Original Word: אֶשֶׁר Part of Speech:Noun Masculine Transliteration:esher Phonetic Spelling: eh’-sher Definition:happiness, blessedness
Word Origin from ashar Definition
happiness, blessedness NASB Translation blessed (41), happy (4).
Deuteronomy 33:29 HEB:אַשְׁרֶ֨יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל מִ֣י NAS:Blessed are you, O Israel; Who KJV:Happy [art] thou, O Israel: INT:Blessed Israel Who
Makarios
was a powerful word to those who heard Jesus/Yeshua speak that day, because to them it meant:
divine joy and perfect happiness.
They were under Roman oppressors and this word gave them HOPE.
Matthew 5:5 Amplified Bible.
5 Blessed [inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect]
Matthew 5:3-11 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition 3
Blessed (happy, [ a]to be envied, and [ b]spiritually prosperous —[ c]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation
Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied)
Amplified Bible “Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of [your association with] Me.
James reiterates 1:25 But he who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and faithfully abides by it, not having become a [careless] listener who forgets but an ACTIVE DOER [who obeys], he will be BLESSEDand favored by God in what he DOES [in his life of OBEDIENCE].
Romans 2:13 For it is NOT the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous. If we are hearing but not doingwhat we hear then
we will NOT be declared righteous!!!
Read that again!
‘Go near and hear all that the LORD our God says; then speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.’ Deut. 5:27.
16 Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
The Words that are so very important here are
Knowing, Doing and Being.
Our ability to hear the voice of God is dulled by our over involvement in unnecessary and many unimportant things including pleasures, hobbies and interests. Our Heavenly Father needs our full attention on Him and not on ourselves or what our old carnal/fleshly, nature wants to do. He is looking for complete dedication and total submission, not part-time participation, a personal commitment on a level we have not yet chosen.
When we are dulled by the world and its pleasures, Mark 4 comes quickly to mind. The glamour and temptations of entertainment, cause us to relax and when it comes to vigilance in the spirit we get lazy and compromise quickly follows; and that is when sneak attacks come as tests and trials of our Faith walk. We are living in the closing hour of this age, which we call the age of grace/chen and many of us have stretched the grace/chen of God to its fullest with a sloppy, disrespectful attitude towards the spiritual things of a Holy God.
It is very sad but true that so many have become people of entitled expectation, thinking that we don’t have to make any effort because God is a God of love and He understands and makes allowances for our apathy. The Spirit of God is calling ALL His chosen to
put off the self life
and to walk in the spirit;
and this is by no means a new message. It was the message of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, His disciples, His apostles, His sent ones.
It was also the message of the Psalms and the Proverbs in that they all emphasized
uncompromising loyalty to the truth
and
outward actions that are consistent with inward convictions.
When we don’t have these elements in divine order in our lives we are stunting our spiritual growth. This is because when we say one thing, declaring our position, and then do another to appease flesh and the old carnal nature, we compromise our position in the spirit and give the enemy a way into our lives.
We are to give no place to the devil.
Eph. 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
Place or room = opportunity and scope for acting in and through you.
We are not supposed to give the devil any opportunity to influence our lives. He should not have any place in our lives because he is an enemy of God and wants to destroy God’s people.
The apostle Paul told us,
Neither give place to the devil.
The Greek makes it clear that we must choose to give the devil no territory …we have a choice.
Anywhere we have had a victory or found freedom we can be sure he will test that new position. Where there is a weakness he will exploit it. We are not to yield 1 inch/1 centimeter, because compromise is the language of the devil.
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart.
They do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways
You have ordained Your precepts, That we should follow them with [careful] diligence. Psalm 119:3-5.
Lucifers rhetoric has not changed since the days in the garden, when he first posed the question.. did God say? and followed it by inventing the lie – He didn’t mean you would really/ surely die!
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Gen. 3:1-19.
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44.
We are not to be swayed by emotions and feelings, they will always lie to and confuse us. The devil will always work in the realm of the physical senses, which is why we are
to walk in and by the spirit of the living God and operate by our spiritual senses.
We say God is love and He is, but not by our standards of the human emotional love. Human love is notoriously selfish. His love is TRUTH and uncompromising.
1 John 3:18 Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth. Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
We struggle to reconcile our picture of our Heavenly Father when for example we read accounts in Numbers 16 and 17 of His dealings with rebellion in the camp. This is a picture of His wrath against sin and is quite violent. Our Heavenly Father would not be loving, nor would He be just, if He allowed the arrogant challenging of His authority to go unanswered. How often do we witness destruction in the lives of those who challenge Him and yet fail to learn the lesson? To witness Gods judgment and still defy His authority, and in Korah’s case, this was behavior that could not be excused. As disciples of Messiah we do not need to live in fear of His hasty judgment however, we would also be wise not to flaunt the authority we have in Jesus/Yeshua as if we were no longer subject to the authority of our Heavenly Father.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23
The Lord God established Moses and the priesthood for this reason:
to separate the people from God for their own protection.
Sin cannot approach a Holy God and the Holiness of His set apart priests who were the mediators between the sinful people and God Himself. This was given to them to show them how to approach a Holy God, to establish relationship.
Now we have Messiah Yeshua/Jesus and His shed blood that cries Mercy for us and mediates on our behalf; and we are able to approach the Father ONLY on that basis. Let us not make the same fatal mistake Korah did; and approach the Lord God Almighty Creator of the universe in unprotected arrogance, forgetting Who is really in charge and control of everything. In Messiah we have perfect protection from the advances of the enemy but when the people of God oppose their protector, who will be that defense against Him?
Pride was the original sin and we are all born with original sin.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins. Eph. 2:1.
Original sin: the condition or state of sin into which each human being is born;
the sin nature of fallen man;
the tendency to sin is innate in all human beings, inherited from Adam in consequence of the Fall;
the nature of sin in which humanity has existed since the fall of man.
