Thinking Outside The Box On The Lighter Side Of Life?

God is LIGHT.

1 John1:5. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is LIGHT, and in him is no darkness at all.

The first time we hear the word LIGHT is in Genesis 1:3.

In Hebrew the word Light is:

Or  – אוֹר.

(Familiar to us too, as part of the English word orb meaning a ball of light.)

For most of us, Light is a thing. Some scientists regard LIGHT as having zero mass, (no physical substance), however one of the other basic meanings for light is lamp: a device [noun] that sheds light.

The word LIGHT is a singular, common noun and can be concrete or abstract, depending on use; for example: Concrete: Turn off the light before you go to bed.

Some origins of the word Light:

Old English lēoht, līht (noun and adjective), līhtan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch licht and German Licht, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek: leukos- white and Latin: lux – light.

 Light in physics, is visible electromagnetic radiation. The most well known and dramatic example is the Northern and Southern Lights the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis.

The human eye can typically detect radiation (light) in the wavelength range of about 400 to 750 nanometers. Nearby shorter and longer wavelength ranges, although not visible, are commonly called ultraviolet and infrared light.

A definition of Light: something that makes things visible or affords illumination:

All colors depend on light. 

https://www.minimannamoments.com/what-does-the-mysterious-roy-g-biv-reveal-about-ahavah/

The interesting thing about the Hebrew word for LIGHT – Or, is that it is a verb, meaning, it is an action word.

It is a word that does something and it is also a prime root, meaning:

to be, or become light.

In our thinking, Light is an element that aids sight, or a time of day, or describes a color tone, which is very different.

Strongs #216 Or/Ohr:

Phonetic Spelling: (ore)

Pronounced OAR

’ō·wr

Sometimes also written AR and AWR

As we are discovering everything is connected, so this is a follow on to the posts on Shofar and Jubilee Yovel/Yobel and the Keys of Light; because there is a further amazing connection between them all.

First, let’s look at Light, with reference to the ancient Paleo Hebrew Texts and their pictograph letters.

Genesis 1:3.

Vayomer Elokim yehi-or vayehi-or.

God said, Let there be light, and there was light.

let there – yehi/ yhi – יְהִ֣י – the letters Yod+Hey+Yod

Light Be – (yehi) – or. אוֹר – the letters Alef+Waw/Vav+Resh/Reysh

This was an action.

The first use of the Hebrew language is in Genesis in the creation account:

yehi or – Light Be!

Which can also be written:

yehiy or,

meaning:

light exist.

God also gave Hebrew names to the

sky (shamayim),

land (erets),

sun (shemesh),

moon (yerey’ach),

stars (kokhaviym)

and man (adam).

When God formed Adam he apparently gave him this spoken language and communicated with him (Genesis 1.28). The man also used this same language to give names to all of the birds (oph),

animals (behemah),

beasts (hayahsadeh)

and woman (iyshah).

Since God is the originator of the Hebrew language, He is also the originator of the alphabet. Over time all alphabets evolve. Therefore, it is possible for the writing system of Noah’s day to display changes from the alephbet given to Adam.

In the ancient Hebrew Paleo Pictograph language, the word light is very close to the Ancient Hebrew word for box. It would certainly have given us something to question if the people who translated the original text had put it in the word box instead of light! Genesis 1:3 would have read, Let there be box and box was!

However, there is a very interesting relationship between the two words.

The word LIGHT in Genesis 1:3 is translated as AWR (OR) and is pronounced oar.

There are several different spellings for the same word so they are included here so we don’t get confused and think it is a different word with a different meaning.

(OHR – OR – ORE – AR – AWR – OWR).

Remember to read from right to left in the pictograph below. Alef Waw Resh

So as not to be confused, note that the letters W, WAW is also known as = VAV for V

And the letter R for Resh also known as Reysh.

Numerical value of the letters:

A =1; V/W= 6; R=200.

The 3 pictographs are:

Resh/Reysh – Waw/Vav – Alef

Aleph – pronounced as AH or EH. Picture of the ox head, meaning: strength and power, yoked to.

Waw or vav – pronounced as W, O or U. Picture of the nail or hook, meaning: to add something, or secure a thing.

And Resh or Reysh pronounced as R. Picture of is the head of a person, meaning: Headship, chief, first.

The parent root word, (which means, where the basic meaning is found;) comes from AR.

AR in its basic definition is the verb meaning: ORDER, to order, to gather, to organize.

A further definition is shown by what is called the concrete noun, meaning the object or thing, and this is the word BOX. A BOX can be thought of as a kind of tool or helper, an aid; something that is used for organizing or creating order.

AR – Alef Resh

The A -Alef is a picture of an Ox, which in the west is more commonly called a cow.

The Alef speaks of the action to lead, leading, to be led by, to be put in the front.

The actual, or concrete meaning, is an Ox – one of a team yoked together. One of the two yoked oxen would be experienced, in order to help the other less experienced one. So the weaker would learn from the stronger by following.

(Note here of the meaning behind Jesus/Yeshua saying, that His Yoke was easy.

Why?

Because He is the more experienced of the 2 in the yoke. The 2 in the yoke being us and Him, as we are yoked together with Him in covenant. He also gives us the command: Follow Me. He leads us, as in Ps.23.)

Lastly the abstract concept in the Alef is one of strength.

The second letter R Resh/Reysh is a picture of a persons head and speaks first of the action, the doing, to start, to begin. As well as concrete images, giving us an understanding of a top, or a summit, like that of a mountain; and also that of a human being as being the top, or highest, of all of Gods’ creation.

So from this we learn that R/resh, represents the concept of top, or source, strength from above and being led from above, from the top.

Returning to the image of boxes, with this meaning, order and organization would appear to have something to do with: being led from the top and strength from above.

In the middle East millennia ago, the idea of Boxes/containers, would have not been uncommon to a people whose nomadic lifestyle necessitated continually packing up and moving. No doubt they had something in which to place and carry their possessions.

When we move from one place to another, we too are familiar with boxes.

Placing items into containers is a natural action and we usually place items down into a box from above.

In Hebrew thought, it could be described as a strong action and also as having strength to function; whereas viewing an unorganized, disarrayed pile of items spread around everywhere, (not in a box), and not collected; could be weak when considered in comparison, and lacking the strength of order and organization.

Boxes in this ancient Hebraic thinking are examples of strength from above.

Next, looking at the Hebrew word AWR for light, the root coming from AR, in this word there is a letter W in the middle. This letter is a WAW or a VAV. It is a letter that is added in between the A and R. It is called an infix.

The Pictograph for the letter WAW or VAV is a nail, which gives the visual meaning of binding, or attaching, as in an action like adding a tent peg.

It also has an abstract concept of adding to, or, increase and is used as the connecting or conjunction word: AND.

When the letter WAW or VAV is added to words, it appears to give a greater emphasis to its’ meaning.

In this case it indicates that it is taking a single event of carefully placing items in order into a box and is turning it into a broader conceptual meaning; that of getting everything in order, as in overall organization and light.

Without light in a room, it would be almost impossible to get everything in order. To see what we are doing, we need light. To organize items, whether in a kitchen, garage or office, we also need containers or boxes because things get mixed up and chaotic without order.

With the addition of the letter waw/vav, the nail, we are given a word with an adjusted meaning of:

order that is more enduring in its existence, it is longer lasting and is attached to everything

and this is referring to

LIGHT – AWR/OR.

