Pesach Emunah For His Am Segulah? Part 2

 

In the last post we looked at the questions..

Do We Have Passover Faith?

Pesach  Emunah

and

Are you one of His Am Segulah 

His Treasured People?

We saw that we are His

Am Segulah

but what of the

Pesach  Emunah?

Pesach or Passover

is all about Sacrifice

 and here we will continue to look at the sacrifices required by our Heavenly Father prior to Him sending Messiah Jesus/Yeshua to become the perfect sacrificial substitute for us; which is what we remember at this season of Pesach/Passover..

and we are looking at how it is connected to Messiah in

 the directions given to Moses recorded in Leviticus

in the Old Testament/Covenant.

The five offerings were:

1 Burnt.

2 Grain.

3 Peace. 4 Sin. 5.Trespass/guilt.

1, 2, and 3 were voluntary offerings

4 and 5 were obligatory offerings.

Previously we looked at the

Burnt Offering

and the Minchah

or Grain Offering.

 

Next is the

3  Shelamim – Peace offering.

Leviticus 3; 7.11–34

The third offering is the shelem, or Peace Offering.

zevah shelamim or Peace Offering.

זֶבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים zevah hashelamiym

The term

korban shelamim (קורבן שלמים)

is also used.

Note the word shelem

שֶׁלֶם

close to shalom,

שלום

meaning peace,

with which we are familiar.

Shelmim is the plural

recall the posts looking at the meaning of the added

IM ending to Hebrew words.

Strong’s Hebrew: 8002. שֶׁ֫לֶם (shelem) — a sacrifice for …

shelem: a sacrifice for alliance or friendship, peace offering.

Strong’s Hebrew: 8000. שְׁלַם (shelem) — to be complete

shelem: to be complete .

 Phonetic Spelling: (sheh’-lem

Strong’s Hebrew: 5071 נדבה (ndabah) – freewill offering …

  1. freewill, voluntary, offeringStrong’s Definitions ndabah, ned-aw-baw’;

Strong’s Hebrew: 4503. מִנְחָה (minchah) — a gift, tribute …

gift, oblation, meat offering, present, sacrifice. From an unused root meaning to apportion.

The shelmim, first discussed in Leviticus 3, included:

Thanksgiving Offerings. Lev 7:12,

Freewill Offerings. 7:16,

and

Wave Offerings. 7:30.

The offering could be cattle 3:1, sheep 3:7, or a goat 3:12.

It could be male or female, but must be without defect.

If it was a Thanksgiving Offering,

it could also include a variety of breads 7:12.

The purpose of the Peace Offering was to consecrate a meal between two or more parties before YHVH/God and share that meal together in fellowship of peace and a commitment to each others’ future prosperity. The portions unsuitable for eating were given to God, 7:19-27. Depending on the type of Peace Offering, the breast may have been given to the High Priest, 7:31 and the right thigh may be given to the priest officiating the meal, 7:32. The rest of the meal was to be eaten within one day by the fellowship of parties, 7:16, and the leftovers were to be burnt after two days, 7:17.

This was a free will offering eaten by the one bringing it and given as a way of expressing thanks to God on joyous occasions. Semikhah is performed though instead of viduy; and praise to the Lord is offered.

The Peace offering signified fellowship with God and reconciliation. In this sacrifice both the one bringing the offering and the priest ate of the freewill/voluntary offering.

Peace Offering – Leviticus 3:1-17; 7:11-34

It was a sweet aroma to YHVH/God.

It provided a communal meal with meat for the priests and those giving the offering.

Three types:

thanksgiving,

vow offering and

voluntary (free will) offering.

The meaning for us:

We are to thank Our Heavenly Father – blessing Him for all His provision in our lives, spiritually and physically.

The fulfillment in Messiah Yeshua:

He is our peace/shalom offering.

We can be reconciled to God/YHVH/Our Heavenly Father

only through Him.

Yehoveh Shalom.

He is our Shelamim

He is our

sar shalom our prince of peace

He said My Peace/shalom I give to you.

John 14:27

Shalom alechheim!

chatat/chattath – sin offering.

The fourth offering was called:

chattath, literally: sin or sin offering…. 

Purification (Sin) Offering.

Though often called the sin offering,

a better translation is purification offering.

This offering is sometimes seen as an

offering of atonement for unintentional sin; Lev. 4:2-3, 4:20.

In the same way it is sometimes viewed as guilt offering,

removing the consequences for lack of perfection

Lev. 4:13-14, 4:22-23.

As an atonement offering, it contained elements of a

Burnt Offering 4:25, yet at the same time had elements of a

Peace Offering 4:26.

Conversely, some of the sins for which one needed

atonement were not moral sins

but rather matters of ritual impurity 5:1-5.

The primary purpose of this offering is not to atone for sins but rather to: purify oneself for re-entering the presence of God. The elements of a Purification Offering could be any of the elements of the previous three types of offerings, though unlike the Peace Offering, the meal was not to be shared by the one offering the sacrifice.

Note that there is no exact sacrifice for deliberate intentional and willful sins against the Lord…

but instead, the punishment was by early death.

Sin Offering

chatat/chattath

Leviticus 4:1-35; 6:24-30.

This offering was not considered a sweet aroma to YHVH/God. Only the fat and blood were offered on the altar; when the

sin offering/chatat/chattath

is for the whole congregation, the rest was

burned outside the camp.

The meaning for us:

All have sinned,

the penalty of sin is death

and sin requires the shedding of blood

Hebrews 1:3-4; Galatians 2:20; Romans 5:8-9.

The fulfillment in Messiah Yeshua:

Messiah Yeshua/Jesus is our sin offering.

We are sinful, and

He was willing to pay our death penalty for us.

He was crucified outside the city.

 

Asham – guilt offering

Unlike the English word guilt,

this does not refer to a matter of one’s conscience

but rather to something one owes on account of a sin.

Other names of this offering are the:

Trespass Offering or the Reparation Offering.

this was a required offering as part of the reparations for certain improper acts;

e.g. keeping another’s property by swearing falsely.

In each case the wrongdoer was required to restore the property plus an additional 20% to its rightful owner before he could offer the sacrifice and receive forgiveness.

Leviticus 5:14–6:7; 7:1-7

The

Trespass Offering

is similar to the sin offering, but dealing with specific sins, especially where restitution was possible.

The meaning for us:

We must repent each time we sin.

The rules of restitution teach us to do our best

to repair the damage caused by our sins.

To put things right.

The fulfillment in 

Messiah Yeshua/Jesus:

Who died so that every sin can be

forgiven and covered! 

Hallelujah!

 

Note that the sin offerings, chatat and asham,

were obligatory for atonement to be made.

They had to be offered by the anointed High Priest who would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice seven times inside the Mishkan on the Golden altar opposite the curtain before the Holy of Holies. That fat was burned on the altar but unlike the other offerings, the rest of the animal its’ hide flesh and its’ body parts would be taken outside the camp to be burned with fire. Hebrews 13:12

A Jewish commentary states that the meat of the korbanot never spoiled even if it took days before it was burned upon the altar; and in spite of the presence of blood all over the Mishkan no flies swarmed the area because of its special holiness.

After the Messiah Yeshua had come as the

high priest/ha kohen ha gadol

of the re-new-ed covenant;

the sacrificial system was abandoned following the destruction of the 2nd temple in the year 70 A.D.

Even so, the instructions in the book of Leviticus continue to this day to exert influence on Jewish life, since nearly half of 613 Commandments are found in it and much of their Talmud is based on it.

The sacrificial system of the Old Testament was a means of

GRACE

by which the relationship

between YHVH/God and humanity

begins to be restored.

Ultimately, the sacrificial system was inadequate, and

none could repay the debt of life that was owed

until

Jesus Christ/Messiah Yeshua

defeated death once and for all.

Heb. 10:10.

Today, we live in the light of His perfect sacrifice for us

while also offering our own lives

as a

living and

holy sacrifice.

Romans 12:1; 1 Pet. 2:5.

New Testament/Covenant

brit chadashah.

The references in the brit chadashah

New Testament/Covenant,

concern the superiority of the sacrifice

of the Messiah/mashiach as

the once for all sacrifice for sins.