Romans 5:12 – Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
Romans 3:10-18 – As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
1 John 1:8-10 – If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us
Psalms 51:5 – Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Eph. 2:1-3 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
And the holy one of Israel is the judge of all hearts. His judgments are just and his wrath is poured out in righteousness.
Let’s take a moment here and do a spiritual heart check-up…
Father in Jesus/Yeshuas’ Name, search my heart and consume my rebellious ways. In holiness alone may I approach You and not die. I worship You in grateful humility, may You alone be exalted in praise. Cut away and remove from my life all arrogance and pride that I may live in the joy of your presence. I bless you Father, Savior, King and Lord of my life.
If ye KNOW these things, HAPPY are ye if ye DO them.
We are to be DOERS of what we KNOW…
we are to apply His words,
His instructions to our lives EVERY DAY.
Head knowledge will not save us…
neither will intellectual agreement to a truth.
John 13:17
If ye KNOW these things, HAPPY are ye IF ye DO them!
This is the Secret of Being Happy.
Note the condition in this verse IF, there’s the option, the choice to direct our free will….in obedience to the Fathers will.
Only the truth that you KNOW, understand and apply/DO
will make you free..
because mental assent does not help or increase our spiritual maturity.
If ye KNOW these things, HAPPY are ye IF ye DO them!
This is the Secret of Being Happy!
שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם,
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim and mishpachah!
Peace to friends and family.
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
Not sure ..you can be…
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
Are we really sure of what we are supposed to be doing?
Messiah was very clear in His instructions.
First we are to follow Him… and next to
Go therefore and make DISCIPLES of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and OBEY My words], immersing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 Amplified Bible
We are to become MORE THAN just believers in Him,
we are to become disciples/talmidim ourselves; for only disciples can make disciples. We will never be greater than our Master/Messiah but we can become like Him.
yet this way is both narrow and difficult.
Matthew 7:13-14.
If we are going to live as disciples of Messiah we have to be obedient to ALL His words and remember that all efforts that are of worth and excellence are difficult. We were never promised an easy life and the difficulties we face are not supposed to make us faint, they are to stir us up to become overcomers.
We may need to rethink our understanding of being an obedient follower of Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach.
Jesus/Yeshua gives a parable about life and death. He urges His disciples to
seek life
by entering through the narrow gate the one that runs opposite to the way of the world.
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Only one way leads to life!
Matthew 7:13
His gospel, His Truth, has been so watered down and In western society the focus is too much on blessing, comfort and physical prosperity rather than that of life in the Spirit.
Do we really, seriously appreciate the miraculous free gift of salvation offered to us? We are saved by His grace only through the atoning work of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, which cost Him everything. Philippians 2:13
It is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure. NOT ours!
Then it is up to us to work out that salvation in our practical daily life. Philippians 2:12.
We will find out that we can do it, if we will only begin on the basis of His redemption and to do what He commands.
“If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments. John 14:15
If we do not put into practice what our Heavenly Father has placed within us, that‘s when we fail; and a crisis will show whether or not we have been doing so. It’s not what we think we know that will save us or make us free.; its only the Truth we know, believe and act on that will. Mental assent does not help us to reach spiritual maturity.
If we will obey the Holy Spirit of our Heavenly Father and practice in our physical life that which He has placed within us by that same spirit; when a crisis comes, we will find that our own nature as well as His Grace/chen will cause us to stand strong in Him and the power of His might. Eph. 6:10.
He told us that in this life we will have tribulation and it will test us for all we are worth.
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.] John 16:33 Amplified Bible
Why?
Hebrews 2:10 tells us why ….. it is because He is
bringing
and He will not shield us from the necessary requirements of son-ship, that of being His child. We should rejoice that He gives us difficult things to do because His salvation is a thing of joy and
the joy of the Lord is our strength. Neh. 8:10.
At the same time it also requires of us much bravery, courage and holiness. The work of our Heavenly Father’s grace within our lives is to produce men and women who display a strong family resemblance to Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus Christ.
We are not to be spoiled, pampered, entitled, complaining, weaklings. We should not be deceived, because it takes a huge amount of personal discipline to live the life of a disciple. One that is worthy and excellent, while facing the realities of a life in this world; however that’s what we are called to do.
We looked at the example of Daniel and an excellent spirit in a previous post.
It is a daily choice, every day.. it is not a one time thing and then we go on our merry way! Its ongoing and lasts as long as we are here on earth, we are to daily take up our cross ….
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. Luke 9:23. Amplified.
Are we truly willing to daily take up our cross..even if it means enduring pain loss and physical torture and death???
Are we willing to do so for Him?
Many around this world already are…
It is up to us to choose, because
an individual’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person.
We must exercise our will, putting it in to action; because we cannot give up our will, we must choose to obey, we must set our will to obey and we must will to receive our Heavenly Father’s spirit and those who are obedient will receive His spirit.
And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”NAS Bible Acts 5:32
When the truth is revealed to us, the only question is what will we do, not what the Father will do. When God places big plans in front of us, a wise thing to do is to remember what we did before He touched our lives. If we can remember when we first received Messiah or had a truth revealed to us, it was easy to yield our will to Him and it will help us when His spirit brings something new before us.
Joshua 24:15 choose for YOUR SELVES this day…
Our Heavenly Father does not choose for us, we are to choose for ourselves. It’s not something which we’ll automatically slide into, it is a deliberate determination to choose our Heavenly Father’s Way over our personal way, or what someone else is telling us to do. Galatians 1:16 do not confer with flesh and blood.
The choice is between our Heavenly Father and ourselves, and everything in our lives will be on hold, paused, until we make a decision. In these situations, tension can develop and He allows other believers opinions to matter to us and yet we sometimes wonder if they really understand the steps we are taking; and this makes those around us seem to become more and more separated from us. Faith demands that we have to stop trying to figure out when and where His Spirit is leading; we just have to declare that we will be faithful.
Joshua reminds us in chapter 24:22 that even in this, as soon as we make that choice, we become witnesses against ourselves.
