Are We in A Divine Pause?

40th day of the Omer on the Hebrew Calendar is 25 IYYAR, it was on Thursday, May 30th.

– Divine Gaps and Pauses – בהשהייה

The 40th day also marked the day of Yeshua/Jesus’ Ascension into the Heavens.

Shamayim – שָׁמַיִם

Strongs 8064: Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-mah’-yim)

Then Jesus blessed them, and as He gave the blessing, He began to ascend into heaven.

The account of Yeshua/Jesus’ Ascension is found in Luke 24:50-51 and Acts 1:9-11.

It is plain from Scripture that it was a literal, bodily return to heaven.

 The Ascension is a mystery of faith, just like Yeshua/Jesus’ Resurrection, with which it is closely associated. The event is mentioned briefly in Mark (16:19) and Luke (24:50-53).

“This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Messiah, Ascension of, and as the forerunner of His people. Hebrews 6:20

He was the first fruit.

This event occurred 40 days

which is the 40th day of the Omer count to Shavuot (Total 50 days – Pentecost)

There is some significance to certain numbers in the Bible, however we should be discerning about trying to interpret their meanings. God did have reasons for using certain numbers over and over in the Bible, but only He may know the true reasons.

The number 40 is used 159 times. There is a general consensus among scholars that it is a number symbolizing trial, testing, or judgment. 40 also represents transition or change; the concept of renewal; a new beginning. The number 40 has the power to lift a spiritual state. This seems evident in a number of places in the Bible, however, it also is used for more than that.

Every time one finds the number forty in Torah, its inner meaning is the ascent from one level to the next higher one. (Ascension!)

The letter Mem is the thirteenth letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet, Alphabet. The letter Mem has the numeric value of forty (40).

The Mem represents the age, or time of completion.

The pictograph for Mem looks like a wave of water, whereas the classical Hebrew script (Ketav Ashurit) is constructed of a Kaf with a Vav beside it: Interesting note is that the gematria for these components equals the value for the Divine Name.

Below is a list of the ways it could be taken as a number signifying trial, testing, judgment, transition or change, the concept of renewal, or a new beginning.

Strongs #40 is Abimelek- Phonetic Spelling: (ab-ee-mel’-ek) – אֲבִימֶלֶךְ – meaning ‘father is king’!

When God destroyed every living thing on the Earth by flood, it rained 40 days and 40 nights (Gen 7:4,12,17).

Three men in the Bible fasted 40 days and 40 nights: Moses (Ex 34:28)(Deut 9:9,18,25)(Deut 10:10), Elijah (1 Kin 19:8), and Jesus (Mt 4:2)(Lk 4:2)(Mk 1:13).

Because Israel refused to enter the Promised Land, God condemned them to wander in the “wilderness” for 40 years (Num 14:33-34)(Num 32:11-13)(Deut 8:2)(Josh 5:6).
(God also kept their clothing and sandals from wearing out for the whole 40 years: Deut 29:5, Deut 8:4.)

The Israelites were given manna in the desert for 40 years to “test” and “humble” them (Ex 16:35)(Deut 8:3,16)

When scourging someone, they could not receive more than 40 lashes (Deut 25:3)(2 Cor 11:24).

The Israelites were in captivity to the Philistines for 40 years for doing evil (Judg 13:1). 

Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days and nights (1 Sam 17:16), until David defeated him.

Ezekiel laid on his right side for 40 days to “bear the iniquity” of Judah’s sins (Ezek 4:6).

God proclaimed judgment against Egypt, saying it would be desolate for 40 years (Ezek 29:10-12).

God gave Nineveh 40 days to repent or be overthrown (Jonah 3:4).

Other References:

After the flood waters had receded, and the tops of the mountains were visible, Noah waited another 40 days to open the window of the Ark (Gen 8:6).

Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as his wife (Gen 25:20).

Esau, Isaac’s son, also got married when he was 40 (Gen 26:34).

Embalming took 40 days in early Bible times (Gen 50:3).

Moses was on Mt. Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (twice!) (Ex 24:18)(Ex 34:28)(Deut 9:9,11,18,25)(Deut 10:10).

The spies that Moses sent to spy out the Promised Land were there for 40 days (Num 13:25)(Num 14:34).

One of those spies was Joshua, and he was forty years old when he went (Josh 14:7).

Moses died when he was 120 years old (Deut 34:7). His life can be divided into 3 sections of 40 years: (first 40) being born and growing up in Pharaoh’s house in Egypt (Acts 7:20-23), (middle 40) fleeing to Midian after killing the Egyptian, and living there for 40 years (Acts 7:29-30), (last 40) returning to Egypt, the exodus, and the events that followed (Acts 7:36)(Ex 7:7).

Aaron died 40 years after the Israelites had left Egypt (Num 33:38).

Three different times in Judges, the land had rest for 40 years (Judg 3:11)(Judg 5:31)(Judg 8:28).

Eli judged Israel for 40 years (1 Sam 4:18).

Ishbosheth became king over Israel when he was 40 years old (2 Sam 2:10).

Three kings reigned for 40 years: David (1 Kin 2:11)(2 Sam 5:4-5), Solomon (1 Kin 11:42), and Joash (2 Chr 24:1)(2 Kin 12:1).
(Saul may also be a part of this group [Acts 13:21], but this is controversial [1 Sam 13:1].)

The 10 lavers in the Temple each held “40 baths” (about 230 gal.) of water (1 Kin 7:38).

The time period between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension was 40 days (Acts 1:3).

The book of Exodus has 40 chapters.

The average length of a woman’s pregnancy is 40 weeks.

In other denominations observance of Lent is the 40 days before easter (not counting Sundays).

So the meaning of trial, testing, or judgment could be aligned with the Omer as days of self spiritual preparation. A gap in time, a season of a divine pause?

As a point of reference today, most technical equipment and those with Remote Control units often have a pause or hold button that will suspend action, the motor, the motion.

Or to stop the DVD video and/or replay the one we are watching. It is convenient and on our time schedule then when we are ready we continue to fit in with our plans.

We are often put

on the phone, which can be frustrating while music is played.

The Omer is like a spiritual pause.

When the disciples were

on hold – ( בהשהייה ) –

because He had said to them –

wait – שְׁבוּ־ – šə·ḇū- 

in Jerusalem

after the 49 days of the Omer, it was Shavuot and the Ruach HaKodesh came.

Then the pause was removed and the command to

go – לְכ֣וּ –lə-ḵū

replaced the command to . 

wait – שְׁבוּ־ – šə·ḇū- .

It was set in as an appointed time of preparation and an Annual rehearsal for all the generations prior to Messiah appearance.

This was a very long divine pause/gap, from it’s initiation and institution at Sinai to its fulfillment in Jerusalem. God’s timing and ways and thoughts are not like our human ones.

We often forget that after His resurrection, first fruits; the risen Messiah was seen by many. Was He with His disciples for all of the 40 days, almost 6 weeks?

Was He still teaching them in His resurrected body?

The first written reference to the resurrection is in 1Cor 15:3-12; Here is context:

 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter/Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Read verse 6 again…..how many?

he appeared to Peter/Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

It is amazing that nowhere in the 4 gospels is there a record of an appearance to more than 500 brothers and sisters at one time. (The reference to brethren always included the women and children.)

The location where Yeshua/Jesus met with the disciples in the last chapter of Matthew was in Galilee on a mountain top. 

The particular mountain was not specified, although according to tradition there were two possible locations, Mt. Tabor and Mt. Hermon.

Mt. Tabor (above) is in the Jezreel Valley in southern Galilee.

Mt. Hermon in northern Galilee rises to over 9,000 feet above sea level.  Either location would have provided a safe place away from the watchful eyes of the authorities for a group of 500 or more subversive (rebel lions!) peasants to gather.

Interesting to note that the base of Mt Hermon was known as the gates of hell, because it was a pagan altar to Pan.

The followers of Yeshua/Jesus climbed the mountain and the risen Messiah appeared to them, and what did the disciples see? 

Our scripture doesn’t give us much of a clue, just one verse 17:  And when they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted.

Why did some doubt? Whatever His followers saw that day must not have been totally convincing because this indicates that despite His appearance there was still some room for honest doubt, enough to be recorded.  Maybe some of them simply couldn’t believe their eyes and ears; even though Yeshua/Jesus appeared to them and spoke to them, still they doubted.

There is not much written in the Scriptures of what he taught them or did during that one month in 10 days.

However He was bridging the gap, the pause, as they counted the Omer to Shavuot/Pentecost.

Was He with them daily in Jerusalem as they met in the upper room?

We do know He was seen in Galilee.

On the morning of the Resurrection, the angel tells the women to tell the disciples that Messiah would go before them into Galilee.

“Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” (Mt 28:7)

After seeing the angel on their way to tell the men, the risen Messiah met them…

9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.

Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. 28:10

We might think that it would be better to remain in Jerusalem. Obviously in the city, He would have more witnesses to the resurrection.

Why did Yeshua/Jesus chose Galilee?

Maybe because Galilee served every purpose that Jerusalem couldn’t!

It was a call to faith.

Yeshua/Jesus had been warning them, prophesying that He would be killed but would rise from the dead (Mark 8:31, 9:31, 10:34, Luke 9:22).

