Tag: Shema

Life On The Fringe

Due to winter storms the internet connections were interrupted. To make up for a lost week here is a special post on this beautiful topic. Obviously there is always more to be discussed on every subject and time often prohibits in depth research, however some of the hidden mysteries and meanings are presented here.

God commanded His people to wear sacred fringes on the corners of their clothing throughout the generations. This was in reference to what we now call Prayer Shawl or Tallit.

What is a tallit?

A tallit (tal-LEET, literally “little covering”) is a rectangular prayer shawl with four fringes – tzitzit – one attached at each corner.

Most tallits have a neckband, called an atarah, that often has a blessing written across it which is spoken when putting on the tallit.

The Tallit actually inspired the design of the Israeli flag:

In Biblical times, in obedience to the book of Bamidbar/Numbers 15:38 – 41, men would attach the tassels to the four-cornered tallit, (cloak or gown), that was customarily worn.

ציצית

zitzit (tzee-tzeet)

(Hebrew plural is ziziyyot: fringes, or decoration).

“Speak to the children of Israel and say to them:  They shall make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments…  And this shall be tzitzit for you, and when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of God, and perform them.”  (Numbers 15:38–39)

The Hebrew words Yevovah Echad, meaning “God is one;” are numerically formed by the number of knots and wrappings in the tzitzit or fringe, which God said to “look at,” and remember His laws and not to sin against Him.

The knots and windings are also considered symbolic of the Shema (shem-ah): Shema Yisrael Adonai Elohenu Adonai Echad — Hear Oh Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One [Deuteronomy 6:4]

In prayers, “Israel” refers to the Jewish people. It is shorthand for “Children of Israel.” “Eretz Yisrael” or the “Land of Israel” refers to the country.] The Shema is commonly referred to as the watchword of the Jewish faith. The recitation of this line is a important part of the morning and evening prayers.

Messiah Yeshua, God manifest in the flesh, is the garment or tallit of our souls. In Romans 13:14 we read: “…Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

When we receive His forgiveness, and obey His commands we are wrapped in the shekinah glory of God. We are sons of light, filled with God’s “light.” Yeshua said: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father…” John 14:9

“Make tassels for yourselves on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself.”  (Deut. 22:12)

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and 11:13–21 as a daily reminder of His plan for us and what He requires of our lives.When the SHEMA was said, the fringe was grasped in the hand. The SHEMA was a declaration of the nature of God. God is one. He is not like the heathen concept of a plurality of deities in the Godhead. This focus upon God’s nature and obedience to His commandments, kept the heart “fixed.”

The numerical value of the knots and wrappings literally spelled out SHEMA. This was an additional reminder that God is one, and He will never change.

The five knots can be viewed as representing the first five (Hebrew) words of the Shema. The last word, Echad, is represented by the windings between the knots. Echad means “one.” The windings bind the knots into a single unit.

Each Tzitzit is made from 8 strings, 7 white and one blue. ‘Seven’ is the number representing perfection in the physical realm. ‘Eight’, therefore, transcends the physical realm and symbolizes a direct link to the spiritual realm.

Each group of 8 strings is knotted 5 times to form a Tzitzit. There are five books in the Torah.

Each of the 4 tzitzit have 8 strings, making a total of 32 strings. Thirty-two is the numeric value of the Hebrew word for “HEART”. The tzitzit’s loose strings represent God’s ‘heart strings’.

The tzitzit with it’s blue thread represents first of all that God is one!

Messiah is not separate, God clothed/robed Himself in the flesh of Messiah.

Through the atoning of Messiah Jesus, God’s precious Lamb, the sins of the world were taken away, (Romans 3:23-26, Romans 6:23, Acts 2:38, 2 Cor. 10:3-7, I John 2:2, I John 2:1, 4:10, ) and now through right relationship with Him, we can walk in His power and authority. 

The garment now made to these specifications is the tallit, also spelled taleth, talet, tallis, talleisim, tallism or tallithim in Hebrew and Yiddish; and called a prayer shawl in English. The purpose for it is for everyone, including the wearer, to look at it and remember all the commandments of the Lord from Torah, the Five Books of Moses,

This list of 613 commandments picture includes the promises of God, so in Jesus day people would see all the power of God in that Fringe, called tzizit / tsitsit in Hebrew, when the prayer shawl was worn by an anointed man of God.

