It’s a word used for a girl or a woman. This word first appeared in Australian English in 1832 with the spelling shelah.
It was initially used in Australia to refer to a woman of Irish origin, but from the late 19th century onwards it became a general term for a woman or girl.
And its also a girls name, sometimes spelled with an i and without the second h sheila;
and in Hebrew it is the word for
a question.
sheelah or shelah: request, thing asked for.
Mark 9:11-13 – And they put a question to him
(put something to someone) – to ask someone a question.
and Matt 22:23-24.
They put to Him a sh’eilah
שאלה
(with vowel points) שְׁאֵלָה
Then one of them, a lawyer,
asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying,
Matt. 22:35 34. And when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they themselves gathered together. 35Oneof them,an expert in the law,testedHimwith a question:36“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?”…
1905 In Greek eperótaó: to inquire of
Original Word: ἐπερωτάω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: eperótaó Phonetic Spelling: ep-er-o-tah’-o Usage: I interrogate, question, demand of.
Matthew 22:35V-AIA-3S GRK: καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν εἷς ἐξ NAS: of them, a lawyer, asked Him [a question], testing KJV: [which was] a lawyer, asked [him a question], tempting INT: and questioned [him] one of
Matthew 22:41V-AIA-3S GRK: τῶν Φαρισαίων ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ NAS: Jesus asked them a question: KJV: Jesus asked them, INT: the Pharisees questioned them
As noted above in Hebrew a
sh’eilah,sheelah or shelah
means:
request, thing asked for
Original Word: שְׁאֵלָה Transliteration: sheelah or shelah Phonetic Spelling: sheh-ay-law’
a question
or
a question about Torah or halakhah
usually posed to someone who was expected to give
an authoritive answer.
The question posed by the Tz’dukim /Sadducees is based on the law of the ‘Levirate marriage’ (Deut 25:5-10) wherein the brother of a man who dies without children is expected to marry his brothers widow in order to maintain the family line; (as Sadducees correctly state). The firstborn son of the new marriage would count as the dead mans child for inheritance purposes.
The Sadducees were an ultra-liberal, neo-political religious group of Jews who, like many Christians of today, would decidedly pick and choose what they did and didn’t want to believe with regards to their own religion.
They stood in direct contrast to the elite, ultra-conservative Pharisees who read, interpreted, and applied the Scriptures quite literally, practicing their faith upon an extreme “letter of the law” basis.
The Sadducees did not believe in angels, the existence of Hell, and denied the Resurrection – all three of which are firmly rooted in Scripture.
One of the most famous incidents concerning the Sadducees occurs when they approach Messiah with an excessively intricate question about the resurrection (Matt. 22:23-33, Mark 12:18-27, Luke 20:27-40). Although this question was designed to distort, refute, and ridicule Jesus/Yeshua’s teaching about life after death, it ended up revealing the absurdity of the Sadducees’ own reasoning and inability to comprehend Holy Scripture.
It is interesting to note that although the Sadducees and Pharisees were polar opposites, they were each united by one common quest: to plot His demise and death.
The second word is
S’mikhah/Semikhah : סמיכה
Here inMatthew 21:23, we read that they asked Yeshua/Jesus
a sheilah about His smikhah
A question about authority.
NASB: When He entered the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?’
23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said,
By what authority doest thou these things?
and who gave thee this authority? KJV.
When they could give Him no answer He replied.. Matt 21:27.
He went into the Temple area; and as he was teaching, the head cohanim and the elders of the people approached him and demanded, “What s’mikhah do you have that authorizes you to do these things? And who gave you this s’mikhah?” Yeshua answered, “I too will ask you a sh’eilah/question. If you answer it, then I will tell you by what s’mikhah I do these things. The immersion of Yochanan — where did it come from? From Heaven or from a human source?” They discussed it among themselves: “If we say, `From Heaven,’ he will say, `Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, `From a human source,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard Yochanan as a prophet.” So they answered Yeshua, “We don’t know.” And he replied, “Then I won’t tell you by what s’mikhah I do these things. Matt. 21: 23-27.
s’mikhah סמכות
In Hebrew means:
leaning or laying on of hands in the ordination ceremony
for a judge elder or rabbi.
S’mikhah has many more meanings and functions in the Kingdom.
S’mikhah can mean:
anointing, ordination, transfer, or even authority.
Exodus 28:41. So you shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him.
Yeshua/Jesus, was legitimately challenged by the high priest and the elders of the people about the source of the s’mikhah that gave him the authority to teach in the temple. This authority is traceable back to the time of Moshe and is known as the great succession.
The great succession started in the desert when the children of Israel were discontented with the manna that YHVH had provided for them, in their hearts they longed/lusted for the food left behind in Egypt. They grumbled to Moses continually and by default to Almighty God. This angered Him and He destroyed some of the people by sending fire to the outskirts of the camp.(Ex 18: 1-3). Even after the fire, some among the mixed multitude continued to complain, stirred up God’s anger once again; so He provided an answer to the cry for meat by sending quails and He also addressed Moses’ burden by relieving the load of authority that he carried:
Adonai said to Moshe, “Bring me seventy of the leaders of Israel, people you recognize as leaders of the people and officers of theirs. Bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the Spirit which rests on you and put it on them. Then they will carry the burden of the people along with you, so that you won’t carry it yourself alone. Num. 11:16-17.
Moshe went out and told the people what ADONAI had said. Then he collected seventy of the leaders of the people and placed them all around the tent. ADONAI came down in the cloud, spoke to him, took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy leaders. When the Spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied -then but not afterwards. There were two men who stayed in the camp, one named Eldad and the other Medad, and the Spirit came to rest on them. They were among those listed to go out to the tent, but they hadn’t done so, and they prophesied in the camp. Num. 11:24-26.
This is s’mikhah, the transferring of the power of the Ruach HaKodesh/Gods’ Spirit of Holiness, that was upon Moses by the Almighty, to 70 other individuals.
When Moses was about to die, he asked the Lord God to provide continual leadership for the people after his death. God appointed Y’hoshua/Joshua, the son of Nun, to replace Moses and told him to perform s’mikhah so that some of the power of His Ruach Hakodesh that was on Moses may be transferred to Joshua/Y’hoshua:
Take Y’hoshua the son of Nun, a spiritual man, and lay your hand on him. Put him in front of El’azar the Cohen and the whole community, and commission him in their sight. Delegate to him some of your authority, so that the entire community of Isra’el will obey him. He is to present himself to El’azar the Cohen, who is to find out by means of the urim what ADONAI’s will is for Y’hoshua’s decisions. Then, at his word they will go out, and at his word they will come in, both he and all the people of Isra’el with him, the whole community.” Moshe did as ADONAI had ordered him. He took Y’hoshua, put him before El’azar the Cohen and the whole community, laid his hands on him, and commissioned him, as ADONAI had said through Moshe. Num. 27:15-23.
The principle of s’mikhah is that the person who lays hand must have something to transfer, because they can’t transfer what they don’t have. This principle is behind the great succession. The names of the seventy men that the power was transferred to from Moshe were recorded and kept as a document of continuance; so that there would always be seventy men in Israel to whom the people could go to resolve their problems. These men, before they died, would appoint their successor and lay hands on them. The successors name would then be recorded among those that rule and resolve the problems of Israel.
S’mikhah is the laying of hands, an event with an clear history in the Scriptures, as far back as Yitz’chak/Isaac, later, made more formal by Moses. It is a key function of the Body of Messiah Yeshua; S’mikhah is part of the foundation of understanding for all believers. The word itself carries different meanings and values depending on who is using it and for what purpose.
Today, within the Body of Messiah, s’mikhah is concerned with the transfer of power; sometimes called the anointing or shekinah presence. It is impossible to start or transfer divine power, unless it has first been given by His Rauch HaKodesh/Spirit of Holiness.
The laying on of hands in the Tanakh/Old Testament, is a symbolic act that confers or transfers an office. This rabbinic ordination, allows the recipient the right to judge and to decide on points of halakhah, (Jewish traditional law). Here, the cohanim/priests and elders in Matt 21:24are basically asking Jesus/Yeshua.