This would be an act of faith for them to go to Galilee purposefully to meet Him there. They would of necessity have to believe the eye-witness testimony of the women who reported that they saw Yeshua/Jesus risen from the dead.

Furthermore, they would also have to believe that Yeshua/Jesus was really going to appear to them. The location away from Jerusalem, would help to separate them from that highly emotional environment which might be seen as a place where false identifications or hallucinations might proliferate.

Instead they had time to calm their emotions as they traveled the miles to Galilee because if they were really going to meet Yeshua/Jesus in Galilee it would be the real person and not be any mirage or trick.

Those who had made the pilgrimage for  Pesach/Passover would be returning home. A remote mountain in Galilee would be a good location to meet with His disciples without chance of interruption, because He wanted to show Himself openly to all His assembled disciples. The Jews would not have permitted them to assemble in Judæa. Another reason may have been that this location would allow Yeshua/Jesus to easily choose those who were to be witnesses of His resurrection.

We saw in a previous post that the Jews of that time believed that the soul of the departed hovered around the tomb for several days after death. If Yeshua/Jesus met the disciples in Galilee then there would be no suspicion that the post-resurrection appearances were of this kind. (Cf. Edersheim, Life, II, 631). Nobody could claim that the disciples only saw Yeshua/Jesus’ ghost hovering around His tomb.

This choice in location showed His wisdom because Galilee was home. He was well aware of the disciples emotional and psychological state. Just as the two on the Emmaus Road, they were broken and in despair, probably even frightened.

Judas had met a horrible end, Thomas was alone with his doubts and depression, many were confused.

His goal was to regroup them and help rebuild their faith, bringing the fulness of His shalom to their shattered hopes.

His choice of home is echoed in the prodigal sons return home and also today when young people mess up their lives and need to know some semblance of normality and hope, going back home is their best option. Here they will most likely find that security, love and a sense of belonging/family stability that they might live more safely among their own relations …

Yeshua/Jesus was aware that taking them back to Galilee would be a positive move because in Galilee, Yeshua/Jesus had preached, and performed very many miracles there.

This would help remind them of their time with Him, the miracles, casting out demons, healing the sick, preaching to the multitudes, the victories and the successes. Taking them out of the hostile environment of Jerusalem; which was a place of conflict, where the attacks of the Jewish leaders were relentless and it was the place of turmoil, suffering and death.

The meeting in Galilee would be a more calm and friendly place; which would make it easier for them to see their new apostolic calling: to take the gospel message of the kingdoms to the uttermost ends of the earth.

These may be some reasons why He chose Galilee, because He knew best and has always known what He is doing.

The most important question is, do we believe He knows what He is doing and will we trust Him?

He does not say they should not see Him before: for they saw Him – all but Thomas – that very evening. All of them saw Him eight days later; and both times were before they went into Galilee: but this He said, to put them in mind of what He had promised them, Matthew 26:32. Also to confirm the words of the angel; and which might serve for a confirmation of the truth of these things, both to the women, and to the disciples, when they observed the exact agreement between Jesus/Yeshua’s words, and those of the angel.

Go tell my brethren;

This was significant in that He was meaning those who were not His kinsmen according to the flesh, but His disciples, who were in this relation to Him, as all the elect of God are.

Not only through His incarnation, He being their “Goel”, their near kinsman, and Redeemer, and of the same nature, flesh, and blood with them, and like unto them in all things, excepting sin. This was rather on account of their divine adoption, to which they were predestinated, and which they received through His redemption, and under the witness of the Ruach:

“And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brothers! his disciples For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:49,50

The disciples stood in an unique relationship to Messiah, who is the eternal Son of God, and heir of all things; and that relationship was in Him now He was raised from the dead, and had all glory given to Him. Here He declared this relationship, even when they had so recently forsaken Him;

Go, tell my brethren indicates His continued affection for them and their fellowship with Him in His glory.

It gives rise to the question did he visit His mother and brothers and sisters?? We know in 1Cor 15:7 Then he appeared to James,

But no reference to the family.

Mount of Olives –

A place of goings and comings.

Jesus/Yeshua explains that God has given Him all authority in heaven and on earth. “Go, therefore,” Jesus urges them, “and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” Matt 28:18-20.

While the disciples are still in Galilee, Jesus/Yeshua directs them to return to Jerusalem. When meeting with them in the city, He says: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but keep waiting for what the Father has promised, about which you heard from me; for John, indeed, baptized with water, but you will be baptized with holy spirit not many days after this.”​—Acts 1:4, 5. exactly 10 more days after His Ascension.

Later Jesus meets again with his apostles. He leads “them out as far as Bethany,” which is on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. (Luke 24:50)

The apostles are on the Mount of Olives with the resurrected Messiah when He begins to rise heavenward.

Soon a cloud obscures him from their sight. After His resurrection, Messiah had materialized a supernatural fleshly body. But now He dematerializes the body He used on this occasion, and He ascends to heaven ‘bodily’ as a spirit creature. (1 Cor. 15:44, 50;1 Peter 3:18)

As the faithful apostles are gazing after him, “two men in white garments” appear beside them. These are materialized angels, who ask:

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky?

This Jesus who was taken up from you into the sky will come in the same manner as you have seen him going into the sky.”​ 

Acts 1:10, 11.

Yeshua/Jesus left the earth without a huge public display, His faithful followers being the only observers.

Does this indicate that He will return “in the same manner”​—without public fanfare, with only his faithful followers discerning his presence in Kingdom power?

Like the thief in the night? It’s the second coming that every eye shall see Him not when He comes for His Bride/Challah.

On the top of the mount of Olives are the Church of the Ascension and the Chapel of the Ascension, both claiming to be the spot from where Jesus ascended to heaven.

The Chapel of the Ascension is actually neither a chapel nor a church but a mosque run by Muslims and a myth was made up about finding on the two footprints, which they said were made when Jesus pressed into the earth before leaping into the air.

A building was built over it and Muslim men who concede that they are Muslim only when directly questioned, charge an entrance fee to unsuspecting Christians under a sign that labels their mosque, “CHAPEL OF THE ASCENSION.

What does the Bible say about the spot from which Yeshua/Jesus ascended to heaven?

The Bible simply says that it was on the “mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.” 

Worth noting that “a Sabbath day’s journey” isn’t the distance to be covered by walking for a day. It is a specific distance of 2,000 cubits, equal to 3,000 feet, 1,000 yards or 914.4 metres.

So the location of Jesus’ ascension could be anywhere on the Mount of Olives, which is a mountain ridge that runs about 1,000 yards east of Jerusalem.

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?

This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. (Acts 1:6-12)

It seems as if we really are in a divine Gap/ Pause that has lasted over 2000 years! They all thought, including Paul, that His return was imminent.

God’s pauses are longer than ours; many of His gaps are extended beyond our life times and even generations.

We are still

on hold

since the time of Jesus/Yeshua reading in the synagogue from the scroll of Isaiah.

When He paused, at 61:2 saying, today this is fulfilled in your hearing.

He rolled up the scroll never finished the portion….

At the end of this divine gap when the pause is removed, the heavens themselves will roll up like a scroll as the rest of the verse will be fulfilled.

Is His second coming connected in some way to Shavuot/Pentecost feast?… maybe?

What we do know is He is returning for His bride – כַּלָה – kallah

Phonetic Spelling: (kal-law’) Strongs 3618

we are to be ready looking for Him.

Our prime focus must be on being spiritually prepared. which is the message of the parable of the 10 virgins. Having our oil lamps filled. The Shavuot promise was completed; the oil, the spirit, the ruach was poured out. Be-being filled, we cannot afford to relax spiritually. We know not the day or the hour and when we least expect Him…..He will come.

The signs of the times, of the return of the King listed in Matthew and Luke, are all around us and are increasing.

The long gap almost complete?

Is the pause button on the age of grace, the times of the Gentiles being fulfilled and coming to an end?

In an hour we think not …. are we ready?

 

Completion…. Is the prophetic scripture in Isaiah 61 verse 3 about to resume?

The only reason the end of the age has gone on so long is due to the patience of God. Our heavenly father is waiting for the precious fruit of the earth James 5:7

Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently until it receives the early and latter rain. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.

Any unripe and premature fruit are bitter and hard, that’s exactly what James was referring to when he spoke of waiting for the precious fruit of the earth; except the fruit he spoke of was people. He is waiting for the ‘precious fruit of the earth.’

In the same way as a farmer patiently waits for the early and later rains to fall and for the harvest to ripen and be reaped, Yeshua/Jesus wants us to understand that He is waiting for ‘precious fruit.’ Every man, woman and child is precious to the Lord.

God’s promises are for us personally, but they are also for everyone who will believe. Because of this, God delays what all believers long for.

God is not slow, but patient.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

God is not limited by hours in a day or by the number of days in a year. 2 Peter 3:8 says that to God, “A day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day.”

It is a beyond human patience – it’s the long suffering, compassionate love of a parent waiting for the child to grow up and do what they know to do. To fall in line with the program and stop being wayward children doing their own thing.

It’s time for us to grow up into the fullness of the likeness of the Son He said for us to emulate and until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.

Hebrews 6:1; Ephesians 4:13-15,

It’s time to make our heavenly father smile, as we wait eagerly watching for His return; for the pause is coming to an end and the end of Is. 61:1  and verse 2 is about to begin

And all through to verse 11… righteousness and praise will spring forth before all the nations.