Instead of daily sacrifices and offerings, the Messiah came to fulfill the will of His and our Father God/YHVH, by becoming obedient to all that the Levitical Law required. He did this by offering Himself as the ultimate sacrificial victim truly without spot or blemish.

When He said

you have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings.

These are offerings according to the Torah then He added

behold I have come to do your will.

He abolishes the first in order to establish the second.

And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering

of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:8

Moreover just as the blood of the sin offering was brought into the holy place by the anointed priest

so Jesus/yeshua presented his own blood in the holy place made without hands and then suffered outside the camp.

Hebrews 13:10 – 15

One of the roles of our Mashiach/ Messiah is that of the

High Priests, who offered

true atonement for our sins

by offering his own blood in the

holy of holies made without hands

In Hebrews 3:1 -2.

The importance of a blood sacrifice

Leviticus 17:11

Ki nefeshha-basar badam hi va ani netativ lakhem al-hamizbe’ach le khaper al-nafshotekhem ki-hadam hu banefesh ye’khaper.

The Lord requires a

blood sacrifice for

the issue of

sin.

Leviticus 17:11 agrees with the teaching in the

New Testament/brit chadashah.

in Hebrews 9 :22

Without the shedding of blood

there is NO remission

there is NO atonement without blood;

the substitutionary shedding of blood –

the life for life principle

is essential

to the true at one ment with the Lord God.

Jesus/Yeshua offered His own body up

to be the perfect sacrifice for sins.

By His shed blood we have complete atonement before Adonai/YHVH/Our Heavenly Father.

The Levitical system of the animals sacrifices including the elaborate Yom Kippur ritual, was meant to

foreshadow the truth

and abiding sacrifice of Yeshua/Jesus

as the means of reconciliation with the Father.

The old covenant /the brit yeshanah provides a shadow of the substance revealed in the new covenant/brit chadashah.

If the old covenant had been sufficient to provide a permanent solution to the problem of our sin; then there would never have been a need for a new covenant to supersede it.

Hebrews 8:7.

Unlike the old covenant sacrifices which merely covered sins – under the new covenant, the sins are taken entirely away.

Hebrews 7:27 9:12 9:25–28 

There is no more need for continual sacrifices since Yeshua/Jesus provided the once and for all sacrifice for all of our sins.

Hebrews 9:11-14; 9:24–28; 10:11–20.

Jesus/Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, is

the propitiation/expiation/answer for our sins.

The Greek word used in

Romans 3:25; 1John 2:2; 1John 4:10.

hilasterion

is the same word used in the Greek translation

of the Old Testament for the Mercy seat.

or

kapporet/cover of the arc of the covenant in the Holy of Holies

which was sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifice on Yom Kippur.

Hebrews 9:24

We need to be sure we have personally made

semikhah by

laying hands on Yeshua/Jesus

as our sacrifice for sins.

Have we made confession/viduy?

All have the need for deliverance from bondage through Him, which takes us back to the Israelites deliverance from Egyptian bondage.

This is the

faith/emunah

we need for

our personal

PassOver/Pesach,

to be His

treasured people/am segulah. 

Without the full understanding of what has been done for us how can we appreciate the sacrifice?

This lack of understanding cripples the believer today from fully submitting to a risen savior, and also robs us of the fullness of the amazing miracle of the chaim/lifes that’s been made freely available to us. 

Yes FREE to us

BUT

it cost Jesus/Yeshua EVERYTHING!

The priesthood that stood between worshiper and God has ceased. Hebrews 7:23–24, The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.

This is the foundation for our faith in Him –

This is the gospel… the good news.

Yeshua/Jesus knew that He was destined to fulfill all that the Jewish prophets said about Him. He had eaten the Passover Pesach meal every year and this year He said in

Luke 22:15, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering. 

As He was nearing His death,

He commented to His twelve

disciples/talmidim /tahl-me-DEEM,

Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again. Luke 18:31-33.

 This prophecy in

Isaiah 53 does speak specifically of the Messiah Jesus/Yeshua: His death and resurrection are graphically portrayed in this prophecy where the meaning of His death, as a substitutionary atonement, is given. It was written over 700 years before Messiah was born, but the prophet accurately details His suffering and death by crucifixion as the Suffering Servant of the Lord.

He acknowledged this Himself at His last Passover Seder with His talmidim. Luke 22:37.

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach had fulfilled ALL the requirements of the Law for the sin offerings that were made at the Temple.
He also explained that, as the Law required, Yeshua/Jesus died outside the gates of the city: We have an altar from which those who are serving the present earthly tabernacle do not have authority to eat; for pertaining to those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest for a sin offering, the bodies of all these are burned outside the camp. For this reason, Jesus, in order that He might sanctify the people by His own blood, also suffered OUTSIDE THE GATE. Heb. 13:10-12.

The fact that Messiah Jesus/Yeshua

died outside the gates of the city of Jerusalem

verifies that

His body was a sin offering.

The Law of God specifically commanded that

all sin offerings were to be burned

outside the camp.

Lev. 4:1-2, 11-12, 21; 16:27.

After the blood of the sacrificial animals was sprinkled on the altar, the bodies of the sin offerings were taken across the Kidron Valley to a place high on the Mount of Olives east of the city of Jerusalem, where there was a special altar called the

Miphkad Altar.

This altar was located near Golgotha, where Messiah was crucified.

The Miphkad Altar and the sin offerings

which were sacrificed on it was really

a cardinal part of the Temple complex

that existed in the time of Messiah.

This altar was not one with a ramp leading up to a square elevated area, but it is described in the Mishnah as a pit in which the animals could be burnt to ashes (Parah 4:2).

The Miphkad Altar was located outside the walls of the Temple (as Ezekiel 43:21 states), but [the bridge across the Kidron Valley and] the roadway leading up to the altar (and including the altar itself) were part of the ritualistic furniture associated with the Temple services….

Messiah/Christ was crucified near the Miphkad Altar!

The location of this altar on the Mount of Olives

offered a direct view

of the entire Temple area.

On the Day of Atonement, those who stood at the site of this special altar could observe the high priest as he was standing near the veil of the Temple, ready to enter the Holy Place. That day they would have seen the veil tear from top to bottom and felt the earth quake!!

Even the bullock and the goat which were sacrificed on the day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) had to be killed near the Altar of Burnt Offering within the Temple and then their carcasses were required to be taken out the eastern gate to the Miphkad Altar at the Mount of Olives and there they were burnt to ashes (Leviticus 4). 
The ashes of all the animals that were burned on the altar at the Temple were taken to the same place where the sin offerings were burned (Miphkad Altar) and were mingled with the ashes of the sin offerings and poured out at the base of the Altar, Leviticus 4:12, 21; 6:11 where the ashes could descend through a conduit system into the Valley of Kidron below.

As the supreme sin offering of God the Father, the body of Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach, was offered up when He was crucified on the Mount of Olives, near the altar where the bodies of all sin offerings from the Temple were offered up to God.

Thus, Paul wrote: But He, after offering one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time, He is waiting until His enemies are placed as a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has obtained eternal perfection for those who are sanctified. Heb. 10:12-14.

As the

Lamb of God,

Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus Christ

was sacrificed on the Pesach/Passover day,

Nisan 14/April 5, 30 AD.

The 14th Nisan is the night when the children ask,

Why is this night different

from all other nights?

The apostle Paul affirms that His death fulfilled the sacrifice of the Passover lamb:

For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us. I Cor. 5:7.  according to the Old Testament requirements of the law.

The noun

πασχα pascha

means:

Passover,

the feast that celebrates the Exodus of Israel out of Egypt, and which in the Christian era became associated with the resurrection of the Messiah/Christ, and is now celebrated and more commonly known by the name Easter – which is the name of the pagan fertility goddess ishtar and has nothing to do with Jesus/Yeshua.

Although the noun

πασχα – pascha looks like it comes from the verb

πασχω – pascho, meaning: to experience things, technically,

the noun πασχα – pascha is a transliteration of the Hebrew noun פסח – pasah, meaning Passover,

but where in Greek/English, the verb connections seem obvious, a passing over, the Hebrew noun comes from a very distinct word:

The Hebrew verb  פסח  pasah means:

to have a shortage,

and that shortage may lead to:

an impaired mobility,

an intense desire,

or a debilitating indecisiveness.