613 mitzvot (or 613 Commandments. Hebrew: תווצמ ג”ירת transliterated as Taryag mitzvot; TaRYaG is the acronym for the numeric value of “613”.) In Judaism there is a tradition that the Torah (i.e. the “Pentateuch”) contains 613 mitzvot (mitzvot in Hebrew means “commandments”, from mitzvah – הוצמ — “precept”, plural: mitzvot; from הוצ, tzavah- “command”).

According to the main source, of these 613 commandments, 248 are mitzvot aseh (“positive commandments”) and 365 are mitzvot lo taaseh (“negative commandments”). 365 corresponded to the number of days in a solar year and 248 was at that time believed to be the number of bones or significant organs in the human body.

We may think 613 Instructions for living a life before the Lord was too many, however although we are under grace there areand Jesus said

The laws concerning sacrifices are null and void because Jesus was the sacrifice.

And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. Hebrews 10:18.

The Corner Knots

Notice that the four corners are decorated with longer threads and with more knots than the remainder of the fringe. These longer fringes of this garment are identical and unique.

The names of God are recalled by the wearer utilizing the prayer shawl in the proper way.

Some of the names rendered by these knots are said to be:

The Names of God

Yahweh Jireh – Yahweh will see, or provide.

Yahweh Ropheka – Yahweh will heal thee.

Yahweh Nissi – Yahweh is my banner.

Yahweh Mekaddishkem – Yahweh Who shall sanctify you.

Yahweh Shalom – Yahweh (send) peace.

Yahweh Tz’vaoth – Yahweh of hosts.

Yahweh Shammah – Yahweh is there.

The symbolism of all this has been variously interpreted. On one view, the Hebrew word tzitzit has the numerical value of 600 (tzaddi = 90; yod = 10; tzaddi = 90; yod = 10; tav = 400; = 600 in total).

Also of interest is the fact that the hem of the high priest had bells and pomegranates hanging from it.The pomegranate is said to contain 613 seeds which was a reminder of the Torah.

Jesus our Messiah, Yeshua haMashiach, wore a prayer shawl, (tallit). Prayer shawls were worn at all times and not just when in prayer. Jesus /Yeshua demonstrated to us the pattern for us to follow, dependence upon His Heavenly Father,  Messiah’s nature was two-fold, as the God-Man.

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham.” Hebrews 2:14-16.

As a humble man, dependent upon His Father, He established a pattern for us to walk in. It is us who must be dependent upon the Lord. God often speaks using human “terms” which are familiar to us, such as “the right hand,” which is a phrase speaking of the position of power and authority.

The term tzitzit is related to the word “hatzatzah,” or “Looking at.” For God said:

“You will make these garments, and put fringe on the borders, and you will look at this, and remember that you must not do what your own heart and desires dictate, but remember that I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and I am the Lord your God.”

Like the 9 branched Chanukkah Menorah,

(see https://www.minimannamoments.com/who-lights-up-your-life/ for more details on Chanukkah.)

the Tallit also has a Shamesh/Shamash

The blue thread of the fringe, is called the SHAMESH / SHAMASH meaning servant. This is similar to the tallest servant candle that stands in the midst of the other candles, and is used to light the menorah.

In this “SHAMESH thread,” we see Messiah, our King; as the “Suffering Servant.” It was necessary that He suffer as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

It was as He humbled Himself, becoming obedient, even to on the cross, that God highly exalted Him, giving Him a name above every name.” (Phil. 2:9)

Meditate on the picture of Messiah Jesus praying at Gethsemane, see Him praying earnestly there, wrapped in His tallit as He prayed long into in the night.

He sweated great drops of blood, agonizing in prayer, the blood mixing with those tears that fell, rolling onto the rock at which He prayed, saying: “Father: If you be willing, remove this cup from Me…nevertheless, not My will but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

As He grasped the fringe of His tallit, He knew within Himself: I am not alone in this. The father stands with Me. I and My Father are one. 

When you make His soul an offering for sin, He will see His seed, He will prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.” (Isaiah 53:10)

Wrapping His tallit around Him, He asked His disciples to stay awake watch with Him and pray.

Everything about the tallit commands us to be “watchers,” who stand by day and by night….

Watchmen, whom God has set on the walls of Jerusalem; which shall never hold their peace, day nor night. Those that make mention of the Lord shall not keep silent! We will give Him no rest, till He establishes, and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in all the earth. (Isaiah 62:6) “Son of Man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them a warning from me, says the Lord.”

Not once since the Rock of Israel was born, had He experienced separation from His Heavenly Father. From the beginning that night in Bethlehem, when that same star filled sky that Abrahamlooked into and was shown descendants as the sands of the sea…was suddenly filled with angels, crying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace and good will toward men. He had known constant and uninterrupted connection to His Father.