Isaiah 53:6. We all like sheep have gone astray.

Isaiah 56:6 seek the Lord while he may be found call while he is near

The day of vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn Matthew 5:4

he will give beauty for ashes and oil of joy for mourning

The garment the prayer shawl/tallit, of praise instead of the spirit of infirmity.

This word in Strongs 3544 in Hebrew is KEHEH – כֵּהֶה

Phonetic Spelling: (kay-heh’)

that truly means to be pale, dull, faint or dim is used as an expression for feeling weak, sickly, so they could be called Oaks of righteousness the planting of the Lord so he would be glorified.

(They are called Oaks, as the opposite of weak and sickly.)

Luke 4:18, 19

 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

The spirit of the Lord is upon me to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor……..

There He stopped and declared it was fulfilled in their hearing.

Indicating that He was the substance of which the ritual had been merely a type foreshadowing His Coming.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me “The Spirit of Jehovah is upon me” – The Septuagint, Vulgate, and St. Luke, ( Luke 4:18;), and a MS., and two old editions omit the word אדני Adonai, the Lord; which was probably added to the text through the superstition of the Jews, to prevent the pronunciation of the word יהוה Jehovah following.

The following is yet to be completed…

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Ver. 3. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion. Isaiah 61:4-11 King James Version (KJV)

4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

While we wait and we are on HOLD…

So it would seem we are in a divine

 The anniversary of Messiahs Ascension has passed once again and the Gap to Shavuot is closing fast. One of these days the pause button will be released and the play will continue to the fulfillment of the end of this age.

What remains for us, is to be clothed in the armor of light and look up.. for our redemption draws nigh.

Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah). Rom.13:11

And He is NOT slack concerning His promises…

Shalom shalom…

Please don’t leave this site without knowing you are saved and assured that you belong to Him; with a deep conviction that you know where you will go, when your body can no longer sustain you in this realm. 

Make certain Jesus is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him. 

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

Its all about Life and Relationship not Religion.

NOT SURE?

Then simply 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 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.

The Almah Miriams and A Place At The Table

Some intriguing facts about people and places connected with this season of His appointed times:

The very first time Almah – עַלְמָה – almāh, is seen is in the Torah

Hebrew: תּוֹרָה, Direction, Instruction, Teaching or Law. (Pronounced:to-raw‘).

Strongs 8451: Acquired knowledge or skills that mark the direction one is to take in life.

A straight direction.

Knowledge passed from one person to another.

It is found in The Book of Exodus

(i.e., Sefer Shemot [סֵפֶר שְׁמוֹת])

שְׁמוֹת   Shemot, Shemoth, or Shemos (שְׁמוֹת — Hebrew for Names, in the Old Testament in the Tenakh.

The Tanakh (Hebrew: תַּנַ”ךְ‎, pronounced [taˈnaχ] or [təˈnax]; TaNaKh also Tenakh, Tenak, Tanach) ) is the canonical collection of Jewish texts, it is a name used in Judaism for the canon of the Hebrew Bible, which is also the textual source for the Christian Old Testament.

The Tanakh is also known as the Masoretic Text or the Miqra.

The Greek translation of the Hebrew (the Septuagint) (Kitvei HaKodesh

Some Jews refer to the entire Hebrew Bible (Kitvei HaKodesh) simply as the Torah without making the distinction of the divisions shown above.

Though the Christian Old Testament is the result of the canonization of the Jewish scriptures, the order of the books in the Tanakh is not identical to the Christian Old Testament (though the content is the same, the chapter and verse references are not).

כתבי הקדשׁ  – Kitvei HaKadosh – The Hebrew Scriptures

Almah is a Hebrew word – עַלְמָה – for virgin.

Almah (עַלְמָה ‘almāh, plural: עֲלָמוֹת ‘ălāmōṯ), from a root implying the vigour of adolescence and puberty.

It is a Hebrew word for a young woman of childbearing age. … Etymologically, the meaning of the word almah is derived from the verb almah, to hide, or to conceal which helps to support the virgin interpretation.  Being careful here in connecting the concept of being hidden with that of being a virgin, especially since some of the almah’s in the bible went about freely in public and were anything but hidden (Gen 24:43 and Psalm 68:25 -26).

Almah definition, (in Egypt) a woman or girl who dances or sings professionally.

In the second book of Torah in Exodus. Shemot – שְׁמוֹת ….

is the story of a young maiden, Miriam/Mary who was the one who watched over the baby Moses in his box/ark as he floated down the Nile River towards his destiny as a Redeemer of Israel; their mother having set him afloat so he would not be killed by Pharaoh’s servants and soldiers.

This occurred not long after Pharaoh decreed that all newborn Hebrew boys were to be drowned in the Nile river. Previous to this, Miriam’s mother, Yocheved, had hidden Miriam’s infant brother, Moses, for three months.

Miryam watches as Pharaoh’s daughter finds the basket.

Ex. 2:5 And the girl went and got the baby Moses’ birth mother, Jochebed, Pharaoh’s daughter Batya said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took and the baby and nursed him. When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter who adopted him and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”

Almah is also found in Isaiah 7 where the prophetic word states that an Almah will conceive and bring forth a child.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin (almah) will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

This Messianic prophecy is further complemented by a description of this same child found in Isaiah 9:6 which reconfirms the name Immanuel. The Septuagint (Greek copy of the Old Testament) chose the specific Greek word for virgin in this same Isaiah 7:14 prophecy many years before Yeshua/Jesus was born. In the New Testament, Matthew 1:18-23 confirms that Yeshua/Jesus, The Messiah, was the one foretold about in Isaiah 7:14.

Gen 24:43, here “almah” refers to Rebekah, a virgin.

Exodus 2:8, here almah is used to describe Moses’ s young sister, a young girl who is likely a virgin.

Song of Solomon 6:8, classifies Solomon’s women into three categories: wives, concubines and virgins. If they were not virgins, they would be concubines, suggesting almah means virgin.(4)

Scriptures of interest include:

Psalm 68:25, Song of Solomon 1:3, Proverbs 30:19 and Isaiah 9:6.

The Hebrew word almah is not used to describe a virgin 100 percent of the time however, it may have been the best choice in Hebrew and Greek wording.

 All believers understand that this prophecy tells of the virgin (almah) birth of our Messiah Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach. Complemented with Isaiah 9:6 which is a further description of this child, including His divine attributes, it fits perfectly with the child’s name/title here, Immanuel (God is with us).

https://www.minimannamoments.com/is-el-eem-anu/

True biblical prophecy works together with other areas of scripture, meaning words in scripture support scripture.

This child’s birthplace can be found in Micah 5:2

A ruler out of Bethlehem, this child’s name/title can be found here in Isaiah 7:14 (Immanuel).

His divine attributes are found in Isaiah 9:6 and Isaiah 43:11.

The time of his death is found in Daniel 9:24 – 27.

His resurrection is found in psalm 16. 

His return to earth (second coming) is found in 12:10 where Israel will look upon the one that is pierced which is further supported in Zechariah 14: 1-7 which brings Daniel’s 70th week (see Daniel 9:24-27) prophecy to an end.

All of these prophecies work together and no one prophecy needs to stand alone.

Some other Marys Almahs and Miryams

John tells us that early on the first day of the week, (Feast of Firstfruits) while it was still dark,

Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

” Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.”

John: 20:1

The first people to the tomb were women and 2 out of the 3 of them were called Mary. However all 3 may have been called Mary according to Mark 16:1 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and {Mary} Salome went to the tomb.

Mary, (Hebrew Miryam), was one of the most common women’s names in New Testament times, and so it is not surprising that the crucifixion and resurrection narratives seem to speak of as many as five separate Marys.

As we all know the mother of Jesus/Yeshua was also called Mary (Hebrew Miryam); who, John tells us in 19:25, was at the cross with Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.  ‘standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.’

Mary is pronounced MARE-ee. It is of Latin origin, and the meaning of Mary is “star of the sea”.

Other possible meanings from the Hebrew are:

wished-for child;

rebellion;

sea of bitterness.

Another meaning of Miriam is “Mistress of the Sea”. Keeping in mind that many names may have different meanings in other countries and languages.

Transliteration: Miryam

Original Word: מִרְיָם

The name Maria (or Mary) is the Greek transliteration of an older version of the name Mary from the Hebrew name Miriam, the name Mareike means: Bitter or Sea, the same as Maria in Dutch.

The young woman in the exodus story was Mary/Miriam. רְיָםמִ strongs 4813 Miryam a sister of Aaron and Moses pronounced MEER-ee-em.

Most scholars derive the name Miriam from the verb מרה (mara) meaning to be bitter, rebellious or disobedient.

Strongs 4755 Mara מָרָא (pronounced MAHR-ah – maw-raw’) Mara: “bitter,” symbolic name of Naomi MARA. ma’-ra, mar’-a (marah, “bitter”): The term which Naomi applies to herself on her return from Moab to her native country.

Phonetic Spelling: (meer-yawm’)

Word Origin rom the same as Merayah

Original Word: מְרָיָה

Transliteration: Merayah

Phonetic Spelling: (mer-aw-yaw’)

Waters of bitterness or sorrow

Exodus 15:20. Miriam the prophetess — ΄αριαμ in the Greek, in the Latin Maria, from the Hebrew word מרה marah, bitterness. She was so called, say some, from the times of affliction and bitterness, (Exodus 1:14.) in which she was born.

