Scarlet Sins & Scapegoats?

Isaiah 1:18: “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.

“אם יהיו חטאיכם כשנים כשלג ילבינו”
“Even if your sins will be scarlet, they will become white as snow.”

”שָׁנִי

shani – shawnee – scarlet #8144

Original Word: שָׁנִי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: shani
Phonetic Spelling: shaw-nee’
Definition: scarlet

Isaiah 1:18
HEB: יִֽהְי֨וּ חֲטָאֵיכֶ֤ם כַּשָּׁנִים֙ כַּשֶּׁ֣לֶג יַלְבִּ֔ינוּ
NAS: your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white
KJV: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white
INT: become your sins scarlet snow white

Why does our Heavenly Father call sin as scarlet?

Scarlet is the color of blood and it is the blood of Yeshua/Jesus that removes the sin, sins are not scarlet are they?

In answering this question we must try to remember that words for things that are common usage today, would be totally confusing to people even a hundred years ago. E.g., In conversation today, we might say, “My laptop has a wifi Bluetooth mouse but my tablet and ipad do not.” This statement would mean nothing to someone born in the early 1900’s! A mouse with a bluetooth!! they would think you were completely crazy!

The point is our language and application of words changes, so when we read the scriptures we must remember what was relevant to those people at their time and according to the culture of their native country.

In those days people were not used to color as we are today. They did not decorate or color co-ordinate their homes or clothes; because bright colors were rare, they had not turned color into a science all its’ own as industry has today. There was no such thing as Interior/exterior paint and there were no paint spray cans or colored pencils/pens.

In the middle east their surroundings were mostly desert browns with sparse greenery and when a bright colorful flower animal or insect was observed it caused them to stop and be amazed.

The Hebrew word used for scarlet in this verse is kashanim

from the root word shani שָׁנִי

which is a word for a specific insect.

Crimson, scarlet in the Bible (37 verses). Hebrew: שָׁנִי …

Hebrew Base Word: שָׁנִי.

שָׁנִי

šānî (H8144)

 Crimson, scarlet (thread)

Definition: Crimson, properly, the insect or its color,

also stuff dyed with

Scarlet, crimson.

Properly, the insect ‘coccus ilicis’, the dried body of the female yielding coloring matter from which is made the dye used for cloth to color it scarlet or crimson.

The ka in front of the word is a preposition: like or as

so it would read literally:

though your sins be as or like an insect.

Translators correctly used the word scarlet because the people of that day were very familiar with this unique insect. This unusual insect caused the observers to be amazed because this little creature attached itself to a tree to give birth to its offspring, and when it died and its body dried up, it turned a bright, scarlet, red color. So a bright color such as scarlet would have been rare and thus everyone in Israel thousands of years ago, knew what scarlet/crimson was, or, the reference in the verse, red like crimson.

Scarlet is not only tied into the concept of sin and redemption, but it was also used practically within the confines of the Jewish Temple. Scarlet and crimson were united together in the Temple curtains/veils:

Exodus 35:25

All the skilled women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue and purple and the scarlet material [tola’at ha-shani] and in fine linen.

The Hebrew word for material in this passage is towla-at, which is the same word used for crimson-worm. So it appears that this word evolved from representing the worm to also representing any material colored scarlet by the worm itself.

This scarlet material (tola’at shani) is found in mulyiple places in scripture, and had a particular emphasis in decorating the Temple.

Exodus 26:31-33

“You shall also make a veil of violet, purple, and scarlet material [w-towla’at shani] , and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer. Then you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also of gold, on four bases of silver. You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve as a partition for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.”

Strong’s Hebrew: 3680. כָּסָה (kasah) — to cover

When this scarlet worm is ready to lay its eggs, it attaches itself to the trunk of a tree, more specifically, the Kermes oak found in the Mediterranean region. It secures itself very firmly because it already knows it will not come back down that tree alive!

It is a voluntary sacrifice!

(Is this sounding familiar to another

death on a tree as a voluntary blood sacrifice??)

Its’ eggs, which are birthed beneath its body, remain protected until they hatch and are able to go off on their own. When the worm dies, it secretes a crimson fluid that stains its body and the wood around it.

Many people had the job of gathering these little insects. Once they died dried out and began to decay giving off its scarlet color. These dead insects were then collected, crushed and turned into a scarlet color dye. The dye was then applied to the material used to make clothes for royalty and those in society who could afford such luxuries. Because it was so uncommon to be clothed in bright garments, when a person wearing scarlet clothes came by, it was an obvious clue that they were very important.

Click link below for more detail on this amazing insect.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-secret-of-how-a-worm-preached-the-gospel/

Why does this matter?

Because when someone heard the word

shani שָׁנִי or scarlet

they immediately thought of

this insect that was dead, and literally decaying.

The association with sin would then be quickly recognized as that dead decaying thing in your life, that choked the spiritual life out of you.

In the same way they would also understand that in skillful hands this dead thing could be turned into something of great beauty. Our Heavenly Father was saying that although our sins make us spiritually dead as that scarlet colored insect, He is able and willing to restore us to new spiritual life.

There are historical and archeological references, easily found on line, describing the Assyrian armies uniforms who, in Isaiah day, were Israels’ greatest enemies and eventually conquered them. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility, that most people living in Israel had heard the battle accounts; and that one thing they would have noticed was the uniform of the soldiers in the chariots. These chariots were manned by, some say 2 others 3 warriors, 1 to drive the chariot and the other 2/3 to shoot the arrows while racing as close to the enemy lines as possible; then they would circle around for another attack.

With all the enemies arrows flying, casualties were high, however it seems one arrow was not enough to knock such tough warriors down, and their wounds still bled. The scarlet colored uniforms concealed the blood coming from their wounds, and the enemy could not tell if they were hitting their targets or were fighting against something more supernatural!

Due to this military cultural practice, scarlet became known also as a camouflage.

It was part of the art of war, a means of keeping the soldiers injuries concealed and hidden from those observing the battle.

Applying this to our spiritual condition, it is telling us that when our Heavenly Father says that even though your sins are as scarlet, these sins were not the only ones destroying you but also included are those hidden or secret sins. Hidden sins are those that no one else but our Heavenly Father knows about, and even those sins that are hidden and concealed will be cleansed.

It is interesting that a word for sin is chata’

which is an archer’s term for

missing the mark or target.

And also makes us think of the verse in Ephesians concerning the fiery darts/arrows of the evil one which is why our shield of faith should always be held up high.

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

The word sin both in Hebrew and Greek means missed the mark, just as any archer might. 

The Mark, the centre, the bulls eye, that man is to make this his aim through life, as to THE GLORY OF GOD.

Paul tells us that to all alike, missing this mark is SIN. The standard is a high one however, we are to aim directly and always at God’s glory and not mans’. 

One of the words for sin in Hebrew, as mentioned does mean:

miss the mark,

meaning that: you didn’t achieve the right goal.

There are other words for sin, and some of them mean something more like: deliberately chose the wrong goal, which is rather more serious.

