Tag: Elijah

Are You A Way Preparer?

Who are the

way preparers

for the Lord God and His Messiah?

The prophets were

way preparers…

Below are some of them:

Malachi 3:1“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple;

For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Is 40:3

Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;
Because I will do this to you,
Prepare to meet your God, O Israel.” Amos 4:12

Jonah 1:17
And the Lord prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah was to prepare the people of Nineveh for Gods’ judgment,  he was to tell them to repent. When Jonah was disobedient then the Lord became a way preparer, to bring Jonah back to what he was supposed to be doing.

Proclaim this among the nations:
Prepare a war; rouse the mighty men!
Let all the soldiers draw near, let them come up! Joel 2:9. 

Therefore, son of man, prepare for yourself baggage for exile and go into exile by day in their sight; even go into exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand though they are a rebellious house. Ezek. 12:3.

 

Noah was a way preparer

In obedience to the Lords directive, he

prepared the ark to make a way to survive the flood.

By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Heb. 11:7.

Moses was a

way preparer

in Ex. 14:1-32 preparing the way for freedom from Egypt by way of the reed/red sea.

And the Lord God Himself was again a

way preparer,  

Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.   

Ex. 23:20.

Joshua and Caleb were way preparers. Going before the Israelites  to cross the Jordan into the promised land.  Joshua 3.

John the Baptist was a way preparer for Yeshua/Jesus.

Matthew 3:3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

 

The disciples were sent out in twos, they were way preparers for Jesus/Yeshua. In Luke 10:1 After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit. 

The apostles being sent out, were way preparers for Yeshua/Jesus and the gospel of His Kingdom. Luke 9:1-10 First it was the Twelve Apostles:

Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness

later he calls the Seventy in chapter 10:1-24.

 

In Matthew 28:16-20 and Luke 24:44-53

The great commission calls all believers and disciples to be

way preparers.

The 2 witnesses in Revelation 11:13-19

are

way preparers

for the second coming of Messiah.

All Way Preparers are to be

awake, alert, ready, they are to be watchful.

1 Corinthians 16:13

Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong.

How many times did Messiah say to watch? Here are a few:

Watch with me one hour Matthew 26:40-45.

Watch and pray.

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Matthew 24:42-51.

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Matthew 24:44.

Rom. 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. Luke 12:47.

The Way Preparer for Messiah.

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Eph. 6:15.

Those scribes in John’s day who were familiar with the TaNaKH, the Torah, Writings and the Prophets, sent a delegation to ask John two questions.

John 1:21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”?

This was referring to Malachi’s prophecy that the prophet Elijah will come as a messenger before the appearance of the Messiah.

in Malachi 4:5. See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.

And in

Is. 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

To this day Jews around the world still set out a cup of wine for Elijah at Passover /Pesach, in participation of his arrival as the forerunner the

way preparer of the Messiah.

The second question was are you the prophet. John 1:21. This referred to Moses/Moshe prophecy that God would send a prophet like me. Deuteronomy 18:15 – 19 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.

Clearly people knew the prophecies, another example is when we read of the time Philip talked with Nathanael. John 1:45  He said we have found him of whom Moses in the Law/torah and also the prophets wrote Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph.

After Yeshua/Jesus fed the 5000 the people began to ask if this was the prophet who is to come into the world. John 6:14. Then Peter identified Yeshua/Jesus as the prophet in Acts 3:22, 23.

Stephen before the Sanhedrin declared that Yeshua/Jesus was the promised Messiah. Acts 7:37 – 38. This is that Moses……

From the beginning there have been

way preparers.

Abraham was a way preparer leaving his homeland and becoming the father of faith and through him came Isaac Jacob Israel his Sons and the 12 tribes.

Joseph was a way preparer for the children of Israel giving them a safe place in the years of famine in Egypt.

Moses was a way preparer for the children of Israel to be released from Egyptian bondage. He was also a way preparer towards the promised land.

Reading through the Scriptures there are many heroes and heroines of faith who were way preparers for those who would come after. How many others can you find? John is one of many and with the spirit of Elijah as Messiah referred to him.

And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. Matthew 11:14

Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist.  Matthew 17:13

All the disciples were way preparers, going into the villages prior to Messiah arriving there. All the apostles and believers were way preparers. Go into all the world and preach…… whereas all those. written of in the TaNaKH way preparers were for Messiahs 1st coming, those in the Brit Chadashah are way preparers for His 2nd Coming/ return. Paul was a way preparer for the Gentiles to be reached with the gospel of the kingdom and to be grafted into the true vine, spiritual Israel. The one who brought us the way is Messiah Himself, Yeshua of Nazareth. He said I am the way the truth and the Life. The first believers were known as followers of the Way.

Yeshua/Jesus Himself is the way preparer for us to be reconciled to a Holy God Who we will be united with eternally. From Jesus/Yeshuas’ command ‘to go’, we too are way preparers; our mission field is right where we are. It is time we move out.

Prepare ye the way of the Lord.

Johns answer was from Isaiah 40:3, that he was a voice of one crying out in the wilderness sent as a way preparer to bear witness to the Messiah, Yeshua, Who was there present in their midst.

In Acts, Peter’s message is recalled when he spoke at Solomons portico, he was quoting from Deuteronomy 18:18 – 19 and he identified Jesus/Yeshua as the prophet like unto Moses.

Are you a way preparer?

Maybe it is time to find out?!

The days in which we are living are described in

Matthew 24 and in Luke 21:9-36 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. 10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: 11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. …

Part of being a way preparer is carrying and giving the appropriate  message given by His Holy Spirit, which is fitting for the time and season.

Are we giving meat in due season?

Mathew 24:45

To give them meat (τὴν τροφὴν, their food) in due season.

The message for this time is that it must be meat in due season. Why? Because it is to feed the believers from the Word of God.

It was a direct reference to

Ps. 145:15-21.

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

The Lord God is moving and He wants us to be way preparers and providers of spiritual meat in due season.

It is time to move and get into the front ranks and hold our position. We must never flinch. Can our Heavenly Father be sure that we will never turn cowardly and flee? He promises to sustain us in dangerous positions.  He is well able to keep us there and adequately supply every need by His grace.

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1Pet 1:13.

Peter urges believers to prepare their minds for action and to be disciplined in their thinking. This preparation includes setting our hope fully on the grace to be received when Messiah returns. It emphasizes the need to focus our thoughts, aligning them with God’s promises and remaining alert and ready for His coming.

“In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.” Prov. 13:16.

Preparation involves acting with knowledge and discernment.

The prudent person carefully considers their actions and plans, while the fool recklessly displays their ignorance. This verse in Proverbs, reminds us of the significance of acquiring knowledge, seeking wisdom, and acting accordingly.

Being well-prepared requires understanding and thoughtfulness, avoiding foolishness and its consequences.The Bible emphasizes the importance of preparation in various contexts, offering guidance on both spiritual and practical aspects of life. Preparation is often linked to concepts such as wisdom, diligence, and foresight. Moses, was given detailed instructions by God to prepare the tabernacle and its furnishings with meticulous precision. Exodus 25-31. This shows the significance of being prepared to serve God as Daniel did, with a spirit of excellence, always offering our best work.