There are several meanings behind the name Miriam, spelled ‘mem’, ‘reish/resh’, ‘yud/yod’, ‘mem’ in Hebrew (מִרְיָם),

Various Jewish sources relate to either bitter, water, rebellion or elevation.

One meaning is based on the letters ‘mem’, ‘reish’ of her name spelling “mar” (מר) which means “bitter”. This connotes the fact that Miriam was born during the beginning of Pharaoh’s bitter decrees as in the verse, “And the [Egyptians] embittered [the Jews’] lives with hard labor.

However, another meaning of mar (מר) is water as in the verse, “The nations are as a drop of water (c’mar) from a bucket”.

Miriam’s strong association with water includes her involvement in saving Moses at the Nile, singing praise to God after crossing the Sea of Reeds or Red Sea and the special well or spring of water called the “Well of Miriam”. In her merit, this well miraculously provided water for the Jews by accompanying them throughout their wanderings in the wilderness.

There is a Hebrew teaching that says, “Three great leaders led Israel: Moses, Aaron and Miriam.

In their merit they received three great gifts: the Well [Miriam],

the Clouds of Glory [Aaron]

and the Manna [Moses].”

When Miriam died, the well was removed as is evidenced by the fact that immediately after the verse And Miriam died, the Torah states, The People had no water.

After Miriam’s death, this is the significance of the verses where Moses is searching for and eventually strikes the rock, in order to restore its’ waters, which had dried up with Miriam’s death.

Concerning the death of Miriam, the Torah (First 5 books of Old Testament) states:

The entire congregation of the children of Israel arrived at the desert of Tzin in the first month, and the people settled in Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there”.

By identifying Miriam’s death as occurring in the 1st month the Torah reveals that she died in the Hebrew month of Nisan and indicate that the day of her passing, (yahrtzeit), was the 10th of Nisan.

The Sages taught that the Torah’s account of Miriam’s death follows immediately after the laws of purification through the red heifer. This may have been to in order to emphasize and teach that, just as sacrifices bring atonement, so the death of the righteous secures atonement.

Miriam’s great level of purity and righteousness is indicated by the fact that God chose her as the holy (set-apart) person through which to express this teaching. Also noted is that as did Aaron and Moses, Miriam also died through the painless kiss of death, whereby the Divine Presence is revealed to the departing soul as God lovingly draws it back within Himself.

The Sages also explains that this well was the same rock from which Moses brought forth water after Miriam’s death, but adds that it was round as a sieve; such that it would miraculously roll along with the Israelites on their journeys through the desert.

It further states that when they encamped, the leader of each Tribe took his staff to the well and drew a line in the sand toward his Tribe’s encampment. The waters of the well were drawn after the mark and thus supplied water for each of the Tribes. In this way, Miriam was a source of sustenance for all of Israel.

According to one opinion of the Sages, Miriam’s Well is now in the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret). Based on verses which suggest the travelling and coming to rest of the well, they note: “One who ascends to the top of Mount Yeshimon on the Golan Heights, which overlooks wastelands (yeshimon) to the east one can see [looking west] a kind of small sieve in the Sea of Tiberius [the Sea of Galilee]. This is the Well of Miriam.”

According to another opinion of the Sages, the Well of Miriam came to rest in the Mediterranean Sea and can be seen from the heights of Mount Carmel on the coast of Haifa.

In addition, since water is associated with chesedcompassionkindliness – this meaning behind Miriam indicates her special acts of kindness in serving as a midwife,

devoting herself to the needs of her suffering people and sparing Israelite infants from Pharaoh’s evil decree.

Another meaning behind Miriam is related to the letters ‘mem’, ‘reish’, ‘yud’ of her name spelling: meri, (מרי) which means “rebellion”.

This makes reference to the way she rebelled against Pharaoh’s orders that the Jewish midwives kill all male infants. She even rebelled against her father who, in the name of sparing Hebrew infants from death, caused couples to separate so they wouldn’t have children. Once she convinced her father of his mistake, Amram remarried Yocheved, followed by the other Israelite men, after which time Moses was born.

A last meaning is based on all of the letters of the name Miriam, ‘mem’, ‘reish’, ‘yud’, ‘mem’ spelling the word: merim – (מרים) which means elevate. In the merit of saving the new-born Israelites, thereby building the House of Israel, God blessed Yocheved that He would make from her houses of cohanim and leviim and from Miriam, houses of kingship. Merim here indicates the fact that Miriam, from whom King David came (through her husband Calev of Judah), was elevated to house the Davidic Dynasty which is destined to elevate the Hebrew nation and the perfected community of humanity to Redemption and the World to Come. This might be consistent with an idea which, although not found in Jewish sources, is based on the suggestion that mri in ancient Egyptian means beloved.

The song of Miriam, Exodus 15:20-21 Miriam became the leader of the Hebrew women when they and their families escaped from Egypt. On one occasion she and the women sang the Song of Miriam; it is one of the few poems that survive from the ancient world.

Exodus 15:20 Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.

Then over 1000 years later another baby was born. She was named after this Almah. Moses sister Miriam.

In our translations we know her as Mary.

Meaning of Mary: Usual English form of Maria, which was the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριαμ (Mariam) and Μαρια (Maria) – the spellings are interchangeable – which were from the Hebrew name מִרְיָם (Miryam).

 Usual English form of Maria, which was the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριαμ (Mariam) and Μαρια (Maria) Like other typical Levite names, the name Miriam is probably Egyptian of origin, and mentioned earlier, derived from a word that means Beloved.

To a Hebrew audience, particularly one that didn’t speak ancient Egyptian, the name Miriam/Mary would have seemed obviously akin the verb מרה (mara) meaning to be rebellious or disobedient, or the related verb מרר (marar), meaning to be bitter or strong.

The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including, (as previously mentioned): sea of bitterness, rebelliousness, and wished for child. However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry – beloved, or mr – love.

This is the name of several New Testament characters, most importantly Mary the mother of Messiah.

Matthew 1:18. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”

There is the general belief that the name Mary in the Hebrew is Miriam. The problem with this is that Miriam as we have seen, means rebellious or bitter.

However she was always called Miriam and she was the true Almah, the one chosen as the vessel (womb/racham) to bring the Messiah, the Redeemer, into our world as a baby. Isaiah 9:6

This word Almah, also means, One who is hidden; as in Hidden from the world, (the place of hiding in the womb/racham) separate, pure and untouched.

The Hebrew verb: רָחַםrâcham (Strong’s #7355, x47) – to have mercy, and its corresponding noun: רַחַם – racham (Strong’s #7356, x44) mercy, compassion, womb, bowels.

רחמ

This word can also be applied to those who desire and then choose to become pure, untouched, separate from sin cleansed and holy/set apart. These will be the ones who will bear God’s presence and be a channel, a vessel for bearing God’s blessings into the world.

It is there, for whosoever will, to become a spiritual Almah.

To separate ourselves from whatever is pulling us in another direction and to join ourselves all the more securely to the Father.

There is no better time than right now at this season of new beginnings, of new life; to renew our covenant with the Lord, to rededicate our lives.

As we follow the days of Omer to Pentecost, we can prepare our hearts with some spiritual spring cleaning in readiness for the outpouring of His spirit, 50 days from Resurrection Day.

It was no coincidence that on Nisan 17 daytime – That among the women bringing spices to the tomb early in the morning were two called Mary/Miriam. Who had separated themselves (the ecclesia) to the service of their Lord and had been made clean, holy, set apart, in His sight.

Mark 16:1 – Three women visit Jesus’ tomb: Mary Magdalene, a second Mary the mother of James, and (Mary) Salome.

Having been given new life for old, they sought Him out from where He was Hidden from the world,

(the place of hiding in the womb/racham) in the tomb and resurrected raised as the seed,

Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah of new beginnings – Yeshua the Resheet on Reishit Katzir, the beginning of the Harvest; Chag Ha-Bikkurim –the first fruits festival.

(Weymouth New Testament):

In most solemn truth I tell you that unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains what it was–a single grain; but that if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.

“Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies”

All food has to die first.

The grain is plucked from the ground, dies, is crushed, mixed and baked to make bread. The fresh fruit and vegetables we eat, were all cut off and removed from their life support and are in the process of dying when we eat them.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-season-of-our-hiding/

Then after Mary saw Jesus; the disciples encounter the risen Messiah and on Nisan 17 evening – Yeshua/Jesus raised from the dead at/after Havdalah, (at least before sunrise).

Interesting notes to questions that we have misinterpreted because of mis-translation, Hebraic meaning and culture.

What was the seating arrangement at the last supper, (Passover) and how did Judas get to sit at the place designated for the gathering’s most honored guest? Who prompted the Lord to reveal the name of His betrayer?

The upper room as it is today.

Most of us think of the Last Supper in terms that are familiar to us. In our imagination Jesus/Yeshua and His disciples sit around a square table on chairs. Jesus/Yeshua is at the center and His disciples are around him.

The famous painting of Leonardo Da Vinci may also be uppermost in our thinking.

