What has a flaming sword at a garden gate, a golden box, keruvim, a lion, an ox, and an eagle to do with mazzaroth, the Tribes, two visions, the mishkan and Yeshua/Jesus?
Investigating more mysteries that connect from Genesis to Revelation.
Keruvim כְּרוּבִים
CHERUBIM
Angels but not what we thought!
Hebrew: keruvim כְּרוּב kərūv, pl. כְּרוּבִים, kərūvîm;
Latin cherub, pl. cherubin, cherubim;
Depiction of the cherubim of glory shadowing the Mercy-seat (χερουβιμ δόξης κατασκιάζοντα τὸ ἱλαστήριον) of Hebrews 9:5 (Julius Bate 1773).
In Hebraic angelic hierarchy, cherubim have the second-lowest rank according to Maimonides Mishneh Torah (12th century).
Cherubim are discussed within the Midrash literature. The two cherubim placed by the Father at the entrance of Eden (Gen. 3:24) Angels were created on the third day, and therefore they had no definite shape; appearing either as men or women, or as spirits or angelic beings (Genesis Rabbah xxi., end). The cherubim were the first objects created in the universe. (Tanna debe Eliyahu R., i. beginning).
The Cherubim angels are occasionally confused with the Seraphim rank of angels, as there are many kinds of angels; the highest being the Seraph, next the Cherub.
They are actually different categories of beings. Cherubim have four wings and do not look human, (seraphim, have six wings and also do not look human). The Bible also refers to Angels as men, since that is exactly what they look like and they do not have wings or halos, (nothing in the Bible has a halo). Angels, as their name denotes, are messengers. If a being is not delivering a message, does not look like a human male and has wings then it is not an Angel.
For one example, see Genesis 18:2 three men and 19:1 which identifies two of them as Angels. (Many scholars say that the other was pre-incarnate Yeshua/Jesus).
The Cherubim, similar to the word Seraphim, is plural. The word Cherubim refers to more than one Cherub angel.
Cherubim are said to be about 18ft (5.4864 Meters) tall have four faces:
one of a lion (representative of all wild animals , one an ox (domestic animals), one a human (humanity), and one an eagle (birds).
They have four conjoined wings covered with eyes, a lion’s body figure, and they have ox’s feet.
Cherubim guard the way to the tree of life in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24).
and also to the throne of God (Ezekiel 28:14-16).
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. Ex. 25:19
“And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even in the outer court, like the voice of the Almighty God when He speaks.” Ezekiel 10:5
A Cherub is a supernatural being referenced throughout both the Old and New Testament of the Bible. Like the Seraphim, the Cherubim were originally a Judaic rank of angels, and they eventually were incorporated into Christian scripture, appearing in numerous books including the Book of Revelation. Other notable examples of them in literature are in John Milton’s 17th century epic poem, Paradise Lost.
Cherubim are first mentioned in connection with the expulsion from Eden in Genesis 3:24 here there is no information given of their shape or form.
The Cherubim and flaming sword were to keep Adam and Eve from eating of the tree of life while in an unregenerate state; or mankind would have been forever separated from the love and blessings of the Father.
They are next mentioned when Moses was commanded to provide furniture for the tabernacle Ex. 25:17-20; 26:1,31.
God promised to commune with Moses from between the cherubim. 25:22
They represent the mercy of God, which is always above the testimony.
Exodus 25:22, “And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.”
2 Samuel 6:2, “And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.”
Numbers 7:89, “And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims; and he spake unto him.”
The Cherubim are not just allegories. They are actual beings in heaven guarding the way to the Mercy Seat.
This expression was afterwards used to denote the Divine abode and presence. Num. 7:89; 1Sam. 4:4; Is 37:16; Ps. 80:1; 99:1.
In Ezekiel’s vision they appear as living creatures supporting the throne of God. From Ezekiel’s description of them 1:5-10;41:18-19 they appear to have been compound figures each one having 4 different faces, the face of a man, lion, ox, and eagle.
Unlike any real object in nature, possessing the features and properties of several animals.
The closest word we have to describe them is chimera; an animal whose body contains different cell populations derived from different zygotes of the same or different species, occurring spontaneously or produced artificially; i.e. an individual composed of a mixture of genetically different cells.
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 most royal of all animals.
Pro 30:30 A lion, which is mighty among beasts and does not turn away from any;
Pro 20:2 The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
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 Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; but much increase comes by the strength of an ox.
Ps 144:14 That our oxen may be well-laden; that there be no breaking in or going out; that there be no outcry in our streets.
Is 1:3 The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not consider.”
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 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yes, four which I do not understand: The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a virgin.
Is 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Ps. 103:5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Ex. 19:4 `You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
Ezek. 17:3 “and say, `Thus says the Lord GOD: “A great eagle with large wings and long pinions, full of feathers of various colors, came to Lebanon and took from the cedar the highest branch.
Hos. 8:1 “Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed My covenant and rebelled against My law.
King David probably knew about God’s chariots/cherubim, as apparently he a rode in one of them. This is recorded in two accounts in scripture, 2 Samuel 22: 7-22 and Psalms 18:6-17.
A record of a divine deliverance, when he was trapped between Mount Carmel jutting out into sea and the Mediterranean ocean as he was cornered by the army of Saul.
Two cherubim were placed on the mercy seat of the ark and two of COLOSSAL size overshadowed it in Solomons Temple.
“In the inner shrine he [Solomon] carved two cherubim of wild olive wood, each ten cubits high . . . and he overlaid the cherubim with gold.” (1 Kings 6:23-28) “The cherubim, whose wings were spread over the place of the Ark , formed a canopy above the Ark and its poles.” (1 Kings 8:7)
The illustration below depicts Solomons Temple and the Kohen Gadol (High Priest.) On the day of Yom Kippur ( Day of Atonement); he was presenting incense before God, a few steps away from the Ark of the Covenant which was resting between the outstretched wings of the towering figures of the two Cherubim. This was the only day of the year the Kohen Gadol ever entered the Kodesh haKodashim (Holy of Holies). He is shown wearing a simple linen garment specially made for the day.
The main hall of the Temple which is reported to be 20 cubits wide (9 meters or 27 feet) and 30 cubits high (13.5 meters or 40 feet). The Holy of Holies, with the Ark of the Covenant and the two giant Cherubs in it, is described as a cube 20 x 20 x 20 cubits. 2 Chron 3:13; they stood on their feet and faced inwards their wings spanned 20 cubits overall.
Converting the measurement of the biblical cubit as approximately 18 inches, the cherubim were 15 feet tall and the wing measurement from the tip of one wing to the other was also 15 feet.
Together, the two cherubim covered a span of 30 feet in the Holy of Holiest in the Temple of Solomon.
Ezekiel 1:4-14 speaks of 4 and also this number, 4, of living creatures is mentioned in Rev. 4:6.
Those on the ark are called the cherubim of glory. Hebrews 9:5;
Hebrews 9:1-5 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. 3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5 And over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. (KJV)
These cherubim of Glory were the appearance of the Glory of the Lord.
That is the Shechinah, or cloud of glory, for on them the visible glory of God rested. They were placed one at each end of the mercy seat, with wings stretched upward, and their faces toward each other and toward the mercy-seat. They were anointed with holy oil, like the ark itself and the other sacred furniture.
The cherubim were symbolical.