The derived adjective

פסח piseah

is the common word for:

lame or cripple,

which means that every time

Yeshua/Jesus heals a lame person in the gospels,

there a bit of

פֶסַח /Passover/Pesach happening!!! wow!

The common Hebrew verb that means:

to be blind

is based on a verb that means:

to have too much;

namely skin where it shouldn’t be, in this case over the eyes.

Here we better understand the proverbial link between

the lame and the blind 

because it generally describes:

everybody burdened by

not having enough of something – the lame,

and

everybody burdened by

having too much of something – the blind.

Here we must acknowledge that all humans are

born lame and most die blind!!

The verb פסח – pasah, is associated with:

being child-like and immature,

whereas the words that describe blindness are associated with: being too mature and cold of heart.

Pesach emunah – Passover faith….

have we got Passover faith?

Have we got the faith that the death angel will

Passover us too?

If we do it is because of

the Blood of the Passover Lamb

that we have applied to our lives

by faith.

A list of post titles with Passover/Pesach information is also at the top left on mmm homepage. Links below:

PALM SUNDAY – Nisan – The Appointed Time Of The Lamb

13 For Supper and Only 4 Cups?

Midweek Mannabite – Secrets Of The Seder Plate

Afikomen – Mysterious and Hidden

What Is This Avodah You Have?

Not Passing Over

First Fruits

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

The Pesach Dalet in Time; a Man Between 2 Realms; Yonah and The Watches of the Night.

Unleavened Bread of Matzot Week

Revealing The Overcoming Resheet of Bikkurim

A Lot Can Happen In A Week

Even More Can Happen In And Around The Same Week

The Mystery of ‘In His Deaths’…

WHAT DID JOHN SEE THAT WE MISSED?

NAIL I AM

שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם‎,

Shalom aleikhem

chaverim and mishpachah!

Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week, you are greatly loved and prayed for daily. Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation that 

you are one of His Am Segulah – Treasured People,

that you Have Passover Faith

Pesach  Emunah

and the deep inner knowing that you are sealed to the day of redemption by the Blood of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua.

Not sure ..you can be…

Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord, Your Passover Lamb

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.

He Touched Me

Why did Yeshua/Jesus touch people?

What made Him touch them?

touch

נגע

Strong’s Hebrew: 5060.

נָגַע (naga) — to touch, reach, strike

A primitive root; properly, to touch, i.e. Lay the hand upon

First of course, He did what His Father told Him

Yeshua/Jesus always obeyed His Father, but it was not by routine actions devoid of feeling and concern .  Yeshua/Jesus cared deeply for the people and all the situations around Him.  

 In other words, Yeshua/Jesus being moved with compassion was an expression of His Father. Surely, our Heavenly Father ‘feels’ things as deeply as Yeshua/Jesus.  

There was a force within Him that was able to alter the elements of reality around Him and effect changes in the lives of the multitudes that followed Him.

Matthew 9:36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 

Matthew 14:14. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. 

Mark 8:2-3 “I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat.

Mark 1:41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, I am willing; be cleansed. Luke 7:13.

Matt 20:34 And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and straightway they received their sight, and followed him.

When we read in Scripture that Yeshua/Jesus was moved with compassion; it was a deeply heart-felt reaction to any given situation that led to an action.  When confronted with the evidence that satan had deceived people, and kept them in sickness and oppressed them. He reacted with help, to undo the wrong, to set people free.

In different situations the scripture records Yeshua/Jesus was “moved with compassion.”  In other versions it is sometimes translated as

take pity, Indignant, and heart went out to….

However they fall short of the Greek meaning. 

“Moved with compassion”

is more than feeling pity or sympathy for someone.  This word means a feeling that comes out of the innermost being. 

It is that gut-wrenching, feeling we get in the pit-of-the-stomach when something really bad happens or we believe that it is going to happen.in the bowels hence the saying bowels of compassion. Colossians 3:12-13 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, however, it is not a feeling of powerlessness.  

At those times when Yeshua/Jesus was moved with compassion, He did something, a physical action followed; whether it was casting out demons, raising the dead, healing the sick or teaching about the gospel of the kingdom of the heavens in order to bring people out of ignorance about their Heavenly Father and His ways. 

True compassion involves resistance to the wrong and why some translate it as “indignant” and includes action to correct it or, at least, bring comfort through it.

In our own pain we need to look on others not in pity or with sympathy for what they are going through, but be moved with compassion.  We need to become the hand of Yeshua/Jesus in ministering to them.  They need to look into our eyes and see the love and compassion of the infinitely caring God looking back at them through us. 

in Matthew 20 where Yeshua/Jesus asked two blind men, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”

Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him” Matthew 20.32-34.

In Mark we are told about a man with leprosy who “came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed.” The man said, “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

Again, Scripture reports,

Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed” (see Mark 1.40-42).

There are other similar occurrences in Scripture. Each time Yeshua/Jesus feeds the multitudes, we’re told,

Yeshua/Jesus “had compassion on them”

(e.g., Mark 6.34; Mark 8.2; Matthew 14.14).

Often, when Yeshua/Jesus saw crowds of people who seemed lost, He was moved with compassion.

His compassion always leads to action

whether healing, feeding, providing.

Compassion

Strong’s Hebrew: 7356. רָ֫חַם (racham) — compassion

The three Hebrew Letters are Reysh, Chet and Mem.

This is compassion and it has been said that all women have more of this gift of compassion, not only mothers.

Ra-chem,  (give or have mercy)

is the imperative form

(commanding or requesting something from others).

The imperative form is considered an actual tense in Hebrew, in additional to past, present and future.

Example of ra-chem (verb):

The sound cha in ra-cha-mim is pronounced like

the Spanish ja in the word Jalapeño.

Ra-cha-min is a noun, but it can also be used as a verb, as it often happens in prayer. When it is a verb: ra-chem for have mercy.

 Mercy, compassion, womb – רַחֲמִים

It is quite fascinating that mercy or compassion, nra-cha-min, is derived from the name of the most motherly place in the human body: the womb, re-chem.

This is where the strongest connection of compassion and love are bonded between the mother and the baby, respectively. Men may need to learn this, if you are a mother, you will have experienced this compassion first hand.

This connection has been referenced in previous posts and although it is generally understood that our faith is in Gods ability and must be present to heal; there are many scriptures where the word compassion is used as a precursor to the power for healing being manifested or miracles taking place.

Some examples referenced below:

Jesus was moved with compassion, Matt. 9:36 (Matt. 20:34; Mark 1:41; Luke 7:13). A certain Samaritan had compassion on him, Luke 10:33.

Ephesians 4:32 – And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Mark 6:34 – And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

Colossians 3:12-13 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

James 5:11

Rom. 9:15 2; Cor. 1:3-4; Phil. 2:1-3; Matt. 9:35-38; Matt. 20:29-34; Matt. 14:13-21; Matt. 15;29-39; Mark. 6:30-44; Luke. 15:11-32.

Compassion seems to be a spiritual force that moved Yeshua/Jesus to action and without that action it is simply observation and sympathy.

In the Torah there are clear guidelines that anyone touching a leper would be unclean

Did Yeshua/Jesus give evidence of His deity because He cleansed the leper and the leper did not make Him unclean or did it?

In reading scripture during the course of study there are differing opinions as to the meaning of this as concerns Messiah the options follow so the reader can draw their own conclusions.

This story which most people are familiar with. On one of His return visits to the Galilee, Yeshua encounters a leper who begs for healing. Yeshua, being filled with compassion, touches the leper and he is healed instantly. However, there is more going on in this incident than what lies on the surface.

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” (Mark 1:40-44)

It is important to take a look at leprosy from a biblical perspective. The typical mental image is of a debilitating disease which leaves a person scarred and disfigured, with missing fingers and toes.

This seems to be a misrepresentation being forced onto the Scriptures due to the use of the English word, leprosy.

Biblical leprosy is known as tzara’at (צרעת)

and has no relation to modern leprosy, otherwise known as Hansen’s Disease. which is a bacterial infection affecting the skin and the nervous system,

biblical leprosy tzara’at  involves none of these symptoms.

