Ending&Beginning

      

                                                                  Portrait: Christ's Empty Tomb

     On this Sabbath, we come to the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, one of the feasts of the LORD commanded in His Word. The Feast of Tabernacles lasts seven days. The next day is called Shemini Atzeret. In English, this means "the eighth (day)" + "assembly, solemn gathering, stopping, holding back, store up." It is as if the LORD is saying to His people after the completion of the seven-day Feast of Tabernacles, "Stay awhile - There's more." 

     We see the "eighth day" as following the Feast of Tabernacles in 1 Kings 8:65-66, as Solomon held a Tabernacles (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-feast in the seventh month (see 1 Kings 8:2) following the dedication of the newly completed temple in Jerusalem: "On the eighth day he (Solomon) sent (salah - send, stretch out or forth, let loose, let go, set free, appoint, shoot forth, sow, spread, send a messenger) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-people away; and they blessed (*aleph/tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-king, and went to their tents ('ohel/'ahal - tabernacle(s), dwellings, tent(s), covering, sacred tent of Jehovah/to be clear, to shine, to be bright, a vibrating shining appearance) joyful and glad of heart for all the good that the LORD had done for His servant David (meaning the house and son of David because David had already died), and for Israel His people." From the Hebrew meanings, we can see that the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-people were sent out as a messenger is sent out, to be bright, shining tabernacles, filled with joy and gladness, to their own places of dwelling. This is also how Jesus has sent us out as well.

     The number "eight," which is part of the name of this day, has a very wonderful meaning. Some describe it as meaning "a new beginning." However, the number "eight" also has the deep meaning, according to rabbis, of being a step above the perfection and completion of the number "seven," which is the number associated with the Sabbath. This rabbinical understanding of "eight" being a step more or higher falls in with the Hebrew meaning of "eight": robust, plenteous, to shine, of oil." (see also 'ohel/'ahal mentioned above).

     Sunday is considered both the first day of the week and also "the eighth day" since it comes after the seventh day. Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week, or, we might be able to say, "the eighth day." (see Mt. 28:1-2, Mk. 16:1-4, Lk. 24:1-3, Jn. 20:1). Scripture has many references to events that occurred on "the eighth day." Circumcision (mul - destroy, cut in pieces, remove impure things, cut down and withered, cut off as a branch with the roots drying up, to fade) was to occur eight days after the birth of a son (see Gen. 17:12, Lev. 12:3), as Jesus was also circumcised on the eighth day of His life to fulfill the Law of Moses (see Lk. 2:21). The prophets and Paul wrote that circumcision was to be not just a concept applied to flesh, but more importantly and truly to be of the heart. The impure or corruption is cut away and withered so that the incorruptible remains. Paul wrote of the change or metamorphosis that must occur as the trumpet sounds and we are caught up to meet Christ: "...we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1 Cor. 15:52-53). Flesh must be changed into Spirit.

     The Father, who is the vinedresser, circumcises the Body of Christ, casting away and withering (see mul above) the unfruitful branches that have not abided in the Vine, His Son, Jesus. (see Jn. 15:1-8). We also have the Word of God (Which is Jesus, and testifying of Jesus) as being "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword (machaira/mache - large knife used for cutting flesh, knife, war, judicial punishment), piercing even to the division (merismos/merizmo - to cleave asunder or separate, dividing, partition/to separate into parts, cut into pieces, disunite) of soul and spirit, and of joints (harmos/harma - joint/particle of union) and marrow (myelos - marrow, enclosed within, shut), and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb. 4:11-12). 

     The Lord has not abandoned circumcision in its true meaning. It was given as an outward sign that always pointed to a vital inner work of God in us. (see Rom. 2:28-29). Moses, who wrote the law as given by God, also spoke of this greater meaning of circumcision. (see Deut. 10:16-17). We will see the concept of "cutting away" applied later here also.

     These are just a few examples of the greater works of God on "the eighth day." Jesus also said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to be with My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (Jn. 14:12-14). We may have often wondered, "How can we do greater works than Jesus?" In the context of the "eighth day" abundance, as well as its connection to christ's resurrection, I am able to better understand these greater works.

     Outside of Israel, there is another observance held on the same day as Shemini Atzeret, or "the eighth day." This second observance is called Simchat Torah, meaning "Rejoice with/in the Torah." The Torah is composed of the first five books of the Bible, written by Moses. Inside of Israel, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are celebrated on the two successive days after the Feast of Tabernacles ends. This is a day of joyous celebration where the Torah scroll is held in the arms in the synagogue while the people dance and sing with it in a circle. It is said that they are giving the Torah "legs" with which they can dance and celebrate with the Torah. 

