At this point in time He was resurrected the first born from the dead. The disciples were not born again until after Messiah was risen. Then He breathed into them the breath of new life/chaim in the Holy Spirit/RuachHaKodesh.
We know from scripture that the disciples/talmidim had not yet received the same fullness of power and authority Yeshua/Jesus had while on earth because He did not give it to them until Matthew 28:18.
Jesus came and said to them, “ All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
In Luke 10:19 He gave them authority Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.
However we read in Mark 9:19- 25 that they had encountered an unclean spirit that would not obey them. Yeshua/Jesus called it a deaf and dumb spirit in verse 25.
In verse 26 it came out and in verse 28 the disciples asked why they could not cast it out and in verse 29 29 He replied to them, “This kind [of unclean spirit] cannot come out by anything but prayer [to the Father] and fasting.” This was Yeshua/Jesus’ lifestyle, He was always ready to do His Fathers will – this is why he came – 1John 3:8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Messiah gave them this promise in
John 14: 16,17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
Verse 18 “I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you.
This was His promise, the one that would be fulfilled at Shavuot/Pentecost. The promise of
Luke 24 39 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
Acts 1:4 And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss.
Again do we recognize that in verse 17,the Spirit of truth, cannot be received by the world, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him;
but as His children/disciples, we do…
John 14:20 On that day [when that time comes] you will know for yourselves that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.
This description is about the infilling/indwelling of His Holy Spirit.
That day, was the day of Pentecost/Shavuot-
pronounced Sha voo ote.
That was the day that was coming.
Then He said you will know. I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.
The only way to know it, was by the infilling, by impartation of His Holy Spirit.
So, back in Mark 9:28 when they could not cast out the unclean spirit was it because Yeshua/Jesus had not yet died as the Passover/Pesach lamb?- He had not been resurrected and become as the unleavened firstfruit from the dead and the subsequent omer count was not completed. No power had been given them more than the authority we saw Yeshua/Jesus give them to use His name. in Luke 19.
At this point of their discussion, He had not died and His Fathers spirit of Holiness had not been released, as the veil in the Temple separating the Holy of Holies, had not been torn to allow His presence to be released from that sanctuary. Recall the fact that all the Old Testament sacrifices were in place to show the sinful Israelites how to approach a Holy God, and to teach them that only innocent sacrificial blood can pay for sin ..a life for a life. Leviticus 23:15-17.
At that point, that year, Pentecost/Shavuot had not come and the power from on high had not yet been released as both Isaiah and Joel had prophesied.
Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Isaiah 32:15 Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest
Isaiah 44:3,4 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: …
The 49 days of counting from the Omer was still in progress…
Depending on how the counting from the omer is begun, Shavuot could occur any day between 5 and 13th days of the 3rd month. As some don’t yet accept Messiah has come, the Israelites/Jewish people associate Pentecost/Shavuot with the giving of the Torah at Sinai. This is because according to Shmot /Ex. 19 the Torah was given to Moses on the 3rd day of the 3rd month. They have fixed in their calendar to be the 6th day of the 3rd month as a remembrance of Torah and the commandments. This is one of the 3 shalosh regalim /annual feasts they are commanded to attend. The date on our calendars varies because lunar calendar does not have fixed months. The month begins with the new moon and lasts 29/30 days.
And when the prophesied day came
Acts 2:1-21 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place…
In obedience to Yeshua/Jesus command in Acts 1:4 And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss.
Then the power of the Fathers Spirit of Holiness was poured out onto the prepared, obedient disciples who had been counting 49 days from the Omer.
His promise was fulfilled as recorded in Acts 4:31 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
As the cloven tongues of fire like glory, baptized/immersed each one there, they became bold. Peter was now not fearful to stand up for His Lord. They were emboldened.
The descent of the Heavenly Fathers Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit at Shavuot/Pentecost marked a pivotal shift in the lives of the disciples and apostles, equipping them with spiritual strength and courage; and an ability to speak clearly, which was needed to boldly proclaim the gospel. This divine intervention not only emboldened the apostles but also served as a catalyst for the rapid spread of what we now call the ‘Christian’ faith. Acts 2:10-21
They had a 1st infilling when Yeshua/Jesus breathed on them inJohn 20:22; however it was obviously not enough to continually sustain them because at Shavuot/Pentecost, they received power from on high.
A second immersion and infilling, we call it a baptism of the Holy Spirit. Now they were ready to fulfill that great commission, they were equipped with His indwelling power to do what He was commanding them to do. They showed by evidence of speaking in other tongues and all the other gifts and fruit of the spirit flowing through them; that they were spiritually equipped and had received what they would need to fulfill their call. It is very clearly a separate ministration of our Heavenly Father.
Another reference of it being a separate experience is found inActs 19:2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”. So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
It is essential for all believers to be effective and to have a completion of spiritual growth, maturity and fruitfulness.
In Acts 9:22 Paul was still being filled with more and more power; so it is an ongoing re-newing, re-energizing, a continual refilling and infilling. Just as a vehicle needs to be refilled with fuel to continue and take us on our journey, so do we.
Our Heavenly Father needs a vessel of maturity, one that He can fill, and then our testimony will be effective.
As with the apostles and disciples, the power of the indwelling RuachHaKodesh/Holy Spirit was visible and with demonstration, signs and wonders followed them.
Our Heavenly Father wants us mature so He can pour more of His power in and through us. However, power, dunamis, explosive dynamite power, must have a stable container. One with no weaknesses that might give way under pressure. The Lord can only do so much, we have to do our part, we must exert our free will to prepare ourselves spirit, soul and body to become that purified vessel of honor; we are destined to carry the glory of the Father wherever He sends us. These vessels do not have selfish, carnal desires and motives. They cannot hold the power well and any cracks or weak areas have to be healed completely, or the power will leak out.
We saw how in Acts 2 This is the day spoken of by the prophet, referring to Shavuot/Pentecost, and how cloven tongues of fire appeared, together with the mighty rushing wind which filled every room in the house. He wants to do the same with us…To clean out anything that is not of Him, anything of the old man that still remains in our lives and house.