The seating of guests in chairs, implied in Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper painting, were not used for this most solemn occasion.

Some scholars say the layout of tables may have taken a horseshoe shape.

At the Pesach/Passover supper, everyone reclined on one elbow and yet still faced the table. (As in the diagram above.)

This meant that they lay head towards table and feet away from it.

The person who reclined in front of another was referred to as reclining or leaning on the bosom or chest; or more commonly spoken of as the lap of that individual. Not literally leaning on the persons chest.

This was the meaning in John 13:23, 25; at the last Seder, Pesach supper meal. To be in Abraham’s bosom meant to have the place of honor at a banquet, in Luke 16:23 where it refers to Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom. This was in reference to him being a partaker of the same state of peace and joy as Abraham had in paradise awaiting Messiah. Here may be where we have misinterpreted that reference in John 13:25: Now there was leaning on Jesus‘ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 

In the seating diagram above, Judas is sitting to the left of Jesus/Yeshua, in the place designated for the most honored guest. Although the host would normally select who sat next to him, (see Luke 14:7 – 11), no record exists of Yeshua/Jesus asking Judas to sit next to Him. Judas likely felt he deserved to be the honored guest at the supper and quickly claimed the choice position as his right.

Apparently at a Jewish meal, the top place was at the head end of the table or the middle of the middle couch, however the guests, were not really free to sit where they desired. The host could seat and reseat guests as needs arose. Jesus gives an example of the host asking a presumptuous guest to give up his place of honor to another guest.

Luke 14:1 – 14 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. [9] If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’

 Based on Jewish law and tradition, Passover (and most meals) was partaken of while people reclined around a low, long oval table.

Each person would be lying on their left side and leaning on their left arm, with their feet behind them and their heads facing the table. This means those seated on the left side would have their bodies somewhat facing the end of the table. This position, during a meal like the last supper, frees up the right arm for eating.

Jesus/Yeshua was the host of this seder meal – (the leader). Although the Bible does not directly state the seating for this last meeting, we can postulate where Judas, Jesus, Peter, and John would have had to sit.

It should also be noted that Peter, in the seating diagram below, is located across from John at the end of the table. This was, (especially during this most solemn seder,) the lowest and most humble place at the table.

Is there evidence from the Scripture to show that the above seating arrangement for Yeshua/Jesus’s last gathering with His disciples is correct?

In the gospels it tells us that Peter had to get John’s attention in order for him to ask Yeshua/Jesus who was going to betray Him. (John 13:21, 24).

This would have been unnecessary if Peter was seated next to John. Peter, however, had to be close enough to John so that his request wouldn’t be heard by the others. John then leans backwards against Yeshua/Jesus’ chest to ask Him. (John 13:23-25).

Given how people sat to eat a meal, John had to be immediately to Yeshua/Jesus’ right while at the table. This position enabled him to slightly lean back and be against the Lord’s chest. Additionally, the interaction that involved Peter, John, Yeshua/Jesus and Judas, was quiet and close enough so that the other disciples didn’t know what was said (see John 13:28). This meant they didn’t know that, during the meal, the betrayer would be the one given a piece of bread, the sop.

The host of a formal meal or supper would give, the honored guest, at the table the first sop. The sop was a piece of bread or other small amount of choice food that is dipped in a sauce. The host, once he had the sop, would place it into the mouth of the honored guest. This guest always sat to the left of the host, in John 13:21, 25-26, the Bible clearly states was Judas Iscariot.

After receiving the sop, Judas asked if he was the betrayer, which Messiah confirmed that he was in Matthew 26:23-25. Satan then immediately enters Judas and he leaves the room.

The 9 disciples who didn’t hear what was discussed, were unaware of what was happening (John 13:28-29). After Judas left and the seder was finished, Yeshua/Jesus did something that caught the disciples off guard. He took off some of His clothes, wrapped a towel around his waist, and then began at Peter to wash the disciples’ feet (John 13:3-8)! Peter was the first to receive this ceremony since he sat at the end of the table. His seating also explains his initial impulsive rejection of having his feet washed (John 13:6)

Reclining to eat in first Century Israel was symbolic of their freedom from Egyptian bondage, no longer slaves. At Passover as at every seder meal, They reclined as described in the four Gospels. It was understood that when it was written that they reclined it was because they were eating a meal. So as to not take up much space at the table the couches or pillows they reclined on were angled toward the table. They were not full the length of a couch alongside the table.

In Hebraic thinking, the Seder plate holds the place of honor at the Passover table!

https://www.minimannamoments.com/midweek-mannabite-secrets-of-the-seder-plate/

Please – Don’t leave this page without making certain of your place at His Banqueting table.

He IS RISEN and He is calling you…inviting you to Come and Dine…

Shalom to all!

Make sure Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

NOT CERTAIN?

YOU CAN BE..

Its all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and very precious in His sight.

He longs to give you the Shalom He paid the ultimate price for..

Simply and honestly 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. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revealing The Overcoming Resheet of Bikkurim

Who is The Overcoming Resheet of Bikkurim ביכורים

First Fruits – Reishit Katzir

Passover is always on 15th Nisan it begins at sundown on 14th.

Pesach is the first day of the celebration – Passover, that lasts for a week and is called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The day following the first day of Unleavened Bread is called Reishit Katzir the Day of FirstFruits.

It is the beginning of the harvest, sometimes confusingly called the Feast of Firstfruits.

Re’shiyth – ראשׁית

Strongs #H7225 re’shiyth, ray-sheeth’; from the same as 7218; the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a firstfruit): — beginning, chief(-est), first(-fruits, part, time), principal thing. Pronounced ray-sheeth’

ראשׁית קָצִיר – Reishit Katzir

קָצִֽיר qasir

Strongs 7105 Katzir-קָצִיר – qâtsı̂yr

pronounced kaw-tseer’.

Of first fruits harvest, harvesting, crop, what is harvested or reaped.

קָצִיר – Katzir

In ancient times on this day, a sheaf, (an omer) of barley, (the first grain crop to ripen); was waived before the Lord in a prescribed ceremony.

This was to mark the start of the counting of the Omer, thereby initiating the 49 day countdown to the harvest festival of Shavuot – Pentecost. Lev. 23:9-12.

For the Passover Lamb to become the Sheaf of First Fruits and present Himself as the Omer, He had to give up/lay down His life and take it up again.

John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Deuteronomy 26:1–11
Speak to the Israelites and say to them; “When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest.  He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath.  On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old without defect together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah[a] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil— a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma— and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin[b] of wine.  You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God.  This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.  Leviticus 23: 10-14

Temple plate and scythe for the first cutting.

On this day, the priest would waive a sheaf, an Omer of green barley before the Lord as a symbolic gesture dedicating the upcoming harvest to Him.

The day following the first day of Unleavened Bread, (the day after the Sabbath – the morning the women go to the tomb), is called Reishit Katzir – 

Reishit Katzir represents the resurrection of Yeshua our Mashiach Yom HaBikkurim) whereas Shavuot, (Chag HaBikkurim), represents the giving of the Torah at Sinai and the giving of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) at Jerusalem. Nisan 17 in the Old Testament – Torah.

A Note about Chag Ha-Bikkurim

Pronounced: Hahb-bik-koo-REEM

The Hebrew term bikkurim derives from the same root as bekhor – “firstborn.” A frequent synonym for bikkurim is reshit, “the first [fruits].”

Bikkurim ביכורים

literally, firstfruits

First ripe, Hasty fruit, the first-fruits of the crop

Hebrew: בִּכּוּר, bikkûr (H1061)

Pronunciation: bik-KOOR

Definition: The first-fruits of the crop.

In the torah, the general principle that the firstborn of man and beast belong to the Lord is also applied to the first fruits to ripen each agricultural season. Beginning with a sheaf of the new barley harvest, the omer on Reishit Katzir, and culminating in the celebration of PentecostShavuot. Also known as Chag HaBikkurim, which is the festival of first fruits representing the birth of the church/ecclesia; and our future glorious state as part of the coming harvest at the end of the age.

The Torah begins with the words:

Be-reishit bara Elohim et ha-shamayim ve-et ha-aretz,”.

The most popular translation of “be-reishit” is “In the beginning,” and the phrase would read, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

The Hebrew word for “in the beginning” in Bereishit 1:1, could have been reishit. However, the word used was bereshit. Pronounced: beh-ray-SHEET

It is possible that the use of Bereishit (reishit with the second letter, bet, at its beginning) is significant in that, by its inclusion it may indicate a second beginning, or a recreation?

Where there may be unknown time between  verse 1 and 2 in Genesis chapter 1.

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

and also where there seems to be a second reference to creation. The first story runs from Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 2:3; the second story picks up at Genesis 2:4 and runs to the end of the chapter at Genesis 2:25? Interesting thought!

The Beginning wraps the End

The End wraps the Beginning.

Isaiah 46:9-10

Genesis 1:3 God said let there be LIGHT and

John 8:12. Jesus said I AM the LIGHT.

He IS THE Beginning – 

He is the God of New Beginnings.

The Wave Offering is called Tenufat HaOmer and is performed the day after the Sabbath, (our Sunday), Yom Rishon.

