Battlefield

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled B'midbar, which means "in the wilderness". B'midbar is also the Torah title of the fourth book of the Bible, which we call "Numbers". The title comes from the first verse of the Book of Numbers: "Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt..." 

     The LORD instructed Moses to take (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) a census of the children of Israel to include every male from twenty years old and above, "all who are able to go to war (saba/seba - warfare, battle, war, appointed time, soldiers, company, go out to war, a mass of persons organized for warfare, army/go forth as soldiers to war, as a soldier against an enemy, wage war, fight, serve, mustered, assemble, wait upon) in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their armies (saba/seba - same as above)." (Num. 1:3). There can be no doubt, based upon the meaning of the Hebrew word for war or army, that the LORD is mustering His people for warfare.  The LORD had been referring to the Israelites as His armies since the Book of Exodus, before and after He delivered them out of their slavery in Egypt. (see Ex. 7:4-5, 12:17, 12:41-42, 12:51).

     According to verse 1, it has been two years since the Israelites had come out of their Egyptian slavery. This implies a certain maturity of experience in their walk with the LORD. They have seen powerful miracles, and they have suffered losses of life because of rebellions, disobedience and idolatry.  The LORD considers them able to walk as His armies. The battles that they face will not only be physical warfare, but, more importantly, spiritual warfare. Their primary weapon will be their traceable covenant identity in the LORD as they recite their lineages all the way back to their ancestors with whom the LORD made covenant promises. (see Num. 1:18-20). As the Israelite men over twenty years old were counted, the largest group came from the tribe of Judah (yehuda/yada - "praised"/praise, give thanks, confess, to revere or worship with extended hands, shoot arrows, cast down, throw down) at 74,600 men of that age. (v. 26-27). Looking at the meaning in Hebrew of the word "Judah", we can see praise, thanksgiving and earnest worship of God become weapons in warfare. The tribe of Judah will bring forth the Messiah/Christ Jesus many generations later and it is Jesus who defeated the spiritual enemies of man which included sickness, sin, death, hell and the grave, and He did so in an act of glorifying His heavenly Father (see Jn. 12:27-28, Phil. 2:8-11). It will serve us well to remember this great weapon of our spiritual warfare if we learn nothing else from this Sabbath's B'midbar reading portion than this, but there is more to learn.

     All of the tribes of the Israelites were numbered for warfare in the same manner, with captains (nasi - chief, captain, prince, king, ruler, one lifted up) from each tribe appointed over them by the LORD. As the names of the captains are given in Numbers Ch. 2, many remind us of Messiah/Christ Jesus in meaning: "Given, appointed, bestowed of/by God", "Whose Father is God", "The Rock is God", and "Peace and Completeness of God".

     The Levites, or priestly tribe, who served in the tabernacle were not left out of the armies of warfare. The same Hebrew word seba/saba used above for "warfare, armies, soldiers, battle, etc., is used to describe the hosts and service of the Levites, all of those thirty to fifty years old were to be numbered. (see Num. 4:3, 4:23, 4:30, 4:35, 4:39, 4:43). Their service in the tabernacle was actually associated with the warfare of seba/saba. 

     We also can't forget the women! In Ex. 38:8, the LORD included them in His army of seba/saba warfare: "He (Moses) made the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) laver of bronze and its base of bronze from the bronze mirrors (mar'a/mar'e - visions [sent by God], mode of revelation, mirror/sight, vision of form, appearance, visage, pattern or countenance) of the serving (seba/saba - see above) women who assembled (seba/saba - see above) at the door of the tabernacle of meeting."  Revelations and visions from God, particularly pertaining to a certain form, visage, countenance and pattern which, I believe, pertains to the visage and form of Jesus Messiah/Christ (see Isa. 52:13-15), are part of the spiritual warfare the Israelites were called to, especially through the women, as mentioned here.

This is a good place to look more closely at the Hebrew word for "wilderness", which is midbar. Midbar means, "wilderness, desert, uninhabited land, a sterile, sandy country." We would expect this desolate meaning. However, midbar also contains the meaning, "pasture as an open field where cattle are driven, plain country fit for the feeding of flocks." Two opposite conditions are contained within the meaning of midbar, as we can see. There is also a secret within the meaning of midbar that can help us understand the key that relates to these two opposite meanings.

Midbar also contains the meaning, "speech, mouth as an organ of speech." The Hebrew root word of midbar is the Hebrew word dabar, which means "speak, say, promise, tell, command, pronounce, warn, put to flight, sing."

On the battlefield of the wilderness, it is what we speak, pronounce and sing that determines whether a sterile desert or a pasture fit for feeding flocks and cattle is established. What are the armies of the LORD speaking in the wilderness? The LORD can take a spiritually desolate and uninhabited wilderness and turn it into a lush spiritual garden, or He can take a fruitful green pasture of food for His flocks and make it desolate, and it seems to depend largely on what His army speaks according to the meaning of midbar.

     The Israelites of the Book of Numbers were in their second year after their deliverance from slavery. As we mature in our walk with the Lord, we can expect that the Lord will begin to lead us into spiritual warfare, not only in our own circumstances, but in warfare that will lead to the spiritual salvation and liberation of other people and even nations. Often we regard people as being foes, however, the apostle Paul wanted us to have this revelation about our warfare: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 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, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Cor. 10:3-5). This spiritual warfare isn't against other people, it is against our own minds! So many of us feel overwhelmed by problems that will pass away with all other temporal things, or we become discouraged by life's challenges and continued struggles against sins and weaknesses in our own souls and flesh until we tempted to wave the white flag of surrender. Never! Fight that battle with thanksgiving and praise out of our mouths, with hands lifted up and outstretched in reverence and worship, shouting the victory of the Lord as promised in His Word. As we continue to fight the spiritual battle, we need to understand that we are also winning the warfare on behalf of others as well.

     We can see that our warfare is directly connected to our relationship and covenant inheritance with and in Messiah/Christ Jesus, just as the Israelites' warfare was based upon their covenant heritage in God.