The choice to serve the Lord is personal, we are to will to be faithful, this choice is not something we need to consult with other believers, nor rely on anything or anyone other than the Fathers’ spirit and that includes ourselves. We cannot live a holy life without His Spirit, but we can decide to submit for Him make us holy. Joshua 24:19 reminds us also that neither can we serve the Lord in our own strength, but we can put ourselves in the correct position so that His power will flow through us; and that is all dependent on relationship and requires setting our will to align with His.
Obedience takes faith
and
faithful people are obedient.
In Joshua 24:21 when the people said to him we will serve the Lord.
It was not an impulsive action but a deliberate commitment. It is high time that we make that choice, no more wavering. We must be quick to obey as David said:
I will be quick to obey your commands Ps 119:60
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will OBEY my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. John 14:23
James 1:19 And let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger
We are to be slow to speak, quick to hear and in hearing be a doer.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22
To be quick to hear and slow to speak means, having both humility and respect for others as well as for Messiah. It means we take the necessary time to listen to people instead of just speaking our opinion.
The moving of the Father’s Spirit of Holiness is many times inconvenient to our flesh and it’s often completely opposite to reason or what we sometimes call common sense. We are to obey Him regardless of the cost, yet He will never force us to make the choice; and there will always be an easier away out open to us which will seem more sensible and have less risk involved. All the challenges He places in front of us are to test and develop our faith as well as our obedience, which is needed for the choosing process and to reveal just how much we love Him.
Matthew 7:13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and MANY enter through it.
This is the gate of true conversion, of self-denial, dying to the self life, and of walking the way of holiness; the gate which few, comparatively speaking, are inclined to choose.
This Way, this gate, cannot be entered into without
teshuvah-repentance.
Acts 3:19 “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.
“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Luke 13:3
In the Hebrew Alefbet/alphabet,
the letter Hei
is the 5th letter and
a symbol of repentance
HEY or HEI ה is the letter H
Rabbis in the time of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, would often illustrate spiritual truths using Hebrew letters.
The letter hei makes the sound of the H. Jewish literature teaches that Moses could not speak properly because ‘he was thick of tongue.’ Having an unusually ‘thick tongue’ would make it very difficult for someone to pronounce a name of God that necessitated having to use their tongue to say it; so it is said that our Heavenly Father gave Moses a name for Himself which had letters in it that he didn’t need to use his tongue in order to pronounce.
The letters yod making a Y sound
and the letter vav which makes a V (waw) sound
and the letter Hei which makes the H sound.
The name Yod Hei Vav Hei -YHVH or YHWH
is the name which could be spoken out loud with breath only
and without needing to move the tongue.
Traditionally the letter
hei represents:
the breath and the presence of God.
Some Hebrew scholars teach that our Heavenly Father created the world with the letter hei, H,
meaning:
that He created the world with His breath and presence. He breathed His own life into His creation.
The letter Hei was known as the broken letter.
It is almost identical to the letter Cheth
CHETH (or HETH) kāth ח ḥeṭ .
Sometimes written Chet, but more accurately Ḥet.
As the 8th letter of the Hebrew alphabet
it represents the number 8.
This letter looks the same except that there is a narrow space, a brokenness in the upper left hand corner of the letter hei /H.
This space was known as
the narrow or strait gate
that leads to the Heavenly Father’s presence.
The bottom of the letter is open
and is known as:
the wide or broad gate.
As the Hei represents the breath of God,
and through brokenness which leads to teshuvah/repentance;
an individual will find
the breath of God
which will blow through the narrow gate.
Without repentance we cannot find the Hei,the breath of God which will sustain us so and then we will fall to destructionthrough the wide gate at the bottom of the letter.
The rabbis taught that the letter Hei represents:
the presence and breath of God and that it is very hard to climb to the narrow gate; and few there are who can rise to that narrow gate and achieve such a state of righteousness that they are able to pass through that narrow gate to the Shekinah or the presence of God, but many are those who pass through the broad gate that leads to destruction.
It is possible that Messiah was making reference to this when He said “Enter the narrow gate, for the gate, is wide and the road is spacious which leads to destruction, and many are those who are going in it.” Matthew 7:13?
One thing is certain, our walk with Messiah is a daily walk along the Way that leads to life and to be in His presence for eternity. He is our righteousness and so the climb to the narrow gate is made easier.
However it takes faith to obey, to trust.
Sometimes the simplest statements are the most profound!
Trust and obey for there’s no other way …
as little children would say and sing,
simple and uncomplicated to
trust in,to have faith in
and
obey His commands
because
we truly do love Him above all else
and
put Him 1st in everything we do.
If we truly love Him then we will be truly obedient
and we will be sure of what we are supposed to be doing!
We are to be MORE THAN just believers we are to be
His obedient Disciples/talmidim.
שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם,
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim and mishpachah!
Peace to friends and family.
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
Not sure ..you can be…
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
Luke 24:49 Tarry / Wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.
The disciples had to tarry to wait, staying in Jerusalem until the day of Pentecost/Shavuot. They knew it as, the days of Counting from the waving of the Omer; but this year was a little different as they counted the days and weeks they were also learning to count the cost of being disciples/talmidim of their Master. This was not only for their own preparations but because they had to wait until Messiah was actually glorified. As soon as He was glorified Acts 2:23 tells us what happened.
Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit He poured out this which you now see and hear. Acts 2:33.
The statement in John 7:39
for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified
does not apply to us.
The Fathers Holy Spirit has being given and Messiah Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach is glorified. And this is what we are to remember and celebrate with thanksgiving and grateful hearts at this Appointed Season of The Lord.
As we are waiting, the impartation is not dependent on the providence of God but on our own spiritual fitness, our readiness to receive.
We have a responsibility to prepare ourselves, these are things that our Heavenly Father will not do for us.
Relationship with Him is all about choice, free will and we must choose to be obedient and submit ourselves to His will and way of being and doing.
John 17:2-5 For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.