Joseph’s wise preparations during 7 years of abundance allowed Egypt to survive seven years of famine. Genesis 41. Proverbs frequently extols the virtues of planning, diligence, and foresight in all aspects of our lives.

As we have noted John was a way preparer,

but what does the phrase

That wisdom is justified by all children?

mean in 

Luke 7:33, 35. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.

John was a ascetic,

(definition: avoiding physical pleasures and living a simple life, often for religious reasons:)

He practiced strict denial as a means of physical and spiritual discipline; but why would his refusal to eat bread and drink wine lead the Pharisees to believe he was a demon possessed man?

We would say of a nun or monk who lived such a lifestyle that they were very godly people in leading lives of denial.

Interestingly in the Aramaic language

not eating bread and drinking wine

is an ancient idiom/ or expression:

la ekal la khma shetha khamea

and literally translated reads:

not consuming food and drinking the juice of fruits.

 To say an individual consumes food and drinks the juice of fruits is like saying in English: we have lunch with friends at our favorite cafe, pub or bistro. This idiom is an expression of:

hospitality or interacting socially.

John the Baptist literally came out of the wilderness simply to preach, baptize those who repented of their sins and then went back into the wilderness. He didn’t interact with people socially or have lunch with with them, he didn’t live what was considered a normal life of those days. Yeshua/Jesus was not like John in that He came and lived among the everyday people so that He could minister to them.

Matthew 9:10-17, Mark 2:15-22, Luke 5:29-39

He interacted with them socially and often went to ‘sinners’ homes to eat, and this is why it was written:

He came eating and drinking.

There are those who say this scripture was to endorse the fact that Messiah actually drunk alcoholic drinks and even got drunk. To spin this from the expression/ idiom, would amount to setting our own Western thought and Greek mindset into an Aramaic idiom. Those who desire to drink alcohol and want it to be acceptable, use it to support their personal lifestyle; but it is far from the intent of the passage. We are not to twist the scriptures to make it fit how we want to live a compromised lifestyle and not feel guilty.

 The word for wine in Greek used here is: Oinon which could mean: both fermented and unfermented wine and the Greek word doesn’t differentiate between them. However, Yeshua/Jesus spoke in a Aramaic Galilean dialect, and that language does have different words for fermented and unfermented wine; and the word used was khamea , which is a reference to unfermented juice from some fruit. It was not necessarily the fruit of grapes, it could have been apples,  oranges, grapefruit, melon etc. The key is that it is unfermented, or non-alcoholic, meaning: the sugar content in the fruit had not turned into alcohol. It would seem that Messiah Yeshua/Jesus was mocking those accusing Him by saying in our vernacular: Look, the Son of Man comes drinking non alcoholic drinks with publicans and sinners and you accuse Him of being drunk?

Today we might say: you sit down in a social setting with all kinds of sinners drinking  lemonade or Pepsi and people think you’re getting drunk with them?

The last phrase of the same scripture is:

but wisdom is justified by all her children.

What does that mean?

We must stop trying to understand with our western Greek/English mindset and try to understand the Eastern Oriental concept of wisdom. In English the word wisdom is always used positively however, in the eastern semitic mind, it can have both a positive and negative connotation. Sometimes in Aramaic the word wisdom which is: khekmtha, can idiomatically, have the expression of meaning stupidity, which is just the opposite. In the same way people in the west will say ‘that was such a bad movie, it was wicked’ really meaning, it was very good and extremely exciting!

Messiah was using a similar Aramaic idiom/expression in this scripture and it is quite likely He was inferring: because your arguments are so ridiculous it’s a clear indication of your stupidity.  The reference to all her children has the meaning: whatever is the offspring from the parent or the original. It is in the same way we would say, a chip off the old block or the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. If the source is wise the offspring/children will be wise but if then the offspring/children are stupid… like begets like.

Yeshua /Jesus was the ultimate way preparer when He said

 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Rom. 10:13.

and so was our Heavenly Father

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10.

 

David wrote in the 23rd Psalm.  A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

John 14:22 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Today we are way preparers for Yeshua/Jesus and the gospel of His Kingdom. We are to go into all the world and tell people to prepare themselves for the soon return of our Messiah; to prepare the way for the Lord….

Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’Matthew 9:27 Luke 10:2.

It’s time not only to pray for more laborers but to become one,

a way preparer… 

Shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

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

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

 

 

Why 40?

A look at the number 40,

its’ meaning, and association to covenants,

and where it was evident in the lives of biblical characters.

There are many references to the number 40 in both the old and new testaments. Mentioned 146-149 times. The English word “forty” appears 158 times in King James Bible verses. This breaks down to 134 occurrences in the Old Testament and 24 times in the New.

Hebrew Strongs #705  

arbaim: forty

Original Word: אַרְבָּעִים
Part of Speech: noun plural indeclinable
Transliteration: arbaim
Phonetic Spelling: ar-baw-eem’
Definition: forty

The number 40 is associated with seasons of probation and preparation where spiritual awareness is deepened. It also represents a time of leadership, fasting and victory as well as testings of faith, trials and chastisement. This chastisement is not the same as judgment, like the association represented by the number 9 which operates in connection with punishment of enemies; but rather is in connection to the chastisement of sons, family and of a covenant people who are loved.

As we are in the days of counting from the Omer, which comprise 7×7 weeks, equaling 49 days and on the 50th day is Pentecost/Shavuot. We are aware of the 40 days that Messiah remained with His disciples/talmidim after His resurrection and appeared to many.

As Shavuot/Penetcost is also the Moed/Appointed Time of remembering the giving of Torah to Moses/Moshe. We remember that Moses was called up onto Mount Sinai. Exodus 19:1-3 Moses went up the mountain and in v14 he came down; then in verse 20 he goes up the mountain again -25.

He goes up the mountain in Ex. 24:1-3 with others plus the 70 elders. In verse 9, they ate and drank. Moses went up in verse 12 -18 and stayed 40 days and forty nights; then in chapter 32:15 he came down again.

In chapter 34:1-4 it is recorded that Moses went up the mountain again.  In verse 18 he was instructed to keep the feast of matzah. In 34:10 God says: I am making covenant. From verse 22 to verse 27 it records Moses was another 40 days and 40 nights on Mt Sinai and verse 29 tells us when Moses came down his face was shining.

Moses was up and down Mt Sinai several times and twice for 40 days and nights.

Exodus 24:18, 34:1 – 28. He was there in order to receive God’s Torah/teaching/instructions and directives for the children of Israel.

The first 40 years of Moses’ life entails him from growing up in Pharaoh’s royal household and living in Egypt until he slays a man and has to flee to Midian.

The second part of his life is spent as a shepherd in Midian tending Jethroes sheep in the wilderness, until God calls him at age 80 (2×40), to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.

During the last third of his life he leads the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness until he dies at age 120. 3×40 years.