Strongs 8573 – Original Word: תְּנוּפָה

Tenuphah: a swinging, waving, wave offering, offering

Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: tenuphah
Phonetic Spelling: (ten-oo-faw’)

Exodus 29:24  HEB: וְהֵנַפְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֛ם תְּנוּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

KJV: and shalt wave them [for] a wave offering before..

ephah: an ephah (a measure of grain)

אֵיפָה   (ay-faw’)

Strongs: 374 ephah

HEB: וְהָעֹ֕מֶר עֲשִׂרִ֥ית הָאֵיפָ֖ה הֽוּא׃ פ

(Now an omer is a tenth of an ephah.)

6016 omer – a sheaf – עֹמֶרה

The Sheaf of firstfruits – the day after the Sabbath.

This is the day of firstfruits, the Resheet. Reishit Katzir. 

(Spelled both Reishit and Resheet)

The Wavesheaf Offering (Beginning of the Harvest/Reishit Katzir or Day of the Firstfruits/Yom HaBikkurim

The start, the beginning of the harvest. It is the time of the First grain, the first blossom of the first, new harvest. This firstfruits, the resheet, would represent all that would be reaped and gathered in during the rest of the harvest in the following days.

The first sheaf of the harvest in spring was lifted before the Lord and dedicated to Him on the day of Resheet.

How this applies to Messiah and resurrection day. They were to reap the harvest – and then bring, “THE sheaf of the First Fruits of your harvest to the priest” – notice here it does not say – “a sheaf” but rather – “the sheaf” – it is one marked off as the First Fruits of the harvest.

אֲלֻמָּה

Strongs #485

alummah: a sheaf

אֲלוּמָה   al-oom-maw’

(‘alummah, `omer, `amir)

Yeshua’s Resurrection was our FirstFruit wave offering that was pleasing to the Lord.

As He offered to the Father the early crops on what will be an overwhelming harvest at the end of this ageAcharit Hayayim.

We understand the fact that Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 1Cor.15:20-23

Total = 3 days and nights (Matt 12:40)

Yeshua raised on the 3rd day (Luke 24:45-6)

Yeshua/Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week, after being in the tomb three days and nights.

The disciples and then encountered the risen Lord on Nissan 14, a Sunday morning (Matthew 28:1 – 10).

This means He was crucified on Nissan 14 and resurrected on Nissan 17 (the corresponding Gregorian dates for these dates vary from year-to-year).

The women came to the tomb while it was still dark. Matt 27:61. Mark 16:1-8. John 20:1-2

Pesach/Passover represents all salvation and deliverance by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.

Yeshua Ha Mashiach in whose blood we are trusting that we’ve been justified.

יֵשׁוּעַ  is a verbal derivative from “to rescue”, “to deliver”.

Its root word is yasha . עַשָׁי. H3467 yasha (below) which is also the root word of salvation. H3444: עַשָׁי H3467 yasha to save, be saved, be delivered (Blue Letter Bible).

 

mashiach: anointed מָשִׁיחַ

maw-shee’-akh strongs 4899

Anointed (1), anointed (34), anointed ones (2), Messiah

Chag HaMatzot represents our sanctification as we rid ourselves of the old – שׂאר, seor, Strong’s #7603 – leaven/sin

of Egypt/world and die to the carnal flesh nature of the old man. This is represented by the burial of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus and with us identifying with His death.

The Lords supper was a Passover seder the same meal that is celebrated every year. It is not simply a meal it is in fact a service.

The leader is the one who serves the Matzah/bread and all the other elements which are required.

It’s not about serving yourself at a buffet or a smorgasbord; it’s about being served and letting the leader serve you. This is clear that the Lords supper is not about serving self.

So when we sit at His table

He is the one who serves us the bread of life.

Sometimes even as believers we live to serve ourselves. However, in the Lords supper, Our Heavenly Father is saying, in effect, that He will take care of our needs. He will give us the bread of life and the new wine of joy. He wants us to sit at His table and allow Him to minister to us. Then in His love, we serve another, because it is the Lord’s supper, not a buffet.

The main focus of this post is that..

Yeshua the Messiah is our Firstfruit Bikoreem/Bikkurim

Chag Ha-Bikkurim

The Hebrew term Bikkurim comes from the same root as the word bekhor –first Born.

In the Torah there is a principle that the firstborn of both man and beast belong to the Lord. It is also applied to the firstfruits to ripen in each agricultural season.

Beginning with a sheaf of the new barley harvest (omer) on Reishit Katzir, and ends in the celebration of Pentecost Shavuot.

This is also called Chag Ha-Bikkurim – the first fruits festival, which bears repeating, also represents the birth of the ekklesia (church) the Called Out Ones.

They are not happening coincidentally, the wave offering and the resurrection of Jesus/Yeshua are linked together prophetically by the apostle Paul. 1Cor. 15:20-23

Which says that in fact Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach, has been raised from the dead, the first fruits all those who have fallen asleep.

For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

Here Paul clearly links the first fruit offering with the resurrection of Jesus our Messiah Yeshua our Mashiach.

Yeshua/Jesus’ resurrection was like a wave offering presented before the Father, as the firstfruits of the harvest to come. Jesus/Yeshua, presented His firstfruits offering to the Father on this day.

Because it was representative of the entire harvest by it’s consecration, it encompassed every sheaf that would follow.

It took place that day after the Passover Sabbath. It was the day of new life. This was the day that also marked the beginning of spring and at the same time sealed the ending of the winter. This is a day that reveals a mystery.

This world is a fallen world. Everything is under the curse of sin and death, everything that lives also dies. It’s like the shadow of winter that hangs over it all year – but God’s will is to redeem that which is fallen; to give life in place of death.

The promise of this redemption is that one day the barrenness of winter will be broken, the cause of death will be destroyed once and for all.

The one thing that will break that winter and bring new life is the first fruits and that date HAS COME!

Some 2000+ years ago on the Day of Resheet He rose as THE first fruit, EXACTLY when the firstfruits are lifted up to the Lord.

Resurrection Day is the Day of the Resheet. And why? Because He is Resheet.

Day of the Resheet – the first fruits are raised up from the Earth.

It ended the winter of our lives and began the spring that gives new life.

Matthew 27:52 –53 the tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Yeshua/Jesus is the first begotten of the father (Hebrews 1:6)

The firstborn of creation (Col. 1:15)

The first begotten of the dead (Rev. 1:5)

And is the firstfruits of those who are to be resurrected (1 Cor. 15:20-23)

Pesach/Passover represents our salvation and deliverance by the sacrifice of the lamb of God, Yeshua the Mashiach. We are justified by trusting in the blood of the Lamb of God.

Chag HaMatzot represents our sanctification as we rid ourselves of the old leaven of Egypt. (The type of the world) and die to the carnal nature. This is represented by the burial of the Messiah/Mashiach and our identification with his death.

The best part is that the Resheet/sheaf, stood for, and represented ALL that would follow. It means that as He overcame death unto life, so can we; and so can everyone who comes after the first.

Jesus the Messiah of New Beginnings. Yeshua the Overcoming Resheet of Bikkurim.

Messiah is our Passover Lamb, our Tamid. He is also our Bikkurim/the Firstfruit.  Be certain that He is in your life and heart as the days draw ever closer to the end of the age..Open the Door/dalet of your heart/lev and let the Resheet of Bikkurim in..

Make sure Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and very soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

NOT CERTAIN?

YOU CAN BE..

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

You are greatly loved and very precious in His sight.

He longs to give you the Shalom He paid the ultimate price for..

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. Amen.

SONset – sunrise – sunset– SONrise – Apocalypse of the Tamid.

The Hebrew word for sunrise is זְרִיחָה, (zuree-chah), which comes from the simple verb לִזְרוֹחַ meaning:

to shine or to rise, when referring to the sun.

The Hebrew word for sunset is הַשְּׁקִיעָה(shash-kee yah), literally, the setting.

Sunset is termed שְׁקִיעַת הַחַמַּה – the setting of the sun.

  שקיעה is the noun form of the verb לִשְׁקוֹעַ, meaning to sink, or to settle in a low place.

Strong’s Hebrew: 1121. בֵּן (ben) — son

Strong’s Hebrew: 1247. בַּר (bar) — son – 

Strong’s Hebrew: 8121. שָׁ֫מֶשׁ (shemesh) — sun

Strong’s Hebrew: 2224. זָרַח (zarach) — to rise, come forth

Strong’s Hebrew: 6942. קָדַשׁ (qadash) — to be set apart or consecrated

Nisan or Nissan, נִיסָן – ni’-san, (nican), in Hebrew has a meaning of renewal – a beginning. Today, new year begins in January but in the Bible, in Torah, it was not that way.

Nisan is the 7th month in the Hebrew Civil calendar and the 1st month in the Torah – spiritual Calendar.

The sign of Nissan is a Lamb.

Strong’s #07716 – Lamb – Seh –  שֶׂה – SHIN – HEY – BEHOLD GOD.

In the shamayim/heavens, the sign of the Lamb of God is the heavenly constellation of stars called Aries. Passover was the sign of the Lamb of God in Egypt.

The ram provided to Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah in Israel was the prophetic sign of God providing the future sacrifice for sin and for reconciliation of relationship through Jesus’s/Yeshua’s death on the cross as Redeemer.

Lambs graze in a flock, faithfully following the shepherd.

Being a follower is sometimes a mature choice, not a passive failure. The Israelites made the choice to follow God.