What kind of ordination did you receive that entitles you to teach as authoritatively as you do? to decide points of halakhah as you do? and to disturb the peace in the Temple courts?
With Messiah there was no obvious evidence of His s’mikhah, so the confrontation by the High priest and elders asking:
What s’mikhah do you have that authorizes you to do these things? And who gave you this s’mikhah?”
was from a legalistic and political stance.
Messiahs reply.
Yeshua answered, “I too will ask you a
sh’eilah/question.
If you answer it, then I will tell you by what s’mikhah I do these things. The immersion of Yochanan — where did it come from? From Heaven or from a human source?” They discussed it among themselves: “If we say, `From Heaven,’ he will say, `Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, `From a human source,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard Yochananas a prophet.” Matt. 21: 24-26.
If they say John/Yochanan received his s’mikhah from the Lord God, their position would be completely undermined because Yochanan/Johns mission was to identify the Messiah/Mashiach to Israel but they had not believed him and John/Yochanan had been killed.
The s’mikhah through their covenant had provided the children of Israel with a steady, reliable and controlled form of being governed. It had been their anchor in times of acute distress for example; While under Roman occupation it was deemed pointless trying to change the people of Israel through their authority and laws because the people always referred back to their leaders who had s’mikhah.
After the death and the resurrection of Messiah, a far greater challenge presented itself to the children of Israel. This began when ordinary men and women of h’derek/The Way, who had none of the legal or Tenakh/old Covenant training associated with s’mikhah; suddenly started to lay hands on others and do extraordinary miracles with a new kind of authority/s’mikhah.
The challenge to the established order was obvious. These were ordinary people who performed s’mikhah resulting in miracles by His Ruach HaKodesh/Spirit of Holiness.
An unprecedented change had taken place and everything said about Messiah Yeshua/Jesus, in whose name the s’mikhah were carried out, stood as a testimony against Israel’s leaders.
These leaders would have to realize that not only had they killed the Messiah/Mashiach but that the Lord God had moved His Spirit and divine inspiration from them, and placed it onto ordinary people those who were the believers in Jesus/Yeshua.
The reaction by this group of decision makers was to change the name s’mikhah to minnuy! This made a distinction between the older established tradition and succession of s’mikhah, and the people of h’derek/The Way. They drew very negative conclusions about the power behind the miracles being performed by making this distinction.
The priesthood comprising Aharon/Aaron and his sons were shadows pointing to Another, One that was to come, Who has the glory of the Almighty. We know the fullness of that glory is in Yeshua/Jesus, the high priest/cohen hakadol, in Whom the Father’s glory is reflected in an everlasting priesthood.
It becomes even clearer if a different kind of cohen, one like Malki-Tzedek, arises, one who became a Cohen not by virtue of a rule in the Torah concerning physical descent, but by virtue of the power of an indestructible life. Heb. 7:15-16.
Managing the sins of the people was the exclusive role of the priesthood, who must themselves be cleansed from sin before undertaking that role. In this process, the people confess their sins to the priests over an innocent sacrificial animal, where s’mikhah is performed and the sins of the people are transferred to the innocent sacrificial animal, whether this is performed for an individual or for an entire nation. The Tenakh includes many prophesies that sin would one day be borne by an innocent; One who had committed no sin. They spoke of the innocence of Messiah as the sinless lamb of God Who was prepared from the foundation of the earth for this very specific purpose.
Here is another application principle of the Body of Messiah and of s’mikhah, that one person does for all; and the example is drawn from the role of the High Priest, who once every year, confesses the sins of the whole nation by laying his hands upon an innocent creature, so that the creature may bear the sins of the people:
So it could be said likewise the body of believers in Messiah Jesus/Yeshua perform acts which are for the whole body. The body is intimately joined together as one, so it could follow that the act of s’mikhah performed by one is, the act of the one performing for the many, under the guide of the head/Messiah?
S’mikhah/authority does not come before understanding, it comes after truth and light have been received, the eyes of our understanding being enlightened. The laying on hands, when it happens, is to transfer power of His Ruach HaKodesh/Spirit of Holiness for a particular reason and purpose.
S’mikhah is performed in Jesus/Yeshua’s name:And these signs will accompany those who do trust: in my name they will drive out demons, speak with new tongues, not be injured if they handle snakes or drink poison, and heal the sick by laying hands on them.” Mark 16:17-18.
It is for us a sheilah/question of smikhah/authority because it isessential to know by whose authority do we minister?
Is it our own authority or that conferred by men and institutions; or because we have a title in front of our name and letters after it? Or is it truly smikhah from our Heavenly Fathers Ruach HaKodesh/spirit of Holiness, given, received and imparted to others in the name of Jesus the Messiah/Yeshua haMashiach?
It is indeed a serious ? A Question About Authority!
Shalom shalom mishpachah/family
and cheverim/friends!
You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.
… and…
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.
A Hebrew Hour is defined as 1/12 of the time between sunset and sunrise,
or 1/12 of the time between sunrise and sunset.
Hebrew Day Hours.
The midpoint of the 12 Hebrew Night Hours is called Mid-night. The moment of Mid-night occurs exactly halfway between sunset and sunrise separating the sixth and seventh Hebrew Night Hours. The midpoint of the 12 Hebrew Day Hours is called Mid-day. The moment of Mid-day occurs exactly halfway between sunrise and sunset separating the sixth and seventh Hebrew Day Hours. An easy way to measure Day Hours is by using an equiangular sundial marked with 12 divisions.
The only Scriptural reference to there being
12 Hebrew Hours in a Hebrew Day
is found in John 11:9
where יהושעthe Messiah asked a famous question,
“Are there not 12 hours in a day?”
The diagram below is a working timepiece where the sun’s position indicates the current Hebrew Hour at Jerusalem. One Hebrew Hour ends and another begins when the center of the sun crosses an hour line.
In the Creation Calendar, Hebrew Hours begin at sunrise and sunset.
Remembering Yeshua/Jesus was present at creation!
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: Col 1:16
A Hebrew Hour occurring between sunset and sunrise is called a Hebrew Night Hour.
A Hebrew Hour occurring between sunrise and sunset is called a Hebrew Day Hour.
Sunset occurs and the First Watchbegins exactly at the beginning of the first Hebrew Night Hour.
TheSecond Watchbegins exactly at the beginning of the fourth Hebrew Night Hour.
Mid-night occurs and the Third Watch begins exactly at the beginning of the seventh Hebrew Night Hour.
The Fourth Watch begins exactly at the beginning of the tenth Hebrew Night Hour, and ends at sunriseat the end of thetwelfth Hebrew Night Hour.
Sunriseis always exactly at the beginning of the first Hebrew Day Hour.
Mid-dayoccurs exactly at the end of the sixth Hebrew Day Hour.
Sunsetoccurs exactly at the end of the twelfth Hebrew Day Hour.
The duration of a Hebrew Hour varies with the season. A Hebrew Day Hour is shorter in duration during winter when a Hebrew Night Hour is longer in duration. A Hebrew Day Hour is longer in duration during summer when a Hebrew Night Hour is shorter in duration.
In Acts 3:1 Peter and John went up together into the temple at
John 13:1, “When Jesus knew that His hour was come, that He should depart out of this world unto the Father,”
John 16:32, “Behold the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered,”
John 17:1, “Father, the hour is come: glorify Thy Son.”—ἵνα δοξασθῇ, that—should be glorified) with the Father:
John 17:5, “And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was,” and in the sight of every creature.
A brief explanation of this reference helps us to understand and appreciate why these times of the HOURS were included.
Devout Jews, living in Jerusalem, went to the temple to pray.
Morning Prayers were from sunup to about 11a.m. any time between sunrise and the first half or third of the day; the earlier the better.
According to Jewish time this is the 3rd hour. Meaning it is the third hour from sunrise sometimes written as the third hour of the day; according to Roman time this is the 9th hour. Roman time for each day began at 12 midnight. This has continued into our western time today.