They were intended to represent spiritual existences in immediate contact with The Father. Some have regarded them as symbolical of the chief ruling power by which God carries on His operations in providence. (Ps.18:10). Others interpret them as having reference to the redemption of men, and as symbolizing the great rulers or ministers of the church.
Their office was: first, on the expulsion from Eden, to prevent all access to the tree of life;
and second to form the throne
and the chariot of God in His manifestation of Himself on Earth.
He dwelleth between and sitteth on the cherubim (1 Sam 4:4; Ps. 80:1; Ezek.1:26,28).
The 2 cherubim were on the mercy-seat with wings outstretched.
Ex 25:18-20 “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.”
They represent the judgment of God.
Their position indicates that God’s judgment upon Israel was averted because of the blood-sprinkled mercy seat.
John also in Revelation sees a vision of the cherubim:
Rev. 4:6-8 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
Though artistic interpretation can be fairly relaxed when it comes to the Seraphim, it is also extremely varied in regard to the Cherubim.
The original Jewish depictions of them are thought to resemble an angelic or mythical being similar to that of a griffin, possessing a lion’s body, and an eagle’s wings and head.
In Christianity however, the Cherubim are often portrayed in artistic iconography as a four winged creature with more than one head, usually that of man, lion, eagle, and ox. Some of the gothic interpretations can be quite fearful in appearance.
During the Renaissance a tremendous amount of confusion arose over the attributes and characteristics of the Cherubim, when on numerous occasions they were confused with putti angels, winged children who are generally depicted holding small golden trumpets.
In Western Christian tradition, cherubim have become associated with the putto (derived from classical Cupid/Eros), resulting in depictions of cherubim as small, plump, winged boys.
So the scripture shows that a Cherub is a mighty and fearsome winged beast and guardian of Eden, not the image of an innocent childlike being. The confusion is still widespread even in this day and age, and we can blame the Renaissance artists for it. So now when we call a small child a little cherub we may want to change the adjective for something else!
In chapter 1 Ezekiel the prophet designates them as living creatures (chayyoth); the chart above shows the difference between the cherubim described in Ezekiel, with the one that John gives in the book of Revelation.
Do they appear the same on earth as in Heaven??
This is a possible explanation for the differences.
The wings being raised would cover the view of the other faces. Due to Heaven existing in another dimension parallel to ours, it makes sense that they would probably appear differently there.
Time is cyclical. Time as we know it exists only in this earthly dimension.
When we recognize the fact that God has more dimensions of space and time than just the 4 dimensions we tend to think in, it makes it easier to understand how God is able to be omnipresent and that this plural God is singular.
We tend to look at life in 3 dimensions of space and one dimension of time because of the way we have been educated.
Time, that for us, seems to travel forward and is linear.
God however, is not limited to 1 dimension of time or He would not be 1 God who is omnipresent. The chart below on the left depicts 2 dimensions of time; one of length and one of height. If time has just 2 dimensions, then within every moment of time there is an infinite amount of time. Paper, for example, is only 2 dimensional, and so we can only show 2 dimensions at once.
In the diagram above pictured on the right, simulated are 3 dimensions of time in which it implies that time has depth as well. If God is above time, at this point He can not only see the past, the present, and the future consecutively but He can also influence and interact with them all simultaneously. This is why He can say His Name is I AM (not I WAS or I WILL BE); and why He is the same yesterday today and forever. Heb.13:8
When John saw Messiah in Heaven for example, He appeared as a lamb that was slain, with 7 eyes and 7 horns.
Seven is the number of perfection and horns represent power. In the same way eyes are how we perceive things, so they represent wisdom. This is picturing Messiah with perfect power and perfect wisdom. In Ezekiel, the cherubim are depicted with 4 wings and 4 faces.
The number four is the signature of the Earth, depicting our four seasons and 4 corners giving us 4 directions; East, West, North, and South.
Ezekiel 41:18 And it (the paneling of the holy place of the temple) was made with cherubs …and two faces were to a cherub, the face of a man, toward the palm tree from here, and a young lion’s face toward the palm tree from there. It was made to continue all around on the wall of the temple.
The Keruvim/Cherubim are the connection to the flaming sword at a garden gate, a golden box (ark of the covenant/mercy seat), a lion, an ox, an eagle and the two visions of Ezekiel and John. However the conclusion to the mystery with mazzaroth, the Tribes, and Yeshua/Jesus is coming in part 2.
The Scriptures tell us that angels watch over us make sure that you are saved and that they can be of optimum assistance in your life
For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven Matt. 18:10
“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Ex. 23:20
Shalom Mishpachah/Family!
Please, don’t leave this page until..
you are awakened to Messiah..
we all need to born again from above..
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
Its all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
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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.
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 coversThe 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.
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.
Continued from previous post …conclusion of the Mystery …Why was the Priest by the river and what’s the 2000 year old connection to Abraham meeting a King?
Before tying all the threads together, brief reference to the origin and descendants of the Aaronic Priesthood because…
In Luke 1: 8-23, we see that God chose to speak to Zechariah through His angel Gabriel; while Zechariah is ministering before the Most High God in the Temple, burning incense at the Altar of Incense.
Does this reveal additional clues to our mystery?
Vs. 8 reminds us that he is ministering before God, which again is inferring, that Zechariah belongs to the seed of Zadok. Is this possible? Maybe…because for God’s angel to speak to Zechariah means positively that he had to be a son of Zadok, for God will not violate His own Holy Word. Ex. 30:7 tells us that the Altar of Incense was the position of the high priest Aaron, and of Aaron’s future sons who would serve before God as high priest.
So for angel Gabriel to also speak to Zechariah while he is ministering at the Altar of Incense, may mean that God was secretly telling us thatZechariah was the mystery high priest of the family of Zadok.
Different priests had served at this position daily, twice a day, for 160 years, all done in direct violation of the Word of God, bringing corruption of the Temple priesthood.
King David had two high priests, one was Zadok who was descended from Eleazar, the son of Aaron..
(meaning Righteous, Justified).
King Solomon continued keeping Zadok on as his only high priest.That was around 1000 B.C. and from 1000 B.C. to 160 B.C., the Zadok’s were God’s high priests of the Aaronic priesthood and of the Temple in Jerusalem, when not in exile.
Around 160 B.C., in direct violation of the Word of God, the Macabees removed the Zadok’s from being the high priests of the Jerusalem Temple.
From 160 B.C. to the opening scene of the New Covenant, the Aaronic priesthood was corrupted.
How would God restore the Aaronic priesthood for the Messiah to be able to come to earth through the Zadok Priesthood?
(Some possibilities:)
God had foretold us in Jeremiah 33:17-19, that the Messiah would be coming from two families, that David would never lack a Man who would reign as King over the House of Israel, and also that Aaron would never lack a Man who would represent the Aaronic priesthood, making a Sacrifice that would be “for all days”, an Eternal Sacrifice. Jer. 33:18
Another of the last of the Old Covenant prophesies was that the Messiah would come from the family of the high priest. Yeshua of Zadok of Aaron; (not only from king David). See Zechariah 3:1-10 and 6:11-13
This righteous elderly Aaronic priest couple, (Zechariah and Elisheva/Elizabeth); who were well advanced in years and walked in all the ordinances of the LORD, (blameless) … (and who we now also know are possibly the mystery Zadok high priest family;) and with Zechariah’s wife Elisheva now 6 months pregnant; suddenly they invite an unwed pregnant young Miriam/Mary in, to stay/live with them, for the next 3 months!