     The congregants are not just celebrating the fact that they have completed the Torah Sabbath readings for the year with the end of the Book of Deuteronomy, but they are more celebrating the fact that they are looking forward to begin again a new cycle of Sabbath readings with the Book of Genesis. Because of this, the last chapter of Deuteronomy is read with the immediately following reading of the beginning of Genesis. The year-long Sabbath readings then become an eternal circle of the end and the beginning. This is also the identity of the Messiah/Christ Jesus when He said: "I am the *Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,' says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Rev. 1:8, also Rev. 21:5-6, Isa. 41:4). The Lord also said, "I make all things new" in Rev. 21:5.

     Deuteronomy 33 contains the last words of Moses as he spoke a blessing over each of the twelve tribes of Israel. The last chapter of Deuteronomy, chapter 34, reveals the circumstances of the ending of Moses's life and the beginning of the leadership of Joshua over the Israelites as they are about to cross over the Jordan River into the Promised Land which God has given to them. Again, we have an ending and a beginning.

     However, I would like to consider another ending and beginning found in this celebration of Simchat Torah, which includes the end of the Book of Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Torah.

     This reading for Simchat Torah, "Rejoice in/with the Torah," recording the death of Moses, now immediately swings back to the beginning of scripture, Genesis 1:1-5: "In the beginning (resit/ro's - beginning, firstfruits, first in place-time-order or rank, chief/head, top, beginning, captain, first, ruler, height choicest, excellent) God created (bara'- create, creator, choose, to shape or form, transform, of miracles, of the birth of something, pare a reed for writing or a stick for an arrow, to cut, carve out, separate, break out) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-heavens (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-(and)-the-earth. The earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light;' and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day." In the meaning of "created", which is bara in Hebrew, we see the root idea of cutting or carving and separation applied to the act of creation as we saw above in mul circumcision.

     The creation of God continued as the earth was filled with life.

     The first thing that we notice is that the meaning of "beginning", resit in Hebrew, and its root word ro's, include the idea of firstfruits and also of a person, a captain, a ruler of the greatest importance and height. The head of all things. The creation of the heavens and the earth is by God and has been attached to the name of *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega Messiah/Christ. Many other scriptures declare the fact that the earth and everything in it belongs to the LORD. Colossians 1:16 says: "For by Him (Jesus) all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." (see also Ps. 24:1, Ps. 50:10-12, Ex. 19:5, Job 41:11, Gen. 14:19, 1 Chron. 29:11-12, 1 Cor. 10:26).

     Because the Hebrew meanings of the rest of the description of the earth in Genesis 1:1-5 are many, I will paraphrase the description according to these meanings: The earth was without form, in confusion, full of emptiness, lying in waste, a place of chaos, a desolation and buried, hidden and concealed in darkness, misery, without hope, in destruction, death, sorrow, the dark place as of Hades (the place of death), in the darkness that withholds light. This darkness was so deep and thick that it was like an abyss, the depths, the grave. It was full of commotion and agitation, and in an uproar like a multitude making noise. It was destroyed, crushed, broken and consumed or swallowed up by this darkness like the place of death.

     Then the Spirit of God hovered/moved over it, growing soft, fluttering, moving gently, cherishing and soothing as one would soothe a child or as spreading over and cherishing of the body of a dead child as both Elijah and Elisha did before the child was raised from the dead (see 1 Kings 17:17-222 and 2 Kings 4:32-37). The Spirit hovered and caressed as a brooding hen hovers over its young ones.

     Then God spoke the Light of life, who was a Person- the logos spoken Word: Messiah/Christ (see Jn. 1:1-5): the light that severs things previously mixed together and separates out the darkness from the light. Again, we can see mul circumcision in the cutting power of the Word of God.

     The image presented here by the meanings of the Hebrew words of Genesis 1:1-5, as paraphrased above, is the resurrection of the earth that had become shrouded with the darkness of death, but had been created by God as attached to the *aleph-tav name and rank of the Messiah/Christ. This same Name and Person told us: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." (Jn. 11:25).

     Now that's a real Simchat Torah Beginning, and a truly great reason to rejoice, to sing and to dance with the Torah Word of God! If Almighty God is able to resurrect a whole planet from the darkness of death into teeming life, He is well able to resurrect to life all who are called by the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega name of our Savior, Jesus. 

     This is the traditional blessing that is spoken at the end of the Torah reading: "Blessed are You, Adonai (Lord) our God, King of the universe, who gave us the Torah of truth and planted eternal life within us. Blessed are You, Adonai, Giver of the Torah."