The parameters of tzara’at can be found in Leviticus  13 and 14. In the introduction to Leviticus 13, most Bibles will have a footnote saying something to the effect of,

Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases.

The text,says that tzara’at was very specific in its identification and had to meet certain criteria before it could be labeled tzara’at by the cohen (priest) NOTE: not a doctor/physician.

Also, we find that not only is it associated with a skin condition, but it can also be a type of mildew-like substance that can appear on the walls of a house (Lev. 14:33-53), or in fabric or in leather-goods (Lev. 13:47-59).

Other distinguishing factors of biblical tzara’at are its severity and transmission. According to the biblical texts, tzara’at does not transmit physical ailment akin to Hansen’s Disease. It does, however, transmit ritual impurity (making one “unclean”).

“A person or object in contact with a leper becomes both unclean and contaminating.” 

What does this mean?

It means an ostracizing of the metzora (a “leper” in biblical terms).

In other words, when one has been diagnosed as being a metzora, one must remove himself from the community so as not to “infect” others

The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp. (Lev. 13:45-46)

leper  מצורע

lazar. lā′zar, לזר

one afflicted with a loathsome and pestilential disease like Lazarus, the beggar.

Strong’s Hebrew: 6883. צָרָ֫עַת (tsaraath) — leprosy

Strong’s Hebrew: 6879. צָרַע (tsara) — to be struck with …

The Septuagint, a translation of the Hebrew Bible originally used by Greek-speaking Jews and Gentile proselytes, translates the term tzaraath with Greek lepra (λέπρα), from which the cognate “leprosy” (a term now referring specifically to the bacterial infection aforementioned  as Hansen’s disease) was traditionally used in English Bibles.

Although this seems like a harsh treatment for someone who has a non-life-threatening, semi-communicable impurity (and not a disease, per se), one must remember that this command was given while the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness and encamped together in close quarters.

Any contact (intentional or not) with other people or objects would immediately transfer ritual impurity to the person or object, thus rendering them tamei (טמא) as well.

This contact with ritual impurity would make these individuals unable to participate in communal worship and the sacrificial system. In order for this to be contained, the priesthood was commissioned with identifying and quarantining outbreaks of tzara’at.

A metzora had to undergo routine inspections to monitor the condition of their infection.

We have to keep in mind, however, that ritual impurity (being “unclean”) is in no way equivalent to sin.

Remembering that the definition in Torah of being unclean, was not the same as committing a sin!

Being “unclean” was part of the routine of life during the days when the Tabernacle or the Temple were standing. Women became ritually impure during their monthly cycle or during childbirth. Both men and women became unclean with any kind of bodily emission. 

Tzara’at, however, was one of the most severe cases of ritual impurity, even surpassing corpse contamination, since one was only able to be purified on the condition the symptoms had vanished.

Once the symptoms were completely gone an elaborate series of sin offerings, sprinklings, immersions similar to the purification rituals of corpse contamination were required in order to be declared officially clean (“ritually pure”).

The only way sin would be connected to impurity is if an unclean person entered the Holy Temple. They would be guilty of defiling the earthly abode of the Almighty and be held liable.

There is, however, an odd condition in regard to tzara’at which makes its spiritual / ritual nature explicit. Once a metzora was completely consumed with tzara’at, and covered from head to foot and has turned completely white, he was pronounced tahor (טהור) clean / ritually pure and was free from his quarantine (Lev. 13:12-13).

Once new skin began replacing the infection, however, he was quarantined once again and the entire inspection cycle was begun anew.

There was no known cure for tzara’at. The priesthood did not affect the affliction, but only diagnosed it.

Based on several inferences in Scriptural, there are seven sins for which one may be afflicted with leprosy: slander, the shedding of blood, vain oath, incest, arrogance, robbery and envy.

The word metzora as a compound word comprised of the words “motzi [shem] ra”

this means one who “brings forth [an] evil [name].”

In other words, a leper is one who spreads gossip and slander. The sages viewed evil speech as so damaging that they interpreted slander to be one of the most grave sins:

If this is the case, it is interesting to note that this is one of the few instances in which Yeshua did not also tell the one he was healing that his sins were forgiven. Why? Because sins committed against God can be pardoned by either God or His earthly agent. However, the only way sins committed against another living human being can be pardoned is from the one whom we have wronged (Matt 5:23-24; John 20:23).

After considering the details of tzara’at, returning to the passage in which Yeshua encounters the metzora, a man who has contracted biblical leprosy. The man requests one thing of Yeshua.

“If you will, you can make me clean” (v. 40).

Notice his request was not healing, but purity.

This is an especially important aspect to the story now weve learned what Leviticus says in regards to tzara’at.

The man must have had advanced stages of tzara’at, because Luke 5:12 describes him as one who was full of leprosy. However, it is reasonable to say that he could not have been completely covered Leviticus 13:12-13 or he would have been considered tahor, ritually pure/clean. If he was already clean/ritually pure, then why would he have need of Yeshua’s touch to make him clean/ritually pure?

With this in mind, this man was still a legitimate metzora and brought uncleanness/ritual impurity upon anyone touching him.

Some teach that although Jesus/Yeshua touched the metzora, He did not become unclean and proved His Divinity.

However, if that is correct and Yeshua could not contract ritual impurity, then He was not truly human?

Scripture says, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

He was not merely human in appearance, but human in every regard.

If we think now with a Hebrew mind would it be true to say thta being in an unclean state was not a new experience for Yeshua? He would have no doubt dealt with this numerous times in His life. Examples being: the woman with the hemorrhage who touched Him; and then He went on to touch Jairus’ dead daughter raising her to life.

Also the raising of the widows son in Nain.

Remember, being ritually unclean is NOT the same as sinning.

His identification with humanity through taking upon Himself flesh and blood allowed for Yeshua/Jesus to truly identify with the temptations and the sufferings of mankind.

Mark tells us that Yeshua was

moved with pity, and therefore “stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, ‘I will; be clean.’”

Called the Leper Messiah by the Rabbis in Accordance to Isaiah 53:4‘Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted.’ 

Yeshua used this understanding as evidence that He was indeed the long-awaited Messiah when questioned by the disciples of John the Immerser:

And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk,

lepers are cleansed

and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” (Matthew 11:4-5)

Did He became the Leper Messiah for our sake, bearing our griefs and carrying our sorrows by intentionally touching the lepers and taking upon himself their afflictions? His skin did not break out in white scabs. However, it seems He did  become unclean/ritually impure for the sake of this man. Rather than speaking a word of healing and remaining clean / ritually pure, His compassion and empathy prompted His hand to reach out and touch the impurity of another.

Yeshua not only understood this and demonstrated this, but taught hHs disciples to do likewise by telling them,

Heal the sick, raise the dead,

cleanse lepers,

cast out demons (Matthew 10:8)

With the healing of the leper, Yeshua sends the man away with a mission:

“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them” (Mark 1:44).

In doing so, Yeshua was commanding the man to travel to Jerusalem (a 2/3 day journey from the Galilee) to be inspected by the priesthood in the Temple. Once he was seen and declared clean, he was to offer up “what Moses commanded” for the purification of a metzora (from Leviticus 14).

This included:

Two live clean birds for purification ceremony

One male lamb for a guilt offering

One female lamb for a sin offering

One male lamb for a burnt offering

Flour and oil for grain offerings

Reading Yeshua’s instructions to this man, it raises some questions

One, if he is already clean, why does he need to show himself to the priesthood and undergo the purification rituals?

This involves an issue of obedience to Torah. Although the man has already been purified, he still needs to be declared clean by the administrating priesthood according to Leviticus 14:1-32. Without the declaration from the priesthood, the man would not be allowed admittance back into his community (or any Jewish community for that matter). Also, to refuse to do so would have been a direct violation of the Torah. In other words, he would have been sinning. By telling the man to show himself to the priesthood, Yeshua upheld the command of Torah which tells the proper procedure for declaring a metzora to be clean

Two, main stream Christianity usually teaches that Yeshua came to do away with the Temple, the priesthood and the sacrificial system/law and that we are under grace alone. so why would Yeshua/Jesus give the man specific instructions tooffer for your cleansing what Moses commanded?”