Returning to the tassels or tsitsit that the Israelites were commanded to wear, they can be understood as extensions of the hem. The tassels, as shown in the illustrations, are part of the hem; they are simply extended threads of the embroidery of the hem. A tassel may hang free or it may be decorated with a flower head or bell at the end.

Understanding the significance in ancient cultures to the hem of the garment and the status of the wearer, we can understand its association with the glory, or rank of the individual. There are accounts in the New Testament of people being healed as they merely touched the hem of Yahshua’a garment. Symbolically, they touched His glory. When the woman with the issue of blood touched Christ’s hem and was instantly healed.Yahshua did not immediately know who had touched Him, but He sensed that “dunamis” or “miraculous power” had gone out from Him at her touch. Such marvels were prophesied of the coming Savior in the Old Testament, though the fullness of the message is obscured due to some poor translations.

Malachi 4:2
But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings (kanaph – literally “borders”)…

Malachi prophesied that the Son of God would have healing in His “borders,” which is to say, the hem of His garment. Strong’s Concordance defines this word in the following manner. 

Kanaph (kaw-nawf’); from OT:3670; an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bed-clothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle.

Although this word is appropriately understood as a reference to a bird’s wings in some passages, this is not always the case.

Exodus 19:4-5
“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings (kanaph) and brought you to Myself.”

Malachi 4, believed by the Jewish People to be about the coming of the Messiah, also contains a promise of healing: “…to you who fear My name, The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings.” (Malachi 4:2) 

 “It shall be a tassel (Hebrew, tzitzit  ציצת) for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes…” (Numbers 15:39)

The aspect of the tallit, with it’s wings or extensions representing “prayer covering,” is crucial, as the one praying extends this “prayer covering” over individuals, and nations.

In speaking of the tallit, or four-cornered garment with fringe, the outer edge is called in Hebrew, “kanaf” or kanaph,” which is usually translated as “hem,” this term carries the more accurate meaning of “corner or wing.”

The fringes or tassels of a man’s robe, were symbolic of his authority. There is a lovely illustration of this in Ezekiel 16:6, in which God speaks of entering into covenant with Israel:

I spread my skirt over you and covered your nakedness: Yes I sware to you and entered into covenant with you; says the Lord God and you became mine.”

With His arms He will cover you, and under the corners of His tallit you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart.” (Psalm 91:4)

Jesus prayed for His beloved Jerusalem, even as He rode into Jerusalem on the city on the little donkey’s foal. As the people strewed their garments in His way, and they cried: Blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord! Peace, in heaven, and glory in the highest!

Wrapped in His talit, He rode, wiping tears from his eyes. With one hand on the donkey’s mane, and one holding those fringes in His hand. And he said:

If you had known, even in this your day; the things which belong to your peace! Now they are hid from your eyes! (Luke 19:38f)

Again, this phrase “skirt of him that is a Jew,” speaks of the “wing” of the tallit. This phrase “God is with you,” is similar to the concept of Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” It shows us that God will work powerfully through Yeshua haMashiach’s and the redeemed sons and daughters of Israel in the last days. The days will come when so great shall be the spiritual understanding concerning Messiah, that the very shadow of these passing by will produce healings, as we see in the days of the early Jewish apostles. (Acts 19:12)

Originally, the tallit may have appeared as an outer garment bearing the fringes commanded by God.  It probably resembled the abayah, the blanket worn by Bedouin to protect them from the elements, which has black stripes at the ends.

It was finer, however, and similar also to the pallium (rectangular cloak worn by Greek and Roman men).

The Hebrew word for corners of a garment or the bottom hem is kanaph, it is the same word used in the book of Job for the ends of the earth.

The requirement of fringes was and is to wear sacred fringes called tzizit / tsitsit which are tassles that hang down from the corners of their outer garments. This outer garment which was larger than the current prayer shawls and looked like a poncho with tzizit / tsitsit.

A poncho was similar to a sheet with a hole in the middle for the head. The front piece was tied behind the back, then the back was lapped over and tied in the front. This is the seamless garment in John 19:23.

Recent archaeological digs have found a number of these from biblical times. This garment served as a blanket as stated in Exodus 22:26 

After the Jewish People were exiled from Israel, their style of dress was influenced by their Gentile neighbors, and the tallit became a garment worn for prayer instead of a garment worn daily.

Under garment or robe was called a HALUK it was lighter weight.