In Hebrew thought, Light has strength from above, having the same properties as the pictographs show for the box.

However, this strength is enduring and affects everything.

The thing that unites these is the common theme of ORDER that comes out of disorder, confusion and chaos.

The place we started was at Genesis/Beresheet/Beginning, where Darkness (hashak) was on the face of the deep before the account of the creation events.

There was a lot of organizing in the sequence recorded here. God came and it is stated that the waters were separated/organized; darkness and light were separated/organized;

sea and land were separated/organized and given boundaries.

Animals, fish, birds, etc., were told to multiply within their own kind; they were separated and organized into species, like being placed into a kind of box. None of this could take place without LIGHT. The scripture says God is LIGHT and He also spoke and said LIGHT BE and there was LIGHT.

LIGHT was the medium of transference, the WAY in which He caused ORDER to come forth from Himself, (as He IS LIGHT); and to in turn bring order out of Chaos in the creation of the earth. In a similar way we organize things in our thinking and then put it into practice by organizing, ordering and putting the things around us that we need in our lives. We invariably put things in boxes or one sort or another.

In John 8:12, He promises we shall have the LIGHT of life; this may be a reference to the order of our new born again life experience coming out of the chaos of our lost state. He came that we might have life (chaim/lifes) and He said He was the LIGHT and LIFE of men, so He was; in exactly the WAY that the Father sent order and LIGHT to humanity. When we follow Him, our walk will not be a walk of confusion and chaos but as we walk in the LIGHT as He is, we will have a walk of organized order, which is a reflection of our Heavenly Father and His Creation.      

In previous posts we looked at the Shofar and the Hebrew word had a vav in it, as do other words we have looked at. In the same way some English words have different spellings (e.g. U.S. and U.K. use an s or a z in the word realise/realize) and in word endings like yesterdays or holidays, just an s is added to make a plural ending. There is also the plural ending of ies, for words like daisy into daisies. So variations are not uncommon.

Why is this important?

Because in the Hebrew language there is more of a reasoning and meaning by adding the letter vav/waw to a word.

And this will help us to see the connection between Light, Yovel, Shofar, Jubilee and Box.

The LIGHT of Gods’ throne/presence, rested on the mercy seat /kapporet between the cherubim/keruvim on the covering /lid of the ARK/BOX of the covenant.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/are-we-boxed-in/

This same LIGHTOR, that was present at creation was the same Word that was also there.

The Hebrew word for ARK, ARON, has the same root letter AR as the word for a vessel/container, as does the vessel Noah built, both by Gods’ design for construction.

This was also an ARK of that covenant promise and would have looked more like a BOX than a boat shape that we think of today.

So A and R, Alef and Resh/Reysh,

are the root letters of both

BOX – ARON and LIGHT- AWR.

Recall that in the Ancient Hebrew mind, LIGHT is seen as ORDER, as without light we would be lost in the chaos of darkness.

So we see the Hebrew word for light is אור (or) and is derived from the parent root אר (ar). The word derived from this parent root is the word: ארון – aron, pronounced a-rone: formed by adding the ון to the end of the root letters A&R.

This word means a box and is also related to order, in the sense that items are placed within boxes as a way of bringing about some kind of order.

The Ark of the Covenant was a BOX that was used to place important items within it, including: the stone tablets with the 10 sayings inscribed on them, Aaron’s staff was in there and the pot of Manna, this was done by placing down into it from above, kept them in order.

Jesus/Yeshua, is not only the Word but also our ARK we get into Him for our salvation.

He was there at the beginning – Beresheet -Genesis – בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית

Colossians 1:16-17  “For by him [Jesus] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:1-5

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. John 1:10

Jesus/Yeshua is the light that was there at the beginning.

Jesus/Yeshua is the fulfillment of prophecy and of the Jubilee/Yubel.

All words are made up of alphabet letters, from alef to tav.

Jesus/Yeshua said He was the alef tav.

He is the Word. He is the alefbet.

He is the fulfillment of every prophetic utterance and no word of God returns void. Is. 55:11.

That is the whole essence and reason for prophecy; it is the spoken Word. When we declare His Word, His power is in those words and must also be contained in the individual letters that make up the word; especially in the Hebrew and Aramaic language.

God always begins with the Word. John1, and the Word was before all things He has always existed. The Word brought forth the creation into existence. From nothingness, came the universe by means of the Word.

He spoke before it existed.

First the Word, then the reality.

This is the essence and order of prophecy, speaking forth the oracles of God.

Before He creates, He sends forth the Word; and so He sent His Word -Jesus/Yeshua. He sent an angel to speak the WORD to Miriam; and then the Word was made flesh. Before creation, He sends forth His word, and Jesus/Yeshua came. Then restoration was created, through His life, death and resurrection.

I am the resurrection and the life –

I am the alef and the tav. (alpha-omega. Gk.) Jesus/Yeshua is all the letters.

Tav tikomah = resurrection in Hebrew. Resurrection is the ultimate restoration, return and the fulfillment of the prophetic Jubilees.

It is our ultimate end and our victory. This is the victory that overcomes.

He is our Jubilee, the resurrection and the life.

As resurrection is supernatural, it’s a reversal of death, just as jubilee is a reversal of loss, resurrection brings back, restores and raises up what was dead, that which was lost. We were dead in sin and similarly Israel was ‘dead’ also, no longer existing as a nation until 1948 when it was reborn, restored and the people returned. Teshuvah = return.

With any birth in the natural, growth occurs into what has not yet been; going from childhood to maturity.

Resurrection is not the same process.

Resurrection does not begin from the beginning, from birth, but from the end; from the conclusion of what we had become and at death, what we once were.

In Resurrection, we become again what we were at the final point.

Example: at His resurrection, Jesus/Yeshua did not become a baby again but was seen as He was before death, however He was changed from glory to glory, better than before.

So resurrection and Jubilee are synonymous. At resurrection we will be restored and return to the father in a final Jubilee/Yubel for all. As the yubel/shofar sounds,

Lev. 25; you shall return – TASHUVU.

The law of Jubilees was commanded in Lev. 25 and had a fulfillment in Israel in 1948.

Jesus/Yeshua is the fulfillment of every prophetic word, of every covenant, becoming the agent of salvation, the agent of yubel/jubilee.

He was the perfect sacrificial lamb of God, the covenant keeper, the Light/awr, that was contained in the box/ark/aron. He is our ark/box as typified in Noah whose ark/aron/box saved His family. We are Messiahs family/משפחה /Mish-pa-KHa; and we are the people who lived in darkness who have seen a great light/or/awr. For He is the Light and His life is the light of men.

Psalm 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalm 130:5 In His Word I Hope.

As Jesus/Yeshua said when on the earth, He was Light in this world; now we are the Light. So it’s time to let our lights shine.

Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Even if our light seems small … it is enough to disperse and dispel the darkness.

In Hebrew, HhaSHak = darkness.

In Greek:

σκοτίᾳ,   skotia

darkness 

φῶς  phōs

light

The Word is Torah, God’s instruction/teaching.

The word Torah refers to the first five books of the bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy – Torah, the instruction teaching of Moses. Hebrew is read from right to left;
Below are the Hebrew alphabet letters that make up the word TORAH, and each words’ meaning: 

Torah comes from the word orah – light. Every time we see the word Light in the scripture, we could also read it as Torah. This is why His Word is a lamp to our feet and a Light to our pathWAY.