In Hebrew: HATA

Hebrew Strong’s #2398

Literally: to MISS God’s Standards.

(e.g. Hosea 8:1; Daniel 9:11; Isaiah 5:20-24)

“Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4 KJV cf. Romans 7:7.

God’s Target is His Commandments.

Breaking His Commandments is Missing God’s Target.

Same root, not the same word

Miss the mark is hechti החטיא

which also means: caused somebody to sin

Sin is chet חטא

Hebrew has several other words for sin beyond hata, each with its own specific meaning.

The word pesha, or trespass,

means: a sin done out of rebelliousness.

The word aveira means: transgression.

And the word avone, or iniquity,

means: a sin done out of moral failing.

A Hebrew word for sin is

חטאה

hhatah,

Strong’s #2403

and literally means: miss the mark.

The Greek translation of the Old Testament often used hamartia,

an equivalent word also meaning: to miss the mark.

Word meanings were often not as precise as English words are, because the Hebrew language had a small vocabulary; and it’s very common in language to use very natural terms as a way to describe things that are much more abstract.

Just as Paul wrote in Philippians 3:14

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The same author told us in Romans 14:23

…whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

It is clear that the will of God, whether we are aware of what it is or not, is the mark. The responsibility is on us to both discover and to do it.

As noted, the common Hebrew term translated sin is chat·taʼthʹ; in Greek the usual word is ha·mar·tiʹa. In both languages, the verb forms (Hebrew, cha·taʼʹ; Greek, ha·mar·taʹno)

mean: miss, in the sense of:

missing or not reaching a goal, way, mark, or right point.

In our case how do we miss the mark?

We all miss the mark of perfection, in the sense that we are all called sinners in the scriptures.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23

The reason Messiah Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach left his heavenly home and was born as a human, was to offer up His perfect human life in exchange for the perfect human life that Adam forfeited, when he rebelled against God’s authority.

“and it is as a free gift that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness through the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24

chet: a sin

Original Word: חֵטְא
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chet
Phonetic Spelling: (khate)
Definition: a sin

ḥă·ṭā·’ê·ḵem — 1 Occurrence

Isaiah 1:18
HEB: אִם־ יִֽהְי֨וּ חֲטָאֵיכֶ֤ם כַּשָּׁנִים֙ כַּשֶּׁ֣לֶג
NAS: Though your sins are as scarlet,
KJV: the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet,
INT: Though become your sins scarlet snow

The Scapegoat –

Azazel  עזאזל

Ayin Zayin Aleph Zayin Lamed

 

Leviticus 16:9-10: “And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him [for] a sin offering. (10) But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, [and] to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.”

There is something interesting in Jewish writings regarding Rosh Hashanah:

During Yom Kippur in ancient days, two goats were brought before the High Priest.

Both were as identical as possible. 

Lots were then drawn.

One bore the words To the Lord and the other To Azazel.

The word Azazel is an interesting word as there is much debate as to what its meaning really is.  Many translations just translate it as Azazel in reference to a geological location.  Some of the earlier translations use the word scapegoat. As to whether Azazel meant scapegoat to the ancient Hebrews is said to be questionable.

In 1530 William Tyndale broke the law of the land by translating the Bible into English. This was an act for which he was put to death.  Azazel was the name of a demon and even a common name among Jews used for Satan. To say the other lot fell to Satan who was allowed to escape, did not seem right, so Tyndale considered the word Azazel to be a compound word, as for goat; ez and azal for sending away, hence scapegoat.  However, if we stay with the original understanding of Azazel as a demon or even a reference to Satan himself, we are then open to a deeper and maybe a more relevant understanding of this strange ritual.

It seems obvious that the goat who received the lot, To the Lord, was representative of the Messiah, as we identify to be Jesus/Yeshua. This Messiah gave His life and shed His blood for the sins of all mankind. But what was the reason for the Azazel and sending the goat into the wilderness? because the scapegoat never made it out of the wilderness alive.

The sages had no problem with one goat being slaughtered and shedding its’ blood as a sign of God’s forgiveness of sin, but they also realized just having your sins forgiven was not enough. It was a great relief on Yom Kippur to have all your sins forgiven, ready to start the New Year with a clean sheet, but what about the consequences of those past sins which was primarily the consequence of guilt. It seems it was not uncommon for Jews to amend their rituals and add to God-given directions. An example would be that an individual may not realize until they are older of the many sacrifices made by family members for their benefit. Sometimes the commandment to honor parents cannot be fulfilled if the parents die before they are able to repent, ask for forgiveness and personally thank them. They pray and repent and they receive Gods forgiveness by faith, and that sin is washed away, like the goat shedding its’ blood for their sin; yet some individuals carry that guilt and live with the burden of it for years.

The sages saw that Azazel, a demon, or the enemy himself, is constantly whispering in our ears. We are to remember and be encouraged that after God has forgiven you and cleansed you

the only weapon the enemy has

are his lies.

Because of this it was agreed that the Azazel or the scapegoat also represented the guilt of the sin. God forgave the sin but many still live with the guilt.

One word for wilderness is medabarah which could also be translated as words from the heart.  So, the picture they saw of the scapegoat was the words that the Azazel puts into your heart, words of condemnation and guilt are to be sent away far from the tabernacle or tent.

Again be certain that not only did

God forgive our sins,

He also

removed the guilt

often attached to that sin.

The only guilt we feel is just the lies of the Azazel or the enemy. Messiah came to set the captives free from ALL of it.

The sins were placed on the scapegoat and by so doing removing all guilt being carried; and they did two extra things not mentioned in the Torah which are recorded in the Talmud/Jewish Literature. 

First, they tied a red wool thread around the horn of the scapegoat and cut off a piece of that red wool thread. 

Then when they sent the goat away some priests followed it and when the goat got near a cliff, they made sure the goat fell to his death, accordingly the lies of Azazel were put to death!

When the Pharisees placed their hands on the goat and confessed the sins… it was ALL placed on the scapegoat. When the Pharisees slapped Jesus/Yeshua on His head and called Him blasphemous; this act was, placing the sins of all mankind on the head of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, maybe unintentionally… but it fulfilled their job! So when Messiah died and went to paradise all the guilt went too.

Tradition teaches that when that scapegoat with the red thread tied around its horn was tossed off the cliff, the piece of wool thread that the High Priest cut from the red wool thread on the horn, turned white; as proof that God not only forgave the sins of the nation but took away the guilt as well. 

Isaiah 1:18: “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.”

https://www.minimannamoments.com/at-one-ment-with-the-one-you-love/

This season of self examination should not be only for when we reflect on the Appointed Times; but daily we are to examine our hearts before our Heavenly Father and apply His precious crimson scarlet blood to our lives.

Even if your sins (all our of missing the mark), will be scarlet, be as or like a shani שָׁנִי insect; literally that dead decaying thing in our lifes/chaim that choked the spiritual life out of us – they will become white as snow in skillful hands; and this dead thing can be turned into something of great beauty.