It was a fulfillment prophetically, as are all things pertaining to the coming of Messiah. There is more to this prophetic fulfillment as when He told them to wait found inMatt. 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.
He was referring to the books of Joel and Isaiah. They knew the significance of this Appointed Time, this Moed, this feast; however this particular event was a totally new experience and it initiated a spiritual harvest, the first fruits of Messiahs resurrection.
This is the 2nd of the three mandatory annual harvests/moedim they were to attend in Jerusalem. Called the shalosh regalim. Passover/Pesach, Pentecost /Shavuot and the one in the fall Sukkot/Tabernacles.
Shavuot/Pentecost marks the climax of the Pesach/Passover season and historically it commemorates the giving of the Torah, the commandments, the Word of God to Moses at Sinai.
The cloven tongues of fire and the rushing mighty wind was a similar experience that the Israelites had in the wilderness at Sinai. Exodus 19:16-25. The third morning there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
Now the disciples were receiving a new dimension of Gods power, His Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit to add to the Word which was already imparted, for this specific reason; so they were vessels that would be effective witnesses for the kingdom of God, just as Messiah, Himself the Word of God, had called them to be.
Acts 4:33 . With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And … grace was so powerfully at work in them, all the apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Messiah.
Acts 10:38 … how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went … doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with them …
Another interesting fact is that, in the wilderness 3000 died in one day according to Ex. 32:28. The Levites obeyed Moses’ command, and about 3,000 people died that day.
Whereas 3000 died at the season of the giving of the commandments, the written Word of God, we now see 3000 saved with the giving of the Holy Spirit through the Living Word of God. Shavuot /Pentecost apparently was on the exact same day of that year!
Acts 2:41 38
The reference in Acts 2:3, With the sound of a rushing wind, and like the appearance of cloven tongues of fire dividing itself upon those in the upper room. It may have been the same upper room they shared Pesach/Passover with Messiah?
Tongues refers to the shape and
Cloven, we can find an explanation in
Leviticus 11:3. Whatsoever parteth the hoof — That is, divides it into two parts only; or, is cloven-footed and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. It is clean for you.
Kosher is the English word for the Hebrew word kashér, which means “fit” as in clean not unclean.
This would have given them peace/shalom, that this was from God, His Holy fire was more than likely the same manifestation as Moses experienced in Ex. 3:2 ‘And, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.’ The fire of God His shekinah glory. And Heb. 12:29. Tells us, for our god is a consuming fire. Always cleansing and purifying yet not destroying.
As the fourth of the Spring Appointed Times/Moedim, Pentecost/Shavuote/Sha voo ote, is the beginning/ of the renewed covenant for all gentile nations, tribes and tongues; the genesis of the church/ecclesia, the body of Christ, and fulfilled by Messiah.
It is also called Chag haKatziyr, feast of the harvest andDay of the first fruits/Yom ha Bikkuriym and is a one day feast of first fruits offering of the newly matured wheat crops and no regular work is done.
Although not named as Shavuot in the gospels, there are 2 passages that could refer to it. One is Luke 6:2 when the disciples were picking grain on a Sabbath and John 5:4 when Yeshua/Jesus goes to an unnamed feast.
Certainly the Israelites were in the wilderness in the 3rd month and the remembrance of the 10 commandments reminds us, we should have no other gods before the Lord; and are commanded to leave all our idols and bad habits behind …Hard to do in this world of materialism and constant temptations, but we must make new habits, Godly ones, denying that flesh daily. The Israelites in the wilderness had many problems too and in our lives, we should ask ourselves, is our focus on material things instead of doing the things Yeshua/Jesus brings out in Matthew 25:35. To feed the hungry and do the works of the kingdom?
In Ex. 19:8
And all the people answered together, “We will do everything that the LORD has spoken.” So Moses brought their words back to the LORD. It is likened to a wedding, tying His people permanently to Him with vows of a covenant. The Mosaic Covenant. For believers in Messiah, Shavuot is important because it has ties to deliverance and salvation celebrated at Passover and with Yeshua/Jesus’ crucifixion, to His resurrection on First fruits of Unleavened Bread. His ascension 40 days later and then His sending the immersion/ saturation infilling of the RuachHaKodesh/Holy Spirit on the 1st Fruits Appointed Time of Shavuot/Pentecost. This gives us the power to live victorious lives, and enables us to witness to all non believers by the way we live.
The time of waiting for the immersion of His Ruach haKodesh/Holy Spirit, parallels the counting of the Omer from the First Fruits of Unleavened Bread to the First Fruits of Shavuot. Just as the farmers could not use the wheat crop until the offering of the loaves referenced inLev 23:17, so also, Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, as the Bread of Life, had to ascend before the rest of the grain.
A clear reference to His teaching in John 12:24 “Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over.
Yeshua/Jesus explains that His death is necessary for His glorification and the salvation of souls, using the example of a grain of wheat that dies and bears much fruit. The first fruit harvest at Pentecost/Shavuot were the disciples plus the 3000 of the pilgrims to Jerusalem from all the nations under heaven Acts 2:5 -11.
After this baptism/immersion, they were on fire for the Lord preaching with bold confidence and Peter telling the people in verse 38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized/water immersion every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness /remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And in 2:43 many signs and wonders were done through them. They preached the gospel healed the sick, delivered the oppressed, raised the dead and cast out demons..
Are we doing this? Are we disciples?
Are we filled with His Spirit? Do you want to be?
If we are not doing the things Yeshua/Jesus called us to do, then we need to be baptized/immersed in His Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh.
In verse 38, Peter says Holy Spirit is a gift. Are we going to tell the one we say we love that we don’t want His gift?
If you have asked, why we need to know these things, why do we need to know the appointed times of the old testament?
Maybe we should be asking why we don’t think we need to know?