     In another place, Paul wrote: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Eph. 6:12-13).

     As the Israelites were, we are also called to be a spiritual army fighting spiritual warfare. We do not go to battle in our own strength, nor with weapons that have been made by men for use against men. but we are armed with the truth of the Word of God, which was embodied in Jesus (Jn. 1:14), and with the victory of Jesus:

     "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (Jn. 16:33, the Words of Jesus).

     "Death is swallowed up in victory...The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory though our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 15:56-57/Isa. 25:8-9).

     "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:37-39).

     Scripture tells us that Jesus sent out seventy disciples in His name to bring the Gospel to cities where He intended to go. They were to heal the sick and bring the message: "The kingdom of God has come near to you." (Lk. 10:1-9, excerpt). The seventy returned to Jesus with joy because even the demons were subject to them in Jesus' name. Jesus had known of their victory as He said to them: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall be any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." (Lk. 10:17-20).

     As Jesus explained above, the serpents and scorpions He referred to were not physical creatures, but spirits or demons. Both of the creatures mentioned have the meaning in Greek of being sharp in vision, able to look into the distance in order to spy, being skeptical and having malicious intent especially associated with Satan, for the purpose of piercing and stinging.

     The disciples' obedience to the commands of Jesus, in His name healing the sick and declaring the Kingdom of God, sent Satan falling from his position in the heavens!  The warfare victory was not because of themselves, but it was because of the Yesua (Jesus' name in Hebrew) salvation of God is their lives. This is also the Great Commission that Jesus gave to His disciples. (see Mt. 28:18-20, Mk. 16:15-18).

     It is very important to know that this B'midbar Sabbath reading portion must be read on the Sabbath before the Feast of Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, which in Greek is called Pentecost. Previous weeks' Sabbath reading portions were doubled together so that this B'midbar portion would fall on this specific appointed Sabbath. This year, Pentecost falls on this coming Monday-Tuesday. The Book of Acts tells us how the LORD fulfilled the Feast of Pentecost by sending the Holy Spirit in flames of fire to the believers in Messiah/Christ Jesus who obediently waited for "the power from on high" (Lk. 24:49 , Acts 1:8) in Jerusalem. The effect of the Holy Ghost fire was to change the believers' tongues (glossa - the tongue, an organ of speech, a distinct language).

     What were the changed tongues of the believers saying by the power from heaven? Foreign pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem for the feast were amazed, "because everyone heard them speak in his own language...Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs - we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." (Acts 2:1-11, excerpt).

     The tongues of the Holy Spirit gave praise for the wonderful works of God. We are brought right back to midbar (see meaning above regarding mouth and speech) and the largest tribe in the LORD's armies in the wilderness - the tribe of Judah, meaning "Praise". As we observe this Shavuot, Feast of Pentecost of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which continues with us, let us join in the fiery tongues of praise.

     If you would like to know more about being in the Lord's army of believers, you can join me in my prayer: "LORD of hosts, You have called Your people to be part of Your armies of warfare and transformation. What a privilege to be called by You and included in Your mighty works! My heritage in You and in Your Son, Jesus, includes Your victories on our behalf. All creation is waiting for this manifestation of Your sons in the earth. Teach me to speak in the way that transforms the spiritually dry wildernesses into green pastures. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit who gives me a tongue to proclaim the wonderful works of God to all people and nations. Fill my mouth with praises because You have written my name in heaven. I ask this in the name of my Savior, Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

Redeemed

  "The earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness (melo/mala - that which fills, entire contents, multitude, full length/fill, fulfill, consecrate, confirm, complete, accomplish, replenish, gather, overflow, abundance), the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded (yasad - founded, foundation, ordain, appointed, established) it upon the seas, and established (kun - establish, prepare, fixed in place, set, directed, provide, confirmed, be secure, be enduring, be securely determined, be ready) it upon the waters (nahar - a flowing, river, stream, to flow together, to sparkle, be cheerful, to shine, give light, be glad, rejoice, brightness)." (Psalm 24:1-2).

And

     "And He (Lord of heaven and earth) has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord...though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being..." (Acts 17:26-28, and Deut. 32:8).

     From Deuteronomy 32:8, cited above, we find out that the LORD set the boundaries of all of the people of the nations "according to the number of the children of Israel." Deuteronomy 32 continues: "For the LORD's portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance." (v. 9).

     The Psalms narrow down the ownership of the earth: "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession." (Ps. 2:7-8). The Creator has given all of the nations to His Son, the Messiah/Christ, Jesus, a descendant of His people, Jacob (see above). They are His to rule and to judge (see. v. 9).

     The LORD goes on to say: "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and You perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are those who put their trust in Him." (v. 12).

     These excerpts above from the scriptures completely refute the understanding that most of us have of the world, its economics, and the true ownership rights to it. However, as this week's double Sabbath reading portion shows us, it is better to have things the LORD's way. In fact, the LORD's way is more to our benefit or advantage than our own understanding, as we will see.

     The double reading portion for this week's Sabbath are B'har, meaning "on the Mount," and B'chukkotai, meaning "In My statutes".

     The reading begins in Leviticus 25:1: "And the LORD spoke to Moses on Mount (see B'har above) Sinai, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a sabbath to the LORD. Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) fruit; but the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath to the LORD. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard." (Lev. 25:1-4). Everything concerning the land falls under the authority of the LORD. Even the fruit of the land which they gather still belongs to the *Aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega Lord, as noted in the written Hebrew. The seventh year sabbath of the land belongs to the LORD. They will not do with the land as they see fit, but as the LORD commanded.

     We can see in the verses above that the LORD was not speaking from heaven but speaking His statutes on the mount, a physical place on the earth, as our two combined Sabbath portion titles reflect. The LORD retains His possession of the physical earth, and His authority over the land which He gives to Israel. His statutes are to rule the land. Of this land given to Israel, the LORD commanded: "The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me. And in all the land of your possession you shall grant redemption of the land. If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold." (Lev. 25:23-25).