This is really telling us a lot! What is their relationship to young Mary/Miriam? The only possible answer is they had to be Miriam’s closest blood-kin family! Miriam/Mary is not only from Judah but she is also from this family, she and Elizabeth are cousins!
When Miriam of Judah is told by the angel Gabriel that she will give birth to a Son who will be Great and who will be called the Son of the Highest, and that the LORD God will give Him the Throne of His father David (Luke 1:32), she is then told next by the angel Gabriel about her ‘karov’, (Hebrew), her close relative Elisheva, of the family of Aaron.
The virgin Miriam (Isaiah 7:14) had a father & a mother. Both Miriam and her mother had to come from this same family as Elisheva of Aaron. What was this relationship? Why has it been kept a secret? Many Scripture prophesies clearly reveal the Messiah would be coming from the family of Aaron [Zadok], besides coming from the family of David!
This great high priest family secret seems to be the key to understand this whole story, and the great mystery of our LORD, Jesus/Yeshua being the very fulfillment of the Aaronic priesthood.
If Zechariah was the mystery Zadok high priest, and as priesthood was passed by God from father to son, it would follow that Yochanan was to be the next mystery Zadok high priest.
But why did God specifically say that their child had to be called Yochanan?
Because God would keep His Word that He had made to Israel and given to the Zadok priests; (found in five places in Ezekiel, from chapter 40 to 48!)
What does all that mean?
Remember that around 160 B.C., the Zadok priest’s were removed as high priests of the Jerusalem Temple by the Macabees, and because of this, the Aaronic priesthood was then corrupted for the next 160 years, until the opening scene in the book of Luke in the New Covenant and why there is precise geneology recorded, as there had to be proof they were eligible for the position. Every ‘begat’ is significant! Proof of Bloodline was required.
The answer to that mystery is that, the name of the last Zadok high priest of the Jerusalem Temple, just before the Macabees removed the Zadok priests, was Yochanan/John!
God was making sure that this son who would be born to Elisheva and to Zadok high priest Zechariah, would be called Yochanan; the name of the last Zadok high priest, around 160 B.C. [Art Scroll Publications, Yoma Edition, Volume 9, Section: ‘Kohanim Gedolim in 1st and 2nd Temples!]A closer look at the name Melchi-zedek
מלך The noun מלך (melek) is usually translated as king (מלכי, meaning kings of)
The verb מלך (malak), to be or become king.
In the Greek New Testament the name Melchi-zedek is spelled Μελχισεδεκ (Melchi-sedek).
The use of a hyphen in a name is quite unusual, and although Melchi-zedek seems a personal name, it looks more like a title. It consists of two elements, the first one taken from the noun מלך (melek), meaning king:
Note that theTorah includes rules and restrictions specifically for the king, which in itself is highly unusual if not wholly without precedent in the old world. A king had to be chosen by Adonai and not by the people. (Deuteronomy 17:15).
The one and only thing the King of Israel was supposed to do was to create a copy of the Law/Torah, with his own hands, and meditate on his copy all the days of his life. (17:18-19).
צדק The verb צדק (sadeq) means to be just or righteous. HAW Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament confidently assures that: “this root basically connotes conformity to an ethical or moral standard,” also connotes synchronicity with the natural laws by which creation operates and by which mankind functions most fully and most satisfactorily for all parties involved (humans, animals, plants and the Creator.
The individual paleo hebrew letters have meanings:
Melchizedek, the King of Salem and Priest of El Elyon (Genesis 14:18). He has a small but far stretching role in the War of Four against Five Kings. (In the aftermath of which Abraham’s nephew Lot is abducted by the survivors of that war and subsequently freed by Abraham and his coalition.)
So our Messiah as a priest/king in the Order of Melchizedek has dual offices or authority.
David had written that the Messiah would be both a king and a priest just like Melchizedek had been.
From Genesis 14:18 we learn that Melchi-zedek, whose name means King of Righteousness, was both a priest of the Most High God and the King of Salem, (from Shalom = Peace), a Jebusite city that later became known as Jerusalem. When David conquered the Jebusites he made Jerusalem the capital of Israel, and purchased the land on nearby Mount Moriah where Abraham had sacrificed Isaac several hundred years earlier for the Temple location.
Never since the founding of Israel had one man been both a king and a priest.
It was forbidden.
Kings came from the tribe of Judah, while priests were descended from Levi.
Some prophets were also priests, (e.g. Ezekiel and Zechariah), and David was a king and a prophet;
however, no one was ever both a king and a priest in Israel.
Furthermore, prophecies in Ezekiel 21:25-27 and Zechariah 6:9-13 tell us the two offices will eventually be united when Messiah comes and that He will be both a king and a priest. And of course in the Book of Hebrews Jesus is called our King (Heb. 1:8) and Our High Priest (Heb. 4:14). This is possible because Jesus is not a priest in the Levitical sense but in the higher order of Melchizedek. All of Hebrews 7 is devoted to this.
In Exodus 19:6 Israel is called a kingdom of priests but in 1 Peter 2:9 we read, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
He was speaking to the Church, calling us a royal priesthood. Only kings are considered royalty.
And in Revelation 1:5-6 it’s even clearer. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (KJV)
Some of the modern translations prefer the word kingdom over kings in the passage above, and it’s true, the Greek word there can be translated either way. They try to compare the Revelation passage with Exodus 19:6 to bolster their replacement theology bias, making the Church look like Israel. But to most conservative scholars it’s clear that both the context and the grammatical structure of the passage require that the Greek word be translated kings. (The same is true in Revelation 5:10 where the same phrase is repeated.)
Kings Of What?
The Bible doesn’t have a specific answer for this, but in Ephesians 2:6-7 Paul wrote, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
The “coming ages” alludes to the time of the Millennium and beyond where we’ll serve as living examples of the incomparable riches of God’s grace, seated with our King and High Priest on His throne.
First, ‘Lord’, is a title one uses in addressing a superior, and only two were superior to the King. One was God the Father, represented by LORD and the other was God the Son, called Lord. In effect Jesus reminded the Pharisees that David would have referred to a merely human descendant as his son, not as his Lord.
And second, in Hebrew the “word” translated LORD is YHWH, the four initials of the unpronounceable name of God, and used only of Him, while the one translated Lord is a different word, Adonai.
Melchizadek from king and zedek meaning righteousness or the right use of consciousness!
He was born in Salem, in Canaan, which later became Jerusalem. In an era of paganism and idolatry, Melchizedek clung to God Most High and served him faithfully.
Melchizedek worshiped God Most High, the one true God.
Understanding Jesus’ status as our high priest is a key point in Hebrews.
Just as Melchizedek was not born into the Levitical priesthood but was appointed by God, so Jesus was named our eternal high priest, interceding with God the Father on our behalf.
Hebrews 5:8-10 says: “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”
He was the great high priest who lived at the time of Abraham.
His name means king of righteousness.
Lived 2000 years before Jesus.
He was a man of faith and magnified his holy office.
As a child he stopped the mouths of lions and quenched the violence of fire.
He ordained a high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch. Gen. 14:28.
He was placed in charge of the Lord’s kingdom as the keeper of the storehouse of God and who God had appointed to receive tithes for the poor.
Abraham gave tithes to him and he gave Abraham the Melchizadek priesthood.
The Melchizadek priesthood was named after him.
