We too have that inner knowing… we are one in Him with fellow believers/ disciples and love has always been the test of true discipleship.
Those listening to the voice of their beloved, will not be deafened by the cries of man. In a world filled with noise, all clamoring for our attention; we need to hear only the voice of our beloved and those who love Him will hear and recognize His voice and will respond just like the sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me John 10:27
They will even hear the tender gentle cooing of the turtledove above the chaos of the world busyness. And just as Elizabeth’s inner involuntary response was to the close presence of Messiah within Mary.
We are up to watch for Him, wait for Him, with baited breath, and anticipation as the bride for her groom; and as we do, our heart will not only listen for Him… our hearts will hear.
There are times when many bewildering experiences challenge the peace/shalom in our souls; however, when we truly love Him and are listening, and our spirits are submitted to Him willingly, He works all things together for good.
Just as the scripture records the story of Joseph in Genesis 50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
God has His Plan and purposes, His ways are not our ways.
’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” Isaiah.55:8,9.
The one who truly loves Him submits to His discipline and chastening, also called pruning, shaking and sifting. His love holds us steady beneath the chastening rod.
“I will make you pass under the rod [as the shepherd does with his sheep when he counts them, and I will count you as Mine and constrain you] and bring you into the bond of the covenant.
Ezekiel 20:37-38
The verse says that the sheep
pass under the rod.
Besides being an instrument of both offense and defense, the rod was, in effect, a two-foot club;
it also functioned as a tool, under which the sheep passed.
What does this picture?
First of all, it pictures counting. The shepherd would count the sheep in his flock to make sure they were all present and accounted for.
This is also a picture of something else, because as the sheep passed under the rod, which is a symbol of the Word of God, they would undergo a very close examination. The shepherd would run his rod backward or across the sheeps body, which separated the wool. This action allowed the shepherd to look down onto the sheep’s skin, enabling him to see both the condition of the wool and the skin which was hidden beneath.
Our Savior the Good Shepherd, is illustrating that by means of His rod, He is giving us a careful, close examination: it gives Him the opportunity to check the quality of His sheep and it also provides a means of separation. As His disciples, both quality and separation are the reasons that He carefully examines us. The rod and the path it leads us on, will take us to deep and difficult places, taking us right into the hidden man of the heart where holiness is formed.
In Matthew 25 we read of the separation of the sheep and the goats. The rod helps to identify, or is a means of making sure of ownership. Sheep’s ears were often bored through or distinctively notched as an identifying mark. When the shepherds could not always clearly see the identifying mark because several flocks had mixed together in the fields, they would make the sheep
pass under the rod.
When they did, the shepherd would flip back the EAR to see the mark of ownership. Again, it also gave them a chance to examine and check the health and quality of each of the sheep.
Note the EAR… that listens and hears!
Right now we are all
Because now,
this season,
is the time of our judgment – I Peter 4:17,
and we are being evaluated to make it clear to whom we really belong: the Heavenly Father or the adversary.
Who is our Shepherd?
Who are we following?
The rod is a vitally important instrument for a shepherd and no good shepherd would be without one.
This process is critical and should not be avoided but rather welcomed because it means He loves us.
Hebrews 12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11
1Corinthians 13:7 because love believes and hopes and all things and love will never fail.
Love endures what ever comes. It seeks not its own doesn’t retaliate because it rests in Him rather than in the circumstance. As long as we are focused on and our desires are fulfilled in him we will never be deprived of comfort.
Luke 1: 53
He who goes away Will always be empty in spite of his riches. He who seeks the Lord first will never be unhappy or poor.
David said in Psalm 146:3 Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation–
6 Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them, Who keeps truth and is faithful forever,
What is first in our lives?
We must trust in Him 1st
We must put His will 1st.
We must put Messiah 1st.
The questions we should and indeed
must ask ourselves are:
Are we 99 yet?
and are we in other words,
at a place where we are
walking before/WITH the Lord El Shaddai?
Is He all sufficient to us?
Are we doing Gods will for our lives?
Are we hearing His voice directing our path or our own choices of future plans?
Will we respond to His loving call?
Are we watching for Him, waiting for Him, with baited breath,
and anticipation, as the bride for her groom?
Can we say with the Shulamite?
The dove
was a sign for Noah and Yonah/Jonah/Dove
pruning before He returns…
Are we willing to be sifted like the disciples?
Luke 22:31
Are we truly 99 – complete in humility, yet?