If anyone has ever fallen in love with another person, they immediately want to know all about that individual their history and background, and all about their family. They want to spend every waking moment with them, can’t wait to be with them and talk to them. Longing to hear their voice and what makes them happy and they want to tell them how much they love them; and want to do everything and anything that pleases them and makes them happy, denying themselves in favor of them.
Are we like this with our savior Jesus/Yeshua? Shouldn’t we want to know all there is to know about Him? He said if you love me you will keep my commandments…. Do we truly love Him?
More and more we need His power to live a Godly/Holy life before Him and be ready for that final harvest. The one which will come, just as surely as He came the first time, every prophetic Moedim/Appointed Times of The Lord is fulfilled perfectly.
For those new to the site, there are several other helpful posts on the Spring Moedim listed on Home Page under:
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord, Deliverer and soon returning King; and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
Not sure ..you can be…
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; Walk [habitually] before Me [with integrity, knowing that you are always in My presence], and be blameless and complete [in obedience to Me]. AMP.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Walk before me, and be blameless. NHEB
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect. ASV
The word BEFORE
is
Strongs 6440
Original Word:פָנִים Transliteration: panim or paneh Phonetic Spelling: paw-neem’
Hebrew Rabbis teach that the words we have in English Bibles translated as
Plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh {paw-neh’}; from panah); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.) — + accept, a-(be-)fore(-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ – out), till, time(-s) past, (un-)to(-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), WITH (-within, + -stand), X ye, X you.
This changes the perspective
of Abram’s relationship with the
Almighty God – El Shaddai –
which we render as:
the all sufficient God
or the Almighty-Breasty-One.
The Hebrew language incorporates numerical value to letters and words and it is understood that the number
9 is the number of completion
and
90 is the number of Humility.
According to this it would indicate that when Abram became
99, complete in humility,
he recognized and understood that God was truly
El Shaddai – all-sufficient
and he could
walk WITH God.
Torah scholars definition of humility is that, we are not for one moment to be trusting in self, in the arm of flesh, our own capabilities, knowledge, talents or any kind of security we have built; or any dependence on wealth or provision from any source other than the Lord/El Shaddai.
It is having complete total TRUST in our
Heavenly Father as El Shaddai,
to be all-sufficient for us.
We are to put our trust/batak in our Heavenly Father as He and Abram did. Messiah never put His trust in people because He knew and understood the shortcomings and weaknesses of the fallen human nature.
Jesus didn’t commit Himself to them. John 2:24,25.
He was never suspicious, yet He was discerning and wise.
He was never bitter, resentful or offended, nor did He take vengeance toward anyone; and yet at the same time, He never gave up hope for them.
Why?
Because His BATAK/TRUST
was totally and completely in His Father first.
If we place our trust in people before Him and not in the Father, we will quickly experience despair, hopelessness and disappointment towards them. This can lead to bitterness and resentment because they didn’t measure up to how they presented themselves. Understanding that not one individual, except Messiah Yeshua/Jesus, can ever be right or perfect in this life, prevents the negative assessments in others. The only part of a person or ourself we can trust, is God’s spirit of grace and mercy in us.
Hebrews 10:9. He came to do God’s will.
An individual’s obedience is to what they see and determine to be a need. Messiah’s obedience was to His/our Fathers will. To seek and save the lost and tell the heathen about Him. However, first we are to make sure that God’s needs and His will in us personally are being met. Jesus/Yeshua said for us to be mindful of this in Matthew 6:5-15
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.[a] 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done,[b] on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread,[c] 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.[d]
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
The purpose of our training as His disciples, is to get us into the right relationship towards the needs of our Heavenly Father and His will, plan and purposes, NOT ours. Once our Father’s needs in us have been met, He will then open the way for us to accomplish His will, which is meeting His needs, plan and purposes somewhere else.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18
We are also to remember that He said: Matthew 18:5 who ever receives one little child in my name receives me.
Messiah came as a child Himself. He is entrusting Himself to each of us and desiring our individual lives to be a Bethlehem; where He can grow up, where the natural life could be slowly transformed by the indwelling life of the Son of God. His ultimate purpose is that the life of Messiah be manifest in and through us. The same life/ chaim that was in Him can also be in us, by the power of HIs Holy Spirit, just as it was in
Luke 1:41. and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh.
And we are to be always ready with a listening ear for the slightest whisper of His Voice/kol, calling to us. In the Song of Solomon there is a verse that says:
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land; 2:12
A season of the voice of Messiah, the bridegroom is calling.
This season is also a time of pruning, to bear more fruit for His Kingdom.
The dove, Yonah (Jonah) in Hebrew, reminds us that Messiah Jesus pointed to Noah and Jonah as end-times signs.
The dove was a sign for Noah and Yonah/Jonah/Dove
was a sign to the people of Nineveh
to repent and turn to the Lord before His judgment came.
Matthew 12:39; 24:37.
The entire book of the Song of Solomon is a picture of Messiah’s love for His bride; into whom we are grafted and His voice calls to us in unconditional love and devotion. He is calling to His Bride.
Those who truly love Him will respond to His loving call.
Like always attracts like- what is common between people will draw like a magnet, just like the old saying, birds of a feather flock together.
Like desires, like lifestyle, like interests, like goals, etc.
If you ever feel you don’t fit, like you are a square peg in a round hole, then you’re probably in the wrong place with the wrong group. The Spirit of God within people draws them together.
Phil. 2:2-8. fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit.
1Pet 3:8 Finally, all of you be like-minded [united in spirit], sympathetic, brotherly, tender-hearted, and humble in spirit;
Romans 15:5 Now the God of endurance and of encouragement give to you to be like-minded one toward another, according to Christ Jesus;
2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be perfected, be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
We are to have Messiah as the center and the priority of our lives.
Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit which is given to us and like Elizabeth/ John leaped when in the presence of his Messiah.
We too have that inner knowing… we are one in Him with fellow believers/ disciples and love has always been the test of true discipleship.