When God created the world, His plan was that we choose to know Him.

The month of Nisan is the 1st month of the spiritual year and in Hebrew, Spring called AVIV.

אביב AVIV, derived from the word abīb, actually translates as the season of SPRING. From the Hebrew word ābhībh literally, ear of grain also meaning an ear, or a time of year where grains come into ear, commonly known as Aviv, (or Nisan, the 1st month of the Hebrew calendar). (Notably seen in Place Names in Israel e.g. Tel Aviv).

After the Babylonian exile, the new name for Abib/Aviv, was Nisan/Nissan. Although this name is technically of Babylonian origin, the Aramaic word Nissan is related to the Hebrew word, nitzan, (נִצָּן) meaning bud. In Song of Songs, King Solomon’s epic poem in which he depicts the love that bonds us to God, redemption is symbolically referred to as “the time that the buds were seen in our land,” which means that the earth gave birth to a people who would soon blossom or flower.

Another derivation is from the word nissim (נִסִּים) meaning miracles, and by definition is the month of miracles. Both of these suggest freshness and renewal physical and spiritual resurrection in our lives.

In Aviv, אביב the first month is NISAN and the 1st Feast/Appointed Time of the Lord is…

Pesach – Passover – פֶּסַח – Pesah, Pesakh.

It is a paradox because although it’s the genesis of the year and the Appointed time of New Beginnings; it is also the time of the end of Messiah’s life, (earthly); and it is also the beginning – genesis – beresheet – בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית – of life (eternal).

The beginningberesheet – genesis

of the end, ends with the beginning with no end.

It all began – genesis – beresheet – in a garden..גַּן, we know as Eden..עֵדֶן

גַּן עֵדֶן, Gan ʿEḏen 

 Here in Gan Eden, God formed ha’adam the first אדם adam.

The Hebrew word for earth is adama.

The Hebrew word for man derived from Hebrew אדם  adam meaning “to be red“, referring to the ruddy color of human skin, or from Akkadian adamu meaning “to make”

The Garden of Eden was the 1st of 3 specific and important Gardens, the beginning of the end was in a garden

..and the end of the beginning also began in a garden.

in the 3rd and last garden (tomb), was Messiah, the last adam. 

The first man, Adam, became a living person, and the last Adam (Christ in the flesh) became a spirit that gives life.1 Cor. 15:45

Our Father planted the very first garden. He is THE Gardener/Vinedresser/Husbandman. John 15:1; I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

Strong’s Hebrew. 3755. karam

עברית  vinedresser  וינדרסר

Vinedresser is just one way to translate the Greek word used by Jesus (Yeshua). It can also mean Gardener, Farmer, and Husbandman (KJV). It is a generic word for someone who tends plants.

Jer.33:15;  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Is 53:2; He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and He is called “the Branch of the Lord“. Is.11:1; Heb.12:24; Zech. 3:8, “I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH, and 6:12; Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH.
A Branch, or the Branches of a tree, are the glory of a tree. Messiah, the Son of man, being the real offspring and son of David according to the flesh, is the glory of all David’s race, and of the whole church of God in general. Matthew 22:45.

My Father is the Husbandman, not simply the ἀμπελουργός, or vinedresser, but also γεωργός, the owner of the land as well.

Jesus is the Word /Yeshua is Torah. He is the Tree of Life/Etz Chaim to all who take hold of Him and eat of Him. The tree of Life in gan Eden whose fruit would give eternal life.

but there is one Biblical place in particular which takes its name from another garden. that of GAT SHMANIM

This was the garden of Gethsemane – Gatshmanim

Gethsemane, Greek: Γεθσημανή, Gethsemane; Hebrew: Gat Shmanim;

שמניםגת

ים= IM = Yod and (final) Mem.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-mysteries-of-im/
https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-mysteries-of-im-part-2/ 

Strong’s Hebrew: 2132. זַ֫יִת (zayith) — olive tree, olive

Below looking up the Kidron Valley towards Gethsemane, Jerusalem is to the left.

Gethsemane is changed into English from two Hebrew words: GAT and SHMANIM. It means ‘the place where olive oil is pressed‘.

A further insight into the Hebrew words GAT and SHMANIM, reveals GAT, as a Hebrew word by itself (Hebrew: גת – gimel, tav), which means a winepress.

SHMANIMשמנים –  means oils, and is the plural IM – ים, of the singular Hebrew word שֶׁמֶן SHEMEN, for oil.

A literal translation of GAT SHMANIM would be winepress of oils.

 However, it refers to a pressing-method far more violent than the crushing of grapes underfoot.

This is one Biblical place in particular that takes its name from GAT SHMANIM

olive – zayit – זית – zah’yeet

Also the symbol of peace, light and longevity together with the dove (יוֹנָה – yona) which brought Noah an olive leaf after the flood, (Genesis 8:11). 
Some olive trees have been known to live for more than 2,000 years, maybe even there when Jesus/ Yeshua walked among them.

Pictured below is a replica of a first-century olive press (בֵּית בַּד beit bahd) in modern day Israel.

The stone weights suspended from the beam likely exert more than 1 ton (2,204 lbs/907 Kilos) of pressure on the olives.

Each one requires multiple people to move.

The shemen gat – meaning: the winepress (gat), of oil (shemen.)

Where His suffering began.

It is located on a slope of the Mount of Olives just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem.

photo above 1890-1900

Here He surrendered His will. In the face of the approaching will of the Father.

Isaiah 53:10-12

The Lord was pleased to bruise him; he has put him to grief [or: caused his pain]; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the pleasure [picking up on the first line] of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

The Father was pleased to bruise the Son for our iniquities, and the Son was pleased to be bruised by the Father’s will. As we heard on Monday, Jesus had a choice. He chose to have the iniquity of us all laid on Him.

The arrest was the beginning –

the genesis – beresheet – בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית

– of the end…of the beginning.

Leviticus 8:10–12; Luke 22:39–44.

The garden was not a garden in our western understanding. It was an olive grove, a place where the olives from the trees that grew there, were made into oil.

Jews would extract this oil by placing sacks of freshly-picked olives underneath a massive, wooden beam which they would pull down using heavy stone weights to crush both olives and their pits with tremendous force.

It was the place of the oil press. The word for oil in Hebrew is Shemen.

The word for Press in Hebrew is GAT. Oil press is a gat shemen, or a gatshmanim.

The olives would be placed on top of the Big Stone and a large ‘wheel like’ stone would roll over them, crushing them.

The crushing of the olives would cause them to release their oil.

So the meaning of Gethsemane is the oil press.

There is a secret in the meaning connected to Yeshua, as the word Messiah is linked to oil, gat;

to Olive oil, to shemen, and it’s no coincidence it is the place where the suffering began – because it was the place of crushing. The olive press, is the place where His crushing began.

First the crushing of His will and then the crushing of His life.

Oil is also linked to healing and joy.

The SON of Righteousness

(and here is BEN the ‘other SUN’..)

1 Yeshua Ben Joseph and

2 Yeshua Ben David

Risen with healing in His wings.

Links below for more on wings.
https://www.minimannamoments.com/miracles-on-a-z-string/
https://www.minimannamoments.com/life-on-the-fringe/

And to anointing oil which is the most sacred holy (set apart) use. Oil was poured over those set apart ones who were to be prophets priests and kings. This oil in its highest form of symbolism signifies the Holy Spirit being poured out.

The hidden mystery of the gospel was and is now revealed, the crushing of Messiah in the oil press of Gethsemane would be and is linked to joy and healing in the anointing and outpouring of the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh.

In His deathS (Maveth מָוֶת), is Life/liveS (CHAIM)

https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-mystery-of-in-his-deaths/

It began with the oil of the olives crushed in the press, so every desire and ambition not of God, must be surrendered and crushed.

And in the crushing, the set apart, (Holy/ Kodesh), ones will be filled, anointed with oil and released by the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh to fulfil His Will, Plans and Purposes.

Strong’s Hebrew: 6944. קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qodesh) — apartness, sacredness

Kodashim (Hebrew: קדשים ‎, “Holy Things)

As the disciples slept in the garden,

Jesus/Yeshua poured out His soul to His Father, in agony. Luke writes, 

Hematidrosis is the incredibly rare medical phenomenon, where extreme stress causes a person’s skin to release blood in sweat; few humans have ever experienced the levels of stress needed to cause it.

Yet as Jesus/Yeshua prayed,

“My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done,” 

the unthinkable pressure of the weight of all our sins crushed Messiah,

pressing out His life and blood like olive oil flowing from a press.

GAT SHMANIM could not have been more aptly named!

As the heavy weights hung from the wooden beam of an ancient olive press crushed olives underneath,

the weight of our sins crushed Jesus/Yeshua as He hung upon the wooden beams of the cross.

Jesus/Yeshua’s Blood was poured out for us like olive oil, as

 He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. – Isaiah 53:5-6

Yet His blood is worth far more than oil; it is our Salvation,

our hope,

and our light!

Messiah,  מָשִׁיחַ = Christ = anointed one = Mashiach, Mah-she-AKH = anointed one.

So the Messiah = the anointed one, just as Christ does. Greek = christos.

Jesus comes from Yeshua. Jesus Christ is Yeshua ha Mashiach or Jesus the Messiah = Jesus the anointed. Anointed = oil. With olive oil.