From halfway through the daylight hours – around 1:00ish to about an hour before sunset. So named for the flour offering that accompanied sacrifices at the Temple in Jerusalem,
Evening prayers
מַעֲרִיב Maariv or arvit עַרְבִית
are recited after dark from sunset to before midnight.
Also spelled Maariv,
plural Maaribim, or Maarivim,
Hebrew meaning: of the evening Maʿariv,
who brings on twilight/ bringing on night
Halachic midnight is the halfway point between sundown and sunrise. This can be before or after – especially during DST – 12 a.m.
The hours and times can be confusing when read in the scriptures unless we understand that our time has been changed from what was originally followed. Some charts below…
and this was also covered in detail in previous post.
Crucifixion was an execution designed by the Romans to kill, torture, and humiliate its victims. Some people suffered for days on a cross before dying. Messiah was on the cross for about six hours before He gave up HIs Spirit.
The Romans started each day’s hours at midnight. Using the Roman system of time, John tells us that Yeshua/Jesus’ trial began about the sixth hour, 6 a.m. (John 19:14).
Matthew, Mark, and Luke use the Jewish system of time, beginning each day at 6 a.m. Mark tells us Messiah was crucified at the third hour, 9 a.m. (Mark 15:24–25).
Matthew tells us the day turned to darkness from the sixth hour to the ninth hour, noon to 3 p.m. (Matthew 27:45).
A Roman soldier confirmed His death by pushing a spear into His side, and He was taken off the cross (John 19:34–38).
The Torah, the Prophets and the Writings do not number specific Hebrew Hours. Only the Messianic Scriptures number specific Hebrew Hours inMatthew, Mark, Luke and Acts.
Thethird hour of the day is referred to in Matthew 20:3-4, Mark 15:25 and Acts 2:15.
The third hour of the nightis referred to inActs 23:23-24.
The sixth hour of the dayis referred to in Matthew 20:5, 27:45, Mark 15:33, Luke 23:44 and Acts 10:9.
The ninth hour of the day is referred to in Matthew 20:5, 27:45, 27:46, Mark 15:33, 15:34, Luke 23:44, Acts 3:1, Acts 10:3 and Acts 10:30-31.
The eleventh hour of the day is referred to in Matthew 20:6 and Matthew 20:9.
All the detailed prophetic fulfillment was so very significant to the children of Israel and unless we understand their WAYs we miss so much of His WAYs! We have taken our western Christianity at doctrinal face value without its true origins and think that is all we need to know.
Again, it is good to be reminded this Bible is originally a Hebrew book, with a Hebraic mindset, about a God of the Hebrews/children of Israel. We gentiles/heathen, are the ones grafted in to Messiah not the other way around. If we ignore that fact, it leads us to leave out the true foundations and depart from the heritage and of what we say we believe about a Jewish Messiah!
Devout Jews, living at Jerusalem, went to the temple to pray (Luke 18:10Acts 3:1).
Sages tell us that the custom of praying three times a day was originally introduced by the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel.
Abraham introduced prayer in the morning,
Isaac—in the afternoon, and
Jacob/Israel added one at night.
The regular hours of prayer, as we may glean fromPsalm 55:17 and Daniel 6:10, were three in number.
The first coincided with the morning sacrifice, at the 3rd hour of the morning, at 9 AM therefore (Acts 2:15).
The second was at the 6th hour, or at noon, and may have coincided with the thanksgiving for the chief meal of the day, a religious custom apparently universally observed (Matthew 15:36Acts 27:35).
The 3rd hour of prayer coincided with the evening sacrifice, at the ninth hour (Acts 3:1; Acts 10:30).
The Hebrew verb for prayer— hitpallel התפלל—is in fact the reflexive form of palal פלל, to judge.
Thus, to pray, conveys the notion of judging oneself:
ultimately, the purpose of prayer—tefilah תפלה—
is to transform ourselves.
It is not God that changes through our prayer,
rather it is man himself who is changed.
During the first 1000 years approx., since the time of Moses, there was no set order of prayer. Each individual was duty-bound to pray to God every day, but the form of prayer and how many times a day to pray was left to the individual; by Yeshua/Jesus’ time it had become more clearly defined and more of an institution.
In the HOUR we can find our life or lose it.
This is why He came…
For This I Have Come Into the World
John 18:37
For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. John 14:13-15
Like our Messiah, who told us to follow Him, not only are we to take up our cross; which is the means of our execution – our means/method of crucifying the fleshly carnal life.…..
and not only are we to die to self through the process…
we are to be willing to drink the cup that He drank.
Are you willing …yes…. then you will …He told His disciples.
If they had known what it would mean would they still have been so quick to accept the cup?
Matt 20:22 Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”ESVJesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking.
Christianity is not for wimps.
We too are called to walk with Him to Calvary’s hill, to
take up our crosses,
to drink the cup of suffering,
to be conformed to His image.
As disciples, our attitude should not be to ask that times of sorrow and difficulty be prevented or even stopped but that our Heavenly Father protect us and strengthen us in order that we remain true to Him; and to that which He has created and afore determined we should become.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath beforehand ordained, that we should walk in them. & Ephesians 1:11
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.Romans 15:4 & Romans 8:30.
Our prayers should be that, in spite of all the refining fires and sorrowful challenges we experience; that our faith does not fail us, that we accept our position and realize our purpose in the midst of it all.
This one thing we should look at carefully and not misread the statement He made in these verses; knowing that
He knew
He understood and
He accepted His purpose.
He willingly faced and received Himself by this acceptance, and because of it, in the midst of this incomparable fire of sorrow and ordained purpose….
He was saved NOT
FROM the HOUR but
OUT of the HOUR
and His Father glorified His Name.
This question was rather rhetorical as He says
what shall I say save Me from this HOUR?
And follows it immediately, answering Himself…
But for this purpose I came to this HOUR
When the HOUR has come for us He will not save us
from it
but
OUT of it.
As with
Noah and his family
as in the days of …
He did not save them
from
the flood but
OUT of it
the flood still came but
in the ark they were saved
and lifted out and above it.
Then Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him entered the ark to escape the flood waters. Gen. 7:7
and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
2Peter 2:5
Genesis 6:18 But I will establish My covenant with you, and you will enter the ark–you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.
Messiah Yeshua/Jesus – the ark of our covenant
lifts us up
OUT of our HOURS
of trouble and testing; just as He was lifted up out of the world both by resurrection spiritually and lifted physically – ascension.
This is the promise for us.
He faced His HOUR and in doing so received/faced Himself in the fires of sorrow in that HOUR.
Many question, and many preach and teach that there ought to be no sorrow – that trials and difficulties are not from a loving Heavenly Father God.
However…He chastens those He loves ..
and there is sorrow, and like the one we say we follow; we are to accept and receive ourselves in these fiery trials.
1 Pet 4:12-14 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13
It is foolish to try and evade and refuse to deal with sorrow because it’s one of the bigger facts of life, so it’s a waste of breath to say it should not be part of our experiences.
Sin, sorrow and suffering are very real and they exist; and we are not in a position to say our Heavenly Father makes mistakes in allowing these things to happen to us.
The work of sorrow in our lives removes a great deal of an individuals shallowness, however it does not always make that individual better. Times of suffering will either help us to face ourselves, or it will destroy us. It is a yielding and a letting go; a total submission and laying down of ones life, in favor of the offered cup and the HOUR of death.
An individual cannot find or receive self through perceived success, that which is calculated by worldly standards.
Why?
So that one will lose their head in pride and self achievement/ aggrandizement by the worlds terms. We cannot receive/face ourselves through the monotonous drudgery of day to day living. Why?
Because that un-dead/un-crucified flesh will give in to griping, complaining, and murmuring.
In the fires of sorrow is the only place we will find ourselves. Wondering why it is this way is immaterial because His ways are past finding out.
We should rather accept in faith and trust in His Word and His Way, which has been written for us historically in all the human experiences recorded. We can always recognize these believers, those who have been through the fires of sorrow and received themselves… we too must receive unto ourselves the HOUR of our laying down our life, to take it up again in Him, just as Yeshua/Jesus did.
Because of this, the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it up again. John 10:17.