Those listening to the voice of their beloved, will not be deafened by the cries of man. In a world filled with noise, all clamoring for our attention; we need to hear only the voice of our beloved and those who love Him will hear and recognize His voice and will respond just like the sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me John 10:27
They will even hear the tender gentle cooing of the turtledove above the chaos of the world busyness. And just as Elizabeth’s inner involuntary response was to the close presence of Messiah within Mary.
We are up to watch for Him, wait for Him, with baited breath, and anticipation as the bride for her groom; and as we do, our heart will not only listen for Him… our hearts will hear.
There are times when many bewildering experiences challenge the peace/shalom in our souls; however, when we truly love Him and are listening, and our spirits are submitted to Him willingly, He works all things together for good.
Just as the scripture records the story of Joseph in Genesis 50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
God has His Plan and purposes, His ways are not our ways.
’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” Isaiah.55:8,9.
The one who truly loves Him submits to His discipline and chastening, also called pruning, shaking and sifting. His love holds us steady beneath the chastening rod.
“I will make you pass under the rod [as the shepherd does with his sheep when he counts them, and I will count you as Mine and constrain you] and bring you into the bond of the covenant.
Ezekiel 20:37-38
The verse says that the sheep
pass under the rod.
Besides being an instrument of both offense and defense, the rod was, in effect, a two-foot club;
it also functioned as a tool, under which the sheep passed.
What does this picture?
First of all, it pictures counting. The shepherd would count the sheep in his flock to make sure they were all present and accounted for.
This is also a picture of something else, because as the sheep passed under the rod, which is a symbol of the Word of God, they would undergo a very close examination. The shepherd would run his rod backward or across the sheeps body, which separated the wool. This action allowed the shepherd to look down onto the sheep’s skin, enabling him to see both the condition of the wool and the skin which was hidden beneath.
Our Savior the Good Shepherd, is illustrating that by means of His rod, He is giving us a careful, close examination: it gives Him the opportunity to check the quality of His sheep and it also provides a means of separation. As His disciples, both quality and separation are the reasons that He carefully examines us. The rod and the path it leads us on, will take us to deep and difficult places, taking us right into the hidden man of the heart where holiness is formed.
In Matthew 25 we read of the separation of the sheep and the goats. The rod helps to identify, or is a means of making sure of ownership. Sheep’s ears were often bored through or distinctively notched as an identifying mark. When the shepherds could not always clearly see the identifying mark because several flocks had mixed together in the fields, they would make the sheep
pass under the rod.
When they did, the shepherd would flip back the EAR to see the mark of ownership. Again, it also gave them a chance to examine and check the health and quality of each of the sheep.
Note the EAR… that listens and hears!
Right now we are all
Because now,
this season,
is the time of our judgment – I Peter 4:17,
and we are being evaluated to make it clear to whom we really belong: the Heavenly Father or the adversary.
Who is our Shepherd?
Who are we following?
The rod is a vitally important instrument for a shepherd and no good shepherd would be without one.
This process is critical and should not be avoided but rather welcomed because it means He loves us.
Hebrews 12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11
1Corinthians 13:7 because love believes and hopes and all things and love will never fail.
Love endures what ever comes. It seeks not its own doesn’t retaliate because it rests in Him rather than in the circumstance. As long as we are focused on and our desires are fulfilled in him we will never be deprived of comfort.
Luke 1: 53
He who goes away Will always be empty in spite of his riches. He who seeks the Lord first will never be unhappy or poor.
David said in Psalm 146:3 Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation–
6 Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them, Who keeps truth and is faithful forever,
What is first in our lives?
We must trust in Him 1st
We must put His will 1st.
We must put Messiah 1st.
The questions we should and indeed
must ask ourselves are:
Are we 99 yet?
and are we in other words,
at a place where we are
walking before/WITH the Lord El Shaddai?
Is He all sufficient to us?
Are we doing Gods will for our lives?
Are we hearing His voice directing our path or our own choices of future plans?
Will we respond to His loving call?
Are we watching for Him, waiting for Him, with baited breath,
and anticipation, as the bride for her groom?
Can we say with the Shulamite?
The dove
was a sign for Noah and Yonah/Jonah/Dove
pruning before He returns…
Are we willing to be sifted like the disciples?
Luke 22:31
Are we truly 99 – complete in humility, yet?
If we are obedient and willing
we shall eat the good of the land
and we will be ready to walk WITH Him.
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim/friends and mishpachah/family!
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week,
you are greatly loved and prayed for.
Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation
Not sure ..you can be…
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer,
Savior, Lord, and soon returning King
and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..
don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
Luke 24:49 Tarry / Wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.
The disciples had to tarry to wait, staying in Jerusalem until the day of Pentecost/Shavuot. They knew it as, the days of Counting from the waving of the Omer; but this year was a little different as they counted the days and weeks they were also learning to count the cost of being disciples/talmidim of their Master. This was not only for their own preparations but because they had to wait until Messiah was actually glorified. As soon as He was glorified Acts 2:23 tells us what happened.
Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit He poured out this which you now see and hear. Acts 2:33.
The statement in John 7:39
for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified
does not apply to us.
The Fathers Holy Spirit has being given and Messiah Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach is glorified. And this is what we are to remember and celebrate with thanksgiving and grateful hearts at this Appointed Season of The Lord.
As we are waiting, the impartation is not dependent on the providence of God but on our own spiritual fitness, our readiness to receive.
We have a responsibility to prepare ourselves, these are things that our Heavenly Father will not do for us.
Relationship with Him is all about choice, free will and we must choose to be obedient and submit ourselves to His will and way of being and doing.
John 17:2-5 For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.
This is eternal life and that we may know Him
and the power of His resurrection.
Phil 3:9-11
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, and so that I may attain to the resurrection [that will raise me] from the dead.
Amplified Bible And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did];
The influence and power of His Spirit of Holiness were at work before Shavuot/Pentecost but He was not here in the same way as after the outpouring.