Deut. 34:7

40 years is also applied as encompassing a generation according to Numbers 14:26-38 as with the children of Israel 40 years wandering while the generation died out.

Moses had sent spies, for 40 days, to investigate the land God promised the Israelites as an inheritance. Numbers 13:25, 14:34.

Believing the report of the ten doubters, the people lost heart and rebelled. They “raised their voices and wept aloud,” grumbling against Moses and Aaron, saying, “If only we had died in Egypt…Num. 14:1-10

Num 14:34

According to the number of days in which you spied out the land [of Canaan], 40 days, for each day, you shall bear and suffer a year for your sins and guilt, for 40 years, and you shall know…

They then had to experience the consequences and cost of disobedience and unbelief. The 40 year Wilderness wandering for what was only an 11 day journey!

God told Moses that Because of their sins and initial unwillingness to enter Canaan, God swore that the generation of Israelites who were 20 years old or older, (except for Joshua and Caleb), who left Egyptian bondage would not enter the Promised Land; they would wander in the wilderness until this generation died and a new one could inherit what the Lord promised. 

16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies 

Hebrews 3:16 -4:11

Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against Me . . .

And your children shall feed in the wilderness forty years and bear your whoredoms until your dead carcasses have been consumed in the wilderness (Numbers 14:29, 33, HBFV).

Some more instances of 40:

The book of Exodus, KJV, is the only book that has 40 chapters.

The chapters Exodus 25, Numbers 29, Judges 6 and 11, 1Chronicles 7, 8 and 12, Job 31, Psalm 37, Jeremiah 23 and 31, John 18, Acts 8, 16 and 21, 1Corinthians 7 and 14, along with Hebrews 11, all have 40 verses in the KJV.

From the time they entered the Promised Land, to the time of King Saul, Israel was sporadically governed by a number of individuals known as Judges. Though they did not rule like a king, they nevertheless had a tremendous influence on the people, as they represented God and were inspired to execute His will. Judges who served 40 years include Othniel, Deborah and Barak, Eli and Gideon.

The first three human kings over the children of Israel, Saul, David and Solomon, each ruled for forty years (1050 to 930 B.C.). After the united kingdom split into two separate pieces, King Joash served 40 official years (39 actual years) as one of Judah’s better kings.

Absalom’s rebellion was near David’s death. The time cannot exceed the stated 40 years. Saul reigned forty years as first king Acts 13:21. And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom …

Abraham began his bargaining with God to save Sodom and Gomorrah if 50 righteous were found, then he asked if they could be spared if 45 existed Genesis 18:23 – 28. He then pleaded to save the cities if only 40 righteous people were found. 

And he (Abraham) spoke to Him (the Lord) yet again, and said, “Perhaps there shall be forty found there.” And He said, “I will not do it for forty’s sake.” Genesis 18:29.

Both Isaac and Esau were 40 years old when they were first married Genesis 25:20, 26:34.

 

Elijah went 40 days without food or water at Mount Horeb. Yeshua/Jesus was tempted by the devil many times during the 40 days He fasted days in the wilderness, after His immersion in the Holy Spirit and before at the start of his public ministry.

40 days of repentance/teshuvah, is observed every year before Rosh Hashanah.

40 days from conception to the initial formation of a human baby, and 40 weeks of gestation until birth.

God flooded the earth by having it rain for 40 days and nights. Genesis 7:12.

After the patriarch Jacob (Israel) died in Egypt, the Egyptians spent 40 days embalming his body. Genesis 50:3.

God allowed the ancient Israelites, from time to time, to be harassed and dominated by certain enemies in order to chastise and humble them for their sins. The Philistines, in the southern and western parts of Israel’s land, harassed them from 1105 to 1065 B.C. God’s resolution to the harassment was Samson who would become one of Israel’s Judges Judges 13:1, 1Samuel 7:13, 15 – 17.

The prophet Jonah powerfully warned ancient Nineveh, for 40 days, that its destruction would come because of its many sins. 

And Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the Word of the Lord. And Nineveh was a very great city of three days’ journey across. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” Jonah 3:4, 

The prophet Ezekiel was commanded by God to first lay on his left side for 390 days for the Kingdom of Israel. He was then told to lay on his right side for 40 days for the Kingdom of Judah. This act represented, in years, the length each kingdom would suffer correction for their disobedience to God.

For I have laid on you the years of their (Israel’s) iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days. So you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when you have fulfilled them, lie again on your right side, and you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days; a day for a year; a day for a year, I have set it upon you. Ezekiel 4:5 – 6.

Yeshua/Jesus, just days before His crucifixion in 30 A.D., prophesied the total destruction of Jerusalem. Matthew 24:1-2, Mark 13:1-2. 40 years after his crucifixion the mighty Roman Empire destroyed the city and burned its beloved temple to the ground, A.D.70.

There are 21 words and phrases in the Bible’s original languages that are recorded exactly 40 times.

Number 40 is equal to 2 x 2 x 2 (or 2 cubed) x 5. Both 2 and 5 are prime numbers.

In the Hebrew AlefBet, the 13th Hebrew letter called Mem, has the numerical value of 40 and is thereby associated with the following: 40 days and nights of flood waters; 40 years in the wilderness; 2×40 days Moses was on Mt Sinai.

Traditionally the letter Mem has several related meanings: waters, people, nations, languages and tongues.

The name of the letter in its most ancient form resembles waves of water. With this in mind such sayings as: sea of torah, the ocean of knowledge and wisdom are often used.

Mem is regarded as the letter of water/mayim; symbolizing the spring of the Torah – Rivers of Living water, i.e. Gods Word. Just as the waters of an underground spring rise upward from an unknown source to reveal themselves, so does the spring of wisdom rise up from the mysterious Source that is our Heavenly Father. This flowing stream of the inner wisdom can be expressed through the gift of human speech. Proverbs 18:4 the words a man speaks are deep waters, a flowing stream, a fountain of wisdom.

In the Hebrew alef -bet, the letter Mem has 2 forms when it is written: an open form and a closed form.

The open form, peucha,  is said to represent the revealed truth of God as demonstrated by Moshe/Moses. The use of the closed letter Mem, stumah, is said to represent the concealed truth of our Heavenly Father as was demonstrated by Yeshua/Jesus, the revealer of mysteries.

Matthew 13:10–11 10. The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.”

and 

Matthew 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.

Yeshua/Jesus is the only One Who truly satisfies the inner thirst we have for real life, He is the only One Who can satisfy and quench our thirst. Faith/emunah in Him brings refreshment and healing for those He has called His own. John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

The letter M is represented in the Greek alphabet by the letter Mu.

The Old Testament writings use the word “forty” for the number 40. The ones containing the most, are the book of Numbers (19 times) followed by Genesis and Deuteronomy (15 times each). The New Testament books that use the word the most forty, are the book of Acts (10 times) followed by Revelation (6). It is first used in Genesis with its last appearance in Revelation.

And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters. Genesis 5:13, KJV. 

The Hebrew word ephah, Strong’s Concordance #H374, is written 40 times in 29 Hebrew Old Testament verses. Its spelling stays the same in the KJV. It is found the most in Ezekiel (17 times) followed by the book of Zechariah (5).