Torah gives teaching and instruction, direction and guidance. So by Thinking Outside The Box On The Lighter Side Of Life; and examining the ancient pictographs, in which it was possibly first written; there is an amazing connection between the letters A&R in the Hebrew words for Yovel/Shofar/Jubilee and Light, Box/Ark.

Jesus/Yeshua is Light, Torah, Lifes/Chaim, the Word, Yovel, Jubilee, Teshuvah, Covenant and Box/Ark, because everything points to Messiah where everything has its alef and tav!

Shalom shalom Mishpachah/ Family.

Don’t leave this page without knowing for absolute certain you are an ark. 

An ARON –

a treasure chest of His Presence!

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

Make certain Jesus 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.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Are We Boxed In?

The Ark of His Presence – Is It An Altar, A Weapon, A Throne, A Temple, A Footstool, A Box?

Sukkot begins at sundown sunday night click link for post

  https://www.minimannamoments.com/sheltering-presence-god/ 

which will give some extra information as Israel celebrates the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths which prophetically represents His presence dwelling with His people for ever when Messiah comes and He tabernacles with men.

Last week wasand central to the Yom Kippur observance in scripture is the Ark of the Covenant/Ark of the Testimony that was placed within the Holy of Holies, both in the wilderness Tabernacle and in the Temple in Jerusalem.

Everything begins with the altar of sacrifice and prophetically foretells the offering of the final sacrifice of Messiah on the altar of the cross.

The day of Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement, was the one day of the year the high priest/Kohen Gadol would enter through those 2 golden doors going beyond the veil into the smaller area (15 x 15 feet/ 4.57×4.57 meters.) called ‘the Holy of Holies’/Kodesh haKodashim and contained ‘the ark of the covenant’.

When the doors were closed they were covered by a linen curtain embroidered with cherubim and palm trees. Picture showing size of cherubim in Solomons Temple.

He took with him the blood of the sacrifice for the sins of the children of Israel. 

He would sprinkle it on the ark of the covenant between the wings of the golden cherubim right on the part called the mercy seat.

The mercy seat is described as the footstool of God’s Throne in 1Chronicles 28:2.  Then King David rose to his feet and said:  ‘Hear me, my brethren and you my people.  I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God; and I made preparations for the building.’  (RSV)

The footstool of the throne was the place where the Lord met with the High Priest.  This covering of the Ark shows us the relationship between God and Messiah Yeshua/Jesus .

He was clothed only in a simple white linen robe made specially made for the day and wore no shoes on his feet; which were none of the usual items required for him to wear.

A white linen robe was what Yeshua/Jesus was wearing when Mary saw Him in the garden and as He is now our High Priest having placed His Blood on the Mercy Seat that begins to make more sense!

It is important to remember that there was no light source in the Holy of Holies and the High Priest had to wait for God’s presence to illuminate the room.

God’s presence in the form of His Shekinah Glory manifested between the cherubs wings, just above the top of the Mercy Seat. The etymology of the dwelling or presence of God is the Hebrew word Sh’cheenah or as we pronounce it Shekinah. Shkn .

In Rev. 22:5. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.

The Glory of the Lord or Chabod is also known as the Shekhinah.

There is a Hebrew term of relatively clear meaning for the Glory of the Lord, that being Chabod. Chabod has variants such as Ichabod meaning that the glory is departed, sometimes written I-chabod or I-kabod. Therefore, Chabod actually occurs in scripture and has relatively clear meaning for the Glory of the Lord.

Some scholars allege that the word ‘Shekhinah’ is actually a Chaldean or Babylonian term meaning ‘resting-place.’

Paleo Hebrew

Some perceive that the term Shekhinah refers to the Holy Spirit, a feminine aspect of God or even a separate female deity.

The Glory of the Lord is not the Holy Spirit and some might wish to consider that the most conspicuous mention of any form or visual manifestation of the Holy Spirit consists of its appearance as a dove.

Luke 3:21 And it came to pass, all the people having been baptized, and Jesus having been baptized and praying, that the heaven was opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove upon him; and a voice came out of heaven, *Thou* art my beloved Son, in thee I have found my delight

It is important to be aware that the term ‘glory‘, necessarily means light – that is to say – something that is luminous. This is a key and crucial point, that the Chabod or Glory of the Lord is light.

The Glory of the Lord frequently accompanies God’s presence and is something very similar to – but not exactly like plasma. Plasma could be described as a cloud of luminosity. Apparently, God can appear without the Chabod. While Plasma visually has cloud-like characteristics, the clouds frequently noted as being clouds and the Glory of the Lord are very separate things although at times the Plasma-like material is noted as being a cloud.

Deuteronomy 4:24 For the Lord thy God is a devouring fire, a jealous God. (JPS)

The Chabod is also similar to but not exactly the same as the aurorae that sometimes appear at the polar regions of the Earth. While these luminous phenomena do have some cloud-like characteristics, they are obviously not the same as actual clouds of moisture that did frequently, but not always, accompany the presence of the Chabod.

The Hebrew word rendered into English as ‘cloud‘, actually means ‘a covering’ derived from the aspect of clouds of water vapor covering the sky. In fact, most specific mentions of the Glory of the Lord pertain to the appearances of fire. Flames do occupy a physical space and are visually similar to luminous clouds.

Scripture records there is a Green rainbow around throne it may resemble an aurorae which is as close as we can imagine. 

God’s presence in the form of His Shekinah glory manifested between the cherubs wings just above the top of the Mercy seat. The etymology of the dwelling or presence of God is the Hebrew word Sh’cheenah or as we pronounce it Shekinah.

שכינה

The term Shekinah was many times used interchangeably with the word God. In the Jewish mind it always spoke of the fact that He dwelt in or rested upon those who merited His favor, whether an individual, a community, or the entire Jewish people.

Scholars also see the similarities between Shekinah (God’s Presence), The Holy Spirit of God (Heb. Ruach Elohim; Gr. Pneuma Hagion), and the Hebrew Bat Kol (The Daughter of the Voice, or God’s Voice).

It is interesting to examine the tradition of the Bat Kol which was the voice of God that proclaimed His will and intention, His judgments and His promises, His warnings and His commands to various people, communities, and sometimes to all of Israel. Jewish tradition always spoke of the Bat Kol. When the Torah was given at Sinai the Bible says,

Deut 4:12 “And the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice.”

The Bat Kal mysteriously sounded at extraordinary times and this was mentioned in Jewish tradition. For example, there is one account that indicates that at the very instant when God took away the soul of Moses with a kiss, the bat Kal rang out over the Israelite camp with the lament, “Moses is dead! Moses is dead!” It also is recognized to have given warnings or passed judgement upon evildoers as recorded in the book of Daniel: 4:28-32″ While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven:’

The Bat Kol is represented in Jewish tradition by the symbol of the dove.

There is a saying among the teachers and Torah scholars that when God was not pleased with Israel’s behavior, the cherubs Wings pointed away from each other and the high priest would let the people know that God was displeased with the behavior.

The high priest placed the blood on to the Mercy seat directly under the presence of God and Israel’s sins were atoned for for another year.

The High Priest had to be pure and sin free or he would not survive the encounter with the glory of the Father’s presence.