This involves the priesthood and the sacrificial system. By having the man show himself to the priesthood and offer the prescribed sacrifices in the Torah, Yeshua demonstrated the intended interpretation of his teaching in

Matthew 5:17, in which he said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.”

By doing this He upheld both the commandments and the earthly function of the levitical system. He showed that His soon coming atoning work was not in competition with the levitical priesthood and system, but that His work was greater than these and the very thing upon which they were based/foundation.

His sacrificial death and resurrection were in place long before the creation of the heavens and the earth.

In Revelation, John declared Yeshua to be

the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13:8.

It is this pre-existing act of Yeshua on which the entire sacrificial system is based, reflects and points toward?

Three, what was Yeshua hoping to prove to them by sending this man to the priesthood as proof?

This involves evidence submitted to the priesthood.

But what did it point to?

It actually makes a connection to the two previous questions. Yeshua/Jesus remained a lamb without blemish in regard to all of the righteous requirements of His Father, by having the man submit to the commands, the authorities and the procedures given by YaHoVeH in the Torah,

He would have immediately invalidated Himself as the anticipated Messiah and would have broken at least one, if not several, of the commandments and thus become a sinner Himself, if He had ignored or changed any of these procedures or had instructed the man whom He healed to do so. Matthew 5:19

The man would have presented a threefold evidence to the priesthood:

Firstly, that he was indeed healed and could begin the rituals which would allow for him to be declared clean and thus re-enter his community.

Secondly that there was indeed a healer of lepers in Israel, which would have given rise to messianic hope.

Thirdly that Yeshua was indeed qualified as one who could lead his people as the righteous Messiah and not a lawless false prophet who had come to tempt the Israelites away from Torah with signs and wonders. Deuteronomy 13:1-5.

Exodus 29:37.  you shall make atonement for the altar and sanctify it and it shall be an altar most holy whatever touches the altar shall be holy.

This is clearly prophetic of Messiah Yeshua.

He is the atonement for sin. Hebrews 9:12.

The part of this story which has relevance to us today is in this scripture.

Lev 6:20 whatever whoever TOUCHES the flesh of the SIN offering becomes HOLY cleansed, sanctified, made atonement for.

He was fulfilling Old Testament – Torah – law and He said

I came to fufil it.

He touches us in our state of sin in the same Way He touched the leper

 Whoever touched it became holy.  Leviticus 6:18.

As already noted, Leprosy was also a type of sin.

Lashaon hara – evil speech. RA opposite of shalom.

Evil = out of harmony with God and His will.

Healing + Instant cleansing.

The flesh of the sin offering was Jesus/Yeshuas physical body. The human contact, the physical contact, the transference of Gods healing/restoring /redeeming/ cleansing power

The leper touched the flesh of the ultimate SIN offering.

The spotless lamb of God.

The leper was kneeling, submission, homage, respect and with the TOUCH

he was made holy/whole/ kadosh/set apart /cleansed unto the Lord.

His life changed forever he was no longer a leper, no longer a stigma, a named category of society shunned an outcast.

The TOUCH of God

the TOUCH of Messiah

caused his life to take another direction..

towards the priest to be accepted and restored to society.

His sins forgiven. His body restored and healed and

made holy – so that the at one ment with God was redeemed

and broken relationship was re-established.

Whoever touches the flesh of the sin offering becomes holy!

Reach out and Touch Him!

When we come and humble ourselves in a true genuine authentic attitude of repentance with deep Godly sorrow we touch Him and He touches us as our sin offering and we become holy!

When we understand and accept that He is our sin offering we are instantly cleansed.

Because the lamb of God has shed His blood as the ultimate sin offering and

our sins are not only covered but removed forever.

He is also our High Priest, so verse 4 for us is included within our relationship and He presents us to the Father as our mediator.

This is the good news -this is the gospel!

This is the creator of the universe TOUCHING His creation

and bringing us into the kingdom of His heavens.

Eternal love and everlasting life/chaim.

Let Him touch each one of us today.

He is willing

verse 4

I am willing

His life touched the world

His death at Pesach touched the world

His resurrection at First Fruits touched the world

and it has never been the same since because

He is still touching the world today through us.

He touched us and we are made whole and as He resides within us.

He touches others through us and darkness must flee,

light fills the souls that are touched and

human spirits are reborn and reconnected to their heavenly father

reconciliation, restoration, redemption and royalty are the result.

The touch of Yeshua/Jesus is what we need.

The touch of the masters hand

The touch of the saviors love

The touch of the redeemers forgiveness.

And the hope of His return.

IF you need the touch of Yeshua/Jesus

make sure He is given access to the sanctuary of our hearts

let Him in to heal, cleanse and deliver and fill us

that He may in turn touch others through our lives.

He touched me, oh, He touched me 

And, oh, what a joy that floods my soul

Something happened and now I know 

He touched me and made me whole

adjective שָׁלֵם. complete, entire, intact, perfect, total.

made me whole

 in Hebrew is

עשה אותי שלם

שלם 

The verb שלם shalem  means:

to be or make whole or complete,

and is also used to describe

a righteous recompense

or proper restitution

(whether positive or not).

The familiar noun שלום shalom means:

wholeness, completeness or peace.

Many will be familiar with the older chorus above, never truer than today:

May His true Shalom/Peace

rest upon each one in Jesus/Yeshuas’ Name.

‘Mishpachah’ ‘Family’

משפחה

Mish-pa-KHa Mish-pa-KHa

you are greatly loved and prayed for daily..

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

please make sure you are secure in the knowledge that you are saved….

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past. I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.

The Mysterious Secret of How a Worm Preached The Gospel

  The Secret of How a Worm Preached The Gospel.

 Yesterday was Nisan 1 and the first day of the Hebrew month that begins the Spiritual New Year and Passover/Pesach is on 14 Nisan (March 31st). This will be the first of the 7 annual Appointed Times of the Lord.

(Click links below for more details on the Feasts)

https://www.minimannamoments.com/palm-sunday-nisan-the-appointed-time-of-the-lamb/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/not-passing-over-passover-week/

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

https://www.minimannamoments.com/unleavened-bread-matzot-week/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/first-fruits/

Passover is followed immediately by Unleavened Bread; then First Fruits with Pentecost 50 days later.

Mentioned in previous posts, is how everything is connected and that seemingly unconnected events should not be viewed in isolation. A great comparison is that of a jigsaw puzzle with all the pieces that seem to be scattered about in confusion. Taking the time to focus, we discover the pieces start to come together. Then, as we put the last piece into place, we realize everything we needed to understand was right in front of our eyes all the time.A seemingly random reference, in this case is a tiny worm, which has a more significant meaning than on first glance.

Having examined many aspects of the scriptures over the months, it’s time to tie some of them together… so this post promises to be a hearty meal…

Digging deeper, it becomes clear that the story of the Gospel, Jesus (Yeshua) dying on the cross (for the Lost Sheep of Israel and as the gentiles are grafted in with them making one new man); is told in the life cycle of a specific type of tiny worm. 

Several times in scripture, man is referenced as nothing more than a worm.

There are however two words used in Hebrew for the two instances of the word “worm”. Rimmah and Towla; they both have different meanings.

The first, Rimmah, means maggots. This is symbolic, as we see maggots when something is rotting or decaying. In the Bible, mankind is considered rimmah, not because they are the smallest, and most repulsive of all worms, but because of the decay that man is constantly undergoing.

We start dying from the moment we are born! It does not denote our lowliness, but rather our mortal sorrow in terms of our ever-present knowledge and fear of decay, and death. Reading in Genesis, mankind is decaying because of our sin.

There is a group of people who hold to ‘worm theology’ and only consider its literal translation of ‘maggot’. They believe this is how God literally sees us. This is untrue as we are God’s favorite creation, made in His image; God does not look upon Himself as a worm.

However, within this ‘worm’, is a secret message hidden for those who love to dig and it has nothing to do with our self-esteem. The message that everyone is missing out on is  that we are to seriously refrain from sin; yet (1John 2:1) when we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father in Jesus… Here’s how the worm preaches the gospel of the kingdom.