If we are obedient and willing
we shall eat the good of the land
and we will be ready to walk WITH Him.
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim/friends and mishpachah/family!
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week,
you are greatly loved and prayed for.
Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation
Not sure ..you can be…
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer,
Savior, Lord, and soon returning King
and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..
don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
Luke 24:49 Tarry / Wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.
The disciples had to tarry to wait, staying in Jerusalem until the day of Pentecost/Shavuot. They knew it as, the days of Counting from the waving of the Omer; but this year was a little different as they counted the days and weeks they were also learning to count the cost of being disciples/talmidim of their Master. This was not only for their own preparations but because they had to wait until Messiah was actually glorified. As soon as He was glorified Acts 2:23 tells us what happened.
Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit He poured out this which you now see and hear. Acts 2:33.
The statement in John 7:39
for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified
does not apply to us.
The Fathers Holy Spirit has being given and Messiah Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach is glorified. And this is what we are to remember and celebrate with thanksgiving and grateful hearts at this Appointed Season of The Lord.
As we are waiting, the impartation is not dependent on the providence of God but on our own spiritual fitness, our readiness to receive.
We have a responsibility to prepare ourselves, these are things that our Heavenly Father will not do for us.
Relationship with Him is all about choice, free will and we must choose to be obedient and submit ourselves to His will and way of being and doing.
John 17:2-5 For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.
This is eternal life and that we may know Him
and the power of His resurrection.
Phil 3:9-11
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, and so that I may attain to the resurrection [that will raise me] from the dead.
Amplified Bible And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did];
The influence and power of His Spirit of Holiness were at work before Shavuot/Pentecost but He was not here in the same way as after the outpouring.
Once Messiah was glorified in His ascension, Holy Spirit came into the world and has been here ever since. It is up to us to receive the revealed truth that He is here.
The attitude of receiving and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives is to be the continual attitude of a believer and not just one day of obedience and fire…
When we receive His Spirit of Holiness we receive reviving life from our ascended Lord and Savior.
It is not what we term as the baptism of His Holy Spirit that changes believers but it’s the power of the risen and ascended Messiah coming into our lives through His Holy Spirit. We have a tendency to separate things that the New Testament never separates.
The baptism of His Holy Spirit is not experienced apart from Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, it’s the evidence of the ascended Messiah dwelling within, abiding permanently.
A big measure of Holy fire comes in the baptism.
Jesus answered, “If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word (teaching); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling place with him. John 14:23 Here the word IF is highighting the condition for the indwelling of His Spirit because One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My words. And the word (teaching) which you hear is not Mine, but is the Father’s who sent Me.
The baptism of His Holy Spirit doesn’t make us think of time or future eternity because the experience is one of amazing glorious now.
This is eternal life that they may know you. John 17:3
we must begin to know Him now and never stop.
Another reason for remembrance and celebration is that this season was when Moses received the Torah, the directions instructions and teachings for life after Egyptian bondage. Slavery to sin and death were given notice and their freedom was assured through Passover and then 50 days later (Pentecost/Shavuot) in the wilderness before Mt. Sinai the Lord.
Our Heavenly Father, The Lord God Almighty
came down,
Moses went up.
The precious Covenant with the children of Israel was made; complete with the Ten Commandments
and directions were given for how sinners were to
approach a Holy God through the sacrificial system
which was to remain in place
until Messiah came and fulfilled it Himself.
We have so much to be thankful for,
so much to give Him praise for.
All honor and glory go to Him as we lift grateful hearts this Pentecost/Shavuot;
and having prepared ourselves,
let’s open ourselves unreservedly to
receive the fullness of His Spirit.
We need His presence,
His Holy Fire
in our lives today, more than at any other time.
If we truly love Him, we will want to do what He asks of us
so we can become all that He has planned for us
to be and do while we are in the earth.
Our lives are to be a sacrifice in every way and this “sacrifice” becomes our wedding vow to our King.
And that is the real love story of Shavuot/Pentecost.
Above are several links to previous posts with more on Pentecost/Shavuot and the reason for reading about Ruth and the baptism of His Spirit at this time of year. Listed both for new visitors, or those wanting to refresh, understanding the deeper meaning of this wonderful manifestation of the same Holy Fire that led them in the wilderness, and now available to fill the lives of whosoever will…
The prophet Malachi 3:1-6 wrote that the Lord would send His messenger of the covenant, and asks who will be able to stand, to endure in that day, … He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Let’s be mindful of the season we are in…..
on each of us and may the days of counting lead to a lifetime of beating good and lasting fruit!