Once Messiah was glorified in His ascension, Holy Spirit came into the world and has been here ever since. It is up to us to receive the revealed truth that He is here.
The attitude of receiving and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives is to be the continual attitude of a believer and not just one day of obedience and fire…
When we receive His Spirit of Holiness we receive reviving life from our ascended Lord and Savior.
It is not what we term as the baptism of His Holy Spirit that changes believers but it’s the power of the risen and ascended Messiah coming into our lives through His Holy Spirit. We have a tendency to separate things that the New Testament never separates.
The baptism of His Holy Spirit is not experienced apart from Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, it’s the evidence of the ascended Messiah dwelling within, abiding permanently.
A big measure of Holy fire comes in the baptism.
Jesus answered, “If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word (teaching); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling place with him. John 14:23 Here the word IF is highighting the condition for the indwelling of His Spirit because One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My words. And the word (teaching) which you hear is not Mine, but is the Father’s who sent Me.
The baptism of His Holy Spirit doesn’t make us think of time or future eternity because the experience is one of amazing glorious now.
This is eternal life that they may know you. John 17:3
we must begin to know Him now and never stop.
Another reason for remembrance and celebration is that this season was when Moses received the Torah, the directions instructions and teachings for life after Egyptian bondage. Slavery to sin and death were given notice and their freedom was assured through Passover and then 50 days later (Pentecost/Shavuot) in the wilderness before Mt. Sinai the Lord.
Our Heavenly Father, The Lord God Almighty
came down,
Moses went up.
The precious Covenant with the children of Israel was made; complete with the Ten Commandments
and directions were given for how sinners were to
approach a Holy God through the sacrificial system
which was to remain in place
until Messiah came and fulfilled it Himself.
We have so much to be thankful for,
so much to give Him praise for.
All honor and glory go to Him as we lift grateful hearts this Pentecost/Shavuot;
and having prepared ourselves,
let’s open ourselves unreservedly to
receive the fullness of His Spirit.
We need His presence,
His Holy Fire
in our lives today, more than at any other time.
If we truly love Him, we will want to do what He asks of us
so we can become all that He has planned for us
to be and do while we are in the earth.
Our lives are to be a sacrifice in every way and this “sacrifice” becomes our wedding vow to our King.
And that is the real love story of Shavuot/Pentecost.
Above are several links to previous posts with more on Pentecost/Shavuot and the reason for reading about Ruth and the baptism of His Spirit at this time of year. Listed both for new visitors, or those wanting to refresh, understanding the deeper meaning of this wonderful manifestation of the same Holy Fire that led them in the wilderness, and now available to fill the lives of whosoever will…
The prophet Malachi 3:1-6 wrote that the Lord would send His messenger of the covenant, and asks who will be able to stand, to endure in that day, … He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Let’s be mindful of the season we are in…..
on each of us and may the days of counting lead to a lifetime of beating good and lasting fruit!
May our tongues be set on fire to declare the wonderful works of our Heavenly Father.
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim/friends and mishpachah/family!
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week,
you are greatly loved and prayed for.
Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation
Not sure ..you can be…
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer,
Savior, Lord, and soon returning King
and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
KJV: of my salvation; on thee do I waitall the day.
INT: of my salvation for wait all the day. Psalm 25:21
There are a few words in Hebrew for wait.
InIsaiah 40:31 we learn that those who
waitupon the Lord will renew their strength.
This wait is qavah
which is a twisting or binding.
It is the word used for making rope and the ancient method of making rope is still used today.
Hundreds of thin strands of fabric, each one alone could easily be broken, but when tightly bound together they form a rope that cannot be broken.
We may here recall the scripture:
A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
Ecclesiastes 4:12.
In some weddings, a three-cord braid is included as part of the ceremony, here the three cords that are not easily broken represent Our Heavenly Father, the bride and the groom.
So in Isaiah 40:31 this waiting is just not sitting back, doing nothing, it is a process of binding/blending/melding/merging ourselves with the Father and the more we bind ourselves to Him, the stronger we become.
In Isaiah 30:18, however, he uses a different word for wait.
which is the word chakah this is a:
patiently waiting,
like someone waiting for a train.
However, this word is in a Piel or imperfect form,
so it has the meaning of:
a continuing process, it is patiently waiting.
יָחַל verb Niph`al – wait;
Pi`el – await (compare Late Hebrew יִחוּל expectation); to Niph`al – Perfect feminine singular – נחֲלָה in Ezekiel 19:5 also Imperfect: וַיִּיָּ֫חֶל in Genesis 8:12 + 1 Samuel 13:18 וַיּחֶל;
and wait: Genesis 8:12 and he waited yet seven days.
WAITING – CHAKAH – the Hebrew letters: חכה – Cheth Kap Hei.
The word chakah is spelled:
Chet, Kap/Kaph, Hei/Hey.
The Chet indicates:
moving to a higher level,
something like:
waiting in line and then moving forward.
Our Father is patiently allowing us to go through our human/carnal ways, trying to satisfy all our needs by ourselves; then all of a sudden He appears next in line.
Here we find the next letter in the word for
waiting – chakah
which is the letter Kap/kaf
this has the picture word for:
the palm of the hand.
This shows us that all this time our Father has been holding out His hands in order to receive us; and finally after years of searching for answers, we ask Him to come into our lives.
The 3rd Hebrew letter in the word
to wait, chakah, is Hei
and is akin to:
the conclusion of His waiting, entering His presence which is filled with all of His graciousness and mercy.
Isaiah 30:18 tell us about it:
blessed are those who chakah (wait) for Him.
Our chakah is not in the sentence construction/parts of speech as a Hebrew Piel or imperfect form, it is a Hebrew Qal participle (a word formed from a verb (e.g., going, gone, being, been) and used as an adjective or noun.
This means in others words:
blessed are those who
have been waiting for God.