An ephah is used in Scripture as a measure of dry goods such as flour, barley meal, parched corn, wheat and so on. It is roughly equivalent to 22 liters or 20 dry quarts. One of its first uses is in the book of Leviticus.

But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering . . . Leviticus 5:11, KJV.

Caleb, who was 40 years old, and Joshua, were two of the twelve spies Moses sent to the Promised Land, as previously noted, He and Joshua were the only two to have the faith to encourage the people to take the land God had promised them.

Forty-five years later he requested from Joshua the land he was promised for obeying the Lord. He received part of the hill country of Judea which included the cities of Hebron and Debir.

Joshua 14:7 – 15.

King Ahaz, who ruled over the Kingdom of Judah from 735 to 715 B.C., died when he was forty years old.

God’s law allowed a wrongdoer, in certain cases, to be beaten with 40 stripes (scourging) as part of their punishment. Deuteronomy 25:1-3. The Jews would later change this to 39 stripes in order not to exceed this amount per Deuteronomy 25:3. Both Messiah and the Apostle Paul were scourged five times by the Jews for preaching the gospel. 2Corinthians 11:23 – 24.

The Bible was written by 40 different people. There were 32 writers of the Old Testament and only 8; Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, James, Peter, Jude, and Paul of the New.

A brief note on the covenants.

The Mosaic covenant, Ex 19:3-6, on the basis of the Abrahamic covenant and promise made to Abraham in Gen.15; God delivered the children of Israel from Egypt and established another covenant with them at Sinai. God used Moses as the deliverer and mediator of this covenant between Israel and Himself. It’s not a covenant of salvation but instead a covenant of blessing and cursing based on trusting and faithfulness on Israels part. The Mosaic covenant is similar to a marriage covenant/contract. This is called a Ketubah or a vassal treaty between God as husband and king, and Israel as His wife and people. It spells out the boundaries and guidelines of the relationship between them, and is summarized in Ex. 19 and 20. The Mosaic covenant includes blessings and security in the land for faithful obedience, Deut. 28; and curses and exile for faithless disobedience. Deut. 27.

The Mosaic Covenant further includes a promise that even though Israel will not keep this covenant fully, and will ultimately be removed from the land; God will not completely forsake them, but He will punish them and scatter them among the nations. From their exile God will circumcise their hearts and they will return to Him in repentance/teshuvah. The Lord will gather Israel back and atone for His people and the land. Deut. 30-33. This promise is to confirm and keep His promise to Abraham. This generation that made the covenant with God at Sinai was not able to enter into the land. The next generation reaffirmed the covenant and entered the land under Joshua, who was a type of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus. Each generation of Israel in the land and diaspora must confirm the Abrahamic Covenant by the circumcision of their males; and confirm the Mosaic Covenant by binding the words of God on their foreheads, called teffilim. Though they waver in their faithfulness to the covenant, God remains faithful.

The promises of this covenant must be fulfilled. Messiah Yeshua/Jesus says in Matt. 5:17-19 that until heaven and earth pass away based on the covenant with Noah, the smallest letter or stroke of letter will not pass from the Torah /Mosaic covenant until it is all fulfilled.

Our Heavenly Father said through His prophets that, as long as the heavens and the earth remains, consistent with the Noahide Covenant, Israel would remain a people before Him. The Mosaic covenant is not a replacement of the covenants with Noah and Abraham. It is dependent upon them and along with them is presently in effect. The Davidic covenant also affirms and expresses the earlier covenants. Therefore the new covenant fulfills, adds to and completes, rather than merely replacing the previous covenants. Some denominations are mistaken when they claim that the new has replaced the covenant made between Moses and the children of Israel and God at Sinai. It is simply renewed and added onto the existing covenants, line upon line and precept upon precept. Messiah Yeshua/Jesus came to show us how to live them and complete them according to Gods teachings, ways and decrees, not mans rules regulations and laws.

The Highlight of Revelation, Sinai and the Messiah – Exodus 19:6

When the children of Israel arrived at Mount Sinai, Adonai made Himself known to all those people and gave them the Torah by the hand of Moses. Jewish tradition says that this encounter occurred on Pentecost/Shavuot – the Festival of Harvest or Weeks, based on the chronology and Exodus 19:1, 10–16.

Since the event is the highlight of God’s revelation to Israel, it is also known as the Festival of Revelation. At a earlier occasion when Moses encountered the burning bush, God declared that Mt. Sinai was the goal of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. When you have let the people out of Egypt you will worship me on this mountain. Exodus 3:12.

Throughout the Exodus story leading up to this climax, the Lord repeatedly declares that He will make Himself known both to the children of Israel; Exodus 6:7, 10, 29:46; 31:13 and to the Egyptians, Exodus 7:5, 17, 9:29, by His Mighty acts of deliverance. At Mount Sinai this process of self revelation reaches its climax, as all Israel witnesses God’s presence on the mountain. Exodus 19 Deuteronomy 5:2. They accept God’s instruction contained within the Torah. Exodus 24:3 –8

According to Jewish commentators the fact that the nation of Israel witnessed the Lord speaking to Moses from Mt. Sinai, established the Torah as Gods Word; a Word that includes Gods call to Israel to be a kingdom of priests /cohanim.

For me a nation set apart. Exodus 19:6.

Ex. 19:5 -7 the children of Israel and their 12 tribes were supposed to be a whole nation of priests, a kingdom of priests/cohanim, but it ended up with only the Levites being the priestly tribe out of 12 sons and their families.

Messiah Yeshua/Jesus Himself, is an even higher pinnacle of revelation. He doesn’t supersede Torah but rather embodies and perfectly fulfills/completes it. He has made His Word above His Name. Psalm 138:2 For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. |

Like Israel, called to be a nation of priests at Mount Sinai, and although they do not replace the nation of Israel, Messiahs followers are also a chosen people, the Kings Cohanim/priests, a holy nation, a people for God to process.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1Peter 2:9

Are our lives a true reflection of what we are called to be?

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, Deliverer and soon returning King; and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

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

You are very precious in His sight.

Not sure ..you can be…

SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,

SAY IT RIGHT NOW…

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

What Is The Connection Between The Descender, A Spring, An Eye, A Dove And A Miracle?? Part 2

Last post we looked at some of the connections

between the

ירדן

Descender/Yarden/Jordan

and

John the Baptizer
יוחנן המטביל

And we visited two locations that are mentioned

in the scriptures for immersion;

and we saw that the meaning of

Aenon/Aeiynon/Ain-Yon

עֵינָן.  = spring, eye of a dove.

Aenon = “springs”

the name of a place “near to Salim”.  John 1:37

Ainon- pronounced: ahee-nohn’ of Hebrew origin

(a derivative of 5869, place of springs).

In Greek: Αἰνών Ainṓn, ahee-nohn’; of Hebrew origin,

place of springs; Ænon.

According to the scriptures, here is the location that is more accurately describing the place where Yeshua/Jesus immersion occurred.