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     "Heavenly Father, I thank You and celebrate Your living creative Word, which is Your Son, Jesus. Father, You, and Your Son, the *Aleph-tav, and the Holy Spirit turned darkness and death into resurrection light and life. All praises, honor, power and glory be unto You, the holy Three-in-One. Thank You, Jesus, for placing Your name upon me, my household, and upon all who believe in You, as those who have attained Your gift of salvation and eternal life. Blessed be Your Name in all the heavens and the earth! In the name of Jesus I pray. 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. 

Household

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Lech - L'cha, which means, "Go! Leave!" This reading portion covers several chapters in the Book of Genesis, from Ch. 12 through Ch. 17. These chapters begin the account of Abram/Abraham's journey into the land of Canaan as he was commanded to do by the LORD. The reading begins: "Now the LORD had said to Abram: 'Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families (mispaha - familes, kindred, a circle of relatives, tribe, a genus, a kind) of the earth shall be blessed..' So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot (his nephew) went with him..." (Gen. 12:1-4).

     The phrase "Get out" as spoken by the LORD to Abram is the Hebrew word yalak, yalak (written twice). This places particular emphasis on the meaning, making it "Get out!" The word yalak/halak means, "to go, walk, depart, move, go away, to die/to live or manner of life, to lead, to bring/walk away, to go through or over a place." The LORD wasn't throwing Abram out of his home and away from his family in Haran as a punishment, but, the meaning implies that he is to get out for his own sake or benefit. As we can see in the above verses, the LORD has attached to the command to "Get out!", incredible and miraculous blessings that will come upon Abram, blessings that would never have ordinarily come into the life of a herdsman. The place in Mesopotamia from which Abram was leaving was Haran, which has the root meaning: "kindle, burn, angry, scorched, dried of thirst, to roast, of men destroyed by heat." From the Arabic language, Haran/harar has this very interesting meaning: "born of a noble race, free born, the brightness and purity of a man obscured by no stain." If we combine the two ideas, we may be able to say that the same fiery brightness that shines from an unstained purity in one man, is the same fiery brightness that destroys another (stained) man in scorching heat.

     The chapters covered by this week's Sabbath reading portion deal with Abram's journey in the LORD into the land to which God told him to go and the covenant that the LORD made with Abram/Abraham. God both spoke to and appeared to Abraham on several occasions in order to direct him. It is also here in these chapters that we first see Abram, or anyone, called a Hebrew ('ibri/'eber/'abar - "one from beyond", from beyond the Euphrates or Jordan Rivers/great grandson of Shem, "the region beyond", region on the other side, "across or beyond"/pass over or through, cross over, overflow, emigrate). (Gen. 14:13). The Hebrew letters used to compose the word "Hebrew" are 'ayin, beth, reysh, yod. These letters' individual meanings could be joined together to say: "See and understand the appearance of the fountain, house, family or body within the Highest's completed work." These are amazing works that the LORD was establishing in and through Abram the Hebrew that started with His command to "Go!".

     We have discussed in earlier blog entries the awesome foundation that the LORD established through Abraham when studying this Lech L'cha Sabbath reading portion in previous years. However, for this entry, I would like to look at events in Genesis 16 and 17.

     In Genesis 16, we see an account of Abram's first-born son when Abram was eighty-six years old. His wife Sarai/Sarah had borne Abram no children, and she told Abram to embrace her Egyptian maid, (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Hagar. After Hagar conceived, Sarai/Sarah "dealt harshly ('ana - afflict, force, troubled, weakened, browbeaten, oppress, put down, be depressed, be humiliated, hurt) with her." (v. 6). Hagar fled from Sarai, and the Angel of the LORD found (masa' - find, attain, acquire, meet, encounter, come upon, light upon) her by a fountain ('ayin - eyes, sight, fountain, of mental and spiritual faculties) in the wilderness. The Angel of the LORD told Hagar that she must return to her mistress, Sarai, and then said: "I will multiply your (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) seed/descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude. And the Angel said/sang to Hagar about the name of her son to be born, and told her his name would be Ishmael (yisma'el - God will hear, whom God hears). (v. 7-12). Hagar called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You-Are-the- God-Who-Sees; for she said, 'Have I also here seen (ra'a - see, behold, appear, perceive, regard, seer, foresee, have vision, look upon, gaze at, discern) Him who sees me?" In this statement, Hagar didn't say that she saw an angel, but that she saw the LORD (yod-hey-vaw-hey: "Behold the hand, behold the nail"). (v. 13-14). "So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Ishmael. (v. 15). 