Without realizing it we have been waiting for Him all the time; we just did not know or understand it. At least our Father’s waiting has been in the Hebrew (Piel Imperfect sentence construction) as in: He is waiting
Original Word: יָחַל Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: yachal Phonetic Spelling: yaw-chal’
In the following versions of Luke 24:49
English words used are:
remain and tarry
Berean Literal Bible And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But you, remain in the city until that you should be clothed with power from on high.”
King James Bible And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Amplified Bible Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high.”
Hee•ne ano•chi sho•le•ach et asher hiv•ti•ach la•chem Avi ve•a•tem ho•chi•loo ba•eer Ye•roo•sha•la•yim ad ki-til•be•shoo oz mi•ma•rom.
This must have been an extremely stressful time immediately following the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus/Yeshua. There was much unrest in the city which was filled with 1000’s of people who had travelled there for the Spring Meodim/Appointed Times of Passover/Pesach; which was one of the 3 annual Shalosh Regalim. Passover/Pesach/הַפֶּסַח, Pentecost/Shavuot/שבועות & Tabernacles/Sukkot/סוכות.
Though they are called Feasts by many, the correct Hebrew translation is Rehearsal Pattern because it is a rehearsal. It was/is a practice for the real thing to come, similar to rehearsals prior to a wedding ceremony; and why they were required to be in Jerusalem precisely at those times. We looked at this in previous posts.
This had been a momentous time; unlike any other previous year and the turmoil following those events had made the talmidim/disciples and followers of Messiah further targets for those who had plotted to kill Him.
On the road to Emmaus, one of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, “Are You the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in recent days?”
verse 18.
Luke 24:13-24
In verse 25: Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, how slow are your hearts to believe all that the prophets have spoken!…
This was confirming that HE WAS the fulfillment of Gods’ prophetic plan of redemption.
Luke 3:16 John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
John 1:26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know.
John 1:33 I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6Sowhen theycame together,they askedHim,“Lord,will You atthistimerestorethekingdomto Israel?”7Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.… But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”…
Acts 1:4V-PNA GRK: χωρίζεσθαι ἀλλὰ περιμένειν τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν NAS: Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father KJV: but wait for the promise INT: to depart but to await the promise
לחכות ל wait for
לחכות wait
The length of time they were told to wait was not just for a couple of days, it was for the next 49 days until Pentecost/Shavuot.
Yeshua/Jesus had said He had come to fulfill the Torah which has the Moedim/Appointed Times of the Lord as pivotal to the annual cycle of Israeli life.
We miss the full revelation of what Messiah accomplished as we in our western christianity and calendar festivals, jump from Passover/Resurrection Sunday (which we have called easter), to Christmas. There is a very precise sequence of Appointed Times/Moedim, whose meanings were prophetic in nature in their annual rehearsal for fulfillment in Messiahs’ life.
What was the purpose of this waiting?
He told them they would be
endued with power from on high
but why did they have to wait so long?
What does it mean for us?
The purpose of waiting is part of our training as talmidim/disciples.
It is for us to get into the right relationship to meet the requirements of our Heavenly Father and His Will not ours. Once those needs /requirements for being His child /disciple are met then He will open the doors and make the WAY clear for us to GO and DO and fulfill His will, plan and purposes.
One thing we should have learned during our 49 day walk/halak, it is this; we cannot artificially accelerate the growth of our crops and we cannot force them to produce out of season!
We need to see that we are not in control and being impatient will only cause frustration.
It will also choke the seeds and prevent them from bringing forth the harvest; which will result in us being impatient farmers with only barren and unfruitful fields. We must bear the fruit of patience if we are to grow in Messiah, without it we become impatient, impetuous, unsatisfied and are always looking for a future we cannot change. This is sad because it means we are ignoring what we have been blessed with today in the here and now.
Our training is accomplished by the power of His Spirit/Ruach within us, as we are also
endued with power from on high!
and for what?
To be witnesses to Him.
We must allow our lives to be slowly and continually transformed by the indwelling life of His Son; which is the ultimate purpose and goal ..that Jesus/Yeshua be exhibited in us.
This Shavuot/Pentecost, let’s be in an attitude of waiting after our days of preparation, and allow Him to do the necessary work in us and then He can fill us again. Just as we recharge batteries and continually refill our cars’ tanks with fuel, we need to be-being filled with His Spirit – continuously.. to go on being filled not just one time. Meaning to completely surrender our life and give Him full control. Ephesians 5:18 commands that we be filled with the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 the command is given, “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.” Paul gives the simple principle when he says, “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature” Gal. 5:16. The important experience of becoming a Spirit-filled disciple results in the progressive sanctification of a believer in Messiah. The result will be that the individual will manifest the fruit of the Spirit as stated inGalatians 5:22-23,
The 49 days leading up to Pentecost/Shavuot is a time of looking at our own lives and allowing God to do His work in us so He can work through us.
Hebrews 10:9 Behold I have come to do your will O God.
Jesus/Yeshuas life was one of obedience to His Father and He said Follow Me; so we are to be obedient to His/our Fathers will also.
We must take the time to be continually filled up or we will have nothing to pour out. If all we are doing is seeking to be blessed personally, we are missing the point of servanthood. We are blessed to be a blessing – freely we have received, freely we give. If we are always taking in/receiving, and not giving out, we will stagnate like the waters of a pool with no outflow; then we will become like the Dead sea and not a sea of Galilee. Living waters flow continually, that is what flowed through Messiah and what we are to release to others. Let Him pour into us so we can pour out.
For Them…?
The time of waiting was not a new thing for the disciples as every year the counting of 7 weeks or 49 days from the Omer following Peasch/Passover to Shavuot/Pentecost/Weeks was part of the Spring Feasts/Moedim/Appointed Times of the Lord which they followed every year.
Leviticus 23:1-2 God introduces His Moedim/Appointed Times when He begins by declaring to Moses
My appointed times are these….
This statement makes clear that these Moedim/Appointed Times, originate with our Heavenly Father, they cannot be claimed to have been appointed by any nation, including Israel. While they were initially given to the children of Israel for them to observe as their calendar/way of life, they are just as applicable to the followers of Messiah today.