When our Heavenly Father has us on our knees, it is there that He can change us.
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” James 1:2-3.
God must test our faith in order to reveal our faith.
We may look knocked down to men yet be exactly where our Father can use us.
“We are persecuted by others, but God has not forsaken us. We may be knocked down, but not out”. 2 Cor. 4:9.
We must empty out our own desires, that we would be filled with His. When we stay right with the Lord and allow Him to change us through our circumstances, then He can bring us forth as the kind of bread and wine that will benefit His other children.
The closer you get to God, the more you realize how He uses your suffering for His purposes. It is a demonic notion born out of the flesh of man, carnal and worldly to think and believe that God will only make us rich and comfortable in this life.
We must get the fleshly thoughts cast out of our mind, thinking that we could serve God better in our comfort than in our suffering. Let Him use our circumstances to teach us how to serve His children. The more we want to serve Him, the harder His lessons are going to be. So we must be willing to count the cost.
1 Pet 4:12-14 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13
First we must be broken, so that He can reshape us into something new. In the midst of God shaping us, we usually pray that our difficulties would be removed or we be saved from them instead of praying that they would change us; and as we are changed, then He saves us out of them.
That which appears to be destroying us, is actually where God is recreating us into the very thing that He can use. We must forget the notion that our Father will make our lives easy and remember that He knows what He is doing.
By allowing Him to break us, He reforms us into bread worth eating. By allowing Him to place us in that winepress; the process of crushing us into wine is never easy.
However we can’t have the bread until it has been broken and we can’t have the wine without first crushing the grape.
If you want to reach the broken, be the broken. “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite [crushed] spirit” (Psalm 34:18).It is when we are broken that the Lord can form us into something new.
Consider that the reason He has broken your heart, is that He then might flow through it onto others.“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart — These, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).
Until we are broken and have yielded ourselves to our Father, are we not just another zealous soul working opposite to the Kingdom of God. Remember Paul …persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. …being more exceedingly zealous… (Galatians 1:13-14). Then his Messiah Yeshua/Jesus broke him.
Sometimes we have to have our feet knocked out from under us and to hit rock bottom in order to get our footing.
Those who have died to self, allow the fire to burn away the carnal shallowness … those who have truly laid down their life.
Losing it during the hour of fire and testing, to find it in Him; taking it up again and yoking that life to His, in permanent submission to the perfect will of our Father.
These are those we recognize as ones we can go to in our moments of trial and trouble and find they have plenty of time for us. A listening ear and an encouraging word from our Heavenly Fathers storehouse of treasures. Ones who make you feel you are the most important person of that HOUR.
This gift of time is often overlooked as we are so busy and we never seem to have enough of it to do all we want to do. By submitting to the life He has for us, in laying down our own, we will find we have all the time we need for Him to accomplish through us His perfect will plan and purpose. One who has not been through the fires of sorrow is more often than not prone to be dismissive, contemptuous of others and their trials; having no respect for and no time for others, turning away with many excuses and reasons for their actions.
If we are willing, and if we will receive/recognize/accept ourselves in the hour of sorrow: accepting our position and realizing our true purpose in light of His calling in the midst of this HOUR of fire…
He will save us
out of it…
NOT from it;
and through it, He will make us instruments /vessels of nourishment for other people – sheep feeders and lambs fodder and then like Peter, He can feed His flock through us,
Yeshua/Jesus states Peter’s task in three words,
“Feed my sheep” (John 21:17)
We should not try to avoid this HOUR
or be saved FROM it
because for this purpose
we also came to this HOUR
and He is faithful and will save us OUT of it.
This is how we become as our Lord and Savior was…
broken bread and poured wine,
that His life be shared and given out
for whosoever will receive Him.
God calls us today..
be broken bread and poured out wine.
Bread must be broken to be consumed and shared,
and grapes must be crushed and poured out to make wine.
If we object to the fingers He chooses to use to crush us…
then He can never make us into wine!
It is He who chooses the people
and the circumstances to crush us,
and it is up to us to allow Him.
How long will it be before we finally get it into our understanding, that we are here to willingly submit to His will, so that He may work through us what He wants?
Just as our savior did and then said follow me…
“Although he was a son, [Jesus] learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect,
he became the source of eternal salvation
to all who obey him,
being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrew 5:8
We are to do likewise and once we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured-out wine with which to feed and nourish others.
Is our glass still empty?
Meanwhile let’s continue
to stay alert and ready,
be in prayer and in His Word
for in an hour we think not
He is coming.
Shalom shalom mishpachah/family
and cheverim/friends!
You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.
… and…
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.
From sameach; blithesomeness or glee, (religious or festival) exceeding (-ly), gladness, joy (-fulness), mirth, pleasure, rejoice delight (1), exceeding joy (1), extremely* (1), festival (1), gladness (34), happiness (1), joy (38), mirth (1), pleasure (6), rejoice (1), rejoiced (1), rejoicing (6).
At that moment …
He was filled with JOY – שִׂמְחָה
שִׂמְתָה שָׂשׂן
Transliteration: sim•cha, sa•son
Simcha, Joy, is one of the most used words in the Scriptures; it appears over 400 times, together with its synonym, sa•son. Interestingly, the English word ‘sassy’ came from sa•son.
Both words together form a beautiful expression that is said in every Jewish wedding, as weddings themselves and other events such as a child birth are called by the general name ‘sim•cha’.(The word is spelled both with and without an h at the end.)
This expression, used by the prophet, Jeremiah, says:
‘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” Jeremiah 33:11
We can also see this as prophetic concerning Messiah returning for His Bride/Challah/.
From the references to joy, the first time it is mentioned in the Brit Chadashah/New Testament it is noted with the birth of Jesus, Yeshua:
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy”
Matthew 2:10
We may be most familiar with joy being listed among the fruit of the spirit which are qualities noted in Galatians 5:22-23.
The second fruit of the Spirit is joy, ‘sim•cha.
Sim•cha is connected to the name of an important Jewish 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 also called
Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles.
The holiday commemorates the completion of reading portions of the Torah during the year; there are 52; each portion is read each week of the year all over the world.
This custom is biblical because it was first done by Ezra the Scribe.
Luke 10:21-25
when we hold someone dear and love them in truth we want to know what makes them happy ….happiness is an emotion of the soul and often does not outlast the occasion or reason for its declared feeling. We are in a flesh body but we are spirit first and foremost; and we must learn to NOT be led by our feelings but by His Spirit of Holiness within us, guiding and leading our spirit not our flesh.
The scripture does not say Yeshua/Jesus was happy,
it says
He was filled with joy. Luke 10:21
The scripture says in
Nehemiah 8:10This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the lord is our strength.
Nehemiah 8:10, Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!
We may assume that our strength comes from the joy our Heavenly Father gives to us.
Have we ever thought to ask, where does that joy really come from?
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.
But what does that mean?
Psalms 105 may give us an answer.
He called down famine on the land, broke off all their food supply, 17 but sent a man ahead of them — Yosef, who was sold as a slave. 18 They shackled his feet with chains, and they bound him in irons; 19 until the time when his word proved true, God’s utterance kept testing him. 20 The king sent and had him released, the ruler of peoples set him free; 21 he made him lord of his household, in charge of all he owned, 22 correcting his officers as he saw fit and teaching his counselors wisdom.
This Psalm vs. 16-22 holds a very interesting reference to Joseph. Most scholars agree that this reference means; that until the time came for Joseph to fulfill his purpose or mission in life, which was to become a prime minister of Egypt and thus bring his family into safety from a famine; he first had to go through various trials to be tested by Adonai. This testing/trial proves faithfulness and obedience, vs.19.
Joseph learned to be joyful in every situation because
thejoy of the Lord was his strength.
His pleasure is our strength …a verse in Philippians also helps us understand:
For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure. Phil. 2:13. Amp. and again in Rev. 4:11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Here is confirmation of two things that believers in Messiah understand to be true; and that is,
we are all created for a specific purpose in life
and
that our Heavenly Father puts us through times of trial/testing or as it’s often referred to as spiritual boot camp.