The place is called

Bethabara – בֵּית בָּרָה

John 1:28
These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

And in other versions…

This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

 

This is clearly Not the same as the 2 previously mentioned places in verse 22. Bethany an AREA which was EAST of the Yarden/Jordan/Descender.

Bethabara beyond Jordan

the other side of the Jordan and

Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River.

Bethabara –  בֵּית בָּרָה

means: house of the ford or crossing.

 בֵּית בָּרָה Bêyth Bârâh,

Pronounced: bayth baw-raw’;

 beth-ba’-ra (beth barah; Baithera):

Perhaps Beth-`abharu,

of Hebrew origin from H1004and H5679;

H1012 – bêṯ bārâ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv)

Strong’s Greek: 962 Βηθαβαρά

 – Bethabara

In Jordan this place is called

Qasr al-Yahud –

Baptismal Site of Yeshua/Jesus:

Located across the river from Jericho, this is the believed to be the place where Yeshua/Jesus was immersed/baptized.

It’s also a popular place where many people go to be immersed/baptized today.

Bethabara is located about 2 miles (3.2 km.) east of Hwy. 90, across from Jericho. It re-opened in 2011 but the Jordan River there is muddy brown, the infrastructure isn’t as developed, and Qasr al-Yahud doesn’t have the marketing power of Yardenit, which sadly separates money from Christians with impressive business acumen.

It’s also known as:

Qaser al-Yahud/Kasser al-Yahud.

Close by there is also a

Cave of John the Baptist/John the Baptizer
יוחנן המטביל

Why the change of location?

Until the Six-Day War of 1967, Qasr al-Yahud, located a few miles north of where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea, was considered the location of

Yeshua/Jesus’ baptism.

After the Six-Day War, the southern stretch of Jordan River became the mined, militarized border between Israel and the country of Jordan, making Qasr al-Yahud inaccessible.

To provide an alternative site that could be safely visited, in 1981 Israeli Ministry of Tourism funded Kibbutz Kinneret, a Jewish farming cooperative on a picturesque part of the Jordan River, there they built Yardenit.

However as we can see from the scriptures in

Verse 26. He that was with thee beyond the Jordan.

 

Amplified Bible
These things occurred in Bethany across the Jordan [at the Jordan River crossing], where John was baptizing.

So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about–He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”

John 10:40
Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had first been baptizing, and He stayed there.

John10:40  And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

JOHN 1:25-28

In verse 28, John identifies the location where John the Baptist was baptizing as 

Bethany beyond the Jordan.

(the NJKV follows an inferior textual variant, Bethabara distinguishing it from the Bethany that was near Jerusalem.

This verse also confirms the

other side of the Jordan:

Above Immersion areas at Qaser al-Yahud/Kasser al-Yahud/Bethabara. Jordan side on right in top left and both bottom pictures and Israel side on the left except top right which is Israel side/site.

The Syriac and Persic versions call it:

Ain, or In you,

the fountain of the dove;

and the Arabic version reads ,

the fountain of Nun:

and whether it was a town, or river,

it seems to have its name from a fountain near it,

or that itself was one, where there was

as the text shows

an abundance of water.

Above early excavations at Bethany beyond the Jordan site:

Qaser al-Yahud/Kasser al-Yahud/Bethabara.

 

Judaism had understood up to this point that the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit was only ever given in a measure: Usually only a Prophet, Priest or King.

The sent Word speaks the Word of the God; and John directs things to Messiah 1:26, I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. Then he waited until the next day to draw the contrast between his

baptizing/immersion in water and

Yeshua/Jesus’

baptizing/immersion in the Ruach Hakodesh/Holy Spirit

John 1:29, 31-33

It is the Word, Jesus/Yeshua, Who is given authority by the Father to pour out His Spirit without measure, something that had never happened before in Israel.

This is prophetic of the outpouring of His Spirit at

Shavuot (Pentecost)

50 days after the Resurrection of Yeshua/Jesus.

Isa.44:3; Joel 2:28; Acts 2.

John 3:35  

The Father

Greek: Ho-pater, Hebrew:Ha-Av

loves = ohev in Hebrew

His Son = et-beno in Hebrew,

and the all, everything,

every individual – pas in Greek, ve’et-kol in Hebrew

has been given – didomi in Greek, natan in Hebrew

into His hand – be’yado in Hebrew.
 
Having revealed the promised outpouring of the Fathers’ Spirit of Holiness, Yochanan/John, spoke of the Father having given all creation into the hands of the Son. Here the 3-fold conceptual image is revealed in unity as all three are recorded as being manifested in one place at the same moment. Yeshua/Jesus has been given authority because it is through Him, (a man, Who is also God/YHVH/YaHoVeH), that humanity and creation are to be redeemed. Yeshua/Jesus in turn will submit both Himself and all of the renewed creation to the Father.

There’s a deeper spiritual meaning to the word Jordan/Yarden.

In the same way we must descend to access the Jordan/Yarden Rivers’ waters physically,

we must descend and humble ourselves

before we can ascend spiritually. 

This concept is seen in many of the miracles that happened in and around its shores.

Descending as in

Jordan/Yarden

the Descender.

The place of the descending as a dove was here.

The Jordan/Yarden, is also frequently mentioned in connection with the ministry of John the Baptist,

John the Baptizer.
יוחנן המטביל

JOHN 1:28, 10:40.

Although The Jordan/Yarden is rather shallow and relatively easy to cross, at certain times of the year, the river was in flood stage and could be a formidable natural barrier for advancing armies.

Adam – This is the place where the waters of the Yarden/Jordan river backed up to when the Israelites crossed the river which was about 20 miles, 32/33 km. above the crossing place.

Bethabara –  בֵּית בָּרָה

means: house of the ford or crossing.

No coincidence that the waters were in a heap at a place called Adam!!!!

Recall the scriptures tell us that the Israelites crossed the Jordan/Yarden River on dry ground as the waters were miraculously parted. 
Joshua 3:14–17: So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam [20 miles, 32 km. north], the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

Over the years, several earthquakes, where the African and Arabian tectonic plates collide, have altered the course of the river and it now runs further away from the site shown in the maps and photos.

This means that the place Messiah was immersed is now dry ground and interestingly, no one can be immersed on exactly same spot.

We have answered most of the question posed but

What about the miracle??? 

The miracle was MUCH MUCH bigger

than we may have realized because

we have not understood the geography of the area,

that this was a river valley and as

the river was at flood stage,

it was overflowing its banks yet…

when the priests feet touched the river..

the water stopped flowing!

As previously mentioned, the body of water that would have gathered would have been approx. 20 miles (32/33 km.) long, 2 miles (3.2 km.) wide, and around 120 ft. (37 m.) high.

This was a massive body and a high wall of water that the 3 million or more Israelites would have witnessed as they walked alongside it for about 2 miles (3.2 km.)!

The miracle was similar to the crossing of the Reed/Red Sea after the Israelite’s Exodus from Egypt. God repeated this miracle to reveal His glory and faithfulness. 

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

opened the waters to provide the exit from bondage and then opened the waters to provide an entrance into the freedom of the promised land/Israel.