Outer garment was the Tallit (prayer shawl) it was heavier weight.
 

Psalms 61:4  Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah

The Tallit (prayer shawl) as a ‘closet’ 

The tallit is prayer shawl which when used to cover the head also creates a personal isolated space for prayer shutting out the world around you. The name Tallit comes from the two Hebrew word TAL meaning tent and ITH meaning little.

So we have talith as a LITTLE TENT and it is this that Jesus was referring to when He said:

Matt 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

The Greek term PERIBOLAION, meaning “a covering,” carried with it the connotation of “Something thrown about one, such as a mantle or veil.”

By wrapping yourself in it, or by covering your head with it, you can create an individual tent for yourself to converse with God.

Greek word for closet is (tameion), which means “an inner chamber, or a secret room.”
 The closeting of oneself in the covering of the Tallit (prayer shawl) was a symbolic separation from the world around the Jewish man.

The tzitzit of the tallit katans of two Jewish men are worn outside, while the third man has tucked in his tzitzit.

Although you perhaps cannot see it, underneath their clothes is a poncho called the tallit katan which takes the form of a small poncho and is worn under the shirt, often over an undergarment so as not to actually touch the skin; and with the tzitzit coming out from beneath the shirt, Other ultra-Orthodox Jews also wear the tallit katan, and sometimes the tassels visibly dangle from under a regular button down shirt, sweater, and even a Tshirt.

Because Yeshua wore his tallit, the border or hem of Yeshua’s garment had a particular appearance to it, due to the way in which the tallit was folded. This caused the corner tassels of the fringe to hang down. Taking hold of the “skirt” of him that is a Jew, speaks of taking hold of this outer or extended “wing” of the garment, which holds such deep significance. This is because it speaks of prayer.

Yeshua haMashiach as our Messiah, was a man of prayer. He prayed with “all manner of prayer.” He spent entire nights in prayer. His life was characterized by what many today call “prophetic prayer.”

As He prayed He saw things prophetically before they actually happened. He did the things which God commanded Him to, as they were seen through the eyes of His spirit.

Messiah praying prior to ministry to the crowds of people.

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place and there prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

 Yeshua always prayed prior to praying for the sick. 
“And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12)

He prayed after healing the sick. “And when he had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when evening was come, He was alone.” (Matthew 14:23)

And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. Mark 6:46 Luke 22:45

These times of prayer refreshed Him. in the outstretched wings or extended talit, we see the concept of the extending of God’s authority, enfolding the believer, and the ministering of healing.

Those who understood it’s significance, and touched Him were made whole. The power of Messiah’s tallit, was in the authority of His divine person.

For us today, it’s in the shed blood of Yeshua, as the Lamb of God.

The word “salvation” speaks of healing for the whole man, body, soul and spirit. In Isaiah 53:4-5, we learn that Messiah took our sicknesses in His own body AND He bore our sins.

Lets continue living by the fringe of a wing and a prayer.

To Be Continued……..

 

At-One-Ment With The One You Love

Special Word of Introduction:

Ecclesiastes 3 tells us there are different times and seasons. This is a time to be serious and to put away, to cast down and throw from us all that would distract and keep us from the One to whom we owe EVERYTHING.

We will sing of your love for ever, we will declare your faithfulness and mercy to the generations.

This is the pen-ultimate appointed time of the Hebrew calendar year. The 6th of 7 specific dates the Lord set into the annual cycle of life, incorporating the harvest seasons of the grains and fruits. Times chosen when The Lord God wanted to spend time with His people.They were all a prophetic type and shadow, a fore-telling of the coming Savior. A rehearsal for the future Messiah, JESUS who came a little over 2000 years ago and literally fulfilled the words of the prophets concerning God’s plan of the ages.

In Hebrew,Jesus was the burden removing, yoke destroying answer, redeeming mankind and all who will believe and trust in His atoning sacrifice of substitution at Calvary.

There His Blood has paid the price for ALL our transgressions. The wages of sin is death, meaning eternal separation from God’s presence. Because of Jesus, we will never have to experience that or have to personally pay the price for our errant ways. Ezekiel 18:20 ‘the soul who sins he shall die..’