This is for the purpose of developing our
obedience and faithfulness
and to bring us to the place where we fulfill the mission /calling He has placed on our lives.
These verses are important for us.
Why?
Because it gives us a scriptural basis, revealing that we are not put on this earth haphazardly, or by chance or mistake; rather that our Heavenly Father has placed us here at this specific time to fulfill a specific role.
It also gives us an understanding of the reason why we all go through trials in life; that it is to provide a training ground which helps prepare us to fulfill the role chosen for us in His plan.
Concerning
the joy of the Lord is your strength;
it’s not the joy you feel,
but the joy our Heavenly Father has in us
and reveals it to you through devar.
The Hebrew word
devar:
Strong’s Hebrew: 1697.
דָּבָר dabar/devar – speech, word.
Davar or dabar means word and it also means thing.
This fact reflects a deep facet of a Jewish world view.
Words are the creative energy of the world. God spoke, and through words brought the universe into being.
It directly correlates to Yeshua for it is the Hebrew equivalent to “Logos” found in John chapter 1.
In Hebrew John 1: 1 reads,
“Bereishit hayah hadavar. V’davar haya et haElohim, vElohim hayah hadavar.”
In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Yeshua is Hadavar Elohim, “The Word of God.”
The Fifth book of the Bible, Deuteronomy is called “Davarim” (Words) in Hebrew. It was written at the end of 40 years of the Children of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness.
There is something interesting to be seen here.
The Hebrew word for “wilderness” is Midvar. Davar is the root word for Midvar. Notice that the last three consonants of Midvar are the same as the three consonants of Davar.
Davar is spoken by Moses (a type of Yeshua) at the end of the 40 years of testing in the wilderness. After Moses’ death, Yehoshua (Joshua, another type of Yeshua) leads the children of Israel to the Promised Land (yet another picture of Yeshua).
Yeshua at the end of the 40 days of testing in the Midvar (wilderness) is confronted by Satan. Three times Satan tries to tempt Yeshua. Yeshua responds only one way. He uses Hadavar Elohim (the Word of God).
Which book does Yeshua quote from all three times?
Davarim.
Interesting Note:
Davar HaChaim (The Living Word)
is in the Midvar using the Hadavar Elohim,
specifically the book of Davarim to defeat the adversary!!
We all know that as God, Jesus/Yeshua could have just simply performed a miracle and thrown Satan out of the desert, but He didn’t. So why did He
The Living Word
Davar HaChaim
use the Word of God to defeat the adversary?
because He is our example.
Jesus/Yeshua,
the Living Word/Davar HaChaim
had to show that Satan/adversary can be defeated by the
Hadavar Elohim/the Word of God
and in the power of His Spirit of Holiness/Ruach HaKodesh. Had Messiah done something to the adversary/devil that only God can do, He would not have been much of an example for us, as that option would not have be available to us.
The word/devar that is
spoken from the heart of God.
Devar represents a
word of power
and could also be
a word of prophecy or inspiration.
Devar – DBR – is spelled with a
Daleth
which is a doorway
to the
Beth (b and/or v)
or the heart
of the Resh or Spirit of God.
So Devar is:
a doorway to the heart of God.
It’s the heart of God that gives us strength!
When we enter His heart, we find it is
filled with JOY over us and our faithfulness
and when we see the JOY of the Lord…
that becomes our strength to overcome!
So Yeshua/Jesus was filled with strength also ..
this joy is a spiritual force that helps us in our halak/walk;
this too is to be our joy – our strength!
For Yeshua/Jesus too, the joy that filled Him, came by way of His Fathers’ Spirit of Holiness/Ruach HaKodesh; as He saw what JOY was in His Fathers’ Heart as His will and plan was being fulfilled.
21 At that moment he was filled with joy by the Ruach HaKodeshand said, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I thank you because you concealed these things from the sophisticated and educated, yet revealed them to ordinary people. Yes, Father, I thank you that it pleased you to do this.
22 “My Father has handed over everything to me. Indeed, no one fully knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
He continued to speak
23 Then, turning to the talmidim, he said, privately, “How blessed are the eyes that see what you are seeing! 24 Indeed, I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you are seeing but did not see them, and to hear the things you are hearing but did not hear them.”
Just before that moment He had told His talmidim/disciples in
verse 20, don’t be glad that the spirits submit to you be glad that your names have been recorded in heaven.
His Joy/Simchah/chedvah, was at the declaration of His Fathers will being literally fulfilled!
He and His disciples and anyone at that time who saw what was happening were seeing what the prophets had desired to see!
“Blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew 13:16-17).
In other words, to experience something that marvelous, was that which many wise and holy people had longed to experience but couldn’t …this should make us aware that we are truly blessed, and should cause us to be very thankful.
In 1 Peter 1:10-12. he is encouraging us to express a more grateful attitude and respect for our salvation because the old testament prophets and the angels of heaven longed to see what we have now experienced through the gospel of Messiah.
This salvation referred to in vers. 5 & 9, reveals that 10 The prophets, who prophesied about this gift of deliverance that was meant for you, pondered and inquired diligently about it. 11 They were trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of the Messiah in them was referring in predicting the Messiah’s sufferings and the glorious things to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that their service when they spoke about these things was not for their own benefit, but for yours. And these same things have now been proclaimed to you by those who communicated the Good News to you through the Ruach HaKodesh sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things!
If this is true then the days we are living in should also fill us with that same JOY!!?…
again this JOY is not an emotion or a feeling from our soul based on a carnal based reaction to our physical body’s 5 senses. It is rather a definitive condition of our spirit based on truth and rooted in His devar/Word; both the written and Word made flesh in Messiah.
It was the fulfilling of His Fathers will that filled Yeshua/Jesus with Joy/simcha/chedvah.
As we see prophecy being fulfilled at an almost alarming pace, we too should be filled with His joy/simcha/chedvah;
as His and our Heavenly Fathers will is being literally fulfilled today!
The hour is at hand!
Matt 26:45 behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners
He also said in Luke 22:53
When the authorities come to take Jesus/Yeshua away, He tells them in verse 53
this is your hour — when darkness reigns.
It could be translated as
this the hour of the authority of darkness.
The physical darkness is a representation of something deeper that happens.
Then Jesus/Yeshua said to the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against an outlaw? 53
And we all face those because, there is a power in darkness. It’s the power of uncertainty, and anxiety and fear. However He tells us to fear not
WHY?
Because…
He has overcome the world and all things are in the Fathers hand. He is in control whatever our 5 physical senses try to tell us…
Knowing what His Word says regarding these things we experience in our flesh, will dispel ALL fears; and when we resist them in the name of Jesus/Yeshua; and keep ourselves under His protective, redeeming blood, by being obedient to what He has told us to do and be… then…. no weapon formed against us can prosper.
Yeshua/Jesus called the adversary, the prince of this world, who indeed did offer Him all the kingdoms of the world. Messiah did not choose the easy way but chose instead to complete His Fathers’ plan for His life
because this is why He came.
Likewise we must fulfill that for which we are here.
There are times that the darkness seems to be winning but it’s only for a designated hour!
The hour is at hand for us …as the end of the age presses in and
all things must be fulfilled Luke 24:44
That day and that hour Luke 21 36
We are called to set a watch in the night time.
This is both physical night and times/days of spiritual darkness. When Yeshua/Jesus said,
the hour has come…
darkness had its designated but short reign.
This manifested presence, although dark, was still the will of His Father however, it was restricted within the boundaries and restraints of our Fathers’ perfect plan of the ages.
Even the wicked in Prov. 16:4
Adonai made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of disaster.
and
Isaiah 45:7 I form light, I create darkness; I make well-being, I create woe; I, Adonai, do all these things.
Are we distracted by lifes’ events?
Are we pressured by conforming to the ever increasing dates for activities and celebrations on mens’ calendars?
Should we not be more concerned with our Heavenly Fathers’ timeline and calendar?
What is the word watch for?
It is to rise and pray..
WHY?
So that the hour does not come on us unaware
and
that we do not fall into temptation.
The time is short –
Final salvation, days of His glory, are nearer to us now, than when we first believed – It is continually advancing, flying forward upon the swiftest wings of time.