In the same WAY in our lives we can trust our Heavenly Father that as we leave a situation behind us, He opens the WAY before us. How we leave a place or set of circumstances is how we will enter the next.

Crossing into the Promised Land is also a picture of living in victory.

Our Heavenly Father shows us His WAYS in scripture by His patterns, entering and leaving is one of those and just as we will reap what we sow in life; consequences of our actions or lack of them, will determine the pattern we set for ourselves.

It is surely possible that the people in Jericho saw what happened as the flood waters parted, and this no doubt is what made them fear the Israelites.

There are so many things that occurred at this very strategic location when we recall scripture references and see that we have missed their importance since this place was re placed by the Yardenit Baptismal Site near Galilee.

Quick recap and some wonderful scriptural connections:

The meaning of the place across from where John was baptizing/Immersion…

Spring – eye – dove.

Dove = Jonah

The name Jonah,

in Hebrew, Yonah – יונה,

means: dove.

 It is the name of a biblical prophet whose story is read on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement!

Yeshua/Jesus said in Matthew 12:39 An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

This was a reference to the mixed Goyim/Gentile nation at Nineveh being included in the Fathers plan of redemption if they repented. Also Messiah was indicating that He was about to initiate the same offer to the nations of the world; extending it outwards from just Abrahams seed and the children of Israel. Did it also refer prophetically by default, to the DOVE/Ruach HaKodesh Who was soon to come?

In speaking of the end of the age Yeshua/Jesus also said in

Matthew 24:37

But just as the days of Noah, so will the coming of The Son of Man be. When the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived. 

The Dove returned to Noah after he released it to see if the water level had dropped and if, again, all the species that he had saved could live on dry land; the dove quickly returned as there was nowhere for it to rest. Genesis 8:11.

Noah – נח – is believed to come from the Hebrew “Noach,” meaning “rest.”

Also possibly “long-lived”, “comforter”, or “wanderer. pronounced NOH-ach with a ch like Bach

We enter into the rest of Messiah by His Ruach/Spirit.

Noah waited 7 more days and sent out the dove again, the dove returned with an olive branch. 

Noah waited 7 more days and sent out the dove again, who did NOT return. Interestingly the dove returned symbolically upon Messiah as He raised up out of the waters of immersion/baptism/cleansing to the new life/start that Noah also experienced and we do too.

The living waters of cleansing and renewal.

Elijah parted the waters of the Yarden/Jordan/Descender here…

2 Kings 2:6–8: Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground….

And he ascended to heaven here…

The area in the picture below is also associated with the ascension of the Prophet Elijah into heaven,

which is commemorated at a hill called

Tell Mar Elias

or

Jabal Mar-Elias (Elijah’s Hill).

John the Baptizer came in the spirit of Elijah.

And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.

Matthew 11:14

Elisha took Elijahs prayer shawl/mantle and parted the waters here twice in 2 Kings 2:8 and 2:14. 

Naaman, the Leper,

was healed in the Jordan River

by the Prophet Elisha.
2 Kings 5:10–14: : 

And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”

The place of the

crossing of the Jordan River

by the Israelites is located close-by to the

Immersion/Baptismal Site of Yeshua/Jesus.

Recall that prophetically Joshua/Yehoshua

is a type and shadow of Jesus/Yeshua.

Joshua’s name is יְהוֹשׁוּעַ or,

transliterated into English,

Yehoshua, a form of Yeshua.

This is where we get the English name Joshua. But, when the Hebrew name is translated into Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament, it becomes Ἰησοῦς, which transliterates into Iēsous. This is where we get the English name Jesus. Thus, Yeshua and, correspondingly, Joshua and Jesus all mean “Yahweh Saves” or “The Lord Is Salvation.”

Jesus and Joshua are really the same name, although in different languages. The Greek form (in English) is Jesus. The Hebrew form (in English) is Joshua. The Greek form of the name “Joshua” (“Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is salvation”) is “Jesus.” As Joshua led Israel to victory over her enemies and into possession of the Promised Land, and as he interceded for the nation after it had sinned and been defeated, so does Jesus/Yeshua. 

Before entering the Promised Land, the Israelites camped on the east side of the Yarden/Jordan River, opposite Jericho.
Joshua 3:1: Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

The splitting of the Yarden/Jordan, the waters of the descender, is comparable to that of the Sea of Reeds, which was through the staff of Moses (Exodus 14:16) and ultimately to the second creation day, when the primordial waters were divided. (Genesis 1:6). 

For them to make this crossing, the Lord held back the water of the Jordan by means of the Ark of the Covenant (Joshua 3:16)

The waters parted at Jordan and the priests

went first with the ark YHVH/Gods presence in the earth

when their feet stepped into the water they parted.

Jesus/Yeshua descended into the

waters/immersion/baptism and as our

High Priest

and the presence of the Lord in the earth

went through the waters

to make the Way for us

to enter into our promised land

the kingdom of God/the heavens.

Yeshua/Jesus leading the WAY through the waters of immersion/baptism for repentance and into the new life He gives into the new land, the kingdom of the heavens.

The Jordan River represented life and vitality to the Israelites. They were desert people, and water was their life. Messiah used this concept to teach them that in the same way water was vital for their physical lives, He was vital for their spiritual lives as well.

As the start of Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land, God ordered Joshua to set up a memorial after crossing the Jordan and they placed 12 stones in the middle of the river.

Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day. Joshua 4:9.

In order to facilitate this crossing, the Lord held back the water of the Jordan by means of the Ark of the Covenant (Joshua 3:16)

Naaman, the Leper, was healed

in the Jordan River

by the Prophet Elisha.
2 Kings 5:10–14: : And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

All these miracles happened in the Jordan/Yarden River

Who was the ultimate (Yarden/Jorden) descender?

Yeshua, Messiah Jesus, He said Himself

No one has ascended into heaven except the One who

descended

from heaven–the Son of Man. John 3:13

Yeshua/Jesus THE descender from heaven

and when He ascended at Shavuot/Pentecost,

His Spirit of Holiness/RuachHaKodesh,

Who came before as a DOVE/Jonah was the DESCENDER as tongues/flames of fire on the waiting Talmidim/Disciples.

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Hallelujah!! He is with us always!

 

שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם‎,

Shalom aleikhem

chaverim and mishpachah!

Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week, you are greatly loved and prayed for daily. Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation or without our Heavenly Fathers’ shalom ENVELOPING you and the deep inner knowing that you are sealed to the day of redemption by the Blood of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua.

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.

What Is & Who Is >

is a mathematical symbol meaning

greater than,

> is right next to the ? key on the keyboard.

So when we have a ? remember the > symbol is just to our left

and our Heavenly Father/ Yeshua/Jesus is

greater than >

any ? that may trouble us.

Greater than
in Hebrew is

Gadol min

Hebrew for greater is רבתי

Strong’s Hebrew: 1419. גָּדוֹל (gadol) — great

In Mark 3:17

There was a day that the disciples were discussing who was the greatest among them.

Luke 9;46-48 46 An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.47 But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.