     From this foundation of ownership and authority of the physical earth and everything in it, especially the land of Israel, the LORD establishes something called "the year of Jubilee". 

     The year of Jubilee is directly connected to the Sabbath and to the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), which is one of the Feasts of the LORD. This feast is also important to us because we understand that the blood shed by Jesus Christ in His suffering and death was for the atonement (kapar - covering) or propitiation of our sins. Every seven sabbath years, or a total of forty-nine years, on the Day of Atonement the trumpet of the Jubilee is sounded throughout all of the land to announce the fiftieth year, which is the year of Jubilee. In this fiftieth year, the LORD again announces His ownership and statutes of authority of the earth and everything in it, by turning upside down everything that man has bought, sold, traded, bartered, enslaved. The unredeemed house or land that was taken or purchased, the unredeemed debt owed, the unredeemed servitude/slavery are all overturned. Land or house goes back to the original family who received it from the LORD, as He originally divided the land among the tribes of Israel. Those who sold themselves into servitude are repaid the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) price of his redemption. Those whose debts remain unredeemed by a family member are set free anyway at the year of Jubilee: "For the children of Israel are servants to Me; they are My servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." (see Lev. 25:47-55).

     Today's thinking might declare that this is economically unfair and even disastrous, but it is the year of Jubilee by which the LORD retains authority by His statute to set His people free. These Torah statutes of the LORD, which are contrary to the thinking and ways of the world, paved the way prophetically for our spiritual redemption as we will see.

      The obedience to the statutes of the LORD affected the land: "If you walk in My statutes (see B'chukkotai above) and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield its fruit...I will give you peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil (ra - evil, wickedness, trouble, affliction, grievous, malignant, vicious) beasts (hay - living, beast, creature, animal, appetite), and the sword will not go through your land." (Lev. 26:3-6). If the statutes of the LORD are not kept, then the land is affected in the opposite manner. (v. 19-20).

     The statutes of the LORD, including the statute of redemption, in the hand of the prophet Jeremiah assured that Israel would return from their prophesied captivity in Babylon. Jeremiah redeemed the field of his cousin, Hanamel (meaning "God is gracious"), as his cousin said to him: "...for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours; buy it for yourself." Jeremiah wrote of this request: "Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. So I bought the field from Hanamel...weighed out to him the money - seventeen shekels of silver. And I signed the deed and sealed it...according to the law and custom..." (Jer. 32:6-11). The LORD then instructed Jeremiah: "Take these deeds...and put them in an earthen vessel that they may last many days (yom - day, time, year, continually, yesterday, today and tomorrow)...Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land." Jeremiah then praised the LORD who has "made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You." (v. 13-17).

     The verses from Jeremiah, above, contain eleven instances of the use of *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega, including its connection to "the price of redemption", "the field" of Hanamel, "the money", "the purchase deed", "that which was sealed", "deed/deeds", "the heaven", "the earth".

     Earlier, the LORD had given Jeremiah this prophetic Word: "Thus speaks the LORD God of Israel, saying: 'Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you. For behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,' says the LORD. 'And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their forefathers, and they shall possess it." (Jer. 30:2-3).

     Even though Jeremiah completed this prophetic redemption of the land of Israel while being detained in the king of Judah's prison dungeon, and even though the most powerful kingdom (Babylon) was about to lay siege to Jerusalem, Jeremiah knew, based upon the previous spoken Word of the LORD, and confirmed by the use of the written statutes given from the LORD from on the mount, that the LORD had just assured Israel that they would return to the land which He had given them.

     The captivity in Babylon and the Babylonian command over the land of Israel lasted for seventy years. Then, as the LORD promised Jeremiah, the Israelites were freed from captivity and allowed to return to their land...and the ruling king at that time paid the restoration money needed to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem that had been destroyed during the siege, and for the re-building of the temple of God that had been ruined. 

      But wait! We're not done yet with Jeremiah's fulfilling of the statute of the LORD in regard to the redemption of the land. The LORD had told Jeremiah to place the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) deeds into an earthen vessel so that the deeds could last many days. (v. 14). The Hebrew word for "days" is yom, as we see above, meaning: "day, time, year, continually, today, yesterday and tomorrow." These (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) deeds of redemption were to last not only for the seventy years of Babylonian captivity, but "continually". I believe that these same (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) deeds hidden in earthen vessels not only provided the way back home from Babylonian captivity, but provided for the return of the Jewish people to the land again in 1948, after Israel had ceased to be a nation approximately two thousand years ago when Rome destroyed it. I don't know if even Jeremiah foresaw what the LORD would accomplish by Jeremiah's obedience to His statutes.

     Not only did this prophetic action of Jeremiah guarantee the land of Israel to the descendants of Abraham through his son, Isaac, but it also became part of our spiritual guarantee and covenant with the Lord Jesus. Our covenant with God through Jesus is not a covenant regarding possession of the physical land of Israel, but the new covenant which assures us of life forever in Christ, who rose from the dead, and our inheritance through Him in the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Our inheritance is not limited to a physical city on earth, but even greater, to the City not made with human hands, but whose Maker and Builder is God. This inheritance was always promised as Abraham also waited for this City. (see Heb. 11:8-10, Rev. 21:1-4, Jn. 14:1-6, Eph. 2:4-7). Jeremiah also had a prophetic understanding of this as he received the Word of the LORD related to this. In our Sabbath reading, we see: "A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place (maqom - locality, standing place, home, country) of our sanctuary. O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake You shall be ashamed...." (Jer. 17:12-13).

      The apostle Paul refers to our guarantee of this spiritual redemption in the New Testament: "...But we have this treasure (thesauros - a casket or coffer in which valuables are kept) in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not ourselves...always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." (2 Cor. 4:6-10, excerpt). Paul also wrote elsewhere: "...you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee (arrabon - earnest money, purchase money) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." (Eph. 1:13-14). And: "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Eph. 4:30).