May our tongues be set on fire to declare the wonderful works of our Heavenly Father.
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim/friends and mishpachah/family!
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week,
you are greatly loved and prayed for.
Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation
Not sure ..you can be…
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer,
Savior, Lord, and soon returning King
and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
At this point in the calendar, we are just a little over
40 days
since Passover/Pesach.
Luke 24:50 51 tells us
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.
Jesus/Yeshua appeared to them on many occasions in
different forms following His resurrection;
Revealing His Deity to them and
testing their faith in Who He was.
After these 40 days He ascended.
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a]from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
Luke 24:13-16
After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them as they were walking along the way to the country. Mark 16:12 Amp.
After the Transfiguration happened to Yeshua/Jesus, we have no personal life experiences that are equal or similar to the events that Messiah went through from that time forward.
For 30 years He had appeared to be a normal man but He was living a perfect life as a Torah observant Hebrew/Jew/Israelite. The record of His life as written in the four Gospels by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John describes only approximately the last three years of His public ministry apart from His conception, birth, notable events in His early years to age 12.
Luke 2:40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
We must remember all we read in these 4 accounts, did not occur in just a single 12 month period. Going forward from the time of His transfiguration everything is unfamiliar to us from what we already know of HIs life and ministry.
His transfiguration on the mountain was a marker in time.
Matt. 17:2 Mark 9:2
1Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, [a]let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” Matt 17
Moses and Elijah were seen with Him and the glory He had laid aside was upon Him brighter than Moses whose face had shone with the Shekinah glory centuries before on another mountain.
and it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. Ex 34:29-35
The Voice of the Father spoke again
at the transfiguration
Matt 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.
just as He had done at Messiahs immersion;
when His Spirit of Holiness was imparted.
Luke 3:21/22
When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Moses and Elijah strengthened and encouraged Him prior to His fulfilling all He had come to do according to the Fathers will.
Matt.17:3
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.
He was to set His face toward Jerusalem, Gethsemane, the beating and the cross; the cruel stake of crucifixion, physical death, followed by the resurrection… and we have no experience of such an ordeal.
His execution stake/ tree/ cross is the dalet /door by which every person can enter into the life/chaim of God.
John 10:9
By His resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to anyone
By His ascension Messiah entered heaven/shamayim keeping that dalet/ door open for humanity, for whosoever will. Mark 8:34; Matt. 16:25; Matt. 20:27.
The Transfiguration was completed on the
mount of the Ascension
see the map below.
Luke 24:50-53 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
If Messiah had gone directly to heaven from the Mount of Transfiguration, He would have gone alone. He would have been nothing more to us than an unusual historical figure, but He turned His back on the glory once again and came down from the mountain to identify Himself with fallen humanity and become the sin bearer of the world.
Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus Christ, God’s One and Only Son, laid aside His majesty to serve humanity. His death on the cross is the ultimate expression of servant leadership, when He obediently fulfilled the will of God.
Amplified Bible Phil.2:6-8 Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.…
His ascension from the Mount of Olives was the complete fulfillment of the Transfiguration.
Messiah returned to His original glory but not simply as the Son of God. He returned to His Father as the Son of Man as well.
John 17:5 Amplified Bible Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory and majesty that I had with You before the world existed.
Now there is freedom of access for anyone, straight to the very throne of God because of the ascension of the Son of Man.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16.
We can come boldly because Messiah’s Blood satisfied the fullness of the Fathers covenant as payment for sin. As the Son of Man, Jesus/Yeshua deliberately limited His omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience. But now and forevermore they are His in absolute full power and authority. As the Son of Man, Jesus/Yeshua now has all the power at the throne of the Father. From His ascension forward He became and is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Many will not understand the value of that until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.
Mark 13:26; Matt. 16:28. assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not
taste death
till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.
Many people fear and seek to avoid death at any cost, yet when we give our lives for the sake of Messiah Jesus, we see it as a sacrifice. This is because we don’t understand the value of death. Death is the doorway to something so much better and far, far greater.
He understood this…
For the joy set before him he endured the cross … fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith … at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb. 12:2.
In the verse above about tasting death…how do we explain what something tastes like to someone who has never tried or eaten it? For example to describe the taste of a pineapple or a jalapeno pepper is almost impossible, a person would actually have to taste it themselves.
He tasted death for all of us so we don’t have to.