Melchizedek gives Abraham bread and wine and blesses him, and Abraham gives Melchizedek a tenth of the goods that he retrieved from the looters.
This action gave rise to the law of tithing (via Genesis 28:22, via Leviticus 27:30 to Deuteronomy 14:22-29; also see Hebrews 7:1-10).
The Order of Melchizedek Is Seen in David and His Seed.
Beginning with2 Samuel 8:17 until Ezek. 48:11, we see 52 references in the Old Testament (TaNaKh)_ (to the Zadok (Tzadowq) priesthood. As Strong’s Concordance explains they were:
#6659 Tsadowq tsaw-doke’ from 6663; just; Tsadok, the name of eight or nine Israelites:–Zadok.
The Brown’s Driver-Brigg’s Lexicon gives a brief history of the Zadok (Tzadowq) priesthood: #H6659 Zadok = “righteous.”
The high priest, son of Ahitub of the house of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, and 11th in descent from Aaron; joined David after Saul’s death and supported him against Absalom and Adonijah; anointed Solomon as king a priest, son of Meraioth, father of Meshullam of the house of Ahitub; apparently a nephew of father of Jerusha, the wife of king Uzziah and mother of king Jotham of Judah son of Baana and repairer of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah son of Immer and repairer of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah. A leader of the people in the time of Nehemiah; a scribe appointed by Nehemiah as one of the treasurers over the storehouse; a valiant warrior of the tribe of Benjamin who joined David at Hebron.
The Zadok /Tzadowq priesthood were a “type and shadow,” a precursor to the final resurrected ones who will be part of the priesthood of Messiah in his Millennial Reign. (Rev. 1:6; 5:10).
So why does YaHuWaH say to David in Psalm 110:4 “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek?”
King David was from the Tribe of Judah, and the Messiah was prophesied to come through his“seed.”
Miryam, the earthly mother of Jesus/Yeshua was from the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah) and so was His earthly father, Yahuwceph (Joseph).
Even though Jesus/Yeshua was conceived by the Holy Spirit/Ruwach ha’Qodesh, His physical body was human, of the seed (lineage) of King David.
Israel/Yisra’el has not had an earthly king since the Roman Siege in 70 C.E., Messiah is the one who will carry on the throne of David as prophesied:
1 Kings/ Melakiym 8:25 Therefore now, YHWH Elohiym of Yisra’el, keep with your servant Dawiyd (David) my father that you promised him, saying, There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Yisra’el; so that your children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as you have walked before me.
1 Kings/ Melakiym 9:5 Then I will establish the throne of your kingdom upon Yisra’el forever, as I promised to David (Dawiyd) your father, saying, There shall not fail you a man upon the throne of Yisra’el.
If there would not fail to be a man on the throne of King David’s lineage, then why is there not an earthly king today in Jerusalem? Where is the throne of King David today?
Matthew/Mattithyahuw 26:64 Jesus/Yeshua said unto him, You have said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Mark/Marqos14:62 And Jesus/Yeshua said, I AM: and you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Hebrews/ Ibriym 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
1Peter/Keefa 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of Elohiym; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Revelation/Chazown 5:5 And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah), the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of Elohiym sent forth into all the earth.
It is important now to note the difference between the high priest “Melchizedek,” who is referred to as an individual, and those priests who are “after the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews/Ibriym 7:7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high Elohiym, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of Elohiym; abides a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils
We can see from the above verses, that Melchizedek is one single individual, but he does have an “order” of priests who will follow in his foot-steps.
Who are they who belong to this order of priests?
The next few verses were addressed to those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Rev. 14:4) who also have the name of the Father, (Emet/Truth), written in their foreheads.
When those who are a part of the remnant of the “seed of the woman” (mother from above Jerusalem), are caught up to meet YaHuWaH in the air (1Thess. 4:17), they will be changed into incorruption or immortality (1 Cor. 15:42-53). This it seems is when they will serve in the priesthood of Melchizedek during the Millennial Reign of Messiah here on earth (Rev. 20:4):
1st Keefa (Peter) 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should shew forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;
Chazown (Revelation) 1:6 And has made us kings and priests unto Elohiym and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Chazown (Revelation) 5:10 ‘And has made us unto our Elohiym kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.’
This has everything to do with us because it is written. ‘you are a chosen people a royal priesthood a holy nation a people for his own possession.’
So if we belong to God, we are a priest, we are one of His cohanim and every priest and holy vessel must be separated from everything else, set apart to God.
Under the renewed covenant, He separates His priests by other means, by what ever it takes to separate them from everything else and bring them to Himself. He will use everything to bring you to Himself, to separate you from the rest of this world, the rejection of man, disappointment, heartbreak, crisis, hurt, sorrow, disillusionment, lack of fulfillment, discontentment, trouble, abandonment and failure. Whatever it takes to separate His priest from the world and bring them to Himself.
That which is separated to God is Holy.
Ex.28:1–2; Ez.44:16; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 2:9
The key people involved in delivering Messiah to His death where the Sanhedrin.Led by the high priest including the chief priests of the temple, the sons of Aaron the same ones ordained by God to offer up the sacrifices.
Why were they so obsessed with Messiah?
They were the priests and He was the lamb.The sacrifice.
So, (by the Law), they where the ones to initiate His death.
That was their ministry and calling.
Only they could deliver the Lamb of God to His death.
That’s why they conspired and arrested Him and handed Him over to the Romans to be crucified. It was their ministry to offer up the sacrifice. So they killed Him because they were the priests and He was the sacrifice. Although they did not know it! However they were the ones ordained by the Lord to fulfill His Plan.
The Cohanim’s Confession
When the priest performed the Semikah, which was the placing of the sins of the people on to the sacrifice, they also had to confess their own sins over it. Leviticus 16:21.
They had to do both, for if they did not, the sacrifice could not die for those sins. When Messiah was taken by the priests from the garden of Gethsemane the night before His death, the priests laid hands on Him and there is a record of them striking Him and hitting Him on the face and head, (Matt 26:67; Mk. 10:34; Lk. 22:63 Jn. 18:22), however there was no confession of sin. Mark 14:63–64 ‘at that Caiaphas tore his clothes and said, ‘he has spoken blasphemy,’ to which those in the council agreed that he was guilty and deserving of death.’
They condemned Him to death on FALSE charges.
The priest confessed the sins upon the sacrifice in the Semikah but the fact is that the sacrifice was not guilty of those sins.
This sacrifice could only die for those sins if it wasn’t guilty of them.
It had to be innocent and sinless without blemish spot or wrinkle. For the Semikah to be performed on the sacrifice of Messiah, the High Priest had to speak over Him sins that He was not guilty of.
Caiphas had accused Him of the sin of blasphemy speaking it over Him.
However the sin that is spoken upon the sacrifice is not the actual sin of the sacrifice but it is the sin of those who speak it.
The blasphemy He was accused of was not Messiah’s sin, it was the sin of the high priest and the priesthood.
They had in fact judged God of blasphemy against himself, God; and to judge God of blasphemy, is itself a blasphemy!
So in fact the priests were confessing their own sin! However, it wasn’t just their sin, because the priest represented Israel; and Israel in turn represented the rest of the world.
In the Semikah of the sacrifice for humanity going back to the very first sin; and the genesis of all sins, were the words that came straight from the devils mouth, ‘you shall be as God!’ which was blasphemy. Genesis 3:5
To follow the logical progression, the sin was confessed over the sacrifice by the High Priest, and the priests touched His head with their hands and by this the Semikah for the sins of man was performed.