      We can hear the echo of Jeremiah's prophetic Word, faith and obedience in these revelations of Paul, above. When Jeremiah had the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega deeds to the field belonging to "God is gracious" (Hanamel) sealed in earthen vessels for many days to come, he also prophetically sealed our guarantee, the Holy Spirit, to all of the riches in Jesus Messiah/Christ in these earthen vessels - us. 

     If you would like to learn more about the gracious redemption commanded by the LORD on the mount, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, the whole earth belongs to You, and You have not only redeemed the land of Israel for Your people, but You alone have also provided our Redeemer Kinsman, Jesus Messiah/Christ, to redeem and retore what was lost - our souls. What a great inheritance You have given and guaranteed to me through Your Son. I had lost all, but Your statutes of redemption and Jubilee in the flesh, Jesus, guaranteed my restoration, my life, and my salvation. I give You all thanks and praise in Jesus' name for Your eternal promises to me and to all who will receive them. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

     

WarfareFeasts

      "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts." (Lev. 23:1-2).

     These verses above are the beginning of this week's Sabbath reading portion titled Emor, meaning "Say." In the verses above, there are three different words that express a spoken communication. Each of the three words has a distinct and important meaning. By using three different Hebrew words here, what the LORD desired to communicate to His people must carry great importance. However, in many ways, the subject of that importance, the feasts of the LORD, remain a mystery to us. The LORD must want us to search them out.

     First, we can look at the Hebrew words and meanings used above to express spoken communication:

• "Speak" is the word dabar in Hebrew, meaning "speak, utter, declare, command, promise, warn, sing, appoint, commune, pronounce, rehearse, teach." The Hebrew letters used to make up the word dabar are daleth, beth, and reysh. The individual meanings of these three pictographic letters could be joined together to mean "The door/way of life to the tent, house, family or body of the Highest."
• "Say" used above is the Hebrew word amar, from which we get the title of this week's Sabbath reading portion, Emor. Amar means "said, speak, answer, command, tell, call, promised, intend, to be called, avow, publish, to be or make prominent, to bear forth, to bring light, to think, to will." The Hebrew letters used to create the word amar are aleph, mem, and reysh. These letters placed together form the idea "The gentle Lord, Adonai, teaches a thousand the source (the beginning) of the waters of the Highest."
• "Proclaim" is the Hebrew word qara which means "call, cried, read, proclaim, named, guests, invited, bidden, preach, utter with a loud voice, summon, call and commission, appoint, call and endow, give name to, be called out, be chosen, encounter, cause to meet." Qara is made up of the Hebrew letters qoph, reysh, and aleph, and these letters when joined together could have the meaning "The last, the back, the final (the end) is the head, the Highest, the gentle Lord Adonai."

     Each of these three words in these verses that express spoken communication of some kind contain three letters. There is a kind of trinity being expressed here.

     Both of the Hebrew words amar, "say", and qara, "called, named" are present throughout Genesis Ch. 1 as God (Elohim *aleph-tav, see also Jn. 1:1-5, 14) created the heavens and the earth. These same two words are used in the other reading selections from the Torah for this week's Emor Sabbath: Lev. 23:23-38 and Lev. 24:1-9 when giving God's commands regarding the feasts of the LORD.

     Jesus also embodied the meaning of these three Hebrew words in one example from the New Testament: "Then Jesus cried out (krazo - cry out aloud, speak with a loud voice, call aloud, scream, shriek, see also qara: proclaim, above) and said (eipon - speak, say, command, grant, answer, bid, tell, see also amar: say, and dabar: declare, promise, pronounce, above), 'He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light (see amar: to bring light, above) into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness." (Jn. 12:44-46). Jesus also gave a dabar warning in v. 47-48: "And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him - the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last days."

     Elsewhere in scripture, the LORD says: "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey (sama- hear, obey) My voice and keep (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is mine." (Ex. 19:5). The LORD expects us to hear His voice and obey it.

     Jesus also said: "...blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" (Lk. 11:28).

     In another reading portion from this Emor Sabbath, the LORD cries out to His people to repent and return to Him: "Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me!....Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways." (Ps. 81:8, 13).

     The LORD, the Great God, has a voice! However, sometimes we have "selective hearing".

     The appointed feasts of the LORD, which He spoke to Moses in Lev. Ch. 23, include the Sabbath, Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of First Fruits, the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashanah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and finally, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day called Simchat Torah: Rejoice in the Torah.

  

     In reading of the feasts of the LORD, the Sabbath is a foundational component of each of them. While for some, the feasts are observed by rote in a religious fashion, to others, there is an understanding that the feasts also incorporate a prophetic timeline. Books have been written about the connection of the Feasts of the LORD to Jesus Messiah/Christ. Each feast proclaims the mighty salvation work of Jesus, some Feasts fulfilled through his first appearing, and some to be fulfilled by His prophesied and eagerly awaited soon return.

     I would also like to present an additional meaning to the Feasts of the LORD for us to consider.  The spiritual victories accomplished by the Lord through these feasts are so massive in importance that these spiritual victories affect the natural world and future generations.

     Where there are spiritual victories, there has been spiritual warfare. The spiritual warfare of the Feasts is so intense that life and death may hang in the balance, including the Sabbath observance on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:30). How do God's people become collateral damage from the spiritual warfare of the Feast? We will see.

     When we look at the Passover, for example, the Israelites were warned to put the Lamb's blood on the doorposts and lintels of their houses. They were to go into their houses, shut the door, and not come out of their door until morning. That night, death would move throughout the land of Egypt, and the only safety provided for God's people was to be found in following His instructions completely. (Ex. 12:21-24). It was on this night that God judged the gods of Egypt and those who served them. (see Ex. 12:12). This kind of spiritual warfare was not limited to this night. The Passover was to be observed as an ordinance forever. 