The blood that he placed on the Mercy seat had come from the sacrifice however this sacrifice is no longer required as Yeshua/Jesus is the better sacrifice once and for all time.  Hebrews 9:23

In the same way the rebuilding of the temple is also unnecessary, as those who believe in Yeshua/Jesus understand that He was and is the fulfillment of the promised Messiah. However, it will be built in fulfillment of the prophecies in both Daniel and Revelation.

This is an extensive subject and this post barely scratches the surface but it is timely with the autumn appointed festivals of the Lord.

Taking a look at the Ark will hopefully give a greater understanding of its meaning and prophetic significance

The Ark was made following instructions given to Moses. Ex. 26 and 37.

 Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,

In Exodus 31:1-6 and chapters 36 to 39, Bezalel (Hebrew: בְּצַלְאֵל‬, Bəṣalʼēl, also transcribed as Betzalel), was the chief artisan of the Tabernacle and was in charge of building the Ark of the Covenant, assisted by Aholiab.

Ark in Hebrew also means box. This was not the first box that God had instructed a man to make.

Noah’s Ark was a box made of wood and covered in pitch.

The Ark of the covenant given to Moses was a box of wood covered in gold.

In Genesis 7:1 God says ‘come into the box/ark’, giving the understanding that He is already in the box and simultaneously He is with Noah. And He/God shut the door; (not Noah)! Gen 7:16.

There was only one door through which to escape the coming judgment! and as Yeshua said, ‘I am the Door‘!

The Lord shut them in.

He is still calling us to come to where He is and be in His presence and also to allow His presence to be within us.

Both boxes had to have a specific covering within and without. There is an interesting inference concerning the description of the pitch in Genesis 6:14. He said make a box of Gopher wood for yourself (not for everyone)! You will make compartments for family and animals. And will cover it within and without with pitch.

While the word is generally translated pitch, the word atonement is more appropriate although both are correct and obviously the translators used Pitch.

There are two words in Hebrew that are often translated ark.

Aron is used for the ark of the covenant means chest as in a treasure chest.

Aron is made from wood from the Acacia\ gopher\Shittim tree.

Ark of the covenant is an acacia wood chest since it was also used for storage for the golden pot of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded and the tablets of the 10 Commandments. Note the similarity between Aaron and ARON of which Aaron became High Priest.

Another word for Ark is TEVAH and it is used for two objects:

Noah’s Ark and Moses Papyrus basket.

Noah’s Ark is tevat gofer literally a box of gopher wood.

Which was 450’ x 75’ x 45’ and took approximately 75 years to build.

Moses basket / a papyrus box, and while tevah means box, that was a huge difference in the size of the two; but it was still a box. Both Noah (& family) and Moses were boxed in.

Notice the coat of Tar or PITCH so it stayed waterproof until Pharoah’s daughter found it!

The Greek word kibotos means box but it is usually translated ark in English coming from the first translations from Latin. The Latin word is arca for both boxes.

Here is a thought provoking proposition concerning the covering of Noah’s box in Genesis/Beresheet. Always keeping in mind that there are no vowels a E I O U in the Torah scrolls only consonants.

Apparently the Hebrew does not actually say the exact words, ‘Cover it inside and out with pitch‘ but uses the K F R of the root of the word for pitch. So it reads KFR it within and without in KFR. Kefir/ kopher

גובה הצליל .

The point is, if it is referring to pitch, the substance, then all the interior it would be sticky! The reason to cover the outside with pitch is so it will stay dry and to keep the water out of the ark’s interior. How would having a coat of pitch inside prevent the water from flooding in, the full force of the water from the outside would push and separate the wood from the pitch. So there had to be an alternative reason/meaning behind this directive.

Another look at the root KFR shows that it is also a bush called camphor or henna that bears bunches of fragrant sweet smelling fruit and flowers. Maybe it was used for keeping the box/arks interior smelling fresh? Remember there were no windows, so no fresh air/ ventilation – but to be put on the outside too is not very likely.

There are however two more meanings for KFR, kafar means deny and kipper means made atonement. (As in Yom Kippur!) The two seem opposed in meaning, yet they would both make sense if applied to the understanding that the ark was constructed with God’s direction as a container for the survival of life on earth during the flood.

If we think about it, Noah is told by God that he is going to wipe out all life on the earth, with this understanding of KFR he could have been inferring ‘I want you to put your self outside of all that is around you, Deny KFR that they exist. So he is denying all those on the outside (KFR without,) for the people were denying Noah and were dismissive, derisive, with their unbelieving actions. On the inside (KFR within), to make the ark /box worthy of salvation. How? By dedicating it through an act of atonement, Kipper on the outside, coating of pitch. So all within are an atonement to the Lord = A KFR on the inside?

One final meaning of KFR is KOFER = ransom. Is it possible to think of the entering into the ark/box as a ransom for the saving/ salvation of the lives for those who made it through the flood? There was no covenant prior to the flood. Jesus /Yeshua was a ransom for many.

Ezekiel 37:1

The box of covenant and that He did indeed promise Noah and I shall establish my covenant with you; and the box was directed by God to hold the physical tablets of the covenant given to Moses.

It was made of planks of acacia wood, not plywood so it would have been very heavy. The size was 5 feet long 3 feet high and 3 feet wide.

The stone tablets were heavy as they had the whole Torah written on them.

It was covered in gold leaf, had a solid gold lid and solid gold cherubim on that lid. Then when it traveled it was covered with badgers skins; it would have waited over 1500 pounds.

It had two wood poles and was carried by four men? This would have been almost impossible. It makes one lean towards the Hebrew thought from the rabbis that the weight of the Ark was borne by God Himself; for it is said that the ark carried them NOT the other way around.

Noah was destined to bring deliverance and freedom going through God’s judgment by employing a box/ark of salvation; where His presence protected them to keep them secure and safe.

Moses was destined to bring deliverance and freedom to the children of Israel pronouncing judgment on Egypt and fulfilling the promised covenant added to Noah’s covenant and He instructed Moses to construct the Ark in which His presence could be with them. 

After the children of Israel had journeyed to Mount Sinai God told Moses on the mountain that He would pitch His tent among them on their journeys:

Exod. 25:8-9 “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” When God revealed the pattern of the tabernacle and the WAY to approach Him He also declared exactly where He would meet Moses: Exod 25:22

Moses started life in a box/ark, to keep him secure and safe, which saved his life out of the waters of the Nile and pharaohs judgment against the Hebrews male babies.

A closer look at the ark of the covenant a box of gold.

The Ark was a 2 ½ x 1½ cubit, (3 3/4 feet x 2 1/4 feet or 1.14 x 0.68 metres), a rectangular wooden chest of acacia wood, overlaid with pure gold, inside and out. Its’ lid being the Mercy Seat, with the Cherubim of glory facing one another; their wings outstretched. It had a gold molding or crown around the top; (a different word in Hebrew than the rim of the table and incense altar).

There are so many images that have differing shapes those included are to highlight certain aspects., e.g. above showing detail of crown.

Ps 99:1 The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; let the earth be moved!

Exod. 25:17-22 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits shall be its length and a cubit and a half its width. And you shall make two Cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub at one end, and the other cherub at the other end; you shall make the Cherubim at the two ends of it of one piece with the mercy seat. And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.’

The cover or lid for the Ark of the Covenant was made of solid gold and it was called the mercy-seat, atonement cover, ark-cover. Kapparah is the Hebrew word for this. This word is from the same root as the word for atonement; at this point, the parallel between atonement and this kapparah, as well as the generic concept of covering, is exceedingly important. In fact, in Hebrew the word Kapparah or covering and the idea of atonement are more-or-less synonymous.