Furthermore they confessed our sins upon Him also, for the Scriptures tell us 2 Corinthians 5:21, ‘He made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us.. That we might become the righteousness of God.
Beyond the Sanhedrin it was the high priest who alone was ordained to offer up the most holy sacrifice, the atonement by which the nation sins were forgiven. The one who that presided over the Sanhedrin and was more than anyone else responsible for delivering Messiah to His death, was none other than the high priest.
His intention was murder yet he was the one appointed in the Law to offer up the sacrifice. Messiah was the sacrifice, so it was the high priest who had to offer Him up. Even though their actions and motives were corrupt, God used it to fulfill His purposes through it came salvation for every man who will accept Jesus’s sacrifice.
As He died He found life.
As He surrendered all, He has prevailed over all and overcome the world, so too if we walk in the footsteps of the Lamb we will prevail and overcome the world.
But now we have a renewed covenant, which obviously means there is a new priesthood. So as the covenant changes the priesthood has changed. Was there any passing of the torch so to speak between the old and the new? Was there a recognition or transference; was there a blessing from the priesthood of Aaron to the priesthood of Messiah?
And if so how could it have happened?
Caiaphas The high priest at the time and most of the priesthood was corrupt and plotting Messiahs death. There were some exceptions for example Nicodemus.However what if there was someone more of a high priest than Caiaphas? What if there was someone who represented the priesthood more than any other individual at the time?
Yeshua as the perfect sacrifice, is also from Aaron from the virgin Mary/Miriam. Miriam carried genetically the perfect fulfillment of two family lines, Aaron and David, which God had chosen, specifically stated in Jeremiah 33:24.
But we also find other prophesies revealing that the Messiah would be coming from the high priest family of Yeshua of the family of Zadok.
For the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah indicated that He, the Branch, would not only come from the family of Aaron (Jeremiah 33: 18, 21, 24), but even more precisely from the high priest family of Yeshua of the seed of Zadok of Aaron. Zech 3:8 and 6:11-13.
Yeshua is also from Aaron: for the virgin Miriam and Elisheva/Elizabeth of Aaron family; of king David family; of high priest Zechariah and same family as Elisheva of high priest Zadok’s family; and from high priest Zadok, family of high priest Aaron.
The relationship between Miriam (Mary), Yeshua’s mother, and her close relative (karov, in Hebrew), Elisheva (Elizabeth) of Aaron, as described in Luke 1:5, 36-56 shows how these two women were related.
God created our Messiah Yeshua, with absolute perfection, from Heaven from His Father, Almighty God. Also Yeshua is the perfect fulfillment of the two family lines which God had chosen (Jeremiah 33:24); both coming together in a virgin, Yeshua’s mother Miriam. This was prophesied in a few places in the Old Covenant Scriptures. We know that the Messiah was to come from the family of king David, of the tribe of Judah. But what was also prophesied in the Old Covenant Scriptures was that the Messiah would also be coming from the family of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi. Jeremiah 33:17, 18. Isaiah 7:14 However, God had also announced to His Zadok high priest Joshua (Yeshua, in Hebrew) something even more specific about the coming Messiah, through His prophet in the book of Zechariah.
That the Messiah (the Branch) would be coming from this Zadok high priest family of Joshua (Yeshua), of high priest Aaron of the Aaronic priesthood. Messiah Yeshua is the perfect fulfillment of these two families, the high priest family of Yeshua of Zadok, of high priest Aaron, of the Aaronic priesthood, and also the family of king David; all from the Seed of Genesis 3:15, the Seed of Eve. God, the Holy Spirit overshadowed this Seed at the time of the conception of Yeshua in Miriam’s womb. Also, according to the Word of God in Ezekiel 43:18 & Ezekiel 44:15, 16 (& 40:46), God had said that He would only honor the blood sacrifice coming from a priest who was a son of Zadok.
Yeshua is a Son of Zadok through His mother Miriam. However, Yeshua was never, and could never have been an Aaronic priest, simple because Yeshua had no earthly father. For the Aaronic priesthood was only passed from earthly father to son. Yeshua’s Blood Sacrifice would never have been accepted by God, except for the fact that Yeshua is also a Son of Zadok through His mother Miriam.
And Yeshua is also a Priest from His Father, Almighty God. He is Priest of God Most High! Yeshua is KING and Great High Priest of Heaven! He also fulfilled the earthly line of both Aaronic high priests of Aaron and the line of kings from king David! This great Mystery is now revealed and is part of the precious and sinless Blood of our Lord Yeshua! Lord Yeshua is Heaven’s Priest coming from high priest Zadok of Aaron! Melchi Zedek: Genesis 14:18; Psalm 110:1, 4; Hebrews 7:11.
Yeshua’s cousin Yochanan (John) was also the last mystery Zadok high priest of Aaron, as was his father Zechariah (Zacharias). Luke 1:1-80 God used the Opening Scene of the New Covenant to reveal to us this Zadok high priesthood secret mystery.
The highest Ministry of the high priest was to cleanse people of their sins by performing the sacrifices on their behalf. Especially on Yom Kippur each year the day of atonement.
And this is exactly what John was doing in the Jordan River.
He was cleansing them of their sins by encouraging them to immerse themselves in the waters as symbolic of the cleansing of their sins following true repentance.
So in reality it was John who was the highest priest of Israel, the true representative of the Aaronic priesthood.
Here we see that Messiahs ministry, His priesthood must begin with John. The two priests were standing in the waters of the Jordan River, the place of endings and beginnings, the two priesthoods. John/ Yochanan representing the priesthood of the old covenant and Messiah representing the priesthood of the renewed covenant.
There is where the transference of the priesthood was completed in plain and public view.
As the two high priests stood face-to-face, (Hebrew: al pene); the old priesthood bore witness of the new.
That all righteousness be fulfilled!!
It was here in the Jordan River that John/ Yochanan bore witness of Messiahs ministry and declared it to be greater than his own. Saying ‘I must decrease He must increase’. Here the blessing was spoken and the authority and Ministry was transferred and with the audible and visible affirmation by Adonai as Holy Spirit descended upon Him.
We better understand what He meant by His words, ‘this is My beloved Son in Him I am well pleased,’ because it was heavens confirmation that the old has gone and the new has come. That the priesthood had been given to Messiah and it was all part of God’s will and plan and purpose; and to those who are His, we are called to be priests. ‘Royal priesthood, a holy nation’, as all Israelites were called to be in the first place at Sinai. Then in fear, they changed their minds asking Moses to communicate to the Lord God for them. It is our calling today to be His priest and minister to His will and purposes on the earth.
When Jesus/Yeshua came to John/Yahuwchanon to be baptized: think of the scene, and their knowledge and understanding of the events unfolding before them in real time. It was the custom then that immersion of an individual, required that person to put themselves under the water, completely submerging their whole body.
These two cousins were 6 months apart.
At 30 years old, (legal age for a priest), Yochanan began his ministry by the Jordan river, around Passover time, in fulfillment of the prophesies related to Eliyahu in Mal. 4.
His cousin Yeshua began His ministry 6 months later, which would have been during the fall feasts. Now look at the words of Yochanan, but from a whole new angle; that of priest, understanding what he spoke to his disciples when he saw Yeshua walking …”Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the whole world.”