     Nations of the earth were warned by the Prophet Zechariah that if they failed to come to Jerusalem to worship the King (Messiah/Christ), the LORD of hosts, during the Feast of Tabernacles, there would be no rain upon their lands. (Zech. 14:17-19). Come into the safety provided by the LORD in His Feasts or suffer the dangers that await outside of it.

     Jesus, who inhabits the Feasts of the LORD, looked out over Jerusalem and wept because He knew the terror that was coming their way. He said: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!" (Mt. 23:37). This was said by Jesus two days before He observed the Passover with His disciples and was crucified. (see Mt. 26:1-2). His invitation was not accepted. Jerusalem observed the Passover and the other Feasts of the LORD religiously and traditionally, but ignored the messengers and the prophets, including John the Baptist (Jn. 1:29-36), who clearly identified Jesus Messiah/Christ with the Feasts. Salvation (yesua [Jesus' Hebrew name]/yasa - salvation, deliverance, health, saving, welfare, prosperity, victory, safe/savior, preserved, defend, rescue, avenge, safe, victory) doesn't come through religious rituals but by only one name under heaven: Jesus. (see Acts 4:10-12).

     I mentioned above that the Feasts of the LORD are associated with the Sabbath as well. (see Lev. 23:7, 11, 15-16, 21, 24-25, 32, 34-35, 39) The Hebrew word for sabbath, which is sabat, means as we expect to see, "rest, cease, be completed." However, sabat also means at the same time, in the same breath, "put an end to, to destroy, to remove, to cause to fail, rid, take away, cut off, interrupt." Here is the warfare of the LORD incorporated into His Sabbaths, and therefore, also into His Feasts.

     As God's people understand this meaning connected to the Feasts of the LORD, they will view the Feasts, not as a religious obligation or tradition, or as something meant only for the Jewish people, but as a haven of safety while the LORD goes into battle against the spirits of evil.

     The Feasts of the LORD are set at appointed times or seasons, and so is warfare. There is a time when kings are to go into battle. (see 2 Sam. 11:1). Spring is specifically mentioned as the time of kings' warfare, and there are Feasts of the LORD designated for the spring season. There is another mention of an appointed time/season for war: "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven...A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." (Eccl. 3:1, 8). Jesus incorporates the purposes of the Feasts of the LORD, and we view Him as Peace and the Giver of Peace, and so He is. However, we cannot forget that as the Son of God and as the Son of the warrior king, David, Jesus is also well acquainted with great spiritual warfare and victory. (see Rev. 19:11, 15-16). Jesus didn't deliver us from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light, and from the kingdom of death into the Kingdom of eternal Life without warring against and defeating these spiritual kingdoms of darkness and death. (1 Pet. 2:9-10, 1 Cor. 15:24-26, Rev. 1:17-18). Jesus goes to war and has overcome the world so that we may have peace. (Jn. 16:33).

      The depths that the LORD has hidden in His appointed feasts will impact the whole earth, and His desire to reveal those depths to His people is greater still. However, many ignore His invitation (see qara, above) to come to His appointed feasts, or they come to the Feasts but ignore the prophets and messengers who revealed the prophetic and holy knowledge of the Feasts. Jesus told a parable of a king who invited guests to his son's wedding feast, but many gave excuses not to come. The king said, "The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy (axios/ago - to know the weight or value befitting a thing/to pass a day, keep or celebrate a feast, etc.)." Others then were invited to fill the wedding hall, but one who attended "did not have on a wedding garment" (the garment reflects the understanding, honor, acceptance and preparation due the king's feast). The king said to his servants: "Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen." (Mt. 22:1-14, excerpt). Properly weigh the value of the invitation sent to us by our King.

 

     We are called to understand the weight of importance, "the worth", that is contained within the Feasts of the LORD, and the habitation of the Savior, Jesus Messiah/Christ within them. The Feasts that have been given to us by God by special invitation are not for His benefit, but for ours. In the appointed time of cataclysmic spiritual warfare, we will be urgently seeking that safety and victory that the LORD has provided in His Feasts.

     

     If you would like to know more about the victory achieved by the LORD in His Feasts, and the provision of safety that He has given for us within them, you can join me in my prayer: "Heavenly and loving Father, how can we know the heights, depths and breadth of the love and provision that You have created for us as expressed in Your Feasts? Your Son, Jesus, was sent to the world to overcome the works of darkness on our behalf, and to deliver us into Your arms of safety. Help us through Your Word and by Your Holy Spirit to enter into Your Feasts understanding the weight of their value to us. Lord Jesus, the warfare and victory that You have fought and brought forth on our behalf is beyond anything that the world can provide for us. You are our song, and our salvation, our place of safety, and our victory, and we meditate upon and deeply consider the price that You paid in the battle, and we celebrate the supernatural victory that You achieved for us. Let me not look at the Feasts in the same way as before but let me hear what You say to teach me and enter into the depth of meaning that You have placed within the Feasts. I bless and thank You in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

     

ChoosingKings

      Like last Sabbath, this Sabbath's reading portion covers two titles: Acharei Mot, meaning "after the death", and K'doshim, meaning "Holy ones." Although they are two different reading portions, as we will see, they go together well in theme.

     As the first reading portion, Acharei Mot, "after the death," begins in Leviticus 16, two of Aaron's sons have died because they offered the LORD "strange fire." In both of our reading portions for this Sabbath, the LORD will forbid the strange fire offerings of the children of the Israelites' in horrifying worship of the false god, Molech (see Lev. 18:21 and Lev. 20:1-5). The offerings by fire to Molech and the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) sacrifices to demons (sa'ir/sa'ar - devil, demon possessed goat, having goat's form or feet, satyr/be horrible afraid, take away as a storm or whirlwind) (see Lev. 17:7) were the abominations that the nations did, both Egypt and the nations of Canaan, which would cause them to be overthrown from the Promised Land. (see Lev. 18:24-29). The LORD said that His people were not to follow the ways of these foreign nations but to follow His word and ways. (see Lev. 18:1-5).