Our Heavenly Father was & is saying that although

our sins make us spiritually dead as that scarlet colored insect,

He is able and willing to restore us to new spiritual life in Him; and in that process, completely removing

ALL sin and ALL the guilt and shame

associated with those sins through the Blood of Jesus/Yeshua, His own sacrificial Lamb and scapegoat.

How?

By staying in right relationship with Him every possible moment, and walking step by step in obedience to the path He designed for each of us.

As we are entering into the week of

Sukkot/Booths/Tabernacles,

it is appropriate to think on the

soon return of our King, our Messiah

when He will tabernacle with us for ever.

All our waiting and hoping

will be turned into

rejoicing and fullness of peace/shalom;

as His presence will not be by faith believing,

but will be tangible and complete.

Hallelujah!

Stay always alert and ready,

for we know not the hour our Lord returns…

Matthew 24:42

for so much more on Sukkot/Tabernacles/Booths

please be sure to click links below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/sheltering-presence-god/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-sheltering-presence-of-god-cont/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/sukkot-the-promise-of-a-permanent-dwelling-place/

Keep your lamps filled trimmed and lit..

our bridegroom is coming and the midnight hour is here.

Shalom aleikhem

friends and family – chaverim and mishpachah!

Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week, especially through Sukkot.

You are greatly loved and prayed for daily.

Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation  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/Your High Priest of the Atoning Blood Sacrifice

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.

Day of Atonement – Yom HaKippurim

Known in English as the

Day of Atonement,

Yom HaKippurim

יום כפור

It occurs 9 days after

Yom Teruah/The Feast of Trumpets/Day of Blowing.

It is celebrated on the 10th day of the 7th month in the Hebrew calendar.

(5th October 2022).

It was given originally to the sons of Israel/Yisra’El.

“Speak to the children of Yisra’El, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you have a rest, a remembrance of Teru‛ah,” Wayyiqra/Leviticus 23:24

The Annual Moedim/Appointed Times of the Lord

were set in by our Heavenly Father to remind us of His Plan and Purpose for our lives now and eternally. The very same God Who granted favor and mercy to all humanity by sending the Messiah, Jesus/Yeshua, to die for our redemption; will also send Him again to destroy His enemies and to separate the wheat from the tares, the sheep from the goats, and to provide the ultimate atonement/redemption for those who are His.

When you see all these things begin to come to pass look up for your redemption draws near. Luke 21:28

What does His Word tell us about this Kadosh/Holy/set-apart day?

Are there things that we are supposed to do and see and hear?

In studying the Scriptures about Yom HaKippurim / Day of Atonement, we could pray in the words of King David: Heavenly Father, please “open our eyes that we might behold wonderful things from your Torah” and see our returning Messiah Jesus/Yeshua in this moed/appointed Day.

Gods’ Word was given to us to speak of Him and we should seek to hear its’ voice… His voice… especially during His appointed times/moedim.

What Does Scripture Say About Yom HaKippurim?

Yom HaKippurim

יום כּףּר,

Strong’s #3117 + #3725

means

“day [of] atonement”.

Atonement

is the Hebrew word kippur

and it comes from the word

kaphar

which means:

“to cover”.

The blood of atonement was used to cover and cleanse the spiritual uncleanness of the children of Israel/ Yisra’El.

Hebrews 10:4 tells us that the blood of bulls and goats will not take away sins. However there are numerous passages in the Torah, which tell us that the blood of bulls and goats will make atonement or temporary covering.

“For it is impossible for blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” Ibrim/Hebrews 10:4

In reality we know that the

Atoning Blood of Messiah has covered and cleansed us.

He is our atoning sacrifice.

Wayyiqra/Leviticus 16:1-34 tells us of the casting of lots for the “scapegoat”

The word translated as “scapegoat”

In Strong’s #5799

is the Hebrew word:

עזאזל

azazel.

This word is only used to describe the “scapegoat” in Leviticus 16.

There is some debate among scholars about the literal meaning of the word.

 

The Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon translates it as:

“for absolute removal”.

Strong’s translates it as “goat of departure”.

The NAS Concordance translating it as “entire removal”.

The Septuagint, an early Greek translation of the Old Testament,

took the Hebrew as;

ez ozel [“the goat that departs”]

and translated it as:

tragos apopompaios [“goat sent out”].

This translation was used by the Latin Vulgate, which rendered the word as:

caper emissarius, or “emissary goat”.

William Tyndale rendered the Latin as

“(e)scape goat”

in his 1530 Bible and his translation was later used by the authors of the KJV 1611.

We know that bulls and goats cannot remove sin (Hebrews 10:4) we now understand the purpose of the “scapegoat” was to somehow take the uncleanness associated with sin away from the camp. The person who releases the goat then had to bathe to remove the “stain” of being in contact with the goat.

According to Leviticus 16:29-31 and 23:27

It is a day to “humble your souls”

Heb: ועניתם את נפשׁתיכם

v’initem et napheshoteykhem

Some translations treat this as

“afflict your souls [nephesh]”.

If anyone does not humble himself on this day that person shall be cut off from among his people. Leviticus 23:29.

It is an extremely serious penalty to be cut off from Israel/Yisra’El so we should make an effort to understand what is meant by

“humbling our souls”.

There are two passages in the Tanakh/Old Testament, that use the same words. The first comes from the Psalms where David said:

Malicious witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I do not know. They repay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, And my prayer kept returning to my bosom. I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother. Tehillim/Psalm 35:11-14

The 2nd is from Isaiah:

‘Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’ Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And drive hard all your workers. Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high. Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord? Yeshayahu/Isaiah 58:3-5.

Strongs #3665

kana: to be humble

Original Word: כָּנַע
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: kana
Phonetic Spelling: kaw-nah’

2 Chronicles 7:14 
HEB: וְיִכָּנְע֨וּ עַמִּ֜י אֲשֶׁ֧ר
NAS: by My name humble themselves and pray
KJV: by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray,

Yom HaKippurim/Day of Atonement

pictures Messiah because He is

the Great High Priest

Who will bring about

a permanent atonement and cleansing for His people.

“Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, יהושע the Son of Elohim, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was tried in all respects as we are, apart from sin. Therefore, let us come boldly to the throne of favour, in order to receive compassion, and find favour for timely help.” Ibrim/Hebrews 4:14-16

He is the One Who “stands in readiness” to

lead away our uncleanness

with the scapegoat, the goat of removal.

He is the scapegoat that will

bear our sins and take them away

“For Messiah has not entered into a set-apart place made by hand – figures of the true – but into the heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of Elohim on our behalf, not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters into the set-apart place year by year with blood not his own. For if so, He would have had to suffer often, since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the offering of Himself. And as it awaits men to die once, and after this the judgment, so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to those waiting for Him, unto deliverance.” Ibrim/Hebrews 9:24-28

The self sacrifice that is necessary to atone for our sins is so far beyond what any of us is willing or able to do. It would take every single drop of our own blood to cover our own sins let alone for anothers’. Yet what purpose would this serve if we lost our lives in the process? The justice required by the Lord might be satisfied but His mercy and grace would not be fulfilled.