This is eternal life and that we may know Him
and the power of His resurrection.
Phil 3:9-11
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, and so that I may attain to the resurrection [that will raise me] from the dead.
Amplified Bible And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did];
The influence and power of His Spirit of Holiness were at work before Shavuot/Pentecost but He was not here in the same way as after the outpouring.
Once Messiah was glorified in His ascension, Holy Spirit came into the world and has been here ever since. It is up to us to receive the revealed truth that He is here.
The attitude of receiving and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives is to be the continual attitude of a believer and not just one day of obedience and fire…
When we receive His Spirit of Holiness we receive reviving life from our ascended Lord and Savior.
It is not what we term as the baptism of His Holy Spirit that changes believers but it’s the power of the risen and ascended Messiah coming into our lives through His Holy Spirit. We have a tendency to separate things that the New Testament never separates.
The baptism of His Holy Spirit is not experienced apart from Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, it’s the evidence of the ascended Messiah dwelling within, abiding permanently.
A big measure of Holy fire comes in the baptism.
Jesus answered, “If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word (teaching); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling place with him. John 14:23 Here the word IF is highighting the condition for the indwelling of His Spirit because One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My words. And the word (teaching) which you hear is not Mine, but is the Father’s who sent Me.
The baptism of His Holy Spirit doesn’t make us think of time or future eternity because the experience is one of amazing glorious now.
This is eternal life that they may know you. John 17:3
we must begin to know Him now and never stop.
Another reason for remembrance and celebration is that this season was when Moses received the Torah, the directions instructions and teachings for life after Egyptian bondage. Slavery to sin and death were given notice and their freedom was assured through Passover and then 50 days later (Pentecost/Shavuot) in the wilderness before Mt. Sinai the Lord.
Our Heavenly Father, The Lord God Almighty
came down,
Moses went up.
The precious Covenant with the children of Israel was made; complete with the Ten Commandments
and directions were given for how sinners were to
approach a Holy God through the sacrificial system
which was to remain in place
until Messiah came and fulfilled it Himself.
We have so much to be thankful for,
so much to give Him praise for.
All honor and glory go to Him as we lift grateful hearts this Pentecost/Shavuot;
and having prepared ourselves,
let’s open ourselves unreservedly to
receive the fullness of His Spirit.
We need His presence,
His Holy Fire
in our lives today, more than at any other time.
If we truly love Him, we will want to do what He asks of us
so we can become all that He has planned for us
to be and do while we are in the earth.
Our lives are to be a sacrifice in every way and this “sacrifice” becomes our wedding vow to our King.
And that is the real love story of Shavuot/Pentecost.
Above are several links to previous posts with more on Pentecost/Shavuot and the reason for reading about Ruth and the baptism of His Spirit at this time of year. Listed both for new visitors, or those wanting to refresh, understanding the deeper meaning of this wonderful manifestation of the same Holy Fire that led them in the wilderness, and now available to fill the lives of whosoever will…
The prophet Malachi 3:1-6 wrote that the Lord would send His messenger of the covenant, and asks who will be able to stand, to endure in that day, … He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Let’s be mindful of the season we are in…..
on each of us and may the days of counting lead to a lifetime of beating good and lasting fruit!
May our tongues be set on fire to declare the wonderful works of our Heavenly Father.
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim/friends and mishpachah/family!
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week,
you are greatly loved and prayed for.
Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation
Not sure ..you can be…
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer,
Savior, Lord, and soon returning King
and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
CALEB. ka’-leb (kalebh; in the light of the Syriac and Arabic words, the meaning is not “dog,” which is kelebh, in Hebrew, but “raging with canine madness”; Chaleb):
Hebrew, the name is pronounced [kaˈlev]
Strong’s Hebrew: 3612. כָּלֵב (Kaleb) — a son of Jephunneh .
Strong’s Hebrew: 3091. יְהוֹשׁ֫וּעַ (Yehoshua) — “the LORD …
Word Origin. from Yhvh and yasha.
Definition. the LORD is salvation.
The Hebrew name יהושע ( yehoshu’a, Strong’s #3091)
is the combination of יהו ( yeho ),
a short form of the name יהוה (YHWH, Strong’s #3068),
and the verb ישע
( Y.Sh.Ah, Strong’s #3467),
The Hebrew word, יְשׁוּעָה Yeshuah, means
Salvation, or Deliverance.
Its Primitive, 3-letter Verb Root is יָשַׁע Yasha,
meaning to Save, or Deliver.
There are many places in scripture that the number 40 is used; some say 146, others 149 times, in both the Old and New Testaments.
What does 40 mean?
What is its’ symbolism in scripture?
And what can it mean prophetically?
Our Heavenly Father is a God of order. This means He is precise in every detail and has calculated every aspect of the universe since before the beginning of time. Without a way to measure, order is hard to explain.
Order is often expressed numerically, and the Scriptures are filled with numbers. We find the first measure in Genesis 1:5, where the end of the first day is indicated.
Seasons, days, weeks, months, and years are measures used many times.
Distances are also measured, and patterns can be seen as the meaning of all these numbers are examined. These numerical patterns provide insight as to the meaning of these numbers and reveal another layer of understanding to be found in the Scriptures. We are told:
it is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search them out. Prov. 25:2.
It’s up to the reader to pay attention to these numbers and look for their deeper meanings. Interestingly in
Daniel 8:13, Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking,
the then future Messiah is referred to as the Palmonee, sometimes translated as Palmoni, or the Wonderful Numberer.
The name is ” PALMONI ” and it means. ” the numberer of secrets, or the wonderful numberer “.
Hebrew: פלמוני, romanized : Palmōnî
In the Hebrew concordance, Strong’s 6422, it states that ” Palmoni means ” certain “. It derives from ” Peloni “, Strong’s 6423, meaning ” a certain one “. ” Peloni ” derives from ” Palah “, Strong’s 6395 { A primitive root }, meaning ” apart .