      The name Molech means "king, to induct into royalty and therefore to consult and take counsel from." We see a form of Molech worship today in the destruction of children, both born and unborn, and also in the counsel and consultation we seek and receive from anything and anyone who is not God. By doing so, we make that counselor ruler over us, as a king would be. Some even receive counsel from occultic practices that seen harmless but move through spirits that are not God. The LORD warns in these Sabbath verses not to consult these things (Lev. 19:26, Lev. 20:6, 27). The LORD has given His people the means to consult Him, but more and more of us are consulting and receiving counsel from man (or devils) instead. We hear the counsels of man all around us every day until they become part of our culture and understanding, accepted as truth, while not knowing of what spirit they are. How can we know? The LORD tells His people in these two Sabbath readings to follow His Word and His ways, and not the ways of the peoples around them. (Lev. 18:4-5).

     Who or what have we "inducted into royalty" (see Molech, above) over our lives and land to rule over us as a king that is not the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? To whom or to what are we giving our money, lives, time, children and service? Offerings made were not to reflect the images of demons but the Aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega who is the Messiah/Christ as found in the written Hebrew noted above (see *note below also). The land and the lives within it are defiled by these things according to the scriptures of these two Sabbath portions. We can easily see the evidence of the defilement that is present, and we, the people of God, are the ones who have chosen these spiritual and natural kings. One choice installs kings that lead to death, and the godly choice installs THE King who is life and leads to life. (Jn. 14:5-6).

      In another part of scripture, Moses told the Israelites: "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them." (Deut. 30:19-20, see also Josh. 24:15). All creation bears witness to the truth that life is found in God only.

     It is odd that man chooses to induct into royalty the spiritual kings like Molech that ultimately seek our death and destruction, when the LORD is the kind of King who calls His people to a kingship like His own for the purpose of life. One kind of king keeps its subjects in slavery, while the Great and True King has always wanted to elevate His servants to freedom and kingship. 

     From one of our Sabbath portions, after the deaths of Aaron's two sons, the LORD commands Moses to institute the Day of Atonement, also called Yom Kippur. "Thus Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering. He shall put the holy (qodes - holy, sanctuary, consecrated, apartness, sacredness) linen (bad/badad - white linen, [woven] flaxen thread or yearn, a thread/withdraw, be separate, be isolated, solitary, disjoin, cutting apart) tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a linen sash, and with the linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) body in water, and put them on." (Lev. 16:3-4). Unlike his two sons who approached the LORD with strange fire, Aaron and the future high priests could not come before the presence of the LORD whenever or however he chose. They had to be covered in the garments of the LORD's Kingship and holiness. Through Christ, however, we have been given the boldness and permission to enter into His presence. (Heb. 10:19-23, Rom. 5:1-2).

     The LORD repeats in another place: "And the priest, who is anointed and consecrated (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) [himself] to minister as priest in his father's place, shall make atonement, and put on the linen (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) clothes, the holy garments. (Lev. 16:32). The priest wears this clothing to minister the atonement in the Holy Place before the presence of God once a year on the Day of Atonement: "This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. For on that day (the priest) shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD." (Lev. 16:29-30). The words "the priest" in the above verse are not present in the original Hebrew.  To me, this is a hint that the atonement is made, not by man, but by Someone else. We know that Person who would appear generations later to be Jesus Christ. Because the priest's clothing is connected to The Aleph-Tav/Alpha and Omega, the holy linen clothing of atonement is connected with the identity of Jesus Messiah/Christ. (see also Rev. 19:6-9 and11-16).

     We also know from scripture that the high priest wore a golden plate or crown on his turban that said "HOLINESS TO THE LORD", "and it shall always be on his forehead..." (Ex. 28:36-38).

     The LORD's Kingship is established in His holiness. In these two Sabbath reading portions, Acharei Mot, "after the death," and K'doshim, "Holy ones," the LORD called His people into His holiness: "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy." (Lev. 19:2). The LORD also says: "Consecrate (qadas - be holy, set apart, keep oneself apart or separate [see also "linen" above], to show oneself sacred or majestic) yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. And you shall keep My (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) statutes, and perform them: I am the LORD who sanctifies you...And you shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine." (Lev. 20:7-8, 26). Jesus also prayed to His heavenly Father about the separateness that defined His disciples (see Jn. 17:14-15), and their sanctification by God's Word of truth (Jn. 17:17). Our separateness defines us as belonging to God. We live in the world, we minister the truth of the Word and the Blood of the Atoning sacrifice, Jesus, in the world, but we are not of the world. We are spiritually separated for consecration.

     The LORD announced His purpose for His people both in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and the New Testament. His purpose for us is as a kingdom of priests, as a holy nation, being both kings and priests in His Kingdom, which He fulfilled in Jesus Christ (see Ex. 19:6, 1 Pet. 2:9-10, Rev. 1:5-6, Rev. 5:9-10).

      As mentioned above, the high priest's holy crown upon his turban connected the priest to the kingship of God. The LORD spoke of His people's connection to His Kingship when He spoke of Zion's righteousness and salvation: "The Gentiles/nations shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. You shall also be a crown (atara/atar - crown, wreath, wedding crown/crown, crowning, crown bestower) of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem (sanip - turban of the high priest, headdress, piece of cloth wrapped around the head) in the hand of your God." (Isa. 62:2-3). Earthly kings shall see the royal glory of God upon His people, Zion, and His city, Jerusalem.

     Psalm 21, written by David, is written by an earthly king who is giving God praise, not for the natural crown placed upon him, but for the spiritual crown that God has given him. It is the crown of God's salvation (yesua - salvation, deliverance, the Hebrew name of Jesus): "For You meet him (the king) with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold upon his head. He asked life from You, and You gave it to him - length of days forever and ever. His glory is great in Your salvation; Honor and majesty You have placed upon him." (Ps. 21:3-5). Do we perceive the pure golden crown of salvation that the LORD has placed upon our heads as He welcomes us into His Kingship? The New Testament describes several crowns given - not just one! There is the crown of righteousness to all who love His (Christ's) appearing (2 Tim. 4:8), the crown of life for those who love Him faithfully (James 1:12, Rev. 2:10), the crown of glory from our Chief Shepherd for faithful, willing service to His flock (1 Pet. 5:4), the crown of rejoicing (1 Thess. 2:19), and the imperishable crown for those who run with certainty of faith (1 Cor. 9:24-25).