This Holiest of days in our Fathers Appointed Times/Moedim, is when the haCohen haGadol/the High Priest has to perform the sacrificial offering; to make atonement for the sins of the people through the shedding of innocent blood.

Hebrews 9:6-15

6But The Priests were always entering the outer Tabernacle and performing their ministry, 7But The High Priest would enter the inner Tabernacle once a year by himself with blood, which he was offering in the place of his soul and in the place of the evil doing of the people. 8But by this The Spirit of Holiness had taught that the way of holiness had not yet been revealed, as long as the first Tabernacle was standing.9And this was a symbol for that time in which gifts and sacrifices were offered, which were not able to perfect the conscience of him who offers them, 10Except in food and drink only, and in various washings, which are ordinances of the flesh that are established until the time of reformation.

11But The Messiah who has come has become The High Priest of the good things that he did, and he entered The Great and Perfect Tabernacle which is not made with hands, and was not from these created things. 12And he did not enter with blood of yearling goats and of calves, but with his own blood he entered the holy place one time and has achieved eternal redemption. 13For if the blood of kids and of calves and the ashes of a heifer were sprinkled on those who were defiled and it sanctified them for the purifying of their flesh, 14How much more therefore, will the blood of The Messiah, who by The Eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works that we may serve THE LIVING GOD?

15Because of this, he is The Mediator of The New Covenant, for in his death he is salvation to those who violated The First Covenant, that we, those who were called to eternal inheritance, would receive The Promise. 

However much blood is in that sacrifice …it will eventually stop flowing and it will therefore never be enough.

The ONLY ONE Who can sympathize with our weaknesses yet is apart from sin (4:15) is Messiah Yeshua/Jesus and…. HE has come. As haCohen haGadol of the coming good things, He alone could enter the greater and more perfect tabernacle… neither through the blood of goats and calves but through His own innocent blood.

Atonement has been made

and Messiah has obtained age enduring redemption for us. When John declared in 1:29  Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! We know now this prophetic statement was completed 2000+ years ago.

Justice is satisfied and mercy fulfilled …once and for all…. The blood, His blood its everywhere and it’s alive.. not drying up, or running out… because, in Messiah there will always be enough. HalleluYah!

Dear Heavenly Father we humble ourselves before you as we think on this Holy time. Denying ourselves because You once denied Yourself for us. We bless your Name with a thankful heart for you have done for us what we could never do for ourselves. Our Father God, Lord, King, our Savior and Redeemer, we worship You and bow down before You in humility; by ourselves we are nothing but in You and in You alone we have everything because You are more than enough….

Chag Sameach Yom HaKippurim!

For other much more detailed posts on this Appointed Time/Moed and the amazing connection between Blood and gold…

click links below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/at-one-ment-with-the-one-you-love/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/secrets-of-a-life-filled-with-feasts/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/what-is-the-connection-between-blood-gold-and-the-mystery-of-beth-shemesh-part-2/

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  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/Your High Priest of the Atoning Blood Sacrifice

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.

Yom Teruah – Rosh HaShannah

Yom Teruah יום תרועה

Also known as Rosh HaShannah

One of the facts concerning this day is that it is considered the New Year in Israel although it is not called that in scripture. The truth is this day comes in the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar year and was given the name Yom Teruah.

It shall be a Yom/Day of sounding for you. Numbers 29:1

For this year, 1 Tishrei, 5783 is September 26, 2022.

Because Israel counts the years from Genesis and not like the western calendar, which begins from Messiah Jesus/Yeshuas birth 2022 years ago; the date is 5783. Some scholars say there is compelling evidence that during/after one of the enforced exiles, the dates lost 200 years in the counting and would make the date 5983 which makes all the more startling number towards the 6000 year marker looking towards the 7th thousand year millennial reign of Messiah… whether this is accurate or not there is no doubt we are closer than we think to His return.

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Romans 13:11

 

The biblical/spiritual year starts in the spring with the month of Nisan. Exodus 12:2 the beginning of the new agricultural year. However the sages gave such significance to the first Sabbath/Shabbat of the fall/autumn holy days, that they eventually considered it as the new year and changed the name.

Biblically it is Yom Teruah translates as the 

day of sounding/festival of trumpets/shofars,

hence the day became known as the

Head of the Year which is the direct translation of

Rosh Ha Shannah.

The purpose of this Holy Day is summed up in the word regathering. Since these days call Israel to regather to a pure faith in God. Rosh Hashannah came to represent the day of repentance. It’s the day when the people of Israel make a careful examination of their spiritual condition and make the necessary changes to ensure that the upcoming new year will be pleasing to God.

This day was so important that the whole of the preceding month of Elul takes on a holy significance of its own.

The 40 days prior to Yom Teruah from the 1st day of Elul through the 10th of Tishrei (Yom Kippur),

was to be a time of special spiritual preparation. This was based on the belief that it was the 1st of Elul that Moses ascended Mt Sinai to receive the 2nd set of Tablets of the Law/commandments/Torah and that he came back down on Yom Kippur.

It shall be a Day/yom of sounding for you.

Micah 7:19

In synagogues, the shofar or rams horn is sounded daily to alert the faithful that the time of repentance is near. The theme of Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashannah is regathering for repentance and the focus is serious and for each individual to be authentic before a Holy God and there is always an abiding awareness of hope – because of Gods’ heart of forgiveness/ mercy towards His children.

In a traditional home in Israel, the evening begins with a meal and then a meeting at the local synagogue. Much of the following day is also spent in worship.

The Scripture readings and subject matter of the prayers and music are focused on the recurring theme of repentance/teshuvah, turning to God, our King. Based on Micah 7:19 where the prophet promises You will throw all their sins into the depths of the sea… families and groups of people will go in the afternoon to a body of water, (ocean, lake or stream); and join in an ancient service of Tashlich. This word comes from the verse above and to illustrate this beautiful promise people throw breadcrumbs or small stones into the water and rejoice in Gods promise of forgiveness. For Believers in Messiahs sacrificial death and resurrection we are trusting in His blood for our forgiveness and redemption having confessed and repented of our sins.

The most memorable part of this day is the blowing of the shofar, the rams horn which is mentioned in the scriptures. The shofar is sounded in the meetings with 4 different notes:

the tekia blast

the Shevarim – broken notes,

the teruah – alarm

and the tekia gedolah – the great blast.

The word for the second note is teruah

the name for the day Yom Teruah.

These notes provide some us with some spiritual lessons.

The shofar was used in the ancient world to hail/greet a king. So too at Rosh Hashanah all Israel is said to appear before the King of Kings in anticipation of personal judgement.

Also in the Bible the shofar was often:

sounded as an alarm to gather the troops together for battle!

as in Joshua 6 and the blowing of the shofars which were part of Gods’ instruction prior to the city walls collapsing.

For us the shofar is our wake up call – an alarm to call us to our appointed time.