The second Hebrew translation of worm is Tola, Tolaat, Towla or Tow la ath, and is translated scarlet, which is not the normal Hebrew word for worm as the usual word for worm is rimmah (maggot); found in Psalm 22:2-6

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

Vs. 6 but I am a worm (strongs number 8438 (towla).

08438   //  elwt  //  towla`   //  to-law’  //  and (fem) 
  //  helwt  //  towle`ah   //  to-lay-aw’  //  or 
  //  telwt  //  towla`ath   //  to-lah’-ath  //  or 
  //  telt  //  tola`ath   //  to-lah’-ath  //  

from   03216  ; TWOT – 2516b; n m 

AV – scarlet 34, worm 8, crimson 1; 43 

worm, scarlet stuff, crimson 

1a) worm – the female ‘coccus ilicis’ 

1b) scarlet stuff, crimson, scarlet 

1b1) the dye made from the dried body of the female of the 

worm “coccus ilicis” 

2) worm, maggot 

2a) worm, grub 

2b) the worm “coccus ilicis” 

The picture below is of many worms. They are collected for their body fluids the color of which is indicated by its name, the Crimson/Scarlet Worm.

Extracting this dye is a very difficult task, making it extremely valuable. It would have been used only for royal or Holy garments, and palace or temple decorations.In some cases, it has been recorded that it was even used as rent money.Here the worms are harvested.Each worm was carefully removed from the tree, taken back home,and they would crush the worm’s body over a glass of boiling water.

It is interesting to note that the harvesting of the worms prevents it from fulfilling its reproductive cycle.

The scarlet thread which was tied to the scapegoat at Yom Kippur and was also tied to the Temple doors. It turning miraculously white, when the annual sacrifice for sin had been accepted by the Lord on the Day of Atonement; after  the High Priest offered the sacrifice. Yeshua is our High Priest. (As this subject is also connected, see extended explanation at end of this post.)Wool dyed scarlet, a symbol of sin using the tola’at shani – the crimson worm,
(Latin – armenian conchial).
Jesus truly proved that He was the towla / scarlet when they stripped Him, and put on Him a scarlet robe.    Matthew 27:28

(Adding yet another piece of the puzzle ***see extra note at end.)

Psalm 22 was written almost 1000 years before the crucifixion. However as we read the entire Psalm, it is clear that it is a prophetic event that would take place one day in the future.

In this Messianic Scripture, it parallels Jesus’s/Yeshua’s crucifixion so much, that many Bible scholars and theologians consider the entire prophetic chapter to be Messiah’s own words.If Psalm 22 is supposed to be Messiah’s own words, why would He say that He was a worm? Was Messiah a worm theologist? No absolutely not! Messiah would not associate Himself with the maggots that represent a sinful life symbolized by the word ‘rimmah’; but rather the Tolaath as the name of a specific worm. This Crimson or Scarlet worm is found in the Mediterranean and the Middle East and Israelites would have been familiar with it.

Psalm 22:6 but I am a (worm), Tow la ath, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

In Matthew 27 and in Mark 15 we find Messiah reciting scripture, (as He taught us to do during temptation while suffering. Matt 4, Luke 4) Jesus is on the cross crying out to God, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” “Why have you forsaken me?!”

God cannot look on sin, so for a brief moment Jesus felt the separation that sin brings between man and God. The very definition of hell – being eternally separated from God’s presence.

Our Heavenly Father knows the future better than we can remember the past and He made sure that it was carefully recorded that His only Begotten Son would bear the punishment for our sin and become the redemption for those who would believe and receive His sacrifice.

A thousand years later, every detail was revealed and unfolded as the prophecy came to pass.

The tremendous truth revealed by this description is not obvious until we begin to study the lifecycle and characteristics of the Crimson or Scarlet worm.

It’s full name is Tola’at Shani; or Scarlet Worm (Coccus Ilicis.)

 This worm is actually a pea sized scarlet insect that feeds on tree sap.The scarlet or crimson worm is of a family of insects that live on oak trees. Its lifespan is about 4–14 weeks. For about the last four weeks of its life, the female is ready to be fertilized and lay eggs. It searches for a specific tree called the Kermes Oak, which is very symbolic of its destiny.

Then it chooses willingly to climb on to the tree, there is nobody forcing it to do so. Remembering that Jesus was not forced to go on the cross it was an act of His free will. Jesus fully obeyed a command from His Father to lay down His life for sinners and take it again as He died to display His love for the saints.

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

He died for all of us, seemingly rejected and alone even though He could have called 12 legions of angels from heaven to come to His aid and save Him.  Matt 26:53        (A legion was approx. 6000)

The Scarlet/Crimson worm climbs up the tree knowing that it will never come down alive. Its sole purpose is to go up the tree to give birth to a family and the only way it can do that is by dying.

Jesus/Yeshua of course knowing everything, He too was willing to die on a tree, (the cross made of wood) to give birth to a family.

Having climbed up, the Crimson worm attaches her body to the tree, fixing herself securely and permanently in place, virtually impaling herself on the tree; because when the babies are born her body will become a safe place in which the offspring will shelter. She remains still until death.

During the birthing process, the mother produces and secretes a Crimson gel or red fluid dye which covers and stains not only the eggs she lays, but also her entire body beneath which the eggs are kept safe.

As she dies, this gel or red fluid dye leaves a stain on the tree, which remains even with the passage of time.

Wind can’t fade it, the rain can’t wash it out.

Below is a picture of a kermes oak tree. The permanent red stain left by the Crimson worm can clearly be seen. The Blood of Jesus stained Him, the cross, and all of us, which are saved as the children of God.

The Bible proclaims in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus the Messiah, (and His blood shed at the cross), is the same yesterday, today, and forever.As the young mature inside the mother, the body swells until it bursts—killing the mother in the birth process and leaving the dark-red stain upon the tree. The newborn young then feed upon the remaining body of the deceased mother; until they finally emerge and enter their own life cycle.

A further connection is to the Hebrew word for “sign” (owth) also means “a banner!” That banner is the “scarlet thread” that was placed on the hand of Tamar’s twin when he stuck his hand out in Genesis 38:29-30.

Bereshiyth (Genesis) 38:28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.This twin is named Zarah or “Zerach” in Hebrew (#2226), and he is a prophetic “type” of Messiah whose name means “rising of light.” On Yom Teruw’ah, the first sliver of the crescent moon is rising until it reaches it’s full light on the 15th of the month (at it’s peak) on the Feast of Tabernacles. But this twin stuck his hand out first as a “sign” or a banner that he was the “first-born!”

That first-born son of Tamar was a prophetic picture of the “first-born” son of Miryam who also became the “first-born” from among the dead.

The first-born son of Tamar bore the scarlet thread to symbolize our Messiah who is also the first-born from among the dead.

His blood flowing out of his hands when he was nailed to the tree was the scarlet thread:This female insect is an illustration of the woman giving birth to a man-child with the scarlet thread!

Meanwhile, something truly amazing occurs. This blood stain actually creates a thick, sticky film and for the three days following her death the worm and the crimson gel can be scraped from the tree. A colored dye can be made from this gel also.

It is the same dye that was used both for the garments of the High Priest and in the Tabernacle!

(Exodus) 35:25 And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.

The garments were Red/Scarlet, Purple and Blue and for specific meaning:

Blue represented Torah/Scripture and the Heavens where Gods throne is.The color Red represents the Blood of the lamb which atones for sins.

The Blue color came from the cerulean mussels were very difficult to find in the sea and thus the dye was very expensive and reserved only for the wealthy and royalty.

Click link for more on Tekhelet snails, the origin of the blue dye, which is the traditional color for Messiah.   https://www.minimannamoments.com/mysterious-secret-of-the-hilazon/

The color Purple is the product of these two colors mixed together, red & blue.

Purple is the color of royalty, as kings often wore purple as a sign of wealth.

Our Messiah symbolizes this worm whose color is mixed with the blue to produce the purple color of royalty; in other words the office of Melchizedek, both king and priest.

The Kings of Judah wrote their own copy of the Scriptures/Torah, (pronounced Towrah), by hand before taking office, so the color of the king is blue, for he executes judgment with the Word of God/Towrah. The priests offered up blood sacrifices for the nation of Yisra’el, hence the color red symbolizes the priesthood.