The apocalypse (revealing) of the mystery of the TAMID – תָּמִיד – taw-meed’

Messiah is the lamb but not only that for He is also our TAMID.

The eastern side of the temple faced the Garden of Gethsemane

it was also the side closest to the location of the altar of sacrifice.

It is sobering to note that every time Yeshua/Jesus was upon the Mt. of Olives in the Garden at Gethsemane He was looking directly at the altar of sacrifice.

Ex. 29:38–39; Mark 15:25–37; Rev. 7:9–17;

the Torah called for two lambs…

Offer one in the morning and the other twilight.

This is called the law of the TAMID. 

The Tamid was the name for the morning and evening sacrifice,

the first (Alef) and last (Tav)

that began and ended a series of daily sacrifices for the various sins and offerings of the people.

The Chamber of Lambs Once it has been established that the proper time has come for offering the tamid daily sacrifice, and the gates of the Sanctuary are open, the overseer instructs the priests who will be attending to the service: “Bring a lamb from the Chamber of Lambs!”

The halves of the Tamid were two lambs.

The 1st was offered in the morning at the third hour of the day.

With its death, the temple trumpets would sound and the temple gates were opened.

This was at 9am (the exact time Yeshua/Jesus was crucified and the cross lifted up)

and the 2nd at 3pm (the time Yeshua/Jesus died).

The beginning and end of every day in the Israelite community was marked by the reference to the tamid offering. In other words, at the outset of both the day at sunrise and sunset at night, their thoughts were directed upon God, which in fact was focused on the coming Messiah.

The daytime was divided into 12 seasonal hours, but the day division of hours was focused on the schedule of the Tamid sacrifice.

In the first century AD the night was divided into 4 night watches of 3 hours each:

(1) from sundown to 9PM;

(2) from 9PM to 12 midnight;

(3) from 12 midnight to 3AM; and

(4) from 3AM to dawn.

Tamid תָּמִיד (taw-meed’) Strongs 8548 means: continuity, continual, daily, perpetual, always, all times, forever.

He is our answer every day and forever. Our covering always and for eternity.

Just as the unblemished Tamid lamb was the standing sacrifice presented continually on the altar of sacrifice in the Jerusalem Temple, Messiah Yeshua/Jesus is the unblemished Lamb standing before the throne of God in the Temple of the heavens/shamayim.

Just as a lamb’s blood flows at the base of the altar, so too did Messiahs blood flow to the base of the cross.

For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul (Leviticus 17:11).

Hebrews 10:4 teaches that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins.

The very fact that the Bible says the blood of bulls and goats cannot save is solid evidence that Messiah’s blood is 100% required, important and essential for our redemption.

His death alone is insufficient to save anyone. The blood had to be shed and applied to the mercy seat/ kapporet in the Heavens, just as it was required by the High Priest/Kohen HaGadol, in the Old Testament tabernacle/mishkan.

 After He died and a Roman soldier thrust a spear through Yeshua/Jesus’ side, piercing both the lungs and the heart, blood and water came from His side just as John recorded in his Gospel (John 19:34).

The spear that was thrust into His side, likely under His ribs,

could have ruptured the pericardial sack,

resulting in a flow of both blood and water.

This to fulfill scripture that of His identification with and healing for the brokenhearted. Also: Sin is passed on through the blood, that is why we say Adam passed the sin on to all.

1Jn 5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot….

He reveals to Nicodemus about a spiritual birth and gives an explanation for being born of water, referring to his need for spiritual cleansing. From then on it is possible to be born again in order to enter the kingdom of God. (John 19)

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. v. 7-8 KJV

The TAMID Sacrifice

From the Genesis in Gan Eden, later confirmed with the covenant at Sinai; Elohim set apart (made holy), a people who would be a picture for the world, and He taught them that sin could only be redeemed with the shedding of innocent blood.

The WAY to cleanse the wrong choices of those created in His image and likeness yet, a little lower than the angels.
This began the (prophetic) ritual of the Tamid,
a lamb for the first and last sacrifice of each day.

The Priests drew lots (PURIM), for various official duties, such as slaying the Tamid, sprinkling its blood, and cleansing the altar and the candlestick; the announcement of the time of slaying the morning sacrifice; the bringing of the sacrificial lamb,

(which was given to drink from a golden cup before it was killed;) and taking it to the place of sacrifice. 

This together with the statement, in conformity with

Ezek. 34:2, that no man ever passed through the postern on the southern side of the large door; how the opening of this great portal was heard as far as Jericho, as was the sound of the trumpets and other music of the Temple.

Then at the ninth hour, the evening sacrifice would be offered on the altar; at which time all the sacrifices would finish, the day complete.

At that point there were NO more sacrifices.

Morning lamb -9 AM, the third hour.

The same time Messiah was crucified.

So as the morning lamb was slain on the altar in the temple Messiah the lamb of God was lifted on the altar of the cross.

The trumpets sounded to announce the sacrifice and the temple gates were opened.

The evening lamb was killed at 9, our 3 PM, this is when He died.

His sacrifice began with the a.m. offering of the morning lamb. And ended with the p.m. offering of the evening lamb.

This was the point at which the WAY was RE-opened to God. And all took place during six hours of the temple sacrifices. RE-storation and RE-demption completed.

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”  Hebrews 10:12

The Son of the Father, Creator of the morning sunrise and evening sunset
began a six-hour journey
In between the two lambs, in between the 2 suns for the 2 Sons, from the first to the last; the lamb of God was the ultimate sacrifice. And because His sacrifice was perfect, it was all in all, every sin and every offering was covered by His Blood.

He’s the one who died for many – the sacrifice for all. Nothing more is needed.

He is the TAMID the Son/sun,(shemesh), of Righteousness that Malachi 4:2 prophesied of the coming Messiah. 

He is connected to the sunset and sunrise of that Passover day in the order of evening and morning, of sunset,

when He was to sheqi’ah, sink, or to settle in a low place (the grave).

Then to the sunrise, when on the first day of the week, that resurrection dawning of the Sun,

He rose from the dead and (zarach/ come forth), as the morning came and the sunrise (to shine or to rise). The Son of God arose and shone.

Even from before the genesis in gan eden, the Tamid had a name. He was there at creation, for nothing was made without Him and when the plan was set in motion, He knew what His part would be…. Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus the Messiah, the anointed one,

is our Tamid

Mount of Olives at sunset.

Mount of Olives at sunrise.

From the Genesis/beginning, He revealed/apocalypse, the end/Revelation. For He is the Alef and the Tav – From Gan Eden to Gatshmanim/Gethsemane and to His rising from the GARDEN tomb with the sunrise – זְרִיחָה to shine or to rise,

זָרַח (zarach) — to rise, come forth

From long ago He told us things that had not yet happened, saying in essence, “My plan will stand, and I’ll do everything I intended to do.” And history will come full circle at the end of time to reveal Him and His Glory in the universe.

He has released upon us the Ruach Ha Kodesh for setting us apart and anointing us with His oil of gladness.

for HE did provide a Lamb

Hebrew phrase is literally translated as:

“lamb of THE God”.

שה האלוהים

The message for us is this, the only WAY to get into the garden is by going to the garden tomb first. We cannot get to the tomb until you have first gone to the cross by Way of gethsemane’s garden where we willingly give up/surrender our life/chaim. By dying to the old life, and crucifying the flesh life, by losing it and counting our old life as dead and gone.

This is the WAY to the garden of God and all it’s blessings. It’s the WAY/derek of the cross and always leads to life. (Chaim – lives, plural). The paradox and contradiction that death leads to life/chaim is summed up once again, in the fact that life, death and then life, were in the gardens and all had special trees, the end is the beginning, the Genesis, the garden, gan Eden; And here the mystery of the 3 gardens is revealed in Yeshua our Tanim, for He is the WAY of the Lamb, the truth and the CHAIM/ lifes.

Now we have a deeper understanding, this year let’s remember our Tamid at the coming Pesach and allow the fullness of the Son/sunshine to dawn and shine His resurrection glory,

on us,

in us

and through us,

as we celebrate..

Messiah our Tamid is RISEN indeed.

Shalom shalom!

To all mmm Mishpachah – משפחה – Mish-pa-KHa – Family

Have a zisn (Zeesen) Pesach = (Have) a sweet Pesach

a koshern Pesach = (Have) a kosher Pesach

a freylakhn Pesach = (Have) a happy Pesach

To say Happy Passover in Hebrew you literally say holiday passover happy

chag pesach sameach    חג פסח שמח 

(pronounced) KHAG PAY-sock sah-MEY-akh

Chag = festival (holidays) and is pronounced KHAHG. It’s similar to the English word cog, with the same breathy, raspy sound described below as used for the ch.
Happy = sah-MEY-akh.” Use a hard “k” sound with a raspy quality from the back of the throat. Don’t use an English “ch” sound use raspy kh sound also for PAY-sock in Pesach/Passover.

Please Do Not leave this page without the surety in your heart that you have Messiah our Tamid in your life and heart as the days draw ever closer to the end of the age..

NOT CERTAIN?

YOU CAN BE..

Make sure 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 very precious in His sight.

He longs to give you the Shalom He paid the ultimate price for..

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. Amen.