The way that the kapparah works is that it literally covers The Law to avert judgment for those whose sins are to be forgiven. Through the mercy-seat some obtain mercy. The kapparah is the provision for mercy. The propitiation afforded through the kapparah relied in part upon sacrifice. In other words, the kapparah shields the transgressor from The Law housed inside the Ark. The penalty for transgressing any part of The Decalogue was death. Nearly everyone that ever lived was guilty of transgressing The Decalogue so it is highly probable that simply viewing the stone tables without proper remediation would automatically result in instant death. The mechanics of the kapparah appear many times in passages such as Psalm 32:1-2.

The mercy seat or covering pointed us towards the sacrifice of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus, and the covering of our sins with His blood.

Acacia wood is a beautiful, dense wood that comes from very fragrant and drought-resistant acacia trees that are indigenous to Africa and Arabia. In Israel, the range of the specie diminishes beyond the Negev. It is known in Hebrew as the shittah or shittum tree. Its wood is a finely grained orange wood that darkens with age and it is unaffected by insects. It is the source of natural-gum Arabic and also provides tannin.

The Mercy Seat was the lid or cover of solid gold the same size as the top of the Ark (2 1/2 cubits long x 1 1/2 cubits wide). At each end of the Mercy Seat, and of one piece with it, were two hammered gold cherubim facing one another. Their outstretched wings overshadowed the gold lid and their faces constantly looked down upon it. They were symbols of the presence and holiness of the Lord and are His chosen instruments of judgment toward any sinful approach toward the presence of the Lord and as they look upon the blood the wrath of God is appeased and they are at peace.

They represent the judgment of God.

– Their position indicates that God’s judgment upon Israel was averted because of the blood-sprinkled mercy seat

Jewish Tradition

According to the writings of the ancient sages the words of Ezekiel, “The had the hands of a man under their wings” (Ezek 1:8), refer to the hand of God which is extended beneath the wings of the Chayyoth (Cherubim) to receive penitents from the power of judgement” [Pes. 119a]

– The Cherubim are revealed by Ezekiel in chapter 1:5-10 as 4 living creatures, each one having 4 different faces, the face of a man, lion, ox, and eagle.

Man- This face spoke of mind, reason, affections, and all the things that encompass a human being.

Lion- The lion was always recognized as strong, fierce, and majestic. It was the royalist of animals.

Pro 30:30 Pro 20:2.

Ox- The ox was recognized as the animal who patiently labored for his owner. He was strong, able to bear a burden, and knew its owner.

Pro 14:4 Ps 144:14 Is 1:3

Eagle- The divine bird that flew above the storms, while below there was only sorrows, dangers, and distress. A swift bird strong and powerful, never becoming weary.

Pro 30:18-19.

Is 40:31 Ps 103:5.

Ex 19:4 `

Ezek 17:3 Hos 8:1.

The Cherubim were also the same fierce creatures who guarded the entrance to the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve had sinned. They wielded a flaming sword that turned in all four directions to protect the Tree of Life (Gen. 3:24).

So the outstretched wings of the cherubim were to provide a throne for the God where He would mediate His rule on the earth as a representation of the real throne in heaven:

1 Sam 4:4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. (NIV)

When God had spoken to Moses out of the midst of the cloud upon Sinai, He also told him that He would come down to speak with him in the midst of His people. It was from the area above the Mercy Seat that He did:

Num 7:89

The Mercy Seat was where the blood was sprinkled. between the judgment angels who were looking down and when they would see the blood the wrath of God was stayed. Lev 16:11-15

And Aaron shall bring the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull as the sin offering which is for himself. (Red Heifer) – He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. “Then he shall kill the (scape) goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.

Because of the mercy seat the tabernacle was called “the tent of meeting”. Because here God met with man:

In the New Testament this Mercy Seat or atonement cover is spoken of twice. Heb 9:2-5 Rom 3:23-26

The Greek word for Mercy Seat is ‘hilasterion’. It is used here in Romans 3:25 where Paul says (literally) that God presented Christ as a propitiation or ‘mercy seat’. This means that Jesus Christ is the mercy seat.

The Mercy Seat did not derive its worth from the purity of its gold but from the fact that it was the place where the blood of sacrifice was sprinkled in the presence of Yahweh.

The word for “mercy seat” is the same root for the word “atonement”. It means to cover, cancel, appease, or cleanse.

The Greek equivalent is the word “propitiation”.

Lk 18:13 “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

The word “seat” speaks of a resting place so the mercy seat was the “place of mercy or propitiation”.

The Ark was overlaid with pure gold and had a gold crown.

Because only once a year on Yom Kippur could man enter beyond the veil; there had to be a veil separating man from the holy of holies.

This was mentioned first before all the other furniture in the tabernacle. The ark was right in the center of the camp and the glory cloud was seen above the mercy seat and above the back portion of the tabernacle.

The ark rested on the dirt floor of the Holy of Holies with its four gold rings that the gold poles were inserted through and left permanently in position.

Exod 25:10-22

The Ark of the Covenant was where Gods justice and judgement toward sin was satisfied.

Ex 25:22

Josh 3:6,13

1 Sam 5:7

1 Chr 6:41

2 Chr 35:3

Ps 78:60-61

What was inside it?

The 2 unbroken tables of stone, (The 10 Commandments).

It is important to note that the ark contained the two tablets of the Decalogue (the Ten Commandments). Remember that God had made a covenant with Israel, but the people had broken it. In grace God renewed it and ordered that its enduring record, (the unbroken tablets) should be deposited in the holy ark. The Book of the Covenant, which dealt at length with other aspects of law and procedure, was deposited alongside the ark. But the 10 commandments were stored within the ark itself.

Exod 25:16 “And you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you.”

It is highly probable that the stone tables were housed inside the Ark simply to protect people from the penalty of death that automatically occurs and results from viewing the Decalogue.

The Ten Commandments more correctly called The Decalogue or The Law that God gave to Moses.

It is extremely enlightening to examine the root of the word Decalogue, which are traced from Greek and the prefix deca means ten. The suffix logue is from the root word logos ,meaning word. Therefore, Decalogue means the Ten Words. The Ark was made at Horeb near Mount Horeb and the name Horeb means the desert or mountain of the dried-up ground.” Generally, the region is called Horeb and the mountain is called Mount Horeb. The mountain was located in the land of Midian, a portion of present-day Arabia.

Consider the essence of the Decalogue, it is apparent that the Ten Words could be considered the face of the document of The Law. In fact, lawyers frequently refer to the substance or text of their documents by the term face. The Law or Decalogue inscribed into the face of the stone tables automatically brings death without atonement! It is maybe relevant, and certainly not a coincidence, that no one can look upon God’s face and live!

Ex. 33:17

Two other items were also contained within the ark. One was a golden pot/jar containing an omer (24 liters) of manna (Heb. 9:4) as a memorial of God’s provision:

Exod 16:32-33 “ThenMoses said, This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: ‘Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ And Moses said toAaron Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.”

It was also a type Christ who was the living bread which came down from heaven:

John 6:50-51 “This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

The third item which would be added was Aaron’s rod that sprouted buds and blossoms and bore ripe almonds in a single night, authenticating God’s choice of Aaron for the priesthood. (Num 17; Heb. 9:4).

Num 17:7-8 “And Moses placed the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds.”