“And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” Romans 13:11.
Even so, the events that Yeshua/Jesus mentions in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 lead to the end of this worlds age; and because of this, we know that
the hour is at hand
and our final salvation is indeed
nearer to us than when we first believed.
Yeshua/Jesus went on to say,
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. Mark 13:32-33.
The storm is gathering fast and He calls us to discern the events that are currently forming in the affairs of men. We are to be observant of their warning, that disaster and and holocaust are in the making and shaping up to be released.
Doom and gloom you say??
NO!
Rather it is prophetic declaration of the Words of our Lord and Savior; and it let’s us know He is soon returning!
It’s a season for every believer to rejoice and be joy filled
and for those looking for Him who are the redeemed bride,
they will say what
Is. 25:9 says…
this is the Lord for whom we have waited.
On that day they will say, “See! This is our God! We waited for him to save us. This is Adonai ; we put our hope in him. We are full of JOY so glad he saved us!”
We are a chosen generation…
chosen to see the culmination of the ages
Yeshua/Jesus said in Matthew 24:21
21 For there will be trouble then worse than there has ever been from the beginning of the world until now, and there will be nothing like it again![b]22 Indeed, if the length of this time had not been limited, no one would survive; but for the sake of those who have been chosen, its length will be limited.
this will be a time like no other and never will be again…
James 5:7 7 So, brothers, be patient until the Lord returns. See how the farmer waits for the precious “fruit of the earth” — he is patient over it until it receives the fall and spring rains.[a]
He waits only for the precious fruit of the earth, until the times of the gentiles (the last 2000+years) be fulfilled Luke 21:24.
He waits for our Heavenly Fathers’ timing…
Matthew 24:36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
We must be ready, we must be in the company of the wise virgins. The call has already gone forth, so we must be listening more and more to Him than to what the world around us is saying.
Keep our focus on Him and things above.
We must learn to
be still before Him,
as chaotic disturbances scream for our attention.
Be obedient when He speaks and raise the standard of our personal discipline and dedication to a higher level….NOW…
He has called us to come up higher… Did we move yet?
Or are these just words that we give mental assent to, agreeing and acknowledging, but with no action or response!
Once His face was set like flint towards Yerushalayim/Jerusalem for the hour had come…
It’s time to set our faces towards His will for us!
Setting our face to go to Jerusalem means letting go of home, a sense of security, and a place in society. If we set our face to go to Jerusalem, then we have put ourselves on a path of change and transformation according to His Will plan and purpose for us.
Darkness and all its works have an allocated time for all prophecy to be fulfilled. Again remember…
The LORD has made everything for His purpose–even the wicked for the day of disaster. Proverbs 16:4
If there was no bad, we would not comprehend what good is. Our Heavenly Father has created a perfectly balanced universe, beyond our finite minds can understand. He is infinite.
The day of reckoning and judgment is in His hand. These things Yeshua/Jesus said must take place. Read Matt. 24:34 & Luke 1:20.
He will lift up His voice as the sound of a trumpet.
Isaiah 58:1 and Heb. 12:9 Rev. 3:20.
Those with ears to hear will recognize the clear tone of His call.
As we prepare ourselves, being more with Him, allowing His Ruach/Spirit to fill us to a greater capacity; this will keep us from the influences and deceiving elements of the prince of this world, and all his wiles. We must become like our Lord and when the devil comes be able to say…
he finds nothing in me!
for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me.
John 14:30
Hold fast to the profession of your faith. Hebrews 10:23
to that which is good
But examine all things; hold fast to what is good. 1 Thess.5:21
and godly
Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Rev.3:11.
and
occupy till He comes. Luke 19:13.
1 Tim. 5:21; 2 Tim. 1:13. Titus 1:9; Heb 4:14, 10:31; Rev. 2:13; Ps. 11:6; Is. 62:1; Jer. 6:11; Acts 3:11; Rom. 14:4; 1Cor. 14:30.
Hold Fast in Hebrew is:
tamak:
to grasp, support, attain
Original Word: תָּמַךְ Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:tamak Phonetic Spelling: (taw-mak’) Definition: to grasp, support, attain
NAS: to me, Let your heart hold fastmy words/dabar;
Let us holdfast the confession of our hope without wavering, for
He who promised is faithful….Hebrews 10:23
For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does, Psalm 33:4.
So that we may stand and be found worthy to escape all these things coming upon the earth and to stand before the son of man Luke 21:36,having finished our race. 2Tim. 4:7.
Watch for the signals, the signs of His coming. We will see the sky change and things appear in unfamiliar ways. The veil is torn and dimensions are merging. Read Matt 24:32 , Mark 13:28 and Luke 21:30 and Revelation among other prophets it will give clear details of the events unfolding before our eyes.
The time has come
the hour is upon us
summer is nigh..
lets not cry with those in Jeremiah 8:20
“The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved.”
Not only are we to prepare ourselves, we are to warn others, help and encourage them.
Jude 1:23 says save others snatching them out of the fire.
Ephesians 5:14 So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
The alarm has sounded in the spirit – no time for apathy or pressing the snooze button... There has never been a time in all His Story that is more crucial than now ..
Stay alert and be ready –
the hour has come and soon and very soon
we are going to see the King –
the one who we have waited for.
Hold fast to that which you have.. Hold and do not let go… whatever we see ….whatever we are told.. do not waver in your faith and trust in Him leaning not to our own understanding. Do not be swayed by science, proof or so called facts and evidence presented by anyone or anything other than the Word of our Heavenly Father and His Messiah. His spirit/ruach leads us to all truth and our very salvation depends on our faith in Him and His promise; which are always yes and amen. He is the author and finisher of the faith within us, (Heb. 12:2); and He will bring all things to completion, Phil 1:6. Stand and having done all stand, Eph.6:13. He is right there with us….always.
What filled Yeshua/Jesus with JOY?
At that moment …
His joy was at the declaration of His Fathers’ will being literally fulfilled…
let’s be a moment of joy to both our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ/Yeshua Hamashiach..
Look up with that same joy family, our redemption draws ever closer.
Shalom shalom mishpachah/family
and cheverim/friends!
You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read the posts. If they have been a blessing and if you haven’t already, please sign up for free email notification, like, share and subscribe, it all helps to freely spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth and reaches others with His Truths.
Meanwhile let’s continue to stay alert and ready, be in prayer and in His Word for in an hour we think not He is coming… and…
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.
Messiah Yeshua/Jesus had just washed His disciples’ feet
16 Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
It was just before the Pesach/Passover Festival and Yeshua/Jesus knew that the hour had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father.
These were some of the final instructions given to HIs Talmidim/Disciples. And as we are also His Talmidim these words are for us too.
He is reminding us that knowledge has to become reality by putting into practice what we have learned.
When we know these things and do them then we are blessed….
IF
conditional
we want to be blessed …but,
what is it that we have to do?
What are these things to which He was referring?
One word for blessed in Hebrew is
Baruch בָּרוּך
The word bless, is used to refer to any action, object, or person that is blessed. The term blessing, is an expression of gratitude and gratefulness to God. Whether it is a family member, a friend, a loved one, or a colleague, the Hebrew word for blessing/baruch is a positive statement of love/ahavah.
The concept of blessing and blessed are foundational in the Hebraic mindset and are directed first and foremost towards our Heavenly Father Himself not towards the individual or for their benefit.They understood the conditions that were required to be blessed by God as listed in Leviticus 26. Here the scriptures also lists the curses that follow when not keeping His commandments.
Yeshua /Jesus reminded His disciples and followers that they were to be mindful that, following being healed from sickness and receiving deliverance from unclean spirits; they were not to sin again – lest a worse thing come upon them. He also listed those He declared blessed in the Beatitudes; which on first inspection appears to be a strange list of those who He considers to be blessed/Baruch. We tend to think first by material and physical things, where Yeshua/Jesus and His Father primarily think spiritually, in higher thoughts and ways.
Rooted in the Hebrew prayers are the blessings towards the Father as in the opening words of most prayers …
Baruch atah adonai elohaynu melech ha’olam
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe.