After the three days the young worms are ready to leave the safety of the shells.The mother is still attached to the shells and to the tree.

On the morning of the fourth day the worm has pulled her head and tail together and is now in the shape of a heart on the tree and begins to change its Crimson color.

When the blood finally dries, as weather affects it, the worm turns into wax which is as white as snow.

The snow white wax resembles a little patch of wool on the side of the tree and it begins to flake off and drop to the ground like snow (or manna).A perfect picture of our saviour! A humble man who should be royalty, leaving a scarlet stain on a tree so that our hearts may become white as snow and as we ‘eat Him’ we receive our daily manna.This wax can also be harvested and made into shellac that is a wood preservative. Just as the resurrection, which serves as the preservative of the message of the cross.The parallel is very clear, Jesus, as the Tolaath, suffered His WAY up the side of Moriah and was attached to the surface of a tree. His Blood stained the tree with a precious, dark crimson. From this sacrificial death, His offspring were given life. 

…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things… but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. I Peter 1:18-19 

On the cross, Jesus quoted the first verse of Psalm 22, thus directing the reader to another interesting discovery… 

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent…But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people. 

The word “worm” in this text is the word Tolaath. This word was specifically used to illustrate what was actually happening in this mournful cry as He experienced separation from the Father. It was taking our sin upon Himself that separated Him and this is the ‘spiritual death’ the severing; i.e. eternal separation from God’s Holy presence.Yes there is death; yes, there is sorrow; yes, blood is shed; but through it all, new life in abundance is born. 

Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God… That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:3-8 

After the emergence of the young, they then feed upon the body of the mother so that they may gain initial sustenance. This picture now brings clarity to the words of Jesus as He institutes the partaking of the communion. Then He took a loaf of bread; and when He had thanked God for it, He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is My body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” Luke 22:19 So, by His death, the ecclesia, the called out ones, the Congregation of believers, was born. His body and blood sustain us in our newborn state. 

“This wine is the token of God’s new covenant to save you—an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you.” Luke 22:20 

But what if the Tolaa/ Tolaath worm was not to die. Like all maggot larva, it slowly consumes and devours all that is in its path. Not only is there a slow consumption, there is also no new life given. 

“And if your hand makes you sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched; “…where ‘ their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ “And if your foot makes you sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched; “…where ‘ their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ “And if your eye makes you sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire; “…where ‘ their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'” Mark 9:43-48 

Three times Jesus refers to a worm that never dies, but lives on to consume and devour its captive for eternity. Jesus is actually quoting a description of hell described in the final verse of Isaiah. 

“They shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against [the Lord]. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched, they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” 

The word worm used in this quoted passage is once again the Tolaa/ Tolaath. This Tolaa/ Tolaath, however, is different in that it has never died. 

Instead of giving birth through its death, it remains alive as an eternal tormentor. 

Every living human being who has ever heard of Jesus dying on the cross as a payment for our sins has a Tolaa/ Tolaath. This Tolaa/ “Tolaath”, is a reference to knowing that salvation is available and that new life can be ours by receiving this free gift offered. This presents us with a choice. 

Either.. Reject Jesus as our personal savior, thus allowing the Tolaa/ Tolaath to live forever. This would be the knowledge in your conscious memory that you rejected the good news in order to live life according to your own desires and your own worldview. 

Or Receive Jesus as your personal savior, thus being part of a new birth that results from His sacrificial death. As you emerge from this Tolaa/ Tolaath, you will be covered and stained with the very blood that brought you forth. 

If the Crimson worm does not die on the tree, her children cannot LIVE.

Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

If this tola worm (Jesus) dieth not; we cannot be resurrected into heaven. Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. If we reject what Jesus did on the cross for us, that’s what Mark 9:48 is referring to! Without the Tola’s sacrifice, her children are unable to hatch! Can you imagine burning in Hell, fully understanding you blew it!? You had your chance, but instead rejected your only chance at salvation; which was a sacrifice by someone else?

The similarities are that an individual willingly climbs on to a tree in order to die and birth a family. Jesus willingly went to cross to die so that we can live as His family with Him eternally. The newborn baby worms are covered with the red fluid of the dying mother worm just as we are covered with Jesus red blood and are washed as white as snow. Is 1:18 though they be red like Crimson (tolaath) they shall be as wool.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Is 1:18

In Isaiah 1:18 the words scarlet and crimson refer to red colors that come from certain dyes. Ancient cultures placed great importance on dyes, especially those used for sacred or ceremonial purposes, such as burial clothing or purification rituals (see Leviticus 14:6). The point of a dye is that it is not only colorful but also colorfastmeaning that its rich color will stick to the cloth and not fade or wash away.

Scarlet and crimson are: Bright red, because of the vibrancy of their redness, they are emblems that stand out.

Red has a strong psychological effect on people, and it can be reminiscent of blood, which is sometime a symbol of guilt.

Our sins can can be grievous and obvious. 

Permanent: The colorfast nature of scarlet and crimson dyes is similar to our sins, and the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. According to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish. The Hebrew words for scarlet (shani) and crimson (tola) signify where the colors were derived from—a worm.

Just before the eggs were to hatch, these female insects were gathered, dried, and boiled. Alum was added as a mordant (a chemical that helps the dye stick to the cloth by combining to form an insoluble compound), and the resulting dye was used to make red-colored cloth.

Snow/Wool. Snow is rare but not unheard-of in most areas of Israel.In the northern part of the country, Mount Hermon is covered in snow every winter (there’s even a ski resort there today).

Wool was one of the most common fabrics in ancient Israel, and raising sheep was a common occupation. To make it a purer and brighter white in preparation for dyeing, wool was commonly soaked and washed in a strong soap.

Snow and wool are: Pure, bright white. White represents purity. When Isaiah says that the Lord can change our sins from scarlet or crimson to snow or wool, he is saying that the Lord can do something that is impossible for us to do on our own. A cloth dyed red stays red. But regardless of the stain of our sins, the Atonement of Messiah Yeshua can make us pure again if we repent.

The statement by the Lord when He calls Himself “a worm” is astounding.

At first glance, we know the worm has always portrayed depravity. It was in Gehenna where we are told in the Bible the worm dieth not and it was a worm that Job likened himself unto because he felt the lowliest of all creation.

“How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in His sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?” Job 25:4-6

Picture above of Jonah who was used as bait like a towla worm as he was thrown from a ship and is swallowed by a great fish reminds us about Jesus as the towla worm.

Jonah 1:15 says ‘So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea, and the sea ceased from her raging’. Jonah 1:17 goes on to say, ‘Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights’.

How does the above picture of Jonah being used as a towla worm for a great fish to swallow relate to Jesus?

The answer can be found at Matthew 12:40 where it says ‘For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly (defined as a sea monster or devil’s belly), so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.’

     Jonah as a type of towla worm was swallowed by the devil sea monster or great fish. Jesus also as a towla worm was swallowed by the devil at the cross. But, in like manner Jonah, when Jesus was ‘swallowed by the devil,’ Jesus destroyed the devil at the cross and after three days the devil had to let loose of Jesus and of Jonah.

Ephesians 4:9 that says ‘Now that He (Jesus) ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.’

     The devil thought he had defeated Jesus at the cross but Jesus turned the tables on the devil and destroyed the work of the devil at the cross.

Hebrews 2:14 says ‘that through death He (Jesus) might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.’

Jesus totally stripped the devil of his power and proclaimed it in..

Revelation 1:18 ‘now I have the keys of hell and death and I am He that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore; Amen, and have the keys of hell and death.’

The worms also had their part in the death of the wicked king as recorded in the book of Acts. However, we also know that Jesus was sinless! He was never touched by the depravity, which is a part of our nature. He was tempted, yet without sin! Therefore, when He refers to Himself as a worm there must be a deeper meaning and there is!

Worm in Latin it is the “Coccus Illicus” coccus ilicis. (n.d.). Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary.

  1. The dried bodies of the females of a scale insect (Coccus ilicis), allied to the cochineal insect, and found on several species of oak near the Mediterranean. They are round, about the size of a pea, contain coloring matter analogous to carmine, and are used in dyeing. They were anciently thought to be of a vegetable nature, and were used in medicine.