Mark 9:33-37 33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Mathew 18:1-5  At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,

In Mark 10:35 Two of the disciples James and John had a mother who wanted the prime place for them beside Yeshua/Jesus in His coming Kingdom.

Then Salome the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons James and John and knelt down to make a request of Him. And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”

23“You will indeed drink My cup,” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.”

And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.

Messiah sat down with the 12 in Matthew 20:25,26

But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.

Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

Whoever wishes to be 1st or greater than everyone else will be last of all, servant of all.

We are to grab on to Yeshua/Jesus, its not about us, or about being great, or first, or the best, or the greatest; it’s about Him and the Father; for if we take hold of Him we are taking hold of the One who sent Him.

Mark 9:37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

Mark 10:35

Yeshua/Jesus went on to say more about

greater than:

Matt. 12: 41, The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

  1. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

   Luke 11 32.  The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Matt. 12:6. “But I say to you that there is something greater than the Temple here.”

6. wa’ani ‘omer lakem ki yesh-poh gadol min-haMiq’dash.

One

greater than

the Temple is here

Strong’s Hebrew: 1965. הֵיכַל (hekal — a palace, temple

Original Word: הֵיכַל.

Part of Speech: Noun Masculine.

Transliteration: hekal.

Phonetic Spelling: (hay-kal’)

Definition: a palace, temple.

Word Origin. (Aramaic) of foreign origin.

Strong’s Hebrew: 1964. הֵיכָל (hekal) — a palace, temple

The temple was a building made with human hands Yeshua/Jesus came to destroy that physical structure and replace it with Himself through His resurrected body and the release of His Ruach.

He not only filled the building/house they were in, (Acts.) but the physical body their spirits were indwelling.

This He has done for us.

Now we are the temple/the sanctuary/the inner holy of holies

where He abides with every true believer.

He does not live in a sanctuary made with human hands. Acts 17:24

The word temple is sanctuary

and that is where His Ruach HaKodesh, the presence of our Heavenly Father was, in the ark located inside the holy of holies; now the sanctuary/temple is in us and there is no need for a physical building because we are the lively stones.

 

 

One >

greater than

Jonah is here

Luke 11:29 32

& Matthew 12:41

Yonah ונה’

יוֹנָה֙     yō-w-nāh

w’hinneh-phoh gadol miYonah.

One greater than Yonah is here.

Jonah was a prophet, however he was also not very quick to obey; and being disobedient, he ran in the opposite direction from his assignment and ended up in the belly of a whale!

When he did finally obey, he was irritated that the people heard him and repented. He was more concerned about saving face than saving souls. Yeshua/Jesus made Himself of no reputation and loved not His life unto death. He set His face towards Jerusalem in obedience to His Father and did not run from His destiny knowing what He was to face after Moses and Elijah had been discussing His situation on the Mt of Transfiguration. Matt. 17, Mark 9, Luke 9.

His flesh would have preferred to have the cup pass from Him

…if it be possible, let this cup pass from me …” Matthew 26:39.

yet He still submitted willingly to the Fathers plan and purpose. Learning obedience by the things He suffered.

7. During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.

8.Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; Hebrews 5:8.

The words in verse 8 may be connected with what was written in the previous verse, 7, which implied that He was heard for His reverent fear, not because, in the preeminent sense, He was God’s Son.

This puts a greater demand on us also, to always be in the correct attitude toward our Heavenly Father showing reverent respect for Who He is.

One

>

greater than

Yonah/Jonah who was in the belly of a whale is

Jesus/Yeshua

Who went into the belly of the earth

and both came forth to victory.

However Yonah/Jonah was mentioned by name from the lips of Messiah as a reference point to His own death, burial and resurrection. The number of days in the belly of the earth.

He said this will be the only sign for a wicked and adulterous generation. Below are some of the signs given for the generation that

seeks after a sign..

Jonah/Yonah spent three days inside the belly of a great fish because of his own sinfulness and rebellion.

Yeshua/Jesus spent three days inside the belly of the earth because of our sin and rebellion.

Yonah/Jonah ran from the difficult calling God gave Him. Jonah 1:3

Yeshua/Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father’s will, coming to earth and dying on the cross.

Jonah was asleep on the ship during a storm caused by his own disobedience and was eventually thrown overboard. Jonah 1:4-12.

Yeshua/Jesus slept on a boat during a storm, and rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:35-41.

The difference was that Yonah/Jonah was the cause of a storm. Yeshua/Jesus had authority over the storm.

Yonah/Jonah feared the Creator

Who had authority on earth. Jonah 1:9.

Yeshua/Jesus is the Creator with all authority over heaven and earth. John 1:3; Matthew 28:18.

While he was inside the fish, Yonah/Jonah knew that Salvation belongs to the Lord. Jonah 2:9.

Yeshua/Jesus’ name means Yahweh saves.

ישוע

Yeshua/Jesus is the way of salvation. Hebrews 5:9; Acts 4:12.

Yonah/Jonah became angry with God for showing grace toward repentant sinners. Jonah 4:2.

Yeshua/Jesus showed God’s grace toward repentant sinners. Romans 3:24.

Yeshua/Jonah was angry enough to die because of the grace of God’s shown toward his enemies. Jonah 4:3.

Yeshua/Jesus was compassionate enough to die because of His love for his enemies in an ultimate show of Grace. Romans 5:10.

w’hinneh-phoh gadol miYonah.

One

greater than

Jonah/Yonah is here.

 

One

>

greater than

Solomon is here

Mark 11:31 & Matt 12:42

w’hinneh-phoh gadol miSh’lomoh.

One greater than Shelomoh is here.

שלמה

gadol miSh’lomoh

Strong’s Hebrew: 8010. שְׁלֹמֹה (Shelomoh)

The name Solomon means Recompense, or Fair Penalty.

Solomon (Σολομών) is also ancient Koine Greek name, derived from 3rd cent. B.C.E. Septuagint translation of the Hebrew name שְׁלֹמֹה (Shelomoh).

W’hinneh phoh gadol mish’lomoh

One greater than Solomon is here.

He was the king of Israel, the son of David and asked YHVH

only for wisdom to rule His people.

Solomon was the wisest that lived … yet, Yeshua/Jesus said

one greater that Solomon is here.

The Queen of the south came..

to hear the wisdom of Solomon/Shelomoh.

lish’mo`a ‘eth-chak’math Sh’lomoh

The wisdom of God was in Jesus/Yeshua

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52 

and therefore His wisdom was directly from His Father I and the Father are one.

So His wisdom was

greater than

that of Solomon.

James said if any of us lack wisdom we should ask and the Father will impart it to us.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Jam.1:5

and yet Solomon/Shelomoh ended with the view

that all is vanity worthless and declared

there is nothing new under the sun…

that should make us think!

 

One

>

greater than

Moshe/Moses is here.

The name Moses

is written in the Hebrew Bible as

משה

mosheh,

Strong’s #4872

This name is derived from the Hebrew verb

משה

M.Sh.H, Strong’s #4871

meaning “to draw out.”