Blessing the Father is also the last line of another much used prayer known as the SHEMA.
Pronounced: shuh-MAH or SHMAH,
Alternate Spellings: Sh’ma, Shma,
Origin: Hebrew, the central prayer of Judaism, proclaiming God is one.
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָֽד
She-ma yisrael, adonai eloheinu, adonai echad
Hear O’ Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One
בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד
Baruch shem kavod malchuto l’olam va-ed
Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.
Shema Yisrael שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל Hear, O Israel
are the first two words of a section of the Torah that is the centerpiece of the morning and evening prayer services.
Hear, O Israel: God is our Lord, God is one.
In its entirety, the Shema consists of three paragraphs: Deuteronomy 6:4–9, Deuteronomy 11:13–21 and Numbers 15:37–41.
As Abraham was told
We are blessed to be a blessing and that not for ourselves.
We should not always be looking for blessings and praying for ourselves to be blessed but rather to say with the Psalmist:
BLESS the Lord o my soul
and all that is within me
BLESS His Holy Name.
When we bless God we are thanking Him for all He has done for us and declaring our love for Him acknowledging Who He is in our lives, giving Him the 1st place He deserves and the agreement that He is the Blessed and the One Who imparts the blessings. Many immediately think of things, when we see or hear the word blessing for provision; and in our answered prayers to things we need or desire in the natural physical realm. Sometimes we even ascribe blessings of God to things we just simply made happen for ourselves. We sometimes have a skewed viewpoint on what His blessings actually are.
Often when we ask someone how they are, their reply is
‘I’m blessed.’
It makes us think, do we really know what being blessed means, other than a feel-good response or a positive confession to evade agreeing with our adversary?
Psalm 1:1 HEB:אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־ הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר ׀ NAS: How blessed is the man who KJV: Blessed [is] the man that walketh INT:blessed is the man who
HEB: לְדָוִ֗ד מַ֫שְׂכִּ֥יל אַשְׁרֵ֥י נְֽשׂוּי־ פֶּ֗שַׁע NAS: [A Psalm] of David. How blessed is he whose transgression KJV:Blessed [is he whose] transgression
Blessedis the man who trusts in Him. Psalm 34:8
Strong’s Hebrew: 1293. בְּרָכָה (berakah) — a blessing
Genesis 12:2.
HEB: שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה׃. NAS: great; And so you shall be a blessing;
KJV: great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
INT: your name shall be a blessing.
The primary question posed was
Do you we want to be blessed/baruch?
The answer is obviously …yes
who wouldn’t want to be blessed?
And the next question would no doubt be simply..
How can we be blessed?
In the Word of God Jesus/Yeshua Himself tells us how.
John 13:17 if you know these things blessed are you if you do them
17 If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them
He had just washed their feet showing the servant heart and action.
Our question is twofold
and of course conditional.
The condition is.. IF
And the answer to the first part is
we are to know these things…
know what things?
The things that pertain to life and godliness..
2 Peter 1:3
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love.
Notice that the list of things that pertain unto life and godliness begins with faith and ends with love. These are all the things, blessings, that He gives to us.
He shows us the deep things of God.
Deep calls to deep. Ps. 42:7
All our directions and instructions for life, the life here and now, and the life to come; olam haba and olam hazeh.
The word life is always plural in Hebrew – chaim – literally lifes: life here without Yeshua/Jesus worldly and lost; then life here with Jesus/Yeshua saved, born again of His spirit from above and also eternal life in the Fathers’ presence – full redemption in a glorified state like the resurrected ascended Messiah.
Matthew 16:23 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it.
What are we to gain by losing?
The opposite of all the world screams at us, and offers us by its ways of temptation and empty promises of riches, and an easy road in life.
This is not the narrow way.
We are to study to show ourselves approved unto God. We are to love His Word, His Torah, His scriptures. We should have our determined purpose as ..to know Him and the power of His resurrection, and we do that by reading His Word and spending quality time in His presence; without any electronic digital devices, including phones.. His spirit of holiness does not need to communicate through those. If we can’t take even one hour without them, we are both addicted and in bondage; and if we reacted defensively in thought or word to that statement …has it not proved the point? Every loving parent will take a toy from their child from time to time as part of process of discipline.
Would we interrupt Jesus/Yeshua while He was talking to answer a call? We do it all the time.. if we believe that His presence is in us for one, and two, is He not present in our midst when we gather together? Family, these devices are leading us into the system set up for the one against Christ, the beast is already building his platform… and we are helping it to learn, grow and control us with our own input into the system. We share everything with it and think it is secure… we should be sharing our everything with Jesus/Yeshua – not our I phones etc. The I being an obvious first letter of this device! We are cautioned not to be ignorant of the devices of our enemy.
The subtleties of the enemy go back to the garden …and these modern elements are becoming firmly established as part of our lives.. Slowly like the frog in water, we get used to them and quite resourceful at making relevant reasons and/or excuses for their necessity. We make statements like …My whole life is in my phone ….when it should be in Messiah Christ. Our life is hid with God in Christ not in some search engine with the same 2 first letters…nor in the cloud! That is definitely NOT the cloud which will accompany Messiah’s return!
We need to check our spiritual temperatures and where we are spending our time.
We should be determined to know His word and know more than others, so we have something worthwhile to ‘share’ or ‘re tweet’! The scripture says we will be accountable for every word we speak, so let’s be holy in all manner of communication …and lets do it face to face, not from some remote secure location. forsaking not the assembling of yourselves together.
But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. (NKJV) Matthew 12:36.
We are not to spend our days in the safe harbors of life, full of joy and tied securely to the dock where the water is calm and undisturbed.
If we truly believe in Jesus/Yeshua we ourselves must cut the ropes that keep us safe in that harbor. If we don’t God will like a good father, sever them and send us out to sea into unfamiliar waters where we will really learn to reach out for His help.
We must experience the great depths of our Heavenly Father and begin to know things for ourselves. We must begin to have greater spiritual discernment; and by putting everything in our lives afloat on Him and launching out onto the oceans of this life, into the swelling tide of His plan and purpose… only then will our spirit eyes and ears be fully opened.
The second part is
doing
when we know to do something and do it…then immediately we know more – more is added..
Mark 4:25, ESV: For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
Mark 4:25, KJV: For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
“For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. But whoever does not have, from him shall be taken away even that which he has” Matthew 13:12
If we have experienced that season of losing interest spiritually, we may find that it was where we neglected to do something we knew to do.
Maybe because we reasoned there was no immediate need, and now we have little to no discernment and when a time of crisis comes, we’ve become spiritually distracted instead of being spiritually controlled. This means we are not walking by the spirit but by the flesh.
This is disobedience and a door that only leads to apathy and loss of direction. Refusing to continue learning and knowing more, is a dangerous place to find ourselves. Thinking we know it all, is taking pride in ourselves. The more we know, the more we should realize that we know so very little – there is no end to an infinite God and His knowledge.
The most important part of
knowing and hearing is the doing
The shema is – hear and do –
it’s ALWAYS action.
If we will DO these things,
putting the word into practice in our lives and keeping the boundaries of our halak/walk within His precepts, then we will be following Him…
There is a counterfeit to true godly obedience, a subtle and sneaky option offered by a seducing spirit.
It is those suggestive options… just as he did with eve; in which we create our own ideas and opportunities to sacrifice ourselves, and our zeal and enthusiasm are mistaken for discernment.
It may be a good idea, and have great appeal, and even good fruit and notable results; however these counterfeits are good works apart from the spirit and will of the Father.
It’s a fact that it’s easier to sacrifice ourselves in time, talent and treasure; than to fulfill our spiritual sacrifice as detailed in Romans 12:1-2.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Great acts of self-sacrifice don’t impress the Father and Jesus/Yeshua says to those who present that to Him...
depart from me I never knew you. Matthew 7:23 .
So it’s very possible to be busy occupied with many things, as was Martha, and yet not be doing the Fathers’ will for us.
Martha, Martha…you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her. Luke 10:42
Martha was not wrong to want to serve the Lord, But Jesus prefers that she stop and listen to His Word.