When did he say this? During the fall feasts!
As the (mystery Zadok high priest and) prophet, what would have been on Yochanan’s mind? Was he thinking of what he would have been doing during this special high holiday season? That he would have been serving in his rightful position as high priest in the Temple, if the priesthood had not been corrupted?
[Herod’s had two imposter high priests in the Jerusalem Temple].
He would have been doing the Yom Kippur atonement offering in the Temple, which would have been done for himself, for all the other priests, and for the people of Israel.
Now look again at the words he speaks and just see what God had done through him…”Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the whole world.”
As the true Zadok high priest of Israel, God was now using him to make a brand new declaration about the Atonement of this Yom Kippur Lamb, that this was not just for himself, and for the other priests, and for the people of Israel, but now that this Atonement of the Lamb of God would be for all peoples of the world.
John was the true High Priest (a Levite) that was to offer the “sacrificial goat” that year while Caiaphas, the High Priest was an impostor who was an Edomite appointed by Rome.
John immediately recognized that Adonai had selected the sacrificial goat that year for Yom (pronounced Yowm) Kippur:
Yahuwchanon (John) knew that Jesus/Yeshua was about to become the “sacrificial goat” and that he would be “sent” into the wilderness also as the “scapegoat” to “take away” the sins of the world into the wilderness!
John probably placed his hand on Jesus/Yeshua’s head just as the High Priest did to the scapegoat.
The scriptures tell us that the second goat is to be offered to “Azazel,” which is a Hebrew word that literally means the following in the Hebrew Strong’s Concordance: #5799‘aza’zel az-aw-zale from 5795 and 235; goat of departure; the scapegoat:–scapegoat.
In Ezekiel 43:19, 20 and 44:15, 16, we are told that God will only accept the Blood offering coming from a priest who is a son of Zadok!
Yeshua’s Blood Sacrifice had to meet these specific requirements from the Word of God, or His Blood offering for sin would not qualify!
Exactly how did this divine Son of Judah qualify?
Because … (final recap)…
Yeshua is a Priest through His Father, but He is also a Son of Zadok through His mother Miriam!
God spoke to Miriam through His angel Gabriel in Luke 1:32, telling Miriam that she would give birth to a Son who would be called the Son of the Highest, and who would Reign over the throne of His earthly father (and ancestor) king David. Since there was no human male involved in this conception process of Yeshua (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:18,20),
God was also recognizing that this Seed of Genesis 3:15, this Seed of woman that was carried by Miriam would be the Seed that God would use to produce this divine Child who would Reign on the throne of His father David as our King, forever.
The writer of Hebrews 7, verses 11-18, clearly states that the Priesthood of Yeshua is from His Father’s side, for the writer specifically refers to the Melchi- Zedek Priesthood of Heaven; and he also says that this divine Son is from the tribe of Judah (but only through Miriam [not through Joseph]), of which tribe Moses spoke nothing of priesthood. However, what was not mentioned, perhaps not even known at the time, was that Miriam was also of this same high priest family of Aaron as her close relative, Elisheva.
Miriam carried genetically the perfect fulfillment of two family lines, Aaron and David, which God had chosen, specifically stated in Jeremiah 33:24. But we also find other prophesies revealing that the Messiah would be coming from the high priest family of Yeshua of the family of Zadok.
For the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah indicated that He, the Branch, would not only come from the family of Aaron (Jeremiah 33: 18, 21, 24), but even more precisely from the high priest family of Yeshua of the seed of Zadok of Aaron. Zechariah 3:8 and Zechariah 6:11-13.
John the Baptist standing on the bank or in the waters of the river Jordan was the true High Priest.
Caiaphas was the imposter.
John recognized and witnessed the Messiah being immersed and prepared to become the scapegoat for all mankind. The Lamb of God, knowing the history and discerning the future! John by his declaration knew Jesus was the Messiah and would become the King of Kings and the eternal great High Priest after the order of Melchizadek.Gods promise fulfilled.
What tribe were the four sons of Aaron from?” Most people would answer, Levi! But when we look deeper into this question, and ask, “Whom did Aaron (the brother of Moses, and sister of Miriam) take for his wife?” We discover his wife is Elisheva.
But who was Elisheva, and what tribe was she from?
Elisheva was the sister of Nahshon, the daughter of Ammnadab.
And who were they?
They were the leaders of the tribe of Judah. (Exodus 6:23, Numbers 1:7 and Matthew 1:4)
What does all that mean?
It means that all the four sons of Aaron and his wife Elisheva were really from two tribes, Levi and Judah. However, history records the Aaronic Priesthood as being just from the tribe of Levi. Why? Because the Aaronic Priesthood was named only after the father’s lineage. [Notice the names Miriam and Elisheva appear twice, the first time in the formation of both the Aaronic priesthood, and then in the divine mystery concerning Yeshua and His Aaronic priest family of the New Covenant!]
Perhaps in a similar way, Yeshua’s Priesthood is through His Father (the Melchi Zedek Priesthood). But God relates Yeshua’s earthly Kingship and His Throne from His father king David through His mother Miriam.
So this most important revelation that Yeshua is also from the high priest family of Aaron, of Zadok, through His mother Miriam was perhaps never revealed, since priesthood was named from father’s side. However, even more importantly, this mystery was not to be revealed and could not be revealed especially in those days, and was deliberately kept top secret.
Why?
Because Herod, if he had known the real identities of the Zadok priests and high priest family, would have killed this whole family.
There would have been no Miriam and no Yeshua!
For Herod had already killed many people, and he had placed his two phony high priests in the Temple.
Yeshua, in the flesh, is the physical fulfillment of both the family line of king David and also high priest Yeshua of Zadok of high priest Aaron, through the Seed carried by His mother Miriam.
For Yeshua’s Blood Sacrifice on the Cross provided a Perfect Atonement of both the line of kings and also of the line of Aaronic Zadok high priests. Completing the mystery connection of the threads: why the Priest (John) was in the water, to Abraham meeting a King, (Melchi-zedek), to Messiah and God fulfilling His Promises!
Shalom!
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…Don’t put it off one more moment…
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.
You are now Born Again by the Holy Spirit of the Living God and you are part of the ever growing family of believers. You will never be the same again!
… And What’s The 2000 year old connection to Abraham meeting a King?
The identity of this mysterious figure has been a puzzle to many since the writing of the Torah by (Mosheh) Moses)..(Torah, pronounced Towrah, comprises the first 5 books of the Bible.)
His name is “Melchizedek.” According to Genesis 14:18 was both the King of Salem and Priest of El Elyon.EL ELYON: The Most High God. This name emphasizes God’s strength, sovereignty, and supremacy. In Genesis 14:20, Melchizedek said to Abram, “blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” He understood that the Lord is extremely exalted.
The God who gives height and dignity to our low places.
To those who have “eyes to see and ears to hear,” it may not be a complete mystery as to who this man ‘was’ and ‘is’. However providing proof of his identity is not the focus of this post, so only a basic background is presented to assist in the understanding of the connection and leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions from the following scriptural evidence.
The scriptures reveal the plans of Elohay Ha Elohim God of All ‘gods’.
ELOHAI. MY GOD
The name of God most often used in the Hebrew Bible is the Tetragrammaton ( YHWH יהוה ). …. Elohai or Elohei (“My God”) is a form of Elohim along with the first-person singular pronoun enclitic. It appears in the names “God of Abraham”
Leviticus 16 gives us the instructions through Moses for all Yisra’el on how to keep the Appointed Times Of Adonai including that of the Day of Atonement Yom Kippur (pronounced Yowm Kippur).