Palmoni is Pala which is spelled Pey Lamed Aleph.
Palmoni, a numberer or revealer of secrets, … or Palmoni, which some render “thewonderfulnumberer“; or, “thenumberer of secrets”, or “that has all secrets numbered” (g); and apply it to Christ, whose name is “Pele”, wonderful; the eternal Word of God, that is in the bosom of the Father, and knows all secrets, and the number of times and seasons.
The Hebrew meaning, “thenumberer of secrets, or, the wonderfulnumberer“. “Pali” means “secret” while “pala” means “wonderful” or marvelous; and, “mena/mone” means “to count or number” The mysterious Palmoni of Daniel 8:13 is none other than the Messianic figure of the Old Covenant period–now known as the Son of God, the child born for our salvation–Yeshua, our Messiah.
Unto that certain saint which spake – Margin, Palmoni, or, the numberer of secrets, or, the wondeful numberer. The Hebrew word, פלמוניpalemônı̂y, occurs nowhere else in the Scriptures. The similar form, פלניpelonı̂y, occurs inRuth 4:1, “Ho, such a one, turn aside;” in 1 Samuel 21:2, “appointed my servants to such and such a place;” and 2 Kings 6:8, “In such and such a place.” The Italic words denote the corresponding Hebrew word.
The king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Daniel 2:47
This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things [unknown and unattainable] that have been hidden [from mankind] since the foundation of the world.” Matthew 13:35
If we are to understand that repeating a thing indicates its’ significance, then considering the number of times 40 appears, it must be very important!
God flooded the earth for 40 days and nights.
Moses fasted for 40 days, and
Messiah was in the wilderness for 40 days.
40 generally symbolizes:
a period oftesting, trial, proving,probation and revealing;
and the
hardships one must endure to become more spiritually aware.
Another way to understand the meaning of 40 is to look at the Hebrew alphabet, which has its roots in pictograms/pictures. Recall from previous posts that each letter has a symbol and a numeric value. Click link below for more details:
The 13th letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, (Alef bet), is the letter Mem;
has a numerical value of
40
and is the picture symbol of
water.
The original pictogram for Mem
was a zig-zag pattern that depicts water or chaos.
Although the picture symbol has changed,
today the meaning is the same.
There are many references to the sea in Scripture and used many times, in situations that cause fear or are chaotic. Two examples are the storm that ended with Jonah swallowed by the fish; and when the disciples were caught in the midst of a storm in a boat. Such events with water help us understand the picture of the letter Mem.
While chaos and turmoil are connected with the testing in the two examples, we also see Gods’ Grace as He restored calm.
Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is the Living Water, 40 and Mem mean water and chaos, however He is also the Prince of Peace.
Below are a few examples of where the number 40 is clearly seen in the Scripture and what it may mean.
Moses, Elijah and Jesus each fasted in the desert for 40 days.
It is significant that three of the most important individuals each endured 40 days without food or water as the ultimate test of faith, these fasts were used to reach specific goals.
Moses proved his loyalty to God and received the Ten Commandments/Sayings.
Elijah’s faith was shaken after threats from Jezebel. He went on the run, fleeing to mount Horeb, or the mountain of Elohim, to hear from God. He was fed by an angel and walked 40 days and 40 nights without further sustenance. After 40 days, he heard from God and returned to challenge the priests of Baal which brought an immediate change to the situation in the land.
Elijah gained instruction on how to lead the children of Israel; Messiah Jesus overcame Satan’s temptations, they both passed their tests and in the process gained new insights into the Father’s ultimate plan.
After His baptism, Messiah Jesus was filled with the Fathers’ Holy Spirit and was immediately separated into the wilderness. His compliance showed His instant obedience and reminds us of the need for fasting and prayer in our lives. Messiah Jesus/Yeshua fasted from both food and water for 40 days and nights and He overcame the devil when He was tempted afterward.
Likewise, today we will face temptations and difficulties. Father’s Holy Spirit may call us to prepare for 40 days before a challenging time. We may even be tested and tempted for 40 days or go through a trial for 40 days as our Savior did.Luke 4:2Messiah told us He was leaving so He could give the Gift of His Holy Spirit to us as a helper through such times. Messiah set us an example so that we could know how to overcome our challenges.
The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years:
After being freed from Egypt, Moses and the Israelites needed direction. Our Heavenly Father planned for them to go to the Promised Land, this was only possible after the whole generation of those who’d doubted His plan had died. The Hebrews had to travel through the wilderness, living on God’s daily provision of manna, for 40 years, due to the unbelief in their hearts. Only when the last of that generation had died did He allow His people to enter the promised land. This clearly shows that sometimes to fully reveal God’s divine will, patience is necessary. Despite this testing, He provided for them faithfully. They always had food, protection, and their provisions had a supernatural lifespan.
The prophet Ezekiel was instructed by God to lay on his left side for 390 days and his right side for 40 days to “bear the iniquities” of Israel and Judea (respectively). Ezekiel 4:4-8. The days corresponded to the number of years each kingdom insulted the name of God through wickedness and rebellion. Ezekiel suffered greatly, but his insights helped prepare the Israelites for the coming of Messiah Jesus.
The three great Hebrew kings, Saul, David and Solomon, were each recorded to have ruled for 40 years. This is significant because 40 years is considered by many as a biblical generation; meaning: a new group of Israelites rises up, sustains itself, then dies out. For the 3 kings, this measure of time also serves as a warning as 20 years of their rule was marked by prosperity and 20 years by ruin. It highlights the Prophet Samuel’s misgivings over inducting kings in the first place: as eventually, they’ll take from the people more than they give.
The above examples and context of the number 40, gives us clues regarding the meaning. As 40 is a mark of a generation, it doesn’t refer to how long a person lives but indicates changes are made after this time period. This principle is seen when many kings ruled for 40 years those above and also Rehoboam.