Yom Kippur is all about the sacrificial offering of a pure unblemished innocent life, freely and willingly given to cover for sin, through the shedding of its blood. (For the life of the flesh is in the blood. Lev. 17:11) Yom haKipuriym/day of the Atonements, falls on the 10th day of the 7th month. It is not a feast day but rather a Holy convocation, an opportunity to deny ourselves, a time for self examination. A perfect opportunity for a heart (spiritual) check-up.As the High Priest performs the atonements for himself, the altar, the Tabernacle, and the whole community in Israel, we are encouraged to stop and think. To turn those thoughts to our own lives and allow an inner conviction to lead us to true repentance and then to the acceptance of the blood sacrifice of Jesus as a means of cleansing and forgiveness.Jesus our Messiah has clearly fulfilled both the position of our High Priest and that of our personal sacrifice, He atoned for us once and for all and is continually making intercession for us before the Father.He does not need to make sacrifices for Himself and for us year after year in order to atone for our sins–it has already been accomplished for ever. Hebrews 9:6–12

The weight and penalty of the sins, was symbolically transferred to the animal sacrifices for that year, so that forgiveness could be attained.

Our willingness to deny self on this day does not cause, aid or enhance our atonement, however it allows us to become acutely aware of our own mortality, our sin, our continuing need for atonement, and our desire for life. At the same time it causes us to appreciate on some minute level, the sacrifice the Master made as He denied His own life on our behalf and to re-evaluate our own commitment to walk in the way, the truth and the life, by obeying and keeping His commandments.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matt.5:17-20

 

The sanctity and holiness of this day cannot be understated.

Though we may find great joy in our eternal atonement in Jesus the Messiah, this is a day for remembering the atonement in such a way that it should be very hard to forget in the busyness of daily life.

Although we are saved by grace and live by faith, we are still accountable for our individual lives and for changing our ways in compliance of being a ‘doer’ of the things Jesus taught and not a ‘hearer only’.

We are to be contemplative, repentant, humble and dead to ourselves because the self sacrifice necessary to atone for our sins is far beyond what any of us are able or willing to do. It would take every drop, every ounce of blood in our bodies to cover even our own sins, much less the sins of another.

However we can rejoice for the Messiah has come! Atonement has been made and He has obtained age enduring redemption, which is available for us! Justice is satisfied and Mercy fulfilled, once and for all!On Yom haKipuriym, day of the Atonements, we are also to remember that we live and breathe only because the Father so chooses, and that by His choice, He has the right and the power to take it away as well. A sobering reality.

Lk. 12:20; Mk. 13:44.

Hard though that is for some of us to admit, once born again and redeemed, it means that God through Jesus bought and paid for us and we belong to Him. Our life is no longer our own to live as we please and our destiny is His hands. At this time the story of Jonah is appropriate, teaching that sincere repentance can reverse even the harshest heavenly decreeand the prevention of Jonah’s flight shows that no one can escape from God.There is such an abundance of revelatory instruction around the 7th appointed time, it is prohibitive to attempt to include everything in one post, so some aspects are not mentioned below due to space and in an attempt to curtail longevity, however it is not out of ignorance or neglect.

(Further details regarding insights on the sacrifices and Temple proceedings followed at Yom Kippur will be posted on more mini manna moments/ deeper dig.)

Now for the Main Meal of the day! Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement (Lev. 25:9) 

The Biblical name for the day of Atonement is Yom HaKippurim, meaning ‘the day of covering, canceling, pardon, reconciling.’ Occasionally, it was called ‘the Day of the Fast’ or ‘the Great Fast’ (Lev. 23:27-31; 16:29-34). It is a unique ceremony which took place on the ancient Hebrew calendar for the children of Israel, it was the holiest day of the year and still is for believers and the Jewish community today. ‘Kadosh’, often translated as ‘Holy’, it also has a deeper meaning and conveys an understanding of being separate and set aside for Adonai /The Lord and not as the world and the things of the world are.Deut. 7:6, We are to be His own unique treasure.

This day marks the end of the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe) and falls on the 9th/10th day of Tishrei (Tishri), the seventh month in the Jewish calendar.It’s not a feast like the others that we have looked at. It is a day of repentance and it’s still of great significance for Christian believers, because not one of us is perfect.  It’s a time for us to make a decision to be better in the coming year than we were in the past year. Paul makes mention of Yom Kippur when he refers to it in Acts 27:9 saying that the fast had already gone by, as the main focus of this day is to fast before the Lord.Names used are:

Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement)

Face to Face
The Day (or the Great Day)
The Fast
The Great Shofar (Shofar HaGadol)
Neilah (the closing of the gates of heaven as the festival concludes and the judgment was set for another year.)