    (Bot.) A small European evergreen oak (Quercus coccifera) on which the kermes insect (Coccus ilicis) feeds. –J. Smith (Dict. Econ. Plants). 

The crimson worm is also very fragrant when it is crushed. Like the crimson worm Jesus was crushed for our sin. 

Ephesians 5:2 ‘and walk in love as Christ also has loved us and has given himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.’And 2 Cor 2:16 To those who are perishing we are a fearful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved we are a life-giving perfume.

In the research of this post, it was discovered in

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary.

that the crushed worm is also used to make medicine.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isa 53:5 NIV

“… the crushed ìcoccus ilicisî contains a chemical that is an anti-bacterial agent which is why it was used in two types of purification ceremonies:

  1. When there was a plague, scarlet was included in the purification of the house. And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet. (Lev 14:52).

  2. The scarlet worm was also used in the formula with the ashes of the red heifer. And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. (Num. 19:6)

These ashes were used to cleanse a person when they came into contact with a dead body (a host for bacteria). This crimson, the worm coccus ilicis, was necessary to make one clean, which is symbolic of the blood of Jesus removing the sin of disease and death from us.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised [crushed] for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Is 53:5, Heb 9:13-14).

The word “finished” in the original Greek means “paid in full”.  “We owed a debt we could never pay” and Jesus “paid a debt He didn’t owe” for us.  Sin no longer has dominion over us if we accept His sacrifice for us, Rom. 6:14.

John 19:30 So when Jesus received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Jesus’ last act was to sacrifice His life for us. His last words were, “It is finished”.

“““

Sometimes we are willing to accept interesting stories that we think are evidence justifying our faith, will glorify God, or they just find inspiring, and then pass them on to others, without ever doing a fact check. Hopefully this reference has passed the test of scrutiny with reliable sources referenced for the insect facts and Hebrew language.

Everyday the Holy Spirit will reveal and enlighten to us the Scriptures as we sow them in our heart, we should continue to be thrilled at the new things He shows us in His Word. There is nothing new under the sun but there are some things that suddenly seem to come to life as we read them. Personal research is profitable and always encouraged. The same word Towla is also found in Num 19:6 And the priest shall take Cedar wood and hyssop and Scarlet (towla), and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. (Notice anything unusual about the cow?!)And the priest shall take Cedar wood and hyssop and Scarlet (towla), and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.Three objects were burned with the heifer: cedarwood, hyssop and Scarlet (towla) thread from the sacrificial goat designated as the sin offering.

The Hebrew phrase for “red heifer” is פרה אדומה” – “parah adumah” and literally means “red cow,” however in the verses quoted above, we read the term “red heifer” because a heifer more specifically describes the kind of cow which was to be brought to Moses and Aaron. A heifer is defined as “a young female cow over one year old that has not produced a calf.” It was to be a particular kind of cow and it was to be a particular color as well, red.The red heifer that the children of Israel were to bring to Moses and Aaron had to meet all of the criteria that the LORD specified:

  1. “unblemished” – “תמימה” – “temimah” – “whole” or “complete”

  2. “no defect” – “אין בה מום” – “ein bo mum” – “no spot or defect in it”

  3. “on which a yoke has never been placed” – “אשר לא עלה עליה עול” – “asher lo alah alei’ah ol” 

This young, female, red cow had to fit these specifications exactly. She could never have worked a day in her life. She needed to be whole and complete, without any spot or defect in anyway. She had to be a perfect, red heifer.

For Jesus to be the red heifer sacrifice, these elements needed to be present at his sacrifice and they were.

     THE WOOD OF THE TREE; THE HYSSOP WITH THE SPONGE AND THE SCARLET ROBE; PLUS HE WAS WITHOUT SPOT OR BLEMISH MEANING HE WAS INNOCENT AND SINLESS.

The Red Heifer was the one mystery hidden even from Solomon who couldn’t understand its significance.Red hyssopWe can declare daily that we are crucified with Messiah and the Blood of Jesus/Yeshua covers us and by which we defeat and overcome the devil as we praise and worship Jesus/Yeshua as God. We believe the blood of Jesus is our most powerful weapon to destroy the works of the enemy and will give us victory daily in our lives. The Blood of Jesus will never lose its power. It continually speaks for us and cries ‘mercies’ -‘rachamim’. Thank you Lord Jesus/Adonai Yeshua, for forever covering your saints with the Blood of Your Covenant that will never fade away.

If you are not sure you are saved..

Please don’t leave this site without assurance in your heart, see prayer at bottom of page.

***Extra note as promised for those still a little hungry:

Miracle Of The Crimson Cord On The Temple Doors…

The Talmudic references (Hebrew commentaries) to the mystery of the scarlet cloth that was tied to the scapegoat and failed to turn white for 40 years after Yeshua died, until the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD. In the same story the Temple doors would open every night until the temple was destroyed. click link below:

 https://www.minimannamoments.com/mystery-of-the-hekel/

In the book of Leviticus chapter 15, the Lord/Adonai/Hashem/The Name; instructed Moses and Aaron to select two goats every year for an offering. One was to be used as a sin offering to atone for the sins and transgressions of the people.Once killed, its blood was to be sprinkled on the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant. There Hashem would view the blood of the sin offering and have Mercy on the people and forgive their sins. The high priest would then lay hands on the second goat which was allowed to live and he would confess the sins of the people putting them on the head of the goat. The goat would then bear the blame of all the transgression of the people and would be set free into the wilderness, where Hashem would remember their sins no more. The goat became known as the scapegoat.

Jewish history records that it was common practice to tie a red strip of cloth to the scapegoat. The red strip represented the sin of the people which was atoned for by the red blood on the mercy seat. According to the Jewish Talmud this red strip would eventually turn white, signaling Hashem’s acceptance of the offering.
There is an amazing reference in the Talmud that verifies that after Yeshua was crucified, Hashem no longer accepted the sin offering and the scapegoat offered by the Jewish high priest.

The Talmud states
       “Forty years before the Temple was destroyed (30 A.D.) the chosen lot was not picked with the right hand, nor did the crimson stripe turn white, nor did the westernmost light burn; and the doors of the Temple’s Holy Place swung open by themselves, until Rabbi Yochanon ben Zakkai spoke saying: ‘O most Holy Place, why have you become disturbed? I know full well that your destiny will be destruction, for the prophet Zechariah ben Iddo has already spoken regarding you saying: ‘Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour the cedars’ (Zech. 11:1).’  Talmud Bavli, Yoma 39b
 
It is important to note that this event recorded in the Talmud occurred approx. 40 years before the destruction of the Temple which was destroyed in 70 AD. The date of this amazing event was approx.30 AD, the same time that Yeshua shed his blood as the final scapegoat offering.

The Day of Atonement in Bible Times. 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 shoved off the cliff. In connection with this ceremony, an interesting tradition arose that is mentioned in the Mishnah. A portion of the crimson sash was attached to the door of the temple (Beit HaMikdash) before the goat was sent into the wilderness. The sash would turn from red to white as the goat met its end, signaling to the people that G-d had accepted their sacrifices and their sins were forgiven. This was based upon Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 1:18. As stated earlier, the Mishnah tells us that 40 years before the destruction of the temple (Beit HaMikdash), the sash stopped turning white. This, of course, was when Yeshua was slain on the tree.

But Adonai came as High Priest..not with the blood of lambs, goats and calves,but with HIS own blood

He entered the Most Holy Place once and for all, setting people free forever. 

…And according to the Scriptures/Torah almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is not remission…so Adonai offered once to bear the sins of many.

To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation…For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goat could take away sins… By that while we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Yeshua once for all….this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God…For by one offering He was perfected for ever those who are being sanctified ..says the LORD: I will put My laws in their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”   Hebrew 9:11- 10:17

Shalom and Happy Spiritual New Year. If a worm can reveal so much of the Gospel how much more should we!

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

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

Its all about Life and Relationship, not Religion.

NOT SURE?

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/welcome-come-taste-some-bread-of-life-bread-from-heaven/life-changing-information-guaranteed/

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.