Goliath was a giant Philistine soldier who took pleasure in taunting and humiliating the Israelites. The Philistine and Israelite armies stood on opposite sides for 40 days. A new Hebrew champion would come out each day to meet Goliath face-to-face, only to be destroyed. After 40 days, a young shepherd from Bethlehem, named David, was sent by God to defeat the Philistines, this began a new chapter for the children of Israel bringing solidarity to the kingdom.
40 is connected to change.
The change can occur quickly, sometimes it is very unpleasant and at other times, the change is a process which takes years.Perhaps how quickly the change happens for us to come in line with God’s plan depends on our obedience. In Davids case, he believed God would give him victory over the giant; so the change came immediately when David chose to believe God’s promise.
Another well known 40 is in the story of Noah. Because the sins of humanity had become too great, God called Noah to build an ark that could hold two of every living creature on earth, as well as his own family. God flooded His earth for 40 days and nights. When Noah and his family found dry land once again, our Heavenly Father made a covenant with Noah promising that He would never completely flood the Earth again. By doing this a level of trust was restored that had been lost since Eden.
Some more references to 40:
The bible was written by 40 different people.
The Holy Place of the Temple Sanctuary was 40 cubits long.
The rains fell in Noah’s day for 40 days and nights. Genesis 7:4
Israel ate manna and wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.Exodus 16:35
Moses was with God on the mountain, 40 days and nights, without eating bread or water. Exodus 24:18, 34:28
The spies searched the land of Canaan for 40 days. Numbers 13:25
40 lashes (stripes) was the maximum whipping penalty. Deuteronomy 25:3
God allowed the land to rest for 40 years.Judges 3:11, 5:31, 8:28
Abdon, a judge in Israel, had 40 sons. Judges 12:14
Israel did evil; God gave them to an enemy for 40 years.Judges 13:1
Eli judged Israel for 40 years. 1 Samuel 4:18
The holy place of the temple was 40 cubits long. 1Kings 6:17
Elijah had one meal that gave him strength for 40 days. 1 Kings 19:8
Joash reigned 40 years in Jerusalem.2 Kings 12:1
Egypt to be laid desolate for 40 years. Ezekiel 29:11-12
God gave Ninevah 40 days to repent. Jonah 3:4
Goliath presented himself to Israel for 40 days. 1 Samuel 17:16
Saul reigned for 40 years. Acts 13:21
Ishbosheth (Saul’s son) was 40 years old when he began to reign. 2 Samuel 2:10
David reigned over Israel for 40 years.2 Samuel 5:4, 1 Kings 2:11
Solomon reigned the same length as his father, 40 years. 1 Kings 11:42.
Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years. Acts 13:21
David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 40 years. 2 Samuel 5:4
Ezekiel bore the iniquity of the house of Judah for 40 days. (Ezekiel 4:6)
Jesus fasted 40 days and nights. Matthew 4:2
Jesus was tempted 40 days.Luke 4:2, Mark 1:13
Jesus remained on earth 40 days after the resurrection. Acts 1:3
Our Heavenly Father gives us types and shadows, or symbols, as warnings and precursors of the real event for that day and time and for later generations. The example of the Hebrew children wandering in the desert for 40 years after Moses was being given the Torah/Law/Teaching/10 Commandments for them, by God.
Moses was raised and educated for 40 years in pharaoh’s household. After murdering the Egyptian, Moses himself was exiled for 40 years. He was forced to learn a completely different lifestyle in Median to prepare him for the next 40 years until the encounter with the burning bush.
The last 40 years of his life required the preparation from the previous two 40 year seasons.
1500 years later, Messiah spent 40 days in the wilderness prior to the start of His ministry and eventualatoning death at Calvary. He spent 40 days on earth after the resurrection. The new believers and disciples received His Holy Spirit at Pentecost/Shavuot and all were given 40 years to accept the Fathers gift of grace, then,in AD 70 the Roman destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem, judgment came upon the those who would not believe.
Now to connect the number 40 with Joshua and Caleb who were 2 out of 603,550 that left Egypt! This surely is a remnant!
(Numbers 26 is a similar numbering to Numbers 1)
Numbers 13 begins an insight into the life of Caleb
when he is aged 40!
Josh 14:7 records:
“40 years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart”.
The last time we hear of Caleb is at age 85 in Joshua 14. This is a kudos to Calebs integrity and the example of his consistent faithfulness throughout those 45 years. There is no reference to any word of complaint from him, which is commendable considering the fact that he waited for his inheritance wandering with the faithless generation for 38 years in the wilderness. Both Joshua and Caleb were sustained by the Lord through the consequences of the peoples unbelief.
Caleb was a living testimony to the absolute certainty of the promises made by God, as well as a consistent example of faith. Our Heavenly Father kept Caleb as a continual witness to the children of Israel, preserving him as a testimony to the faithfulness of His Word. He is mentioned throughout the record as a witness:
Numbers 26:65 “For the Lord had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun”.
Numbers 32:11-12 “Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land…Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord”.
Deuteronomy 1:35-36 “Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers, Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord”.
Caleb had another spirit!
The spying mission had not altered Caleb’s outlook, because his reaction was, to go up and possess.
He was embracing the command of God to possess the land! Later in his life, Caleb made the statement: “Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart” Josh 14:7.
Again, the different spirit of Caleb is clearly demonstrated in what he says here. He does not report according to the sight of his eyes, but according to his faith in God’s power. It is not based upon sight, nor perception, nor according to the thinking of others, but according to his own understanding of God’s promises. It was a report based on faith, not fear. He wanted to go ahead immediately in full assurance of God’s good deliverance.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb. 11:1
Sometime we find that in our own lives we can be reluctant to do anything at once/immediately, preferring to procrastinate to wait and see instead. This putting off and delaying, could take place within our own lives, where we have identified an issue, sin, but are reluctant to take action to correct it.
Within the Word of God, Caleb is portrayed as an example of one who is consistent because he had a different spirit and it is surely an example for us.
Caleb, his different spirit, and the very important fact that
he wholly followed the Lord his God.