Today it is recognized as the new year in Israel and also called the day of blowing Yom Teruah. The future day of judgement will be announced by blasts on the shofar. Matthew 24:31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, (with a great shofar), and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

This prophetic fulfillment was believed by the rabbis to be the holy day of regathering and the Messiah who would be the agent of regathering.

This season is a season of spiritual preparation and for us today, it’s a future fulfillment of His return and regathering of the believers in Jesus/Yeshua Messiah. Paul makes an interesting connection to this day in 1Thess.4:16, For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry/shout with a call from one of the ruling angels and with God’s shofar.

The events on Mt Sinai also recorded the sound of Gods’ shofar.

So it would seem that the signal of the gathering will be the sound of the shofar. In fact the reference here is to a particular note sounded at Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah. In verse 16, the word normally translated shout or cry comes from the Hebrew word teruah; which is better translated as the alarm blast of the shofar. Similar references can be read in 1Cor 15:50 -58 and Rev 4:1.

Another important fulfillment of this day/yom, is the:

regathering of the remnant of the children of Israel at the second coming of Messiah.

In the 7th century B.C. Isaiah wrote verses 12-13 in chapter 27.On that DAY Adonai will beat out the grain between the Euphrates River and the Vadi of Egypt; and you will be gathered, one by one, people of Israel. On that DAY a great SHOFAR will sound. Those lost in the land of Egypt; and they will worship Adoanai on the holy mountain in Jerusalem/Yerushalayim.

It seems clear that this scripture is referring to a coming DAY/Yom, regathering of the believing remnant. Likewise Messiah Jesus/Yeshua when asked about the future of Israel confirmed this as a latter Day promise in His own teaching. Matthew 24:31 He the Son of Man will send out His angels with a great shofar and they will gather together His chosen people from the four winds from one end of the heaven to the other.

The sound of the shofar is a reminder of the blessed hope every messianic believer possesses in Titus 2:13, and that we can enter Messiahs’ presence at any time.

13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

When He comes, He will gather us to Himself and we do not know the exact day that our Lord will come; so we are to be ready like those 5 wise virgins – alert and prepared at a moments notice to answer the call of our Heavenly Bridegroom.

Keep looking up

mishpachah/family & chevarim friends

because…

one YOM /DAY He will come….

For more detail and sounds of the shofar.. click links below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/midweek-mannabite-the-sound-of-the-trumpet/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/apocalypse-of-the-teruahs-cry/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/blowing-your-own-trumpet-2/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/yamim-noraim-days-of-awe-or-high-holy-days/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/blowing-your-own-trumpet/ 

https://www.minimannamoments.com/apocalypse-of-the-trump-shofar-notes-and-numbers-the-sound-of-a-mystery/

The legend of Messiahs Missing Shofar

https://www.minimannamoments.com/secrets-of-a-life-filled-with-feasts/

 

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

L’shana tova tikateivu 

(pronounced: shah-NAH toe-VAH tee-kah-TAY-voo)

literally means, “May you be written for a good year.”

L’shana tovah u’metukah 

(pronounced: l’shah-NAH toe-VAH ooh-meh-too-KAH)

means “for a good and sweet year.” 

L’shana tova (pronounced: luh-shah-NAH toe-VAH)

means “To a Good Year.”

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

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.

 

Is Joy Happiness?

Is Joy the same as what we call Happiness?

This is a timely word as we are quickly coming to the autumn/fall Appointed Times of the Lord which include the pouring with joy at the sukkot; and then the time of the season of rejoicing in the Torah which follows sukkot although not a Biblical feast.

Sim•cha- JOY is connected to the name of an important Holiday – Sim•chat To•rah – the Rejoicing of the Torah. This holiday is celebrated on She•mi•ni A•tze•ret, which is the first day following the seventh day of Sukkot /Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles. Even though She•mi•ni A•tze•ret is celebrated a day after Su•kkot, it is a separate Biblical holiday.

 “Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord; on the eighth day shall be a holy gathering to you; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord; it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no labor in it”

Leviticus 23:36

Sim•chat To•rah is celebrated on the same day, and the custom was started by the sages during the exile in Babylonia. The holiday commemorates the completion of reading 52 portions of the Torah; each portion is read each week of the year all over the world and because it was first introduced by Ezra the Scribe this custom is considered biblical.

Another holiday related to

Joy/sim•cha is

Sim•chat Beit Ha•sho•e•va.

It is an ancient Jewish custom related to the commandment of Pouring (casting) Water

that was established at the Temple on

Sukkot (Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles)

after bringing the water of the Gihon Spring

to the Temple.

The first time in 100 references to joy  in the New Testament is coupled with the birth of Jesus/Yeshua:

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy”

Matthew 2:10

Joy is often associated with the list in Galatians of the fruit of our Heavenly Fathers indwelling Spirit of Holiness but is it the same thing as we call happiness? Modern meanings have changed over time and we need to take another look at this one in the list as we often skim over the word thinking we know what it means and where it comes from.

שמחה

GLADNESS – SIMCHAH שמחה 

Sine/shin Mem Cheth Hei

Strong’s Hebrew: 8057. שִׂמְחָה (simchah) 

joy, gladness, mirth, exceedingly, gladness, joyfulness, mirth, pleasure, rejoicing.

From sameach; blithesomeness or glee, religious or festival.

ימטשאַה. Simcha

is a Hebrew word with several meanings.

Literally, the word simcha means:

gladness, or joy.

It comes from the root word sameyach,

which means glad or happy.

More Hebrew words for joy 

noun שִׂמְחָה happiness, gladness, gaiety, felicity, exhilaration

noun חֶדוָה delight, gladness, exultation

noun שָׂשׂוֹן delight, rejoicing, merriment, mirth

chedvah: joy.

Original Word: חֶדְוָה.

Transliteration: chedvah.

Phonetic Spelling: khed-vaw’

In Hebrew there are several words for joy, each with different shades of meaning. 

Simcha’ (ch is a soft gutteral, between h and the ch of ‘Bach’) means happiness in the most full sense.

עֲלָזָה

joy

בְּדִיחוּת

joy, facetiousness, fun

צָהֳלָה

rejoicing, hilarity, exultation, merriment, joy, roar

גִיל

age, clapper, delight, joy, exultation, gladness

עוֹנֶג

pleasure, delight, joy, enjoyment

שִׂמְחָה

joy, happiness, gaiety, mirth, glee, gladness

דִיצָה

joy, amusement

חֶדוָה

delight, exultation, joy, gladness

גִילָה

exultation, delight, joy, gladness

מָשׂוֹשׂ

joy, gladness

רִנָה

exultation, joy, song, singing

שָׂשׂוֹן

mirth, delight, rejoicing, merriment, joy

עִנוּג

delight, joy, pleasure, enjoyment

עֲלִיזוּת

gaiety, cheerfulness, playfulness, mirth, fun, joy

Most of the words for joy mentioned below are in one of the seven blessings recited at a traditional Hebrew wedding. The guests join in singing it, so those words are familiar to many, especially in Israel. Here is the portion sung, with the words for joy in red:

אשר ברא ששון ושמחה, חתן וכלה, גילה, רינה, דיצה וחדוָה, אהבה ואחוָה ושלום ורעות”.