Many have grown up believing that the Jewish Feasts have nothing to do with the New Testament body of Messiah – the ecclesia, the called apart ones. A few have grown up trying to take back the feasts and celebrate them, while rediscovering Christianity’s Hebrew Heritage. Some have never heard of the Feasts at all, however there are a growing number who are interested in what the Moedim/Appointed Times/Feasts of the Lord, have to impart to us prophetically.
Questions for us are: why are we ignoring what the Father has instructed us to do and why are we only understanding and remembering 2 of the 7?
We have the benefit of the completed Word of God so we can study His plan of redemption; and one of the ways in which He prophetically revealed His big picture plan, is through the Appointed Times/Moedim/Feasts of the Lord. Approximately 4000 years ago, God commanded His people to gather in sacred assembly for very specific celebrations – His Feasts.
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed feasts of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts.” (Leviticus 23:1-2)
If we are not aware of the Moedim/Appointed Times when we read that verse, we do not understand the whole picture.
God commanded a yearly remembrance of each of His Holy convocations. The Hebrew word for sacred assembly or holy convocation is miqra, which carries the meaning of a dress rehearsal. Every time these festivals are celebrated, it is a visual and spiritual aid to remind humanity of the prophetic plan of God.
Prior to each feast’s fulfillment, it points forwards to Messiah.
During each feast’s fulfillment, it points directly at Messiah.
Subsequent to each feast’s fulfillment, it points backwards to Messiah.
These seven appointed times are collectively called the mo’edim and are detailed inExodus 12-13, Leviticus 23, Numbers 28-29and Deuteronomy 16. Together, they represent the Fathers’ entire redemptive plan from Messiah’s death through His millennial rule.
This is what Yeshua/Jesus was referring to in Matthew 5:17-18 when He said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law/teaching till all is fulfilled.”
Because the common western understanding of fulfill
means done away with,
Christians have believed that Yeshua/Jesus meant the prophetic pictures pointing to Him are now no longer needed. This is not what He meant, because to Jewish rabbis at that time, the word that is translated into English as
fulfilled was understood to mean:
the true or correct interpretation of Scripture,
while the word destroy meant: to give a false or incorrect interpretation.
Yeshua/Jesus was telling them that:
He did not come to do away with the Hebrew Scriptures/or destroy i.e. lead them astray by false teachings
Rather, He was:
the human embodiment of their true meaning and spiritual reality.
Again we can see other reasons for the WAITING…
First it was for their own preparation and
second because Messiah was not yet glorified.
As soon as He was glorified Acts 2:33tells us:
therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit/His Spirit of Holiness He poured out this which you now see and hear.
The second reason is in the statement in John where he clearly tells us in 7:39..
for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified.
This is not the case for us today because His Spirit of Holiness/Ruach haKodesh, has been given and Messiah is glorified; our waiting is not dependent on the promised future outpouring; but rather on our own spiritual condition/preparation, to receive what is readily available.
We know from scripture that the influence and power of His Spirit were at work before Shavout/Pentecost because He was upon individuals, prophets, priests and kings of the Old Testament; and in some instances, He filled them with His Spirit: e.g. both John the Baptists parents. Luke 1:41
However, once Messiah was glorified in His ascension, His Spirit of Holiness/RuachHaKodesh, came into the world in an unrestricted way and has been here for the last 2000+ years. It is critical that we believe and receive this revealed truth that He is indeed here in our midst; and within each believer who welcomes His presence, influence and power. He will not force His presence upon us but patiently waits for us to invite Him in as we yield to His offer.
The attitude of receiving and welcoming His Spirit into our lives is to be the continual attitude of a believer. When we receive His Spirit we receive His life/chaim which revives us, imparting the same resurrection life that raised Him from the dead, which will quicken us and make us alive in Him. Romans 8:11
As our ascended Messiah He is able to give New Life.
It’s not the so termed, baptism of His Holy Spirit, that changes people, but it is the power of the risen Messiah coming in to dwell in our lives that changes us through His Holy Spirit working from the inside out. We sometimes have a tendency to separate things that the New Testament/Brit Chadashah does not separate. The termed, baptism of His spirit of Holiness, is not an experience apart from Jesus/Yeshua – it is the real and living evidence of the risen Messiah. He has given us chaim/life everlasting and full of glory.
John 17:3This is eternal life that they may KNOW You
it’s something that begins at new birth and never ends….
We often speak of types and shadows in the scriptures…
The giving of the Torah (teaching/law) at Sinai was the type/shadow
that was fulfilled at Shavuot/Pentecost.
Sinai marked the birth date of the dispensation of Torah/Teaching/Law, and involved great displays of God’s power through thunderings, lightning, fire and the sound of His reverberating voice.
The fulfillment at Shavuot/Pentecost was the giving of the Spirit of the Law to the followers of the Mashiach/Messiah.
Shavuot/Pentecost, marks the birth date of the ecclesia/church/called apart ones, and what some term as the dispensation of Grace.
This occasion was also accompanied with great displays of God’s power through fire and a sound like a mighty rushing wind. According to Ephesians 4:30, from this point onward, His Ruach HaKodesh/Spirit of Holiness dwells within each follower and seals the Body of Messiah for the day of redemption.
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)
The gift of tongues is simply the Holy Spirit giving us the supernatural ability to speak in a foreign tongue/language that we have no knowledge or ability to speak out on our own.
There are two types of tongues He can give us. One is a tongue of this earth; e.g., if our native language is English, then He can give us the ability to speak in Chinese, Japanese, or Spanish, etc. For the simple reason we may be in that country or with people who speak that language and will understand it.
The other type of tongue that He can give us is a tongue direct from heaven, a heavenly language that is not of this earth. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 that there are tongues of angels.
Whichever it is, it will be a foreign language that we will not be able to speak out on our own, and only His Holy Spirit’s supernatural transmission of this language out of our spirits will give us the ability to be able to speak it using our voice.