     The LORD shares His holiness and His Kingship with us through Jesus Christ, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Why would we choose another king? As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!

     If you would like to learn more about the holiness and Kingship of the LORD in our lives, you can join in my prayer: "Lord of all, You are the King of the universe, and yet You desire to share Your holy Kingship with Your people who will believe Your Word. You have sent Your Son, Jesus, the Son of David, to teach us how to follow Him. Man crowned Jesus with a crown of thorns, but You have crowned Him with glory forever more. He rules and reigns in heaven and on earth, and the nations will come before His throne in worship. Lord, forgive me for choosing any other king over my life. I choose You and Your Kingdom. I choose You and Your holiness. You have clothed me in garments of salvation, pure, white linen. Your Word promises us that we will rule and reign with You, and we are seated with You in the heavenly places. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and lead me in the paths of righteousness. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

Assumptions&Expectations

           This week's Sabbath reading portion has a combined title of Tazri'a and M'tzora, meaning "She bears seed" and "Infected one". The reading portion includes Leviticus 12 through Leviticus 15. These chapters deal with purification from uncleanness after childbirth, the purification from the uncleanness of bodily discharges, and the identification and cleansing process for an outbreak of leprosy. It is interesting that leprosy can break out on the skin, on garments and even on the walls of houses according to these scriptures. 

     The source of the portion titled Tazri'a comes from Lev. 12:1-2: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, saying: If a woman has conceived (zara -sow, yielding, sower, bearing, conceive, seed, to become pregnant, to scatter, disperse) and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean (tame' - unclean, defile, pollute, become impure) seven days..."

     The source of the second portion titled M'tzora comes from Lev. 14:2: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'This shall be the law of the leper (sara/tsawrah - to be diseased of the skin, leprous/to scourge, to be stricken with leprosy, a scourge that also was used to describe diseases) for the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought to the priest." We can see the connection to the healing power of the Messiah/Christ since His scourge marks or stripes provided our healing and cleansing from unrighteousness according to Isa. 53:4-5 and 1 Pet. 2:24-25. Jesus was known for His cleansing and healing of lepers by both touch and spoken word. (see Lk. 5:12-16 and Lk. 17:11-19). Jesus also healed a woman who had been unclean from an incurable blood flow for twelve years. (Lk. 8:43-48, see also Lev. 15:25-27).

     It is interesting to note the similarity of the Hebrew words zara, the one who "bears seed", and sara, the leprous "infected one". This is something to think about.

     It is interesting also to see how the LORD challenges our perceptions through His Word. Along with the description of the leper and leprosy that we read in the Leviticus chapters of this week's Tazri'a Sabbath reading portion, we are also given two unusual accounts involving lepers. Can God use a leper to teach us His precepts? The answer, as we will see, is "yes".

     In the first account from 2 Kings 5:1-16, the chapter opens, saying: "Now Naaman (na'aman/na'em - pleasantness/be pleasant, beautiful, sweet, delightful, lovely, agreeable, show gracious favor toward, my darling, delightful friend, of pleasant words), commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper (sara - see above)." (v. 1). 

     Naaman's name has a wonderful meaning, and this Syrian commander is described in Hebrew scripture in a very complimentary way, although he, as a Syrian commander, could not really be considered as a friend to Israel. Syria was an aggressive nation and a threat to the safety of Israel. In fact, Naaman had a young girl captive, taken from her home in Israel, serving in his household. It is this Israelite captive that suggested to Naaman's wife that there was a prophet in Samaria (Israel) who could and would heal her master of leprosy. She was referring to the prophet Elisha. When Naaman heard this report of the Israelite captive, he went into the king of Syria, his master, and the king told him to go to Israel with an official letter to the king of Israel. Naaman also took with him much silver and gold and ten changes (halipa/halap - a change of garments, changing course of life, relief from death/change, renew, sprout again, revive, alter, to show newness, pierce through or change) of clothing. (v. 2-5).

     The verse above notes that it was ten changes of clothing. In the Hebrew alphabet, the letter yod also stands for the number ten. Yod represents the hand and means "a deed done, a finished work." The Hebrew word used in this verse for "ten" is eser/asar, meaning "ten/tithe, give a tithe, to become wealthy, rich, to prosper, be happy." These ten changes of clothing as expressed in Hebrew represent the idea that a work of newness and deliverance is to take place, a change in Naaman's course of life, a relief from death.

     The letter from the king of Syria to the king of Israel is amusing: "Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy." (v. 6). When the king of Israel read (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the letter from the king of Syria, he was shocked. He said, "Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to heal him of his leprosy?" He thought the king of Syria's letter was a trap intending to seek a quarrel and attack Israel, and the king tore his clothes in grief. (v. 7). Elisha (meaning "God is Salvation"), the man of God, heard what had happened with the king of Israel and told the king, "Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him (Naaman) come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel." (v. 8).

     No earthly king had the power or authority to cleanse a leper, but there is a heavenly king who was and is well able to do so.   

     Naaman, the Syrian commander, went by his chariot and horses to the door of Elisha's house, but the prophet wouldn't even come out to him! Elisha sent a servant out instead to tell Naaman, "Go and wash in the Jordan (River) seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." Naaman was furious and in a rage at being treated in this manner and then being given these ridiculous instructions to dunk himself in a river! He had expected the man of God to come out to him, call on the name of the LORD his God, wave a hand over him and then Naaman would be healed. (v. 9-11). Naaman's assumptions and expectations of how his healing would come about had not been fulfilled because God had other plans. However, Naaman's servants convinced him to try the remedy that the prophet had said: "So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." (v. 13-14). Naaman returned to the prophet's house and declared: "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel...", and he offered the prophet a gift which the prophet refused. (v. 15-16).