Mosheh was named such,

because the Pharaoh’s daughter

“drew him out of the water”

Exodus 2:10.

A prophet like unto Moses

משה

The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, Deut.18:15

Moses led the people out of bondage. He stood before the face of the Lord God/YHVH and received the 10 sayings that they were to live by and to follow the feasts annually in preparation for the wedding. Recall they were betrothed to the Lord at that time and Jesus/Yeshua came saying that, He was the bridegroom…in answer to the ? about why His disciples were not fasting.

He came to fulfill the law, the torah, the teaching, and to fulfill the feasts that were set in place. Moses/Moshe was the agent of deliverance for the children of Israel; their salvation from bondage to Egypt came through His obedience… a type of Jesus/Yeshua in the Re-New –ed Covenant.

The Father caused the waters before Moshe/Moses to be split – to make a WAY for them to go forward in order to meet with YHVH at Sinai and be betrothed to Him through covenant.

The children of Israel were to focus on Moses and the journey NOT on the enemies pursuing them. Just as we are to focus on Yeshua/Jesus and in the same way the waters split leaving Egypt and at the river Jordan entering the Promised land….

The veil in the temple split as Messiah Jesus/Yeshua made the Way – opening access back up to the Father on the cross for us.

So we can become part of that bride awaiting the return of her bridegroom.

Their deliverance was in the physical; ours is in the spiritual. An eternal relationship

One

>

greater than

Moses

is

Yeshua

It is always a process of coming out and going in, leaving and entering, of deliverance to freedom

One

>

greater than

Adam is here..

He was the last Adam

אדם

The Hebrew word

אדמה

adamah

is the feminine form of

אדם

meaning

ground

 Genesis 2:7.

The word/name

אדום

Edom

means

red.

Each of these words has the common meaning of

red.

Dam is the “red” blood,

adamah is the “red” ground,

edom is the color “red”

and adam is the “red” man.

The Hebrew word 

adam is translated either as man or Adam

depending on context and on the presence or lack of the definite article (“the” in English, ha in Hebrew).

So ha-adam  is translated usually as the man

(referring to either an unspecified man or to mankind as a whole, depending on context),

whereas adam (without ha)

is translated as Adam

(referring to the specific man by the name).

Strong’s Hebrew: 120. אָדָם (adam) — man, mankind

The Hebrew letter Mem as the last letter in Adam’s name discloses what is at the end of the PATH that Adam chooses. Mem.

Mem is pictured as WATERS.

Mem can mean the Waters of Life as pictured by as the gentle rain, a clear spring, running brook or a gently flowing stream as well as storm.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 5:12

The first Adam sinned and caused everyone that followed to be born in sin and death

האדם האחרון

the last Adam came and caused everyone that believes and recieves Him to be born again in to life and be free redeemed from sin and death.

 

One

>

greater than

John the Baptist is here

Mark 11:9,10 11:11

Yochanan HaMatbil  

יוחנן המטביל

Yochanan/Johns birth was a miracle

and His name was supernaturally given.

The name John has a long history that traces back to

the Hebrew name

יוחנן Yôḥānnān,

which means

Yahweh is gracious.

John the Baptist:

Yochanan HaMatbil –

יוחנן המטביל 

John: Yochanan יוחנן

Yo = God,

Chanan = to bless; to amnesty 

Baptist: Matbil [מטביל]

From the root T.B.L- to immerse; to baptize:

John is Yawchanan or יוחנן

John/Yochanan came in the spirit and power of Elijah and Jesus said.. 

And if ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come.

Matthew 11:14

&

But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.’. Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist” Matthew 17:12-13.

As was prophesied in Malachi 3:23

Now I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, Before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day; 24 He will turn the heart of fathers to their sons, and the heart of sons to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the land with utter destruction.

John/Yochanan the forerunner He described the One who was coming after him He was the voice in the wilderness crying repent return to the Lord prepare the way for Him…

This is what John preached to the people: “There is one coming after me who is ·greater

[mightier; more powerful] than I;

I am not ·good enough [fit; qualified] even to kneel down and untie [L the thong/strap of] his sandals [C a task of a servant or slave]. Mark 1:7

 Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

Luke 7:28

Yeshua/Jesus said none born

greater than

John yet the least of these

For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

The One Who Sends Is

Greater than

the One Who Is Sent.

One

greater than

anyone who has ever lived on this earth is here..

He remains in every stone of those fitly joined together

“lively stones, are built up a spiritual house” 1 Peter 2:5,

and like the temple of Solomon, where “the glory of the Lord filled the house” 2 Chronicles 7:1,

these stones…each one of US…

“also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” Ephesians 2:22.

Himself being the Rosh Pinah – the corner stone.

The One that was rejected.

We are builded together in Him – the son of man/son of God We are here in His Bride whom He is preparing to present to Himself without spot or wrinkle.

One greater has come

and paid the price for our sin

redeemed us by His blood

loving His life not unto death and

pouring out Himself dying that we may live.

The Lamb of God did take away the sin of the world

and our individually too

if we receive His sacrifice personally

and are washed in the blood He willingly shed.

Yes one

greater than

Adam

Moses

Jonah

Solomon

John

and the Temple/Sanctuary

IS HERE.

Students are not greater than their teacher,
and slaves are not greater than their master.
Matthew 10:24

We are not greater than our teacher

but we are like Him as we follow Him continually!

The greater one is in us and Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater `works’ than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. John 14:12

Let’s be ready. Let’s be prepared for those greater works!

We will never be one greater than Messiah Matthew 10:24

but we have the

one greater than

us within.

Remember, He is wearing us! Lets choose to die to the self life and yield to His spirit and let Him work those works of the Father through us.

Let go of the world and all that it offers and take up your cross today and every day..

for one

greater than

the call of the wild or the world

is calling us to come up higher….

Remember As Jesus/Yeshua said 

You heard Me say, ‘I am going away, and

I am coming back to you.’

If you loved Me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because

the Father is

greater than

I.

John 14:28

You are of God, little children,

and have overcome them,

because He who is in you is

greater than

he who is in the world.

1 John 4:4

The Fathers’ Spirit of Holiness/Ruach HaKodesh, our Helper, has made His home in us as believers. What a miracle, the Greater One lives inside us. We are the sanctuary/temple of the living God.

 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”1 Corinthians 3:16,

Wherever we go, He goes with us. Wherever we are, He is there. He is everything we need Him to be. If we know Who lives in us and if we believe God’s Word, then no matter what or whom we face in life, we will have no fear. The Greater One Who lives in us is

greater than

he who is in the world!

He will give us the victory in life!!!

so let’s Raise a Hallelujah

These songs touched my heart this week

hopefully they will touch and bless yours also. Let’s Believe for it  because there is power in His Name and Miracles are waiting to be claimed….remembering all our sisters and brothers all around the world going through tests and trials and praying this for them….

May His true Shalom rest upon each one in Yeshuas’ Name.

You are greatly loved Mishpachah Family 

משפחה

Mish-pa-KHa

and prayed for daily..

 make sure you are secure in the knowledge you are saved

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

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

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