The biblical feast of Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai over 3000 years ago. (It is also the birth and death day of King David.)The drama of the events at Mount Sinai is well known: It was the third day, in the morning, that there was thunder and lightning. A heavy cloud was on the mountain and there was a very loud sound of the shofar. All the people in the camp trembled. Moses brought the people toward God out of the camp. They stood at the foot of the mountain. The entire Mount Sinai was enveloped with smoke, for God had descended upon it in fire. Its smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace and the entire mountain trembled violently (Exodus 19:16-18)
The national response was ‘Na’aseh v Nishma‘ which means, “We will do, and we will hear.“
This declaration amounts to a commitment to carry out Hashem’s commandments –
even before hearing what the observance of those commandments actually involves.
Only someone who is totally willing to shape their entire life around Torah observance, as the supreme act of love toward Hashem, would be willing to make such a commitment.
Click links for more on Shavuot & Yom Kippur and Appointed Times of Adonai
If you are familiar with the 7 Appointed times Adonai, then the following note concerning the scapegoat and lots will be arbitrary.
However a brief explanation will be helpful here to enhance a more complete picture.
The High Priest (Kohen ha’Gadowl) was to take two goats and present them before YaHuWaH at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.He was to cast lots for the goats, one for YaHuWaH and the other for “Azazel” which literally means: “the goat of removal” or “the scapegoat.” Two goats were to be brought before him. He would place his hands on their heads and confess the sins of the people. One would be slaughtered as a sacrifice to YaHuWaH.
(YaHuWaH Is used Here its the Name of God YHWH with vowels added Yud Hey Vav Hey)
The scriptures tell us that the second goat is to be offered to “Azazel,” which is a Hebrew word that literally means the following in the Hebrew Strong’s Concordance:
#5799‘aza’zel az-aw-zale from 5795 and 235; goat of departure; the scapegoat:–scapegoat.
The root-words for “Azazel,” are #5795(ez) which means “she-goat,” and the other is #235 (azal) which means “to go away.”
The idea behind the scapegoat is that it is to be sent out into the desert, separated from the people “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalms 103:12).
He escapes death,
but
he carries the sins of the people with him to his dying day!
They sinned, he suffers.
They were guilty, he pays the price.
That’s what the word “scapegoat” has come to mean: “an innocent person who takes the blame for the guilty party.”
From our viewpoint today looking back, we clearly see a real and specific picture of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua’s substitutionary life and subsequent death.
(As we are seeing, everything is connected and therefore we need to take a quick look at The High Priest before unfolding more of the mystery or it will not make sense.)
The High Priest (pronounced Kohen ha’Gadowl) ha’gadol, the high priest; Aramaic: kahana rabba) was the title of the chief religious official of Judaism from the early post-Exilic times until the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE.
Previously, in the Israelite religion including the time of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, other terms were used to designate the leading priests; however, as long as a king was in place, the supreme ecclesiastical authority lay with him.
The official introduction of the term “high priest” went hand in hand with a greatly enhanced ritual and political significance bestowed upon the chief priest in the post-Exilic period, certainly from 411 BCE onward, after the religious transformations brought about by the Babylonian captivity and due to the lack of a Jewish king and kingdom.
The high priests belonged to the Jewish priestly families that trace their paternal line back to Aaron, the first high priest of Israel in the Hebrew Bible and elder brother of Moses, through Zadok, a leading priest at the time of David and Solomon. This tradition came to an end in the 2nd century BCE during the rule of the Hasmoneans, when the position was occupied by other priestly families unrelated to Zadok.
Predecessors of Aaron:
Even though Aaron was the first high priest mentioned in Exodus, the legendary passage revealed the first man assumed the title of high priest of God is Enoch who was succeeded by Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, (some say this was Melchizedek), Abraham, Isaac and Levi. They are very intricate pieces of clothing.
Comprising a linen tunic, finally woven colored fabrics,
of precious stonesbells and pomegranates (said to have 613 seeds = to 613 laws of Torah
around the hemand a crown of gold.This was all part of the old covenant and he served as the mediator of that covenant between the people and God.In ancient Israel the ones ordained by God to offer up the sacrifices were the priesthood, the sons of Aaron who came from the tribe of Levi one of the 12 sons of Jacob/Israel.
This is important to establish their lineage because of where we are going. God is a God of detail and precision and nothing was left to chance! Nor is anything a coincidence.Charts showing the line of Levites priestly calling
Holy, Kadosh in Hebrew, is that which is separate, set apart for the purposes of God and Israel was called to be a Holy nation.
To be a holy nation it had to be a separate nation. Within the 12 tribes of Israel were the Levites, as Gods ministers, this was a more holy calling than the rest of the tribes.
So they had to be separated from the rest of Israel. Then from the tribe of Levi God called the Cohanim, the Priests with a Holier calling.
From the priests, God called the High Priest with an even holier calling. So the Cohanim had to be separated from the Levites.
The high priest had to be separated even from the priests.
The ordinary garments of the priest Exodus. 28:39-43;39:27-29
The officiating priests wore 4 pieces of garments: Ex.28:42 (1) white breeches Ex. 28:40 (2)White Linen garment; (3)White linen sash; (4)White turban. (Only by birth can one be a priest.)
The other Levites were employed in more menial tasks, such as the housekeeping of the tabernacle, keeping oil in the lamps, transporting the Ark of the Covenant, taking down and setting up the tabernacle when moving, and related tasks in assisting the priests The priests could offer sacrifices for the people, burn incense on the altar, and teach the law. The Aaronic (or Levitical) Priesthood thus functioned only within the tribe of Levi, and the right to have it conferred upon one was determined by lineage and worthiness. The lineal restrictions of that Aaronic (Levitical) Priesthood were lifted when the law of Moses was fulfilled, and thereafter the offices of the priesthood were conferred upon worthy men without limitation to the tribe of Levi. Numbers 8. (10)
Every degree of holiness, was matched by an equal degree of separation. That which is Holy must be separated.
The priestly divisions or sacerdotal courses; (Hebrew: mishmar (מִשְׁמָר)); are ritual work groups in Judaism. According to 1 Chronicles 24, they were originally formed during the reign of King David.
These priests referred to as “descendants of Aaron.” In the biblical traditions upon which the writer of Chronicles drew, Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. However, Nadab and Abihu died before Aaron (incident of offering strange fire); and only Eleazar and Ithamar had sons. In Chronicles, one priest, Zadok, from Eleazar’s descendants and another priest, Ahimelech, from Ithamar’s descendants, were designated by King David to help create the various priestly work groups.
Sixteen of Eleazar’s descendants were selected to head priestly orders while only eight of Ithamar’s descendants were so chosen. The passage states that this was done because of the greater number of leaders among Eleazar’s descendants. Lots were drawn to designate the order of ministering for the heads of the priestly orders when they entered the temple in Jerusalem.
Each order was responsible for ministering during a different week and shabbat and were stationed as a watch at the Tabernacle. All of the orders were present during biblical festivals.
Their duties involved offering the daily and Jewish holy day sacrifices (korbanot in Hebrew), and blessing the people in a ceremony known as nesiat kapayim (“raising of the hands”), the ceremony of the Priestly Blessing.