Whatever tongue Holy Spirit gives us, we will be able to use it all the time, whenever we want. It will be our own personal, private, prayer language between us and the Lord.
One thing to remember with this gift is that for the most part, we may never know or understand what we are praying about when we operate in this gift, however we can pray to interpret what the Lord has spoken through us.
The Bible tells us that we will be speaking out “mysteries,” and only the Father and His Holy Spirit will know exactly what the prayer is about on any given occasion.“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26)
Here we are told clearly that they were ALL filled and spoke in other tongues… which was the physical evidence of His Spirit in them, there were no exceptions and so we can expect the same today, and includes all the other gifts of His Spirit as in
The Word of Knowledge
The Word of Wisdom
The Gift of Prophecy
The Gift of Faith
The Gifts of Healings
The Working of Miracles
The Discerning of Spirits
Different Kinds of Tongues
The Interpretation of Tongues
our Father has not changed..
He is the same yesterday today and forever. Heb.13:8
In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14) Here we see the sealing by His Spirit to enable us to continue our walk.
It is interesting that the Father waited 50 days after Messiahs’ resurrection, (10 days after His Ascension) before He sent His Holy Spirit. As our Father is precise in all His details it is without doubt because He was waiting for the Appointed Time/Shavuot/Pentecost. He is never early and He is never late in fulfilling His promises.
The other symbol of His Spirit and presence is FIRE.
From the Ex.3:2burning bush, to the pillar in the wilderness, to the outpouring in Jerusalem …
our God is a consuming FIRE Heb.12:29
and as Malachi states like a refiners fire.
In Malachi 3:1-4, the prophet declares the
imminent return of the Lord
and with it,
His holy judgment of refining fire.
We are all too well aware that being a follower of Messiah does not spare us from experiencing testings, trials, conflict and trouble; and the process of refinement is one that He continually applies to our lives.
This fire is Holy Fire – Esh Kadosh/qadosh. אש קדושה
The Fire that cleanses, refines and purifies; it burns up all that is not acceptable to the Father and also speaks of His power so that like Jesus/Yeshua, we may work the works of Him who sends us.John 9:4, for greater works than these will you do. John 14:12.
BUT as always, there is a condition, an IF …
We have to be willing..
we have to lay down our lives, our plans and allow Him to be sovereign in our lives.
The choice is ours…His offer is there for whosoever will… The events of Acts 2 includes the
empowering
of His spirit
and the imparting of His boldness to proclaim the good news of Messiah’s Kingdom. The boldness of the fire like Jeremiah* had.
Are we truly on fire for God? .. or
are we just barely glowing embers, dying without the breath of His Spirit … we need the mighty rushing wind of Shavuot to blow on and re-ignite the fire.
Holy Spirit of Truth is certainly God, however, He is not the Person of Yeshua/HaMashiach/Jesus Christ. The scriptures seem to indicate that it was the Father who sent the Holy Spirit – “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) And then Messiah says – “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18)
The early spring Appointed Times/Moedim: (Pesach/Passover, Chag haMatzot /Unleavened Bread, Bikkurim/Firstfruits); were fulfilled in order, all in the same year, through the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach. When we look at the harvest times, Yeshua/Jesus and the many saints that were resurrected with Him, were the barley harvest. Notably, the ripeness of the barley is what decides if a new year can begin, or if a leap month, called Adar2, needs to be added to the calendar. This is always taken into account when the date of the late spring feast – Pentecost/Shavuot is calculated.
Pentecost/Shavuot experienced at least a partial fulfillment in the same year the three spring feasts were fulfilled. As we already noted, 50 days after Firstfruits/Bikkurim, or 10 days after Yeshua/Jesus’ ascension, His Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh, descended upon the Jewish believers waiting in Jerusalem. Partial fulfillment in that He has been indwelling and sealing believers ever since, until the day of their redemption –
as He said, we are to
look up for your redemption draweth nigh,
so it is not yet completed!
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:28
Since Holy Spirit is God, He is omnipresent, everywhere at the same time.
Pentecost/Shavuot marks the time of the wheat harvest in Israel.
As we have walked through the springAppointed Times/Moedim, we can see a picture of our own walk with Messiah.
At Pesach/Pasover we are reminded of being set free from the bondage of sin and death, then during the Feast of Unleavened Bread/Matzah week, we have the opportunity to practice our unleavenedness; and rejoice in our saviors Resurrection as Firstfruits from the dead. Then as we count from the Omer we are like the wheat crops growing towards maturity, ultimately designed to become an abundant harvest for Him.
During this season of counting we can focus on certain spiritual themes such as: sowing, growing, increase, being fed and nourished by the Father and being mindful of how we are growing toward maturity in Messiah. By examining our ways we discover if they are truly aligned, submitted and conformed to His.
This is why we are to WAIT on the Lord, for His power to fill us and enable us to be witnesses unto Him; this is how He goes with us, and will always be with us, and will never leave us nor forsake us.
Isaiah 30:18: “And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted that he might be merciful upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment, blessed are all that WAIT for him.”
Like the farmer who waits for the precious fruit of the earth, we too have to wait for God to mature us and grow us. Part of our being mature in Messiah, is knowing when to put our hand to the plough and work hard but also knowing that when we have done all we can do then it is time to WAIT/CHAKAH. We must ask ourselves if we have been listening/hearing to His call and responding by doing that which He has required of us?..We must walk and work in maturity and continue to be patient, stabilize our hearts because the coming of the Master draws near. James 5:7-8
Let’s be mindful of the season we are in…..
on each of us..
For those new to the site previous posts linked below cover more detail on Shavuot/Pentecost..
Shavuot 2022 begins Saturday, June 4 at sunset and ends Monday, June 6 at nightfall.
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim/friends and mishpachah/family!
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week,
you are greatly loved and prayed for daily.
REMEMBER..
Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation
Not sure ..you can be…
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer,
Savior, Lord, and soon returning King
and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit which is given to us
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