Below are those words in transliteration:

Sason, Simcha, Geela, Reena, Deetza, Hhedva

Below are some extended meanings of the Hebrew words:
hana-ah: enjoyment, deriving benefit from something specific.
Simcha: full-blown happiness; it’s also a common Hebrew first name.
Gila/Geela: a wave of happiness that comes and moves through you during a period of time; it’s also a common Hebrew first name. Gila is a stronger sensation of joy but more transient and worldly and is related to gal meaning wave.

Deetza/ditza: is joy related to dancing; Joy in the way of, I was so happy I jumped up & down
Rina/Reena: is a joy related to singing, boisterously joyful, shouting it out, as in, woo-hooo! & Hallelu-yah, it’s also a common name.
Ched-vah/Hhedva: Joy of a strength and radiant quality divine; also a Hebrew name.

Simchah pictures the person surrounded by The Name.

Chedvah is translated delight and pictures the fence around a door or protection for the house.

Sason is symbolic of partaking of life and as there are two s letters, it is double feasting on life.

Ratson is the image of being hooked on the person of life. That person is Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah.

Hebrew has 22 modern letters in the green chart below:

and below in the paleo hebrew alefbet, each one is a picture. 

for more links click below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/alef-bet-alphabet/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/ancient-pictographic-hebrew-language/

These are all first names for girls that could be translated as Joy:

Rina/Rinna/רינה,

Chedva חדווה/Khedva/Hedva,

Gila/גילה

Aliza/עליזה

 Ditza דיצה

Tagel, Oshra, Oshrit,

Ztahala צהלה Tzahala/ Tsahala.

For boys

Gil גיל,

Sasson ששון Sason

Osher, Yagel. 

 Osher אושר, which means happiness and

Simkha/Simcha שמחה is for both male and female.

Joy or Happiness is a every important commandment to the Hebrew way of thinking, much has been written about why and how to practice Joy; and it’s said that no one can worship the Father when they are unhappy. The reasoning behind this is that a person who is sad is most likely because at that moment they are seeing themselves as the center of their world, and are wanting everything to go their own way. They also believe that a sad person is seen to be complaining against the Father for not agreeing with and answering their wishes.

Happy which is an adjective/a descriptive word, can be translated in the following ways, the first being the most common:

שַׂמֵחַ – sameach means: happy, glad, joyous, joyful, pleased, cheerful

מְאוּשָׁר – me’ushar means: deeply happy, content. it also means certified, endorsed, confirmed, or approved.

נֶעֱלָס – ne’elas = jolly, cheerful, merry

עַלִיז – aliz means: cheerful, merry, jolly, joyful, playful

מָלֵא שִׂמחָה – maleh simcha means: filled with happiness

מַרנִין – marnin means: joyful, gladdening

צוֹהֵל – tsohel means: joyful, exuberant, jubilant, exultant, gleeful

http://biblehub.com/hebrew/1523.htm

http://biblehub.com/hebrew/8057.htm

Gladness– One English dictionary defines joy as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. This definition follows the Greek meaning of chará and hēdonḗ = rejoicing and pleasure.  This is where we get the term Hedonism and is typical of western thinking which follows that of Plato and Aristotle; this is not so typical in Hebrew thought.

The two Greek words used: chairein and chaironton; are both forms of the same Greek word: chairo. It means ‘to rejoice, be glad, full of joy.‘  This word is related to charis which means grace and in its broader meaning, it’s a form of greeting, such as: be well or thrive.

http://biblehub.com/greek/5479.htm

http://biblehub.com/greek/5463.htm

What is the fullness of joy? 

In Hebrew its soba semachot.

The word semachot comes from the root word semchah which means: joy and serenity. This word is written as a feminine plural, how can you have joy in a plural form? 

in Hebrew the plural form could indicate one of two things or maybe even both of them. In English plural means more than one.  We can have more than one kind of joy in our Heavenly Fathers’ presence.

For example we can experience

the joy of serenity, 

the joy of peace

the joy of our salvation

and the joy of sabbath rest. 

The word soba comes from the same root as Shabbat

which means rest and ceasing from labor/work

and it also has the idea of abundance and fullness.  

In exploring our initial question a little deeper, the Hebrew text of the well known verse in

Nehemiah 8:10

the joy of the Lord is your strength.

may give us further insight into whether Joy is the same as our concept of happiness.

The word joy that is used in Nehemiah is the word 

chadoth which is really the word for pleasure.

The pleasure of God is our strength!?

In this often quoted verse, there is a different Hebrew word, chedvah, also translated as the English joy.

Cheth daleth vav taw  yod hei vav hei

Chadoth YHWH

This is a rare word and it’s only used two times in scripture to denote a direct connection to YHVH  – here in Nehemiah and in 1Chronicles 16:27 

“strength and joy – gladness – are in His Place”.

While simchah is linked with human emotions and actions, chedvah seems to be ONLY in connection with the Father/YHVH Himself.

This makes chedvah even more important because,

if chedvah YHVH is our strength,

then we need to have some understanding of what that really means.

As we are examining if joy is the same as our concept of happiness what exactly is the joy of YHVH?

This leads to other questions … Is this suggesting that the Father Himself experiences joy – and furthermore, that this is the basis of our strength?  When reading this well known scripture we readily assume that our strength comes from the joy our Heavenly Father gives to us;

but, have we ever considered where that joy comes from?

We noted earlier that the word for joy in Nehemiah is chadoth which is really the word for pleasure and that it could read:

The pleasure of God is our strength.

We know that we are all created for a specific purpose in this life and as we walk, we are tested by experiencing and enduring various trials. These provide training that will help to prepare us for the role our Father has chosen for us and enable us to fulfill our calling.

Our faithfulness to the call on our lives

is what brings Joy to our Heavenly Father.

...Read that last sentence one more time!

 

As we are purged of all our impurities, selfish and self centered motives, we become more aware of His approval of and pleasure in us as Messiah/Christ is continually being formed in us. Everything we do, should be as the pattern Yeshua/Jesus showed us by His life. He did everything as unto His Father and in everything gave thanks to Him, both hearing His voice and obeying it and obeying His Fathers will gave both Jesus/Yeshua and His Father pleasure/joy.

This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Matthew 17:5-8

Have pleasure in – joy

The point is to make the distinction between joy and happiness in that it’s not the joy we feel as a fleeting emotion but rather the joy our Heavenly Father takes IN us …. that is our strength, that is the joy of the Lord, the pleasure He felt in Yeshua/Jesus and also does in us; this is our strength! We are to realize that our Father has joy in our faithfulness and that gives us strength to endure. With each and every trial that we go through, if we have the name of our Father and His Son coming from our lips, then His heart will be filled with joy over us and our faithfulness and when we experience that joy that is where we find our strength. This kind of joy is a spiritual force and is not an emotion that quickly fades.