     Naaman was a most powerful and honored man in Syria, yet he was willing to listen to a foreign servant girl, and then, even though he was furious, he listened to the servants that he had taken with him to Israel, and he found not only his healing, but His God, the true and only God. His assumptions and expectations would have gained him nothing, but his humility and obedience gained him everything, even newness of life instead of death.

     In another reading portion from this double-titled Sabbath, the Syrian army had laid siege to Samaria (Israel). In this siege, a severe famine had overwhelmed Israel. The starvation was so great that people were committing abominations in order to have something to eat. The king of Israel was horrified at hearing this and tore his clothes and wore sackcloth. He blamed Elisha the prophet, seeking his death because the LORD had not delivered Israel from this terror. The king's assumptions and expectations had not been met by God. However, God was not finished with Israel and Syria. When the king's servants came to Elisha's house to arrest him, the door was barred, and Elisha prophesied to a lord, who was there to represent the king, that the famine would be broken by the next day. This seemed an impossibility to this lord. How could this be possible? (2 Kings 6, and 2 Kings 7:1-2).

     Who would expect that the LORD would use four lepers to break the famine? The LORD had sent a delusion upon the large Syrian army, that caused them to believe that they were outnumbered and about to be destroyed. They ran away in a panic leaving all of their camp intact with all of their supplies, but no one in Samaria knew that the Syrians had fled. There were four lepers (sara - see above) at the gate of the city of Samaria in Israel. They had to dwell outside the wall and gate because of their leprosy. They were starving also and decided to go to the camp of the Syrians and surrender themselves to them. Perhaps, they thought, the Syrians would feed them. Perhaps the Syrians would kill them, but they were dying anyway so what did they have to lose? (2 Kings 7:3-4).

     The fact that there were four lepers is important. Four is the number of the letters of the LORD's name, YHWH. The word, four in Hebrew is arba/raba and not only means the number four and its forms, but it also means four-squared, as is the City of God that will descend from heaven (see Rev. 21:16-17), and it also means to be down on all fours. The number four is also represented by the Hebrew letter daleth, ד, which carries the meaning "a door, a path, a way of life, movement into or out of." We were about to see a spiritual door open and a movement of God.

     The four lepers in this account arrived at the Syrian camp to find it abandoned, but with their supplies left behind. The lepers went into the tents and ate their fill. They found silver and gold and clothing and hid those valuables. Later, they said among themselves: "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent...Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king's household." (v. 8-9). They returned to the city and cried out to the gatekeepers regarding what they had found at the Syrian's deserted camp. The gatekeepers passed the message to the king's household. However, the king was suspicious of this news and thought that the Syrians were setting a trap to draw them out of the city and attack them. (v. 10-12). A slave/servant of the king begged him to send a few men out on horses to see if the lepers' report was true. The king listened to his servant and agreed and the report of the empty Syrian camp was confirmed: "Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians," The famine was broken just as the prophet Elisha had prophesied. (v. 13-16).

      Again we see a man of power, in this case the king of Israel, listen to the advice of a slave/servant. Who would have expected the LORD to use these means, a panicked enemy army, the "unclean" (lepers), and the plea of a slave/servant to break both an enemy siege and a famine at the same time?

     In a final Sabbath reading portion from M'tzora, "infected one", we are surprisingly taken to Malachi Ch. 3. Only this time, the ones who are "infected" or "unclean" are the priestly tribe of the LORD - the Levites. They are not infected with leprosy as a disease, but they are infected with spiritual uncleanness. In such a condition, they spread that uncleanness to the offerings that pass through their hands to the LORD from His people. The prophet Malachi brings the Word of the LORD to His priestly tribe: "Behold, I will send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me...Even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,' says the LORD of hosts. 'But who can endure (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? (see also Jesus' similar warning to His disciples, Lk. 21:34-36). For He is like a refiner's fire, and like launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the LORD, as in the days of old, as in the former years." (Mal. 3:1-4). Another prophet told us that if the priests are unclean, then the people become unclean in their knowledge of the LORD. (see Hos. 4:6-9).

      After reading this double-titled Sabbath portion for this week, I had to give serious thought to what I had found. Although physical or spiritual "uncleanness" may infect an individual or a whole people, from the most renown to the most common, the LORD in His compassion, has made a provision for repentance, cleansing, healing, and deliverance. Sometimes we create spiritual formulas by which we expect the LORD to move, however, assumptions and expectations that limit the LORD are part of this infection of uncleanness and may cost lives. Prophets were killed, and the Son of God was crucified because of man's wrong assumptions regarding how the LORD would move or not move. These days before Jesus Christ's return will be perilous, and assumptions and formulaic expectations may not be the way to deliverance in the end. The LORD's thoughts and ways are not like ours, as the scriptures say (Isa. 55:8-11), and we see some examples of that here in these Sabbath reading portions. Those who allowed for the possibility of the unlikely, the unexpected, or even the impossible saw miraculous deliverance.

     If you would like to know more about the unexpected concerning the LORD, you can join me in my prayer: "Lord of all, You know and declare the end from the beginning. You desire that Your people know You and know Your salvation, Your Son, Jesus, the Messiah/Christ. Let my ears and eyes be open to the guidance of Your Word and Your Holy Spirit. Let my mind and my heart be open to Your workings on my behalf. Protect me from deception and delusion, but let my spirit be open to the way that You have provided for my life and salvation. Cleanse me from all uncleanness and purify me through Your Word and Spirit. Let me not reject those whom You have chosen to move through because they do not conform to my assumptions of who may be used by You. Let me not reject a way to healing and deliverance because it does not conform to my expectations. I thank You that in Your love for Your people, You tell them to follow You. I pray for this in Jesus' name. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.