If something needs correcting in our lives and there needs to be a change for the better; then there is sometimes a need for an immediate/at once kind of action. It is in these times we can show this spirit of immediate obedience, and as in the case of Caleb we will without hesitation... wholly follow the Lord our God.
Caleb was also an example to the nation of Israel, particularly to the tribe of Judah into which he had been absorbed. This spirit in Caleb not only motivated him, but it also had a positive effect on all of Judah, it affected Othniel, and Caleb’s daughter Achsah, to take hold of their inheritance.
Concerning the report given by the spies, the issue was not the accuracy of the report and the facts were certainly very clear and real.The issue was whether the spies were seeing with their eyes of the flesh or with their eyes of faith and although the report was a true one, it was not a faith-filled one. The conclusions made by the 10 spies were completely different from those of Joshua and Caleb.
They all had knowledge, but the knowledge they had gained did not automatically lead to faith and the same could be said for us. Just because we read the Scriptures, it does not mean we automatically become faithful servants; in the same way attending weekly meetings doesn’t prove our will is in line with the Father’s will. The Scriptures must both be read and acted on so that our hearts and minds are affected by its inerrant power and only then our own personal desire will line up to godly principles. Transformation can only occur as we begin to line up our thoughts and desires to our Heavenly Father’s way of thinking, doing and being.
Calebs different spirit is seen in a number of ways.
He was:
A gentile willing to join the children of Israel no doubt when the nation was still in Egypt.
Well-known and respected among the people.
A wise man who did not fear man, he feared God.
More faithful than many of the natural children of Israel.
Able to give a report not out of fear but according to faith.
He employed his eye of faith and not just the eyes of his flesh.
and he was convinced of the promises made to Israel and to the patriarchs.
Compared to the world around us, we should all like Caleb, have another spirit.
Even though we might be thought of as weird, peculiar, and different in the worlds eyes, being different in this way is a good thing. We need to express a lifestyle that has godly principles, by working hard, being honest and upright in all we do. Sometimes our very stance on certain issues and politics can make us stand apart, especially when we are asked to explain our scriptural view and it can feel that we are quite alone, and that the majority is against us.
This is an opportunity to show that we stand with those like Caleb.
If Calebs example is to teach us anything, it seems that having a different spirit is something our Heavenly father encourages! He looks for those who would stand apart from worldly ways, He seeks those who do not see only with eyes of flesh.
Instead, we should be like Caleb, confident in that which we cannot see, for us it may be the promises which have not yet happened. Instead of us trying and wishing to fit in with the norm, by way of topics of conversation, local social events etc., etc. we need to be like Caleb…different…
We should keep our language clean, the topics of our conversation should remain wholesome and the things of the Lord should be preferred over work events. By choosing to set ourselves apart from the world we will have the opportunity to stand with our Lord and with the multitude of His bride/ecclesia/set-apart saints in the Day of Judgment. Those who have followed a different spirit during the times of their testings and trials.
Numbers 14:24 Caleb had a different spirit in him and has followed me fully. And his descendants shall inherit the land.
When we pray and expect answers are we fully ready for what will follow because answered prayers always bring new challenges.
Imagine if all the prayers prayed were answered all at the same time? Yes there would be rejoicing however, there would also be new added responsibility.
With any crisis, there are always changes.
Solomon prayed and asked for wisdom and we too should not only ask for things according to our Fathers will, but also that our hearts will be strengthened to receive, plus that we be given added wisdom for all that follows. It is possible we have seen some people succeed only to end in failure. This happens when individuals seek outer blessings and their inner spiritual strength is neglected, revealing the difference between the carnal and spiritual life. The Hebrew children saw God’s glory, signs and miracles and yet they tested Him 10 times and did not listen to His voice. Because of disobedience and rebellion, not all those who treat our Heavenly Father with contempt will see the promised land/eternity.Verse 26 calls them evil, they grumbled and complained and they died in the wilderness bearing the consequences of their idolatry.
Caleb was not the only faithful spy. When we read Joshua 11:21-22 and the summary of the conquest of the land, we see Joshua as well as Caleb. Both of these men drove out the Anakims, defeating them. What they had believed over 38 years earlier was coming to pass!
It was in Hebron that the spies in Numbers 13:22 saw the Anakims, and it is Hebron Caleb longs to take in victory. Moses swore to Caleb that he would receive the land “whereon thy feet have trodden”Josh 14:9. Caleb trod all over the hill country of Hebron and he was now going to be given the very places he so longingly desired.
Caleb would lead them in the battle; his confidence is the same as it was 45 years earlier. He believed that God could still use him.
In all of this there is a lesson for us:
We should look to the consistent example of those elders in the body of Christ, the ecclesia and our local assembly of believers, we should value their faith, listen to their wise teachings, respect their experience and follow their example. Look how the faith of one person can inspire a generation as it did with Caleb. Let’s not be restricted by our generational age categories but instead, take the time to speak to those who are older, those who have weathered the storms of life and understood the deep things of God because they will not always be around. There is a lesson here also for the older ones amongst us, to continue the work of the Truth while there is strength in our bodies, and that retirement from a paying job or career doesn’t necessarily mean retirement from the work of the gospel of His Kingdom of Truth.
So there is a connection between the number 40, Caleb and Joshua but what about a candle?
Joshua 14:8: “Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God.”
the heart of the people melt
hearts melted In Hebrew: himesin ‘eth lev
את לב המסיו
Hei Mem Samek Yod Vav Aleph Taw Lamed Bet
In Hebrew the meaning is:
melting hearts…as in a candle melting –
candle hearted…. lev mashak.
The 12 spies were sent out to scout out the Promised Land.
10 returned with a bad report and a recommendation that they not enter the land due to an overwhelming display of power.
Only 2 spies, Joshua and Caleb said:
“God gave us the land, let’s go get it.”
The report of the 10 spies made
the heart of the people melt.
But not so with Joshua and Caleb
The word melt is masah
which is used in a Hiphal form
himesin (hi me sin)
and literally means
to cause to flow down.