 

UNDERSTANDING THE PRIESTLY SERVICE FOR YOM KIPPURLev. 16, specifies the 10th of Tishrei as the date on which the high priest (Cohen HaGadol) shall conduct a special ceremony to purge defilement from the sanctuary and from the people. The heart of it is that the high priest (Cohen HaGadol) shall bring a bull and two goats as a special offering. First, the bull is sacrificed to purge the sanctuary from any defilements caused by misdeeds of the priest himself and of his household (Lev. 16:6). Secondly, one of the goats is chosen by lot to be sacrificed, to purge the sanctuary of any similar defilement stimulated by misdeeds of the whole Israelite people (Lev. 16:7-8). Finally, the second goat is sent away, not sacrificed, to cleanse the people themselves. The goat is marked for Azazel and is sent away to wander in the wilderness (Lev. 16:10).Before the goat is sent out, the high priest lays both his hands upon its head and confesses over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the Israelites, whatever their misdeeds, and so putting them on the head of the goat. Thus, the Torah adds, ‘The goat shall carry on it all their iniquities to an inaccessible region…’ (Lev. 16:20- 22).

AZAZEL: THE SCAPEGOAT

The Hebrew word for scapegoat is ‘Azazel’. Azazel was seen as a type of satan (Ha satan). The sins of the people and thus the punishment of the people were laid upon Azazel the scapegoat. Azazel being sent into the wilderness is understood to be a picture of satan (Ha satan) being cast into the lake of fire (Rev.19:20).The sins of the people were laid upon the scapegoat (Lev.16:21-22).

 

ADDITIONAL ASPECTS TO THE HIGH PRIEST CEREMONY

In order to enter the Holy of Holies, the high priest (Cohen HaGadol) was first to bathe his entire body, going beyond the mere washing of hands and feet as required by other occasions. The washing symbolized his desire for purification (Num. 19). The washing was of his clothes and his flesh (Num. 8:5-7;19:7-9).

This was done in conjunction with taking the blood of an animal with the finger
and sprinkling the blood upon the altar (Num. 19:1-4; Lev. 8:13-15 and in Num. 31:21-24.)  

‘And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering.’

The priest dipping his finger in the blood and placing it on the horns of the altar represents that the sin is recorded. The mark of a finger print in blood is evidence a death had taken place to pay the price for the sin.By this action, the altar had in a sense, become defiled until on the Day of Atonement when the pure blood of the Lord’s goat was placed on the altar to purify it.

The blood is shed for the sinner’s life and to satisfy the demand of the law, on the Day of Atonement the redemption is finalized. So too, is the process in the heavenly sanctuary on the day when our sins are blotted out. 

 The spiritual understanding of this is given in Heb. 9 -10:19-22.
The sprinkling of blood upon the altar is also mentioned in Ex. 29:1-4,10-12, 16,20-21; and Lev. 1:3-5,11; 3:1-2,8; 4:1-6; 5:4-6,9. The spiritual understanding is found in Heb. 9:11-14,23-25, and 1Pet. 1:2.

FACE TO FACE

The high priest (Cohen HaGadol) could only go into the Holy of Holies once a year (Lev.16:2; Heb. 9:6-7).(God issued a warning that no man could see His face and live (Ex.33:20). But because on the Day of Atonement the priest could be in God’s presence (Lev.16:2), another term for the Day of Atonement is ‘face to face.’  At that point, the high priest was ‘face to face with the mercy seat of God.’

Face in Hebrew: panim or paneh פָּנִים (paw-neem’)When the high priest (Cohen HaGadol) entered the Holy of Holies, he saw the Lord’s presence as a brilliant cloud hovering above the mercy seat (Lev.16:2).The word for mercy seat in Hebrew is kapporet. It comes from the root word kaphar, which is the same word used for atonement. The mercy seat can also be translated as the seat of atonement. The mercy seat is described in detail in Ex. 25:17-22 and 37:6-9. This is the place where Moses (Moshe) met and spoke with God face to face (Ex. 25:22; 30:6; Num. 7:89).The themes are:

Yom Kippur is a day of fasting and affliction of the soul.

The incense of the golden censer represents the prayers of Bible believers.Repentance Repent (Teshuvah) return to the Lord.

Hear (Shema) the calling (Shofar) for our lives.

Yielding ourselves to God so we may live every day (face to face – al paneh – פָּנִים) in His Presence. Furniture of the Tabernacle

Atonement

 At the moment the atonement was made on the Day of Atonement, those being atoned for were sinless and blameless before God.