Following the Temple’s destruction at the end of the First Jewish Revolt and the displacement to the Galilee of the bulk of the remaining Jewish population in Judea at the end of the Bar Kochva Revolt, Jewish tradition in the Talmud and poems from the period record that the descendants of each priestly watch established a separate residential seat in towns and villages of the Galilee. (The location of the Galilee is obviously significant)
They maintained this residential pattern for at least several centuries in anticipation of the reconstruction of the Temple and reinstitution of the cycle of priestly courses.
Specifically, this Kohanic settlement region stretched from the Beit Netofa Valley, through the Nazareth region to Arbel and the vicinity of Tiberias.
In the synagogues in subsequent years, there was a custom every Sabbath, of publicly recalling the courses of the priests; a practice that reinforced the prestige of the priests’ lineage. Such mention evoked the hope of return to Jerusalem and reconstruction of the Temple.
This is all important because of who was ministering in his appointed cycle was non other than Zechariah, a priest of the course of Abia/Abijah,who was performing his priestly service and the Temple of Jerusalem.
Luke 1:5-2:20. Clearly explains this story it is carefully placed in geography and time. Luke relates this not as a timeless legend, but as an historical event.
Zechariah in his youth had married a woman named Elizabeth. They had never had any children and now That they were “well along in years” (Greek probaino, KJV “stricken”) may indicate that they were over sixty, since sixty years was considered “the commencement of agedness.”; They were “upright” (NIV) or “righteous” (KJV, Greek dikaios), not meaning perfectly sinless, but “pertaining to being in accordance with high standards of rectitude, upright, just, fair.”
They were a kosher, respected, priestly couple who took seriously what it meant to obey God in every way that they knew. They lived in dark days, during the bloody reign of Herod the Great (37 to 4 BC). Yet life went on, and for most of the year, Zechariah and Elizabeth live in a small village “in the hill country of Judea,” south of Jerusalem (Luke 1:39), except when Zechariah’s priest-division is on duty in the Temple.
According to Mosaic law, priests weren’t required to marry a wife from the Tribe of Levi (Leviticus 21:7, 13-15), but for a priest to have a wife from Levi’s tribe was considered a twofold honor.
Zechariah belonged to the priestly division of Abijah/Abia
from the tribe of Levites.
Religious workers in Israel were divided into two groups, Priests and Levites. All were descended from the Tribe of Levi, but, additionally, the priests were descendants of Moses’ brother Aaron. Priests were set apart for a special ministry in the Temple with regard to the worship of God that took place there.
“Once, when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.” (1:8-10)
The priests were divided into 24 groups or divisions (1 Chronicles 10:7-18), of which Zechariah’s “division of Abijah” is eighth in the rotation. Priests and their families would live in Jerusalem or in various nearby villages, but when their division was called up for duty for a week, twice each year, the priests would come to Jerusalem to work in the Temple.
Each day about 50 priests would have been on duty, with perhaps 300 on duty during a given week.
Every priest had a specific amount of days each year to perform those tasks and it was done in rotation.
Luke 1:9 This day, Zechariah is “chosen by lot” to go inside the temple and burn incense on the Altar of Incense in the Holy Place. It is considered a great honor. Since there were a large number of priests, no priest was allowed to serve as the officiating priest more than once in his lifetime. Sometimes the high priest himself officiated. Jeremias remarks:
“For the incense offering, two priests had to help the officiating priest who was chosen by lot for the office. One brought glowing coals on a silver firepan from the Altar of Burnt Offering to the Altar of Incense in the Holy Place. The second took from the officiating priest the bowl in which the dish of incense had lain until the censing was finished.”
As the officiating priest, it was Zechariah’s job to place incense on the heated altar and then prostrate himself in prayer.
The incense represented the prayers of the people.
Outside, the people were reciting this prayer during the incense offering: “May the merciful God enter the Holy Place and accept with favor the offering of his people.”
It was at that point that an angel of the Lord did indeed enter the Holy Place. (1:11-17) The angel Gabriel comes to Zechariah and told him Elizabeth would in her old age give birth to a child. and announced the identity of his son.
God fulfilled the ancient hopes of Israel through the fulfilling of an old couples long lost hopes for a child. And this is highlighted because behind Zechariah’s name is a mystery.
Zechariah’s real name was Zicharyah.
Zicharyah means ‘God has remembered’.
Elizabeth’s real name was Elishevah.
Elishevah means ‘the oath of God’ or ‘God is my oath’ Ex.6:23
Zicharyah and Elishevah where joined in marriage so, “God has remembered’ was joined to ‘the oath of God”!
The marriage of the two lives created a prophetic message.
God has remembered the oath of God.
This was a sign to Israel that God had not forgotten his promise but in actual fact was about to fulfill it. When God remembers his oath/ promise then the oath/ promise bears/ brings forth life. So here Elishevah will have a baby who will be known as John the Baptist. However his real name in Hebrew is Yochanan, which means ‘the grace of God/”Yahweh is gracious”.
God’s remembrance of his oath/ promise causes the birth of the grace of God.’ The grace of salvation, the very thing that would come forth out of John, fulfilling His promise/oath.
When Zicharyah/ ‘God has remembered’, gave praise to the Lord, he was declaring that God had performed the miracle, to remember His Holy Covenant, the promise/oath which He swore to Abraham.
God never forgets His promises nor ever breaks his Word, for He is always watching over it to perform it and even out of the broken, the barren and the seemingly impossible, comes – the Yochanan, (the impossible/the miracle).
He was the only priest in the history of the levitical priesthood whose birth was announced by an angel in the sanctuary of the priests.
Leviticus 26:40 – 42; Luke 1:4 – 17, 72 – 73;
You are to call him John (1:13d), which means, the grace of God or”Yahweh is gracious” which, when we think about it, was John the Baptist’s chief message: baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
Announcement of the Birth of John… When the baby is born:
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth (15c). Under the Old Covenant, to be filled with the Holy Spirit was rare — the privilege of a few prophets priests and kings only.
During this time, outside the Temple….“Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.” (1:21-22).
(Due to the subject of the post and the need for extra details in tying it all together, the conclusion follows in part 2! )
Shalom!
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…Don’t put it off one more moment…
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.
You are now Born Again by the Holy Spirit of the Living God and you are part of the ever growing family of believers. You will never be the same again!
There are so many images that have differing shapes those included are to highlight certain aspects., e.g. above showing detail of crown.
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.
That was around 1000 B.C. and from 1000 B.C. to 160 B.C., the Zadok’s were God’s high priests of the Aaronic priesthood and of the Temple in Jerusalem, when not in exile.
Melchizadek from king and zedek meaning righteousness or the right use of consciousness!
Charts showing the line of Levites priestly calling
The other Levites were employed in more menial tasks, such as the housekeeping of the tabernacle, keeping oil in the lamps, transporting the Ark of the Covenant, taking down and setting up the tabernacle when moving, and related tasks in assisting the priests The priests could offer sacrifices for the people, burn incense on the altar, and teach the law. The Aaronic (or Levitical) Priesthood thus functioned only within the tribe of Levi, and the right to have it conferred upon one was determined by lineage and worthiness. The lineal restrictions of that Aaronic (Levitical) Priesthood were lifted when the law of Moses was fulfilled, and thereafter the offices of the priesthood were conferred upon worthy men without limitation to the tribe of Levi. Numbers 8. (10)
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