Another interesting use of the Hebrew word in the plural form is that it does not necessarily have to indicate more than one; it could be used to point out the ultimate, the greatest.  We could read this as:
In the presence of God is the fullness and the ultimate or greatest joy. 

Hebrews 12:2 for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

That My Joy may remain in you and that your joy may be full

What is the joy we hear about often in scriptures such as Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

This Joy should not be confused with happiness and what we understand by the modern words when we speak of it in connection with Messiah. As our carnal thinking leans towards feelings, we look at the list in Galatians and often try to emulate this list with our own strength, but what if these are not carnal or fleshly based at all? They are fruit of the spirit not the flesh!

They are really an outward evidence of His Spirit of Holiness within the believer and are in fact not sourced from us at all but come from within us where the indwelling of His spirit resides. Furthermore, as spirit, are they not by their very nature spiritual forces and comprise the weapons of our warfare which are not carnal but mighty to the pulling down of strongholds? 2 Cor.

This joy Messiah had was the knowing that He was about to endure the price of sin and die physically that we may live and be forgiven.

His joy was of absolute self surrender and self sacrifice to His Father and His Fathers will, plan and purpose. The joy of doing that which His Father sent Him to do…

Who For the joy that was set before Him…endured the cross. Hebrews 12:2;

Ps 40:8…I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”

Ps. 45:7,8 oil of joy above fellows.

You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

Also see post 

https://www.minimannamoments.com/what-filled-messiah-with-simchah-chedvah-joy/

Messiah prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. When we read it this way, the words continue fulfilling itself, indicate that the joy doesn’t have its origin in us and confirms it’s more of a spiritual force, a force of His Spirit of Holiness/Ruach HaKodesh.

This by its nature of being a weapon against our adversary, because the weapons of our warfare which are not carnal but mighty to the pulling down of strongholds?

Have we allowed Him to impart HIS joy to us yet?

Listed in Galatians is the outward fruit that grows out of the inward obedient walk, together with His Spirit/Ruach so that the attributes of Messiah are evident to others; it seems that it is not the same joy that the Father imparts to us which is the source of our spiritual strength.

We should try to remember that living a full prosperous/abundant life here, is not centered in being completely healthy or that our circumstances are always perfect and how we would like them to be; nor is it in seeing success in the work God has given us to do.  It is in us understanding the Father through relationship and growing in maturity towards oneness with Him in the same manner that Yeshua/Jesus had and experienced and prayed that He wanted that for us also. John 17:22

The first things that will hinder this joy are the subtle issues and irritations caused by focusing too much on the circumstances and events of our lives.

Mark 4:19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Mark records them as the cares of this world because they choke the life of the word sown in us and it becomes unfruitful and before we realize what has happened we are caught up in all the cares. Many don’t realize that in all He has done for us its only the beginning of our walk and He wants for us to come to the place where we joyfully proclaim who Jesus/Yeshua is and become witnesses unto Him.

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

By forming and developing a right relationship with our Heavenly Father is where we will find our joy then out of us will flow His living waters.

We are to be the vessel, the fountain, through which He can pour His living water.

The scripture in John 7:37–38,

On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.

On the last day.

This was the last day of the seven-day long

Sukkot

Feast of Tabernacles

celebration known as “the Last Great Day”

in Heb. Hoshana Rabbah. 

The Last Great Day immediately follows the Festival of Tabernacles. It can also be seen as the 8th Day of the Feast. It pictures Paradise, New Heavens & New Earth, the conclusion of all things.

John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.

We are often so self centered, with our conversations being many times focused on ‘me, I, myself’; and how everything affects us, our needs wants, desires and choices. Then we become complainers, those who murmur, aware of only ourselves and what concerns us; and it can lead us to become prideful and hypocritical; when the scripture tells us our lives are to be hidden with Christ in God.

Col. 3:3. For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. Amplified.

Those whose lives that have a right relationship with the Father, live a life as natural as breathing wherever they go. More often than not the lives that have been the greatest blessing to us are those people who were totally unaware of having been a blessing.

Joy is not frivolity, nor is it a passing high moment of fun, a good time, entertainment etc. It’s not the outward emotion stirred by events or success …so what is it?

Joy is a deep seated settled knowing in the depth of our soul and spirit from where it originates; it’s not a reaction to an outward event or an emotion from a physical situation. His Ruach HaKodesh/Spirit of Holiness is the source and it is combined with the other attributes He imparts which we are to exhibit as His child, His friend, His disciple and His bond servant. We are to minister as He did and here, recall the scripture that states what gave Him joy.. it was to do His Fathers will.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/what-filled-messiah-with-simchah-chedvah-joy/

Can we say the same?

Have we ever truly experienced this kind of Joy?…

or any of the fruit of His Spirit in a deep spiritual way?

Love for example, and not the emotion? Enduring peace – the true shalom, not just in a quiet moment, but in the midst of chaos and traumatic events?

All of these may have been experienced in moments and yet not in the enduring qualities that we are called to not only exhibit, but walk and live in day by day.

It was that force of spiritual joy not a fleeting emotion spoken of in Hebrews 12:2 for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This is what enabled Him to endure and because it was before Him by HIs Father, He willingly went toward it. It was not a giddy, ecstatic burst of emotional feelings. His face was set like flint Luke 9:51 says, “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face like flint to go to Jerusalem.”

He was determined and undeterred He looked beyond the natural to the victory beyond. To do that we must also see with the eyes of faith beyond our present circumstances and ignore feelings that constantly change and our unsteady emotions which will present a false picture..

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1

We are to walk after the spirit and not after the flesh. We must ignore the carnal mans demands… THEN all things will work together for good…we must remember to read the whole context of the verse because there are always conditions that accompany each promise.

Restore to us the joy of our salvation Ps.51:12

Joy is a gift given to us and

2 Timothy 1:6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hand

This is reminding us to stir up the gifts within us..

HOW?

we can do that by thinking on these things..

Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

whatsoever is of good report… JOY is connected to the gospel message of forgiveness and salvation.

Another thing we are to remember is the attitude of being like a little child… not childish, but childlike, and this really is a necessity because simplicity is the secret if we are to see things clearly.

As believers, we often do not think clearly in the middle of a situation, then after time has passed and we reflect on what happened and what we could have – would have – should have said or done… Really if we are honest with ourselves, we ought to see clearly without any difficulty.

We cannot think our way through spiritual confusion to make things clear, we must simply obey His Word and ways. If it is just a matter of an intellectual decision then we can think things out logically; but in matters of the spirit, we will only further our confusion by our own thoughts and ‘what ifs’ ..and wander around in circles. Obedience to the Father is the answer and when He is putting His pressure on a matter we must bring all our questions and discussion  to this place by… casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

2 Cor. 10:5.

Then all will become clear for that situation and our reasonings will follow afterwards because reasoning is not how we see spiritually. We are to see like children see, because when we try to be wise we see nothing!