But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while [by taking on the limitations of humanity], crowned with glory and honor because of His suffering of death, so that by the grace of God [extended to sinners] He might experience death for [the sins of] everyone.
Hebrews 2:9. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
There’s no way for us to see the value of death until we actually pass through the death of this physical body into the realm/world beyond time, leaving behind this natural one and see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom. His Kingdom which is not of this world/realm.
John 18:36. Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
Only then will we have a full understanding and we will no doubt wonder why we feared death at all.
In Matthew 16:28
shall not TASTE death
until they see the son of man coming in his glory.
The word taste in Hebrew/Aramaic is taim – טָעִים
טָעַם verbtaste, perceive –
pronounced: taw-am’
The first century understanding of this word was that it was used: to express the VALUE of what is eaten
and also
perception as the ability to distinguish between thoughts.
Strong’s Definitions. ta`am, taw-am’; a primitive root; to taste; figuratively, to perceive:
Ps.34:8 taste and see that the Lord is good.
Here in this Psalm the word for taste is taamu
also meaning:
to taste, to perceive
encouraging us to:
put the matter to the test of experience ( 1 Peter 2:3).
There is no other way of really knowing how good our Heavenly Father is.
He gives us a little taste here and now, of what lies ahead, what is to come for those who will take up their cross daily and follow Him for the joy that is also, set before us.
The revealing of the 40 days came by way of Messiah who was recorded as appearing 12 times to His disciples in His resurrected body. John 21:14; Mark 16:14; 1Cor 15:7.
It came also by way of the testing of their faith in that, Who He was revealed in all His Glory. A risen, resurrected savior, their Messiah, Lord and King.
In scripture, specifically the Ten Commandments/sayings, there is very clear instruction that no Hebrew/Israelite or child of God is to worship and bow down to any idol, person or thing, other than our Heavenly Father.
Luke 24:52 And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, Acts 1:9;
Matt. 28:9 and as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.
And some of them were unsure because of this commandment and so they hesitated..
Matt 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
And Emmaus Luke 24:52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
So when the disciples knelt down and said what they did, it was a very serious decision and confession as they were declaring that they believed He was none other than YHVH /Yaweh/ God Almighty. This is a point to remember when thinking of Jewish people who do not accept Jesus/Yeshua as Messiah; they see Christianity and Christians as bowing down and worshipping Jesus as equal to worshipping a forbidden idol putting Him before God and therefore violating the first of the commandments.
Only when the Father opens their eyes, as He did for Saul/Paul, will they see Him whom they pierced. John 19:37
One day our ascension will occur and only the Father knows when that day will be.
Ps 139:16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written. The days that were appointed for me, When as yet there was not one of them [even taking shape].
Meanwhile we are to work out our salvation soberly and faithfully, looking unto Jesus/Yeshua, the author and finisher of our faith and paying close attention to how we walk for the days are evil. Eph. 5:15 16.
Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people],
making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil.
Violence is filling the earth once again, just as it was in Noahs’ day before the flood; and Lots’ day when the cities were destroyed by fire from heaven in the form of sulfurous meteorites.
and God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Gen. 6:13
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens. Gen. 19:24.
We are to walk humbly and circumspectly before the Lord working the works of Him Who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light of (40) revealed knowledge.
He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8 Amplified Bible He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you Except to be just, and to love [and to diligently practice] kindness (compassion), And to walk humbly with your God [setting aside any overblown sense of importance or self-righteousness]
Having remembered His Ascension soon Shavuot/Pentecost will be here. A time to rejoice in the day in which prophecy was fulfilled; and Fathers’ Spirit of Holiness was released into the whole world, enabling Him to never leave nor forsake us and to empower those obedient disciples to fulfill His directive of Mark 16:15-18
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” And verse 19. So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
There’s just a few days left of counting from the Omer. (Day 44 this shabbat). It is a good time for us to prepare and test our hearts, if we haven’t already, so that we can be effective vessels, ready to serve our King..
now when these things begin to occur, stand tall and lift up your heads [in joy], because [suffering ends as] your redemption is drawing near. Luke 21:28
Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
Mark 16:15
Keep looking up family, for our redemption draweth nigh!
שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם,
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim and mishpachah!
Peace to friends and family.
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
Not sure ..you can be…
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
In Matthew 16:24-26
Anahita is the Sun God of ancient Persia and the protector of Persia. (Persia is modern day Iran.)
Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit which is given to us
We looked at the 
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