Here is a A Type of Christ

The mercy seat protected man from the judgment of God represented by the judgment angels, the Cherubim. Because of the blood that was sprinkled on the mercy seat, man’s sin and guilt were washed away and the curse of the law has no effect. The mercy seat foreshadows the Messiah.

He is our mercy seat.

He forever stands between a holy God and sinful man. Just as the sins of the whole nation were atoned for by the sprinkling of the blood on the mercy seat, so also Messiah, by the shedding of His own blood atoned for the sins of the entire world.

1 Jn 2:2; Lk 22:20; Eph 2:13; 1 Pet 1:18-19; Heb 9:11-12, 28; Dan 7:9-10,13,14; Rev 5:1-13; Ps 99:1.

The ark of the Covenant was a picture of Messiah.

The Acacia wood speaks of the indestructible humanity of Jesus. He was 100% man. God Himself became flesh and suffered the agonies of the human experience. He was tempted, He was weary, He thirsted, He had to learn the Scriptures and learn obedience and to hear God’s voice and be led by the Spirit as a man. Not only does the Acacia wood tell us that He was 100% man but the pure gold that over-laid the wood teaches us that He was 100% God.

Jesus said “unless you believe that I AM you will die in your sins.” He used the same words (Heb. Eheyay asher aheyay) as when the Lord spoke to Moses at the burning bush. The Jewish Messiah was none other than Jehovah Himself visiting His people and becoming their savior by dying for the sins of the world and that is the etymology of the name Jesus (Heb. Y’shua ‘Yaweh has become salvation’). Jesus/Yeshua condemned the religious leaders for not recognizing “the day of their visitation.”

The crown of gold around the top of the ark speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus overcame the onslaught of opposition that was set against Him His whole life by the religious leaders, the wealthy Jewish aristocracy, Rome itself, and even all the power of the enemy. He overcame even death itself and rose triumphantly and was given a crown, and glory, and honor, because He is the King. According to John it was Jesus/Yeshua who Isaiah saw seated on the throne of glory with the angels crying ‘holy, holy, holy.’

The unbroken tables of stone set forth Jesus/Yeshua, as the One who perfectly kept the Law and never broke God’s Commandments.

The Bible says that He “committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth.” Jesus/Yeshua felt the pressure of temptation at its full intensity yet He never sinned. Even the look in His eye and the tone of His voice reflected the very perfections of the holiness of God Himself.

Aaron’s rod that budded also speaks of Jesus. Something that had died and supernaturally came to life again. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

The golden pot of manna speaks of Jesus as the bread of life who came down from heaven to bring food, the Word of God, to a world in darkness and dying of hunger.

It all points to Jesus.

Even the golden poles speak of the ever living and ever present Savior who is with us in all our journeying and will never leave us nor forsake us. If you were to examine the history of the ark there would be striking resemblances to the ministry of Messiah Jesus our Lord:

The ark went before the people – Yeshua/Jesus went before them:

John 10:4 “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

The ark was in the middle of God’s people – Jesus is in His people:

John 14:20 “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”

The people were to follow the ark – We are to follow Jesus:

Luke 5:27-28 After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

And to keep on following on, the ark was always first to lead them. It was death to those that were enemies of God. The ark brought blessings and curses.

Isa 53:2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.

Isa 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Matt 5:17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

1 Pet 2:22 “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Jn 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

Jn 6:32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

Jn 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Jn 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

The ark was representative of the real ark in heaven.

The cross is the ultimate and cosmic altar of the ultimate and cosmic sacrifice the Lamb of God however the altar of sacrifice was only one part of the Temple.

The cross, this altar of sacrifice is not the end of salvation but the beginning.

It’s the altar of sacrifice that gives access and the ability to enter through the temple doors, to walk beyond the veil and to stand in the holy of holy’s.

The journey begins up the altar and if this is a eternal/ cosmic altar then it gives us access to begin our eternal journey.

As our high priest, Messiah gives us access to go where we could not go before, and to enter into that which we could not enter previously, enabling us to walk along the WAY, a path that we could not walk before.

As this is a cosmic eternal altar, it gives us power to enter the realm of the holy and to be seated in the heavenly places where we are to dwell in His presence – the realms of glory.

Now today The Presence Within the Holy of Holies Dwells Within the Believer in Jesus: 

Jesus said I am the temple (Mishkan) of God. When the glory (Heb. Sh’chinah) would come down like a tornado or funnel right through the roof of the holy of holies and the Presence would manifest on the mercy seat between the cherubim after the blood was sprinkled, (the mishkan).

That Presence was what Yeshua/Jesus said dwelt within Him.

And in fact Paul said about the church, “Know ye not that you are the temple (Mishkan) of God?” We, as the body of Messiah, have the same Presence dwelling within us. God doesn’t dwell in buildings now but within His people. 

1 Cor 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

The kingdom of the heavens is within you and we are the sanctuary of God’s presence on earth – the holy of holies is within us and as we follow Yeshua/Jesus the Ark of our covenant He promises – I am in you and you are in Me -filled with the shekinah of His Ruach Hakodesh we are carriers of His presence – the lights of the world.

The Tablets of the law are written on our hearts. He is the Manna, the bread of life upon which we feed and live.

Aarons staff is The staff of life it’s the shepherds crook from Ps. 23.

The staff also makes the presence of the Shepherd real to the sheep. The staff, a long stick with a crook in one end (like a walking stick), was used  by shepherds to protect and tend their flock. There was a crook at one end of the rod, and it was with this the shepherd took hold of one of the hind legs of the sheep to pull it back.

Bread is the staff of life means, food is necessary to survive.

That a staff signifies power, is because it is a support; for it supports the hand and arm, and through them the whole body; with which we are to reach the lost sheep looking for the ones to draw them into His fold.

So we are containers of all that is needed to be a disciple we are equipped as an ark of His covenant with us.

Finally, the Ark would serve as the observable sign of Yahweh’s (the Hebrew name of God) presence to the Israelites until it went missing after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. The Israelites believed Yahweh to be their king, and by building it, gave them the ability to transport their monarchy were ever they went.

If Yahweh was their king/god, then He was their commander, which also made the Ark a military weapon.

(What is interesting about this is that the manufacture of not just the Ark but weapons also, took place at Mt Sinai.)

Therefore, the Israelites needed a symbol that they could look to and it put fear into the minds of their enemies.

As to its whereabouts today…There are prophesies and much speculation to that question but one thing is for certain when Father is ready for it to be found there will be an apocalypse! For it will be revealed at the perfect time for now lets be the chosen carriers of His glory every day and allow His light to shine in and through us. His blood will for ever be on the mercy seat declaring covenant fulfilled.

Don’t leave this page without knowing for absolute certain you are an ark. 

An ARON –

a treasure chest of His Presence!

Shalom Blessings for Sukkot!

click link below for more on Sukkot:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/sheltering-presence-god/

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

Make certain Jesus 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.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Mysteries and Miracles

One mystery miracle that is sometimes overlooked is:

The Rending or Tearing of the Temple Veil.

Recorded in three places in the gospels of Matt 27:51,

“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His Spirit.

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

The earth shook and the rocks split.

The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life” (Matt.27:50-52 NIV). 

Luke 23:45 and Mark 15:38 “Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”

In the Temple, The Holy of Holies is also called the Most Holy Place, inner sanctuary, oracle, and inner house and represented the dwelling place of God here on Earth, or the Throne of God.