Some modern translators will insert the word fear in here
to indicate that the people were
overcome with such fear, that their hearts melted.
That is a part of it, but not all of it. Another use of the word
masah is melt
which is a picture of
a candle with a bright flame being fueled by the wax.
Once the wax has melted the flame has gone out.
It wasn’t just fear;
it was the final melting of the wax that held the flame of their expectations alive.
This candle had been melting since the beginning of their journey.
The wax of this candle was made of:
self-sufficiency,
pride,
and an expectation of comfort and security.
Their journey was anything but easy. They faced fear of starvation, thirst, poisonous snakes, invading armies, disease, etc. God delivered them, but they were getting tired of it all.
Their wax was melting.
Now when they were about to reach their final destination, to finally receive their reward for all the struggles in the wilderness, what did they find out? Indeed it was a land of milk and honey, but it was also a land full of giants.
There is a limit to every one’s endurance, everyone has a breaking point.
For the children of Israel this was that breaking point. Although this final challenge wasn’t much different than previous challenges where they had faced certain death due to starvation, thirst or even attacks from enemies armies. They’d seen water come from a rock and manna/food from heaven, and a sea divided to deliver them from pharoahs armies. Now they are told there are giants in the land, but the only difference is that now they had a choice whether to go forward or not.
Their candle wax was made of selfish desires and was not filled with the desire for God, for His will and plan and purposes. In the past they had had no other choice but to depend upon Him when they needed water, food or deliverance. Now they had a choice, would they could once again face an impossible situation and trust in God?
Yet, when Joshua relates this story he says:
“I wholly followed the Lord my God.”
The word follow/followed is NOT in the Hebrew text,
all there is, is the word:
mala’ti
which literally means:
to be completely filled.
Joshua was saying: I was completely filled with God.
Unlike the people who let their flame of faith and hope go out, Joshua’s flame only got stronger. His wax was not in the arm of the flesh but in a heart completely filled with God.
Such wax will never melt and the flame will only grow brighter.
To Joshua, this last test, the final trial was not another obstacle to the Promised Land; it was another opportunity to see the power of God, this time by his own choice.
While the Israelites had all the skills required to run a nation which they had gained from their time in Egypt, they really had no faith and trust in the covenant God had made with them. Instead they trusted their inability to conquer the land! They forgot just Who the great “I AM” really was/is… Isn’t this also true today for some believers, who have little to no understanding of the covenant they have been given with Messiah Yeshua/Jesus and how, if we are obedient to His covenant, He will provide, protect and be with us all of the time?
Our hearts should bear witness with this because if we give our Heavenly Father the glory, it’s impossible to lose. The fact that our Heavenly Father made a covenant with Himself is because only He is able to keep one perfectly. When our faith is in His Covenant, we please Him and then we can rest, knowing we are always protected and provided for.
The number 40 was also used prophetically in God’s Word, and because of that, we must believe that it holds significance today for us. The inhabitants of Nineveh were given a warning with a testing time frame of 40-days and the punishment on the city was held back because of the Grace of God giving them time to repent.
In Luke 11:30, Yeshua/Jesus points out that as Jonah was a warning to Nineveh, for 40 days, so will He Himself be the warning to His generation. As He stated it in the present tense, the word generation is again a reminder of the number 40.
Surely this is a warning to every generation, including ours, to turn/teshuvah, from all evil and wickedness and live a life of repentance, in harmony with the will of our Heavenly Father.
Sin in our life may or may not be evident to other people. It may be a sin of fear, doubt and unbelief; however, if we will turn to Him with a humble, repentant heart, He is faithful to forgive us and care for us in every way.
Messiah came to warn us and also to show us He is the One Who can calm the chaos of the waters, the MEM, and all our lifes’ stormy circumstances. Sometimes the duration of our situation depends on us and how long it takes us to totally trust that He is faithful to His Word.
Continuing today, our Heavenly Father tests His children and many times, as in the account of Job, this testing is not always for correction or punishment; it is to see if His children will remain obedient to His Word, if they will seek Him and still praise Him even in the chaos and storms of life.
And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. Deut. 8:2.
7 so that the [a]proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and [b]full of glory,9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of [c]your souls. 1Pet.1:7-9
Faith is not faith until it is tested!
A faith that is not tested cannot be trusted.
If we are in the middle of a fiery trial or a time of testing, don’t grow weary or faint and don’t give up; because our Heavenly Father may not be chastising or disciplining us. He may instead be testing us to see just how strong our faith and trust in Him really is, both for Him and for ourselves to know! This is a great opportunity to pray for our brothers and sisters in Messiah, that we can all pass the tests presented before us; and stay obedient to our Father, keeping our trust in Him unshaken by whatever we may experience in the natural realm.
The scriptures tell us clearly that we’ll have times of trials, tests, sufferings, and we may be wandering in a spiritual wilderness for awhile; and we are to:
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
2 Cor.13:5.
Rest, peace/shalom is coming; the true rest, peace/shalom, that is found when we put our trust/faith in Messiah Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach.
For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. James 1:2-3
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12
Our Heavenly Father is always in the midst of the test and there is always an end to it and He promises…
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Cor. 10:13.
There does seem to be a connection between the number 40, Caleb, Joshua and a candle: 40 being the years of testing the faith of both Joshua and Caleb, who were the only 2 who passed the test because their hearts were not like candles, they did not masah/melt in the face of seemingly overwhelming obstacles. Their faith /trust was also a living testimony to the surety of the promises made by God.
Let’s not have Melting Hearts – Lev Mashah – לב מה but rather..
Let that same spirit be in you Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Phil. 2:5-11 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind, or self-control, discipline, and sound judgment 2.Tim. 1:7.
Let’s be like Caleb …of a different spirit…
faithful, whole-hearted, bold and brave.
שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם,
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim and mishpachah!
Peace to friends and family.
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
Not sure ..you can be…
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
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