We must be about His business, not ours; and it’s much better to do so by discerning His will in our life. Obedience is always better than what we deem as sacrificial. 1Sam. 15:22
And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
We must guard our hearts
out of it issues of chaim/life..
everything we do flows from it.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fixed on the Lord. Prov. 24:3
By paying attention, so we don’t go in reverse, returning to what we once were; when our Father wants us to be something that we have never been… He chooses us and our path – we are to simply follow.
John 7:17 and if anyone wills to do His will he shall know.
(KJV 1900) 17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
Matt 5:9 Amplified Bible. 9 “Blessed [spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor]
Matt 5:6 6 “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness]
Matt 5:4 4 “Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace]
Blessed in Matthew 5:3-12 Amplified Bible.
3 “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired]
are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant],
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].
Matt 5:9 9 Blessed (enjoying [a]enviable happiness, [b]spiritually prosperous—[c]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions).
Reading the words in red … THIS is what it means to be BLESSED according to His Word….
Two more descriptions of those who are
blessed/baruch
Ps 119 :1 Blessed – happy, fortunate, to be envied
KJV: [are] thy men, happy [are] these thy servants,
This is the word blessed as used in Psalm 34:8. The word blessed appears in other scriptures, however, the Strong’s number may be different depending on the way in which that word is used.
אַשְׁרֵ
Blessed is also translated as Happy,
and is more than close to the name of one of the 12 tribes of Israel – Asher, which also means happy.
According to the Hebrew Text, the Tribe of Asher was one of the Tribes of Israel descended from Asher
Hebrew: אָשֵׁר ,
Modern: ʼAšer, Tiberian: ʼĀšēr, “happy one”
Asher is a Hebrew name meaning: happy and blessed, fortunate, and most blessed son.
The meaning of Asher comes from the Hebrew word osher, which means happiness.
Asher is consistently pronounced “ah-shur.” There are no alternative spellings of this name.
In Old English and Germanic, Asher means:
one who lives near an ash tree or grove,
or ash maker.
For those unfamiliar with Hebrew, illuminating the language through the alef-bet helps. Here we will take a moment to recall that Hebrew is unlike any other language and because It’s the one language God chose to use to first communicate with His children we should not be ignorant of why He did so.
Hebrew letters have unusual dynamics.
Each letter has a name!
Where we in the English alphabet say A B C D G H
in Hebrew it is Aleph, Bet, Gimmel, Dallet, Hey, etc.
Each letter also has a numerical value and each number has a meaning. In the beginning, each letter was a pictograph and from the pictograph/pictures, we derive meaning and because of this construction, there are many layers of understanding for each letter when we take the time to study them the deeper meanings of His Word are revealed rather than just the surface ones.
Secondly: the dots around the word, are the vowel markings and were added to let us know which vowels are being used in the word. Hebrew vowels do not have letters like our English vowel letters:–a-e-i-o-u.
אַשְׁרֵ
Hebrew always reads from right to left.
The Hebrew word Asher/Blessed, uses the letters
A – alef, SH – shin and R – resh
It begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet– Aleph.
Aleph is the name of the letter and it has the numerical value of 1. The number 1 stands for God, Unity: as in bringing 2 things together to form 1 object; in this case, Father, Son, His Holy Spirit are 1.
It also stands for unique, one of a kind, like no other.
The original picture letter/pictograph looks like an Ox Head.
Aleph means: strength or power, leader, most important or first, the strength and power of a leader. When the letter Aleph is in a word, Our Heavenly Father is usually involved in the definition of it.
In the word asher – blessed,
we see that:
His strength and power are found.
Shin, pronounced Sheen is the 2nd letter in asher. Shin has a numerical value of 300 and that number stands for the victory of good over evil and Ruach HaKodesh/His Spirit od Holiness. Again reading right to left, the pictograph for Shin/sheen looks like the teeth of a pitchfork and also resembles bottom set of teeth, or flames of fire:
The meaning of Sheen/shin is:
to destroy or consume, the fire of God to destroy His enemies, something sharp.
In this letter, we see that in being blessed: something is being destroyed and victory of good over evil is the result.
The 3rd and final letter in asher/blessed isResh which has a numerical value of 200 and stands for: insufficiency or poverty.
The picture/pictograph of the letter Resh, is the outline of a human head:
The meaning of Resh is: Head, Chief, Beginning, Highest or Most Important person, Human reasoning vs. obedience.
This is significant in meaning for us because when we allow Resh-human reasoning to be in control as the most important source of our lives, then poverty of Spirit is the result.
We could conclude that ASHER/BLESSED means:
We are blessed because our Heavenly Father in Unity, Oneness, Father, Son, and His Spirit; is moving in strength and power to destroy our enemies and overcome our human reasoning and weaknesses.
The first mention of this Strong’s #835 word in scripture is inDeuteronomy 33:29.It speaks of the victory Israel has because they were saved by the LORD. Blessed translated as, and Happy, as it is in other verses of Scripture.
Happy (#835) art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the Shield of thy help, and Who is the Sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places..
In the English language translation the words:
Blessed are You, Lord
falls somewhat short from making clear to the reader of the deep meaning of this key word, blessing.
As some scholars note, Ba-ruch, translated blessed, comes from the infinitive application of the verb to bless, which is an action that can also be done by people towards other individuals. This does suggest that we have the power to give/transfer a blessing to others. If we follow that as a logical premise, does having the power to give, mean we also have the power to take away a blessing from others? This may be true when we bless other people, but completely impossible in relation to our Heavenly Father in the sense that, we cannot take away a blessing from Him, and if that is the case, do we lack the power to bless Him as well? We can praise the Lord but can we bless the Lord? We say this expression on a regular basis yet it seems it raises a question.
This question however, only exists in the English translation because of its lack in fully interpreting the Hebrew term:
ba-ruch/blessed.
In Hebrew there is no question at all because its’ meaning is not giving blessing to
when it is said in relation to God.
The word ba-ruch
is derived from the word be-rech,
which is a knee.
In Hebrew when we say ba-ruch in relation to our Heavenly Father, we’re really saying
I’m kneeling before You, Lord.
Understanding the Hebrew meaning of the very commonly used word bless or blessed
provides us with a very beautiful picture and serves to remind us
of exactly where we are positioned when talking to Him.
It is a constant reminder both to ourselves and toward Him
of the humility we should express
when we are speaking to the King of the universe.
For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Sometimes our boldness in coming before His throne of grace, is more like arrogance, demanding His attention to solve our problems?
Here perhaps, the Hebrew can teach us something about humility?
One other place where our English translation shows a lack in terms of reverence is in Job:
Then said his wife to him, Do you still retain your integrity?
Curse God, and die. Job 2:9.
Although this is what Job’s wife really meant to say to him, in Hebrew, these are not the words she said! Due to the uncompromising reverence toward the Creator of the heavens and the earth being intrinsically embedded within the Hebrew language, (which we do not fully comprehend as a concept), the words “curse” and “God” cannot be written and or dwell side by side!
The Hebrew text says: …bless God, and die.
The reader is expected to understand that the meaning of bless in this context as being exactly the opposite, but the Hebrew language cannot tolerate writing, seeing, speaking or reading the degrading word “curse” attached to the name of God! It seems we grafted in gentiles still have a long way to go….!!!?
Do you want to be blessed?
Then…
Obedience is the key!
If you KNOW these things, you are BLESSED [happy and favored by God] if you put them into practice [and faithfully DO them].
Wesley’s New Testament (1755)
Messiah always insisted that being a true talmidim/disciple, was not in intellectual knowledge of His teaching, (mental assent/head knowledge); but developed and matured out of a real relationship with Him, living and walking in joyful obedience with His will.
You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read the posts. If they have been ablessing and if you haven’t already, please sign up for free email notification, like, share and subscribe, it all helps to freely spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth and reaches others with His Truths.
Meanwhile let’s remember to stay alert and ready, be in prayer and in His Word for in an hour we think not He is coming… and…
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.
A Question About Authority.
What is the purpose of the hour?
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