It was only to be entered once a year, on the Day of Atonement, and only by the High Priest.

In Solomon’s Temple, the Holy of Holies was 20 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 20 cubits high.

(Note: A cubit is approx. 18 inches, so the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple would have been about 30 feet by 30 feet by 30 feet in today’s unit of measurement.) The height of a 6ft man = 4 cubits.

The temple complex was huge and to understand the scale of it, makes the torn veil of greater significance. To get a better idea compare the size of the people.

Entrance into the Holy of Holies.

To enter into the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple, the High Priest had to pass through a curtain, or veil (2 Chr. 3:14), gold chains (1 Kgs. 6:21), and two doors (1 Kgs. 6:31).

The veil separated the Holy Place or Temple, where the High Priest made the sacrifice and the Holy of Holies or Most Holy Place.

The sacred veil or curtain, called the peroketh, represented an inter-dimensional veil that shielded the Unseen, Unfathomable Lord of hosts, from the rest of His creation. 

The curtain in Solomon’s Temple is in 2 Chronicles 3:14: it was described as a “veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work and worked cherubim on it” which separated the Holy of Holies, the Kodesh Hakadashim, from the rest of the Temple.

This is very similar to the description of the veil leading into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness.

Exodus 26:31 “And thou shalt make a vail [of] blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:”

The veil was then hung on four pillars like the

 Throne of God which rested on the four cherubim in heaven.

The Curtain of Separation

History seems to indicate that there were two curtains in Herod’s Temple: One at the huge gated entry into the Temple and the other separating the Holy of Holies and the main sanctuary.

God Himself thought so much of the importance of the type, as shown by the tearing of the veil:

Matt 27:50-51 “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split.”

If we don’t understand the meaning in Scripture of the Holy of Holies and the veil, we miss out on extremely significant information concerning exactly what Messiah’s death meant to sinful mankind.

To comprehend why it was a miracle we need to understand that the curtain separated the Holy Place from everyone but the High Priest.

The Holy Place was where the presence of God dwelled on the mercy seat.

The curtain was a constant reminder to the Israelites that their access to God depended on another physical human, and that this access was only granted through the physical works of the sacrificial system. 

Exodus 26:31 – “You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen.  It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim.

You shall hang it upon the four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold.  Their hooks shall be gold, upon four sockets of silver.  And you shall hang the veil from the clasps.” 

At the Moses tabernacle replica the high priest worships just outside of the Holy of Holies.

“Then you shall bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil.  The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place the Most Holy.  You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy.”

According to Israelite Hebrew teachers /rabbinic sources, the Sacred Veil that was made for the Temple of Solomon was actually made by layering multiple sheets of colored linen together.  The curtains overall thickness was said to be over three feetThe highest and most Holy of days in the life of a Israelite/Hebrew, is the Day of Atonement, on this day, the Lord of hosts left His throne of justice and moved to the seat of mercy to meet with the Tzaddik of Israel, the High Priest as he entered the Most Holy Place.

One can only imagine the High Priest blindly navigating through the maze of thirty layers of linen sheets, together with the censor smoking incense in one hand and the blood of the ram in the bowl in the other hand.

As his world became darker and darker, he soon found himself standing in the presence of the Lord in complete darkness.

Without any sensory sight to help him, standing in the presence of the Lord would have been very disorientating.  He had to lean on faith and trust explicitly on the Lord to shield and protect him, for to touch the ark of the Lord would mean instant death. Then as the Lord promised the High Priest, “I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat”.

In the temple of Herod, (in Jesus’ day), the massive temple veil(s) were 60 feet long, 30 feet wide with multiple woven layers the thickness of a man’s hand (approx. 4”).

(See account of Historian Josephus at the end.)**

These curtains/veils were not the flimsy material we have as window dressings today.  

It was woven in 72 squares and was so heavy that over 300 priests were needed to move or change the squares.

The curtain itself was hung in the Temple on a huge stone lintel. It was over thirty feet long and estimated to weigh about thirty tons (60,000 pounds).

In a Letter to Hedibia, the early church father, Jerome, wrote that the during the rending of the temple Veil, the lintel that held the Veil was splintered, broke up and fell to the ground.

The lintel was an enormous stone, being at least 30 feet long and weighing some 30 tons!

Though this event was in the midst of a great earthquake, the portents to the High Priest and the Sanhedrin occurring at the moment of the death of Jesus/Yeshua were ominous.  Even with the collapse of the lintel, the huge curtain would have fallen to the ground, but the historical testimony states that “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom”. (Matthew 27:51)

The unseen Hand of the Almighty One sent a message to Caiphas, Ananias and all the other temple rulers.

The curtain being torn from top to bottom was a foreboding omen, indicating that God’s hand had torn it in two and that His presence was leaving that Holy place.

The judgments of God, as portrayed over the preceding three hours as Jesus hung on the cross, would be visited upon His own temple, His own people, and upon the evil followers of the temple rulers.

The rending of the veil is recorded in the gospels as if it were observed from the site of the execution of Jesus.  It seems the only place in the vicinity of the Temple of Herod, that had a visual view of the Eastern Gate looking down upon the temple, with a view of the veil in front of the Holy of Holiest, was on the western slopes of the Mount of Olives near the Miphkad Altar, where the ashes of the red heifer were burnt.

Consistent with the Gospel accounts of the death of Jesus and the independent testimonies of the Hebrew Talmud, Josephus, Tactitus, and early ante-Nicean fathers of the Christian Church, the final moments of the life of Jesus were surrounded with cataclysmic events and fateful portents.  These portents shadowed the esteemed high priest’s family, the House of Ananias and the temple hierarchy all the way to the final destruction of that glorious temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE. 

It is also significant how the natural world was rent and torn, while the agony of the Suffering Servant was demonstrated on that cross before the Jewish people.  We must understand again, that the death of Jesus was not a human event but a cosmic event.  The Book of Job gives us a heavenly scene where in the Council of heaven the ‘sons of God’ met and deliberate.  It was here in this council that Satan went to represent this earth.  How?  There in the Garden, when Adam chose to disobey God, Satan wrestled away from ‘this’ son of God his dominion as ruler of this planet and his role to sit in that cosmic council in heaven.  There Satan known as ‘HaSatan’, which translated means ‘the Accuser’, has been representing this planet before the throne of God.

It was not just the followers of Jesus, the rulers of the temple and the Roman soldiers that watched the unfolding of this great “Drama of the Ages”. The other dimensional hosts in the universe; the sons of God and the angelic hosts all watched with bated breath and horror as the Son of God gave up His life. This was evident in the darkness of those hours.

Here, was THE moment of time, when Jesus/Yeshua cried out again with a loud voice, “It is Finished and bowing His head, He gave up His spirit” (John 19: 30) or as Luke testified, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” (Luke 23:46) and “yielded up His spirit”.  (Luke 27:50)

“It records the rending of the Temple-Veil in two from the top downward to the bottom; as the second, the quaking of the earth, the rending of the rocks and the opening of the graves . . . while the rending of the Veil is recorded first, as being the most significant token to Israel, it may have been connected with the earthquake, although this alone might scarcely account for the tearing of so heavy a Veil from the top to the bottom.” 

The only place where a Passover (Pesach) lamb could be killed was in 
Jerusalem (Yerushalayim).

Mount Moriah, the exact same place where Abraham and Isaac had been willing to offer his life.