The congregation of believers (kehilat) in the Messiah is being presented before God without spot or blemish (Eph. 5:27) because of the blood of Jesus/Yeshua (1 Pet. 1:19).Messianic Fulfillment; Jesus/Yeshua is the sacrifice of God for us who believe on Him (Heb. 9:26-28; 10:1-10). 

Forgiveness

Messianic Fulfillment: Aaron the high priest typifies the ministry of mediator and intercessor. Jesus/Yeshua is our High Priest (Heb. 3:1) and Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 12:24). He lives to make intercession for us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:22-27).Spiritual Application (Halacha): By the death of Jesus/Yeshua, we are free to enter into the veil every day not just once a year. (Matt. 27:50-51; 2 Cor. 3:14; Heb. 4:16; 6:13-19; 10:19-22).

 More about the Goats 

Lev. 16:7–10. the high priest would stand before the people in Jerusalem with two identical goats.He would then put his hand into an urn where there were two lots, each one with a different Hebrew word carved into it. The High priest would then remove them both, one in each hand. He then placed the lot in his right hand on the head of the goat to his right the other to the goat on the left.One of the lots decreed that one of the goats would live and be set free, the other that it would die as the sacrifice for the sins of the people on Yom Kippur.  This is where two goats (or lambs) were chosen annually to represent the sins of Israel, one was sacrificed as the usual sin offering and the other released into the wild, bearing the sins of the people on it.The fate of each goat was determined by the drawing of the lots. The black lot signifying the scapegoat and the white lot, the goat for sacrifice. When the lots were drawn, if the black stone was found in the priest’s left hand when the stones were revealed it was an indication that the offering was unacceptable to the Lord. White meant yes, black meant no.

The Mystery of the Semikhah

Within this ceremony is also the mystery of the Semikhah. This is the sacred act that had to take place before a sacrifice could be offered up for the sins of the one offering it, or before the scapegoat could take away the sins of the nation on Yom Kippur.

It is the mystery of physical contact.

The person offering the sacrifice had to make physical contact with the sacrifice itself.

The priest had to touch it and very specifically had to place the palms of both his hands on the sacrifice.Lev. 16:21, Only after the Semikhah was performed could the scapegoat take away the sins of the nation or the sacrifice be offered up as an atonement.

The mystery is the Messiah. He is the sacrifice. 

As the Semikhah must be performed and it was the priests who offered Him up and then delivered Him to His death. In accordance with Scripture, the priest had to make physical contact with the sacrifice by placing his hands on it. Mk. 14:65 records that after condemning Him to death the priests struck Him repeatedly with their hands. The description shows that they specifically struck his face and head the palms of their hands and afterwards Messiah was led away to be killed.What we need to comprehend is that what took place on earth at that moment, was symbolic of what happened in heavenly realms. That is where the reality and sovereignty of God’s intervention took place concerning the fate of mankind. In truth, it was God who performed the Semikhah when He placed our sins on Jesus, ensuring that sins are gone, Semikhah was completed and those sins can never return!

 

MESSIANIC UNDERSTANDING

God gave this ceremony of the casting of lots during Yom Kippur to teach us how He will judge the nations of the world prior to the Messianic age known as the Millennium. The nations of the world will be judged according to how they treated the Jewish people. Those nations who mistreated the Jews will be goat nations and they will go into the left hand. Those nations that stood beside the Jewish people will be sheep nations and will enter into the Messianic kingdom or the Millennium. Matt. 25:31-46.
Jesus/Yeshua during His first coming was a type of the goat marked La Adonai. He was a sin offering to us as God laid upon Him the sins of the whole world (Is. 53:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:3; Gal. 1:3-4; Heb. 2:17; 1 Jn. 2:2; 4:10).

In the ceremony of the two goats, the two goats were considered as one offering. A crimson sash was tied around the horns of the goat marked Azazel.At the appropriate time, the goat was led to a steep cliff in the wilderness and pushed off the cliff.  Before there could be any sacrifice, there had to be a public presentation of the two goats before the people and the decision of which destiny would be for each goat. In the life of Messiah before his sacrificial death at Passover He too was presented before the people by pilate. For them to choose which man would live and which would die. With the goats only one could become the sacrifice, so Messiah had to be one of two lives presented to the people in order to be chosen as the sacrifice. According to the Yom Kippur decree and the requirements of the ceremony, the other life had to be let go and his name was Barabbas. Matt. 27:15–24

They had to be identical but how could that have been true? Barabbas was a sinner, bandit and murderer Jesus was sinless.

It’s all in the name.