     The LORD had previously established a solemn covenant with Abraham, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates..." (Gen. 15:17-21, excerpt). The LORD repeated that promise to Abram/Abraham, as He promised to make Abraham, then childless, a father of many nations.

     There came a point when a natural and spiritual family or household was to be established through Abraham. This household of Abraham was to be established through God's (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) covenant of circumcision. Every male in Abraham's household, from eight days old, was to be circumcised. However, this circumcision was not only to apply to the natural descendants of Abraham's flesh: "...every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with (your) money from any foreigner who is not your descendant..." (Gen. 17:9-14). The circumcision of the flesh is called here a "sign/token" of the covenant. (v. 11). The word translated as "sign" here is the Hebrew word 'ot, spelled with the Hebrew letters aleph-vaw-tav. which when joined together can mean "the Lord Adonai nailed to the cross, or joined to the covenant. The word 'ot means "miraculous signs, miracles, distinguishing mark, to consent, agree, assent." We can see that the covenant established was to anyone and everyone who lived within Abraham's household, not limited to those who were born of his flesh.

     What kind of household is this? According to the sign (see above meaning) of this household, it is a household of miracles. It is a household of faith, indicated by the consent and agreement necessary by the meaning of the "sign". Finally, it is a household of life, because those who do not receive the "sign" of this household are cut off. This covenant of the sign of circumcision is not limited to an outward or physical sign, but, more importantly, it is an inward or spiritual circumcision. From another reading portion of this Lech - L'cha, or "Go!/Leave!" Sabbath, the prophet Jeremiah wrote of the LORD asking Israel to return to Him and saying: "Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns (see Mt. 13:3-9). Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your hearts, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of your evil doings." (Jer. 4:3-4). The apostle Paul, who in the flesh was a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, as well as a Pharisee, wrote of the same truth: "...For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. (see Rom. 2:25-29).

     Jesus also remarked that being of the household of Abraham requires more than being his genetic descendant. It requires a submission of the heart and understanding to God, the Father. (see Jn. 8:37-39). Circumcision was a prophetic sign as well as a natural sign that pointed us to greater things than the sign itself according to the Hebrew meaning of "sign".

     Abraham's household members, joined in identity by the sign of circumcision, was made up of not only his natural descendants, but even foreigners that he had bought. The prophet Isaiah brings this same revelation regarding the Servant of God, the Messiah/Christ as we read in the household of Abraham: "I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness; and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles....to raise up (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth." (Isa. 42:6/Isa. 49:6). The Servant/Messiah/Christ is for the salvation and restoration of Israel first, and then also to the Gentiles and the whole earth. (see also Rom. 1:16-17).

     It was then that the LORD prophesied and promised to Abraham that his wife (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Sarah would give him a son, who was to be named Isaac. It is with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) not yet born Isaac that the LORD will establish (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) His covenant, although the LORD promises to bless Ishmael. (Gen. 17:15-22). The very day that Abraham was circumcised, he also circumcised his son, (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Ishmael, and all the men of his house (bayit - house, dwelling, temple, household, family, descendants as an organized body). (v. 23-27).

     We can see the identity of the Messiah/Christ upon this natural and spiritual household of Abraham in the repeated presence of the *aleph-tav in the written Hebrew above (see *note below). Jesus also confirmed His personal presence and relationship with Abraham as the eternal Messiah/Christ, and Abraham with Him, that superseded time even though they were forty-two generations apart within flesh and time. (see Jn. 8:56-59, Mt. 1:17).

     The LORD would repeat His covenant promise of the land to Abraham's second son, Isaac, and later, to his son, Jacob. However, the prophecy of Isaac's miraculous birth to a childless and aged Sarah, points to more than the son who will inherit the land. Abraham, before he died, would have several "natural" children, but only Isaac was the son of (prophetic) promise. It was only Isaac out of all of the sons of Abraham who was to carry the seed of the yet-to-be-born Messiah/Christ. (see Mt. 1:1-2, Lk. 3:30-34, Gal. 4:27-29).

     As the LORD Himself established this remarkable and miraculous household of Abraham as a sign, His plan of salvation continued on its set and unchangeable course.

     If you would like to learn more about this remarkable household of miracles, faith and life established not by the will of man, but by the will of God (see Jn. 1:12-13), you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, who is a God like You, establishing the end from the beginning?! Before I knew and loved You, You called me to be accepted and adopted into Your household of salvation, not because of who I was or wasn't in the flesh, but because of Your purpose for me in the Spirit and by faith in Your Son of Promise, Jesus. Let the sign of Your covenant of circumcision be within my heart and my most inward parts as it calls out to others to come and join Your eternal household. Bless the father of our faith, Abraham, and bless His household, both Jew and Gentile. I ask this in the name of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Messiah/Christ. 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. 