On the fourteenth of Nisan, at the third hour of the day (9:00
a.m.), the high priest (Cohen
 HaGadol) took the lamb and ascended the altar so he could tie the lamb 
in place on the altar. Exactly the same time on that day, Yeshua was tied
 to the tree on Mount Moriah (Mark 15:25).

The time of the evening 
sacrifice was (3:00 p.m.) for Passover (Exodus [Shemot] 12:6), the high 
priest (Cohen HaGadol) ascended the altar, cut the throat of the lamb
 with a knife, and said the words, “It is finished.”

(These are the
 exact words said after giving a peace offering to G-d.)

At this same 
time, Jesus/Yeshua died, saying these exact words as recorded in John (Yochanan) 19:30.
 Yeshua died at exactly 3:00 p.m. (Matthew [Mattityahu] 27:45-46,50). 

 

Roman time was calculated on 6 a.m. as the first hour of the day, as day breaks. Jesus/Yeshua died at the ninth hour, which is 3 p.m.

Between the evenings (Plural) is when the Passover lamb was killed.

This is a Jewish term. There are two evenings in the Jewish day. The first is the beginning of the suns waning, which is Noon. The second is the beginning of the darkness as the new day begins, avg. 6p.m. (Don’t think this strange, for in most of the western world the day begins at midnight, in the middle of the darkness.) Between the evenings as given in Exodus means 3 PM.


Picture Jesus’ loud and painful cry “it is finished” (Jn.19:30), as the Roman solder plunges a spear deep into His side and His life Blood drains to the ground.

At the same instant, the Temple veil tears apart as a powerful earthquake shakes Jerusalem.

Furthermore, picture the high priest who, having just condemned Jesus to death the night before, was splashing the blood of Passover lambs against the altar of God.

When Jesus cried out “it is finished” and the curtain tore, the relationship between God and humanity was altered forever. The tearing of the curtain of separation from top to bottom, forever opens the way for all humanity to eventually fellowship directly with God the Father. 

The significance that Jesus/Yeshua dies at the same moment that the lamb in the temple was killed cannot be over emphasized. It was God’s perfect timing, because it was at this point the earth quaked and the veil tore right where the High Priest was standing.

Their shock and astonishment was understandable.

   None of these events ‘just happened’, it was all part of God’s plan and His plan is still in motion.

The colors of the veil are very significant and are the same colors that are used in the garments of the High Priest.

Blue: We have learned about the significance of the color blue representing the Law of God.

Red: The color red represents the blood of Jesus Christ as our Passover sacrifice. It also represented the red ribbon of Rahab, which pointed to the inclusion of the Gentiles in salvation.

Purple: The color purple, which combines both blue and red, points us to the Royal Priesthood, which combines both the salvation given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus and our love of God shown through our obedience to the Law.

White: on the High Priest’s garments represents our clean garments as we prepare ourselves as the Bride of Christ and also the perfection of Jesus Christ.

Gold: To these four colors was added gold. In the Tabernacle in the Wilderness we see that the Ark of the Covenant located in the Holy of Holies was also made of gold. God’s presence was in the Ark and it was also the receptacle of the Holy Spirit. As the High Priest symbolizes the living Holy Holies/ Sanctuary, that we are today, the gold represents the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit in us. Just as the gold was interwoven amongst all the other strands of material, so too Holy Spirit ties all the members of the Body of Messiah together.

Therefore, by passing through the four-colored veil, it was looking forward to our perfect High Priest, Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah.

The symbolism of the veil was, that it was there to exclude all mankind, UNTIL the sacrifice of Jesus as High Priest. Jesus the Messiah could enter once and for all with His own blood to provide access for us, so that Holy Spirit, as the tangible power of God, could dwell among men.)

When Jesus died and the veil in the Temple was torn in two it ensures that we all may boldly approach the Throne of God in prayer, through our High Priest, Jesus the Messiah (Heb. 4:14-16).

Consider the enormous significance of this monumental and historical event in the following references:

This is the moment in time that Jesus spoke of to the woman of Samaria when he foretold that the existing worship system would be abolished, and that those who wanted to worship God would no longer need to travel to a specific location to worship:

“The woman said to him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where it is necessary to worship. Jesus said to her, Woman believe me that an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem . . .. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” (Jn.4:19-23 Para.).

No longer would a physical man be required to offer animal sacrifices for sins. Any who truly worship the Father can now stand before him and present their own cause to him, knowing that he will hear and consider their prayer because of the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ.

With the tearing of the curtain, all who worship God, whether Jew or Gentile, have access to the throne of mercy by the one and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

See Heb.4:15-16; 6:18-19; 9:1-15; 10:19-22.

“For through him we both have access by one spirit to the Father. Now therefore you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Eph.2:18-19 KJV).

 

Historical References of interest:

** “Josephus reported that the veil was 4 inches thick, was renewed every year, and that horses tied to each side could not pull it apart.  It barred all but the High Priest from the presence of God, but when it was torn in two at the death of Jesus of Nazareth (see Mark 15:38), access to God was made available to all who come through him.”  (Even at face value, this is an enigmatic note, in that Exodus 26 describes the Tabernacle, and the veil that was torn in two was part of Herod’s Temple.  Ryrie’s representation of “the veil” certainly implies that the veil that Exodus describes is the veil that Josephus describes, which is to be identified with the veil that was torn in two.) before these doors there was a veil of equal largeness with the doors. It was a Babylonian curtain, embroidered with blue, and fine linen, and scarlet, and purple, and of a contexture that was truly wonderful. Nor was this mixture of colors without its mystical interpretation, but was a kind of image of the universe; for by the scarlet there seemed to be enigmatically signified fire, by the fine flax the earth, by the blue the air, and by the purple the sea; two of them having their colors the foundation of this resemblance; but the fine flax and the purple have their own origin for that foundation, the earth producing the one, and the sea the other. This curtain had also embroidered upon it all that was mystical in the heavens, excepting that of the [twelve] signs, representing living creatures. (Historian Josephus Wars of the Jews: Wars 5.5.4)

Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.

The Veils before the Most Holy Place were 40 cubits (60 feet) long, and 20 (30 feet) wide, of the thickness of the palm of the hand, and wrought in 72 squares, which were joined together; and these Veils were so heavy, that, in the exaggerated language of the time, it needed 300 priests to manipulate each.  If the Veil was at all such as is described in the Talmud, it could not have been rent in twain by a mere earthquake or the fall of the lintel, although its composition in squares fastened together might explain, how the rent might be as described in the Gospel.

Maurice Henry Harris, Hebraic Literature (M. Walter Dunne, 1901).

Three hundred priests were told off [sic; the idea is that they were designated] to draw the veil (of the Temple) aside; for it is taught that Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel declared in the name of Rabbi Shimon the Sagan (or high priest’s substitute), that the thickness of the veil was a handbreadth. It was woven of seventy-two cords, and each cord consisted of twenty-four strands. It was forty cubits long and twenty wide. Eighty-two myriads of damsels worked at it, and two such veils were made every year. When it became soiled, it took three hundred priests to immerse and cleanse it.     Chullin (Harris, pp. 195-96)

The veil was one handbreadth thick and was woven on [a loom having] seventy-two rods, and over each rod were twenty-four threads.  Its length was forty cubits and its breadth twenty cubits; it was made by eighty-two young girls, and they used to make two in every year; and three hundred priests immersed it.