Jesus our Messiah was also the Son of God, the Son of the Father and Barabbas name in Aramaic comes from two words. Bar which means Son and Abba which means father so therefore Barabbas means son of the father. The two men each bearing the same name son of the father. So the one who was the sacrifice and the one set free were identical in this way. Similarly, as we believe Jesus was the son of God, He was also equal to God; then it would follow that God in the flesh had to die in our place and have an equality in some way with us. (John14:9, If you have seen me you have seen the father.) He did become flesh in the form of a man, in the ‘likeness’ of sinful flesh and as such was ‘identical’ to fulfill the law.Bar Abba (Barabbas) was a symbol of the disobedient nation of Yisra’el, and he was released from prison even though he was guilty. But our Messiah, Jesus was killed in his place, because He became the scapegoat for Yisra’el!The definition for the word ‘scapegoat’ is ‘the innocent party who takes the blame for the guilty party.’ The nation of Israel/Yisra’el, (the firstborn son) was the guilty party, but the Father put on human flesh and became the Son (representing Israel/Yisra’el) by trading places with him! 

(This is where we get our idiom for a scapegoat, for the one who takes the blame.)

Messiah fulfilled the pattern of the twin goats on Yom Kippur and then he also fulfilled the role of the Kohen Gadowl (High Priest) that year when He read Is.61:1-2 in the synagogue (Lk. 4:19) declaring “the acceptable year of The Lord.”
We are not under the law of sin and death any more we are under the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Rom.8:2

Because of the sovereign purposes of the Lord, Israel has undergone a partial hardening until all of those whom God has called from among nations have been grafted in to the Olive tree of God. During this age of grace, those who were called not my people, are intended to provoke Israel to jealousy by means of the message. (Hos. 2:23) After the age of grace is complete all Israel will be saved (Rom. 11:26) and the original covenant will be fully restored and redeemed. Yom Kippur will be a fulfilled festival on that great day. Then the words of the prophets will be proven true and God will be vindicated. Israel will be adorned with honor and blessing above all the nations of the earth and they will finally be home from their long exile.

The aspect of ‘hidden, covered, veiled.’ We see ‘Yom Kippur’ typology here with the concept of being ‘covered’ or ‘veiled.’ To this day, the Jewish people have nick-named this day of ‘Yom Kippur’ as ‘face-to-face’ because it was this one time per year when the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies ‘behind the veil’ and come ‘face-to-face’ with The Lord!As the High Priest had to intercede on behalf of Israel/Yisra’el for her sins, if he had any sin for which he had not repented, he would die in the Holy of Holies! At the future Day of Atonement, the bride who sufficiently sanctifies herself or ‘afflicts’ and prepares herself will be able to come ‘face-to-face’ with the bridegroom. Likewise on that day when Jesus returns, the veil will be removed from her face and her heart (Israel) and she will ‘see’ her Messiah (2 Cor. 3:14-16). The scales will fall away from her eyes also as she will ‘look upon’ the one whom she pierced (Zech. 12:10).

In the future, during the ‘Ten Days of Awe’ between The Feast of Trumpets & the Day of Atonement, there will also be a ‘7-day’ wedding for the bride of Messiah.

Through Yeshua  the atonement has been made, not just for a year but forever; not just for Israel but for all who will believe.  We have been and will always be forgiven by God’s grace through faith. Jesus is not still on the cross however 
because of Jesus who is the heart and prophetic fulfillment of every one of God’s holy days. These are His feasts, the feasts of the Lord. Because God chose Israel to be His witness to the rest of the world, the celebrations commemorate events in Israel’s history.  Through them God revealed His character and His plan of redemption through Jesus.

So the Feasts are continual reminders of God’s faithfulness and goodness.  They connect us together as a community and are anchors of our souls.

The ultimate fulfillment of the year of Jubilee will take place at the second coming of Messiah.The earth will be redeemed and come into full and complete rest from the curse brought upon it by Adam’s sin. Complete restoration of man’s lost inheritance will take place. God’s people will be totally set free — set at liberty, from all sin, sickness and disease, death, and the curse. Satan (Ha satan), the source of all these things, will be bound and true rest, true shalom will be realized. The tabernacle of God will be with men and He will dwell with them (Rev.21:1-4). So, the day of Atonement speaks of the fullness of the redemptive plan of God for man.We do well to remember, liberty and freedom are NEVER really free.

Somewhere – sometime – someone...

has ALWAYS paid the price for that freedom. It would behoove us to count the cost now, today – for there will be no avoiding the inevitable day of reckoning.