Matt. 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Is it not true that even the tiny things we allow to sneak past the filter of His Spirit of Holiness is uncontrolled by His influence and then we act from our carnal fleshly thinking and then comes the spiritual confusion, obedience is the only solution to confusion. As soon as we are obedient the peace/shalom of the Father fills our heart and mind and that place of peace is the umpire, the agent of our Godly decisions and choices.

Colossians 3:15 in the Amplified says, “And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state]

As soon as we choose to obey, we have discernment and it can be somewhat embarrassing because we know that the reason for our confusion lies in our mind set and thought patterns. However, when we yield our natural mind to His Spirit and are devoted to Him and His Ways, our submission to His will becomes the very power that enables us to perceive the way forward. Then our whole life remains unconfused and simple…as a childs’ life is. They rely on the loving parent to take care of the problems faced in life and we are to simply apply His joy to all that we do. We are encouraged to remember as we run our race, we too, have joy set before us;

Christ in us the hope of glory. Col. 1:27

and if we have been good and faithful children/servants we will one day enter in to the joy of our Lord.

Matt 25:21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

We often don’t consider joy as a weapon but it really is because it dispels the darkness that tries to creep up over us..

Based on Psalm 16:11 the Rabbis believe that Joy is a true sign of the presence of God, “…in Your presence is fullness of joy…”

Ps 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fulness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.

 The word fullness is soba 

which is a word used to describe:

a feast where you eat so much that you cannot eat another bit! 

That is the fullness of joy that David receives from the presence of the Father. 

 joy is simchah which is:

a joy and love that we feel when we hug those we dearly love….  

in that hug, in that moment, the world fades away as we experience that knowing that we too are loved and it is a moment when we want that joy to last forever. That is exactly what our Heavenly Father promises when He holds us close at the same time saying:

at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.

The right hand has always been: the symbol of strength and power and for most people is their dominant hand, so when our Father takes us in His right hand He is saying:

He will never let go and as He holds us we will have

pleasures/ na’iym forever.

The word pleasures

translated from na’iym has a meaning of:

singing and sweet sounding music.

When our Heavenly Father takes us in His arms and lovingly embraces us and we return that love, He intends for the pleasure, singing and music of that moment to go on forever.

Another reference to Joy is in

Psalm 43 :4  God My Exceeding Joy. 

El Simchah Giyl.

The two Hebrew words 

simchah and giyl 

can both be translated as joy…

this name of God is almost like saying 

God my joyful joy.

we could say a double portion of joy! 

There are many Hebrew words and phrases that express joy because their language is rooted in a culture rich in joy filled festivals and celebrations of life/chaim.

The most common Hebrew word for happiness is simcha.  According to Ecc. 2:26, it’s considered a gift to mankind

and Torah states,

vehayita ach sameach,

you should have nothing but joy.

Deut. 16:15.

In the Bible the noun simcha is mentioned 94x and is derived from verb samach, which is in the text 154x. It is rooted in the Akkadian word shamahu meaning: sprout or flourish.

A dictionary definition states: “Happiness is that feeling that comes over you when you know life is good and you can’t help but smile. It’s the opposite of sadness. When people are successful; or safe; or lucky, they feel happiness. The ‘pursuit of happiness’ is something this country (USA) is based on, and different people feel happiness for different reasons.”

It’s clear according to this definition that happiness depends on life’s circumstances and on what happens. If things are good, people are happy but with no success, it can result in sadness.

On the other hand,

Joy,

in the sense of true biblical understanding, does NOT depend on outside circumstances; it depends only on our Heavenly Father because He is the source of joy.

While happiness is more an outward show,

joy is more internal.

Happiness is usually temporary or fleeting;

Joy is a permanent state of being.

The source of one is the flesh.

The other is the spirit.

According to Isaiah 12:3 Joy is associated with a deeper well. 

Following are some references where some of the many Hebrew words for Joy are noted:

After returning from captivity in Babylon, the children of Israel kept the Passover with joy:

And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the LORD made them joyful…Ezra 6:22.

With joy  in Hebrew in verse 22 is:

b’simcha   בשמחה   b’sim-KHA. 

Simcha שמחה sim-KHA

as already noted is the most common word for

joy in the Tanakh.

This joy is always connected with the God of Israel

and is known as 

simcha b’shamayim

שמחה בשמים

sim-KHA b’sha-MYEEM,

or joy of heaven.

Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous;

and shout for joy, rinna רנה, ree-NAH,

all you upright in heart

Ps. 32:11.

Jeremiah 15:16, Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me

the joy,  l’sasson  לששון, l’sah-SOHN 

and rejoicing,  l’simchat  לשמחת, l’sim-KHAT, 

of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.

May the Word of God become an ever-increasing joy of our heart as we prepare for the return of the Living Word, Jesus/Yeshua.

 

The Brit Hadashah/re-New-ed Covenant, emphasizes that believers in Messiah Jesus/Yeshua are in a race.

Paul spoke a lot about his life in Messiah being a race and his goal was to finish it with joy.

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy… Acts 20:24.

In Heb. 12:1-2. Recalling that WE were the joy set before Jesus/Yeshua….. may HE be the joy set before us.

In Psalm 30:5: the word is mourning, not morning!

weeping may endure for a night,

but joy, rinnah, comes in the mourning.

The joy that our Heavenly Father gives us is supernatural and not dependent on any situations in our lives. It’s the joy/strength to endure and overcome.

As prophesied in Isaiah 61:1-3

Yeshua/Jesus’ mission included, …to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness… 

What is this oil of joy?

Oil, in the Holy Scriptures, is symbolic of the Ruach HaKodesh, His Spirit of Holiness and His Joy flows from His Spirit.

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 13:52.

For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Rom. 14:17

 Paul commended the believers for their good example to other followers of the Way, Joy, in the midst of affliction.

And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy in the Holy Spirit. I Thess. 1:6.

Habakkuk points out the choice that we must make: Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy, gil, GEEL, in the God of my salvation. Hab. 3:17-18.

When Jesus/Yeshua was about to leave this earth He reassured them:

Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

John. 16:22.

As previously noted in Galatians 5:22-23, the second fruit of the Spirit is joy, ‘sim•cha.’ Together with its synonym, sa•son, it is used in scripture over 400 times. (The English word ‘sassy’ comes from sa•son.)

Together simcha and sason form an expression quoted during most every Israeli wedding it comes from Jeremiah 33:11 who repeats it three more times in: 7:34, 16:9 and 25:10.

It is a beautiful imagery also for believers, of the coming wedding at the marriage supper of the Lamb. As of now, we are His betrothed, promised to Him as in an extended engagement; and married in all but consummation until He returns, to take His Bride/the body of believers in Jesus/Yeshua as Messiah to the prepared place in His Fathers House! 

Surely this expression will be heard…

‘kol sa•son ve•kol sim•cha, kol cha•tan ve•kol ka•la’.

The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.

We may conclude that Joy is not a fleeting emotion of happiness. It is an unshakeable spiritual force of His JOY. The pleasure of God is our strength when our Heavenly Father has joy in our faithfulness and that gives us strength to endure each and every trial that we go through as we look to Him the author and finisher of our faith.

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

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.