Yitro

This week's sabbath Torah reading from Exodus chapters 16-20 is titled Yitro/Yeter/Yatar, or "Jethro", and means "his abundance, rope, tent cord used to fasten tent curtains to stakes, exceeds measure or limit,remainder, excellence/remnant, more, other part, cord/to preserve alive, left over, excess". When we envision a tent as a dwelling, although the tent cord is outside the structure of the tent, it is essential in securing the tent walls to the stakes in the ground. The tent cords "exceed the structural limit" of the physical tent. Sometimes we limit whom we think are the designated people of God, however, God may have different ideas. When Moses fled Egypt after killing a cruel slave overseer, he found refuge in the tent of Jethro, as well as marriage to one of Jethro's daughters. They became part of one another's families through the covenant of marriage. Jethro was Moses' father-in-law, or hatan in Hebrew, which has an interesting meaning: "law, mariages, join in affinity, to contract affinity by marriage, bride's father, joined together by a common bond, to provide a nuptial feast, circumcision, place of circumcision, a word used for the festival of circumcision that was applied to that of a marriage also". We see this same mysterious connection between marriage and spiritual circumcision as Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "...For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy." (1 Cor. 7:12=14). With this kind of sanctification within marriage-circumcision, Paul urged spouses who were believers not to divorce unbelieving spouses. In these current times, we have lost a great deal of Godly knowledge concerning marriage, haven't we? In a previous sabbath reading portion, we read: "Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God." (Ex. 3:1). Jethro's flock was not an ordinary flock. It was an "aleph-tav" flock in the written Hebrew. Jesus identified Himself as the Aleph-Tav, or the Alpha and Omega in Greek, four times in the Book of Revelation. Moses brought this aleph-tav flock of Jethro's to the mountain of God. Not only was this the aleph-tav flock, but they were brought to "the back of the desert" or ahar, meaning the "afterwards of time, to be after". This flock was brought to the mountain of God at a later time. As believers in Christ, we also became connected to the household of God "afterwards in time" through Jesus Christ. The Gospel of salvation is to the Jew first (proton - first in time, place, order or importance in any succession of things or persons), and also (kai - then, and, too, cumulative) the Greek (see Rom. 1:16). I believe that the aleph-tav flock of Jethro, who was not a Hebrew, prophesied of the Gentile flock who would come to a later knowledge of God through Christ. Jesus spoke of being the Shepherd of sheep in other folds of which his disciples were unaware: "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one Shepherd." (Jn. 10:16). Yitro, or Jethro, was from Midian, and not a Hebrew. However, as a "tent cord", he was connected to "the tent" of Israel as a necessary part. Later, in the Book of Judges, Ja-el, the wife in a family from the same tribe as Jethro, would kill with a tent peg or tent stake the general of an oppressive enemy army which had taken control over Israel. (Judges 4:17-21). This tribe of Jethro's, and later Ja-el's, the Kenites, were descendants of Cain, the son of Adam who killed his own brother Abel, yet Jethro and Ja=el were chosen by God to play a role in two different types of exodus from oppression of the Israelites. From this sabbath's reading in Ex. 18, Jethro had heard the reports of what the LORD had done for the Israelites, even bringing them out of Egypt, and went to seek out Moses where the Israelites hd camped in the wilderness at the base of the mountain of God to ask him about it (Ex. 18:1, 5). Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to deliver His people, and Jethro rejoiced, blessed the LORD, worshipped the LORD with a burnt offering and sacrifices (before the Law was given), and declared: "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them." Then Aaron and the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law (see hatan above) before God (Ex. 18:9-12). They had communion together, a covenant meal. Jethro would also give Moses wise advice concerning the judging, or the settling of disputes, among the population of hundreds of thousands of Israelites (Ex. 18:13-23). Jethro's advice to Moses forms the basis for how governments are able to administrate even today. From a previous sabbath reading, we discovered that Jethro's other name in scripture was Reuel (Ex. 2:18), meaning "friend of God". There is a scripture describing a friend who sticks closer than a (blood) brother (Prov. 18:24). This was Jethro also. God called Abraham His friend too (2 Chron. 20:7, Isa. 41:8, James 2:23). This kind of friendship has a special place in the heart of God. Believe it or not, Jethro had a third name! This name was Hobab/habab/haba, meaning "cherish, love fervently, to hide as in the bosom/breathe upon as being close to/to hide, secretly held) mentioned in Judges 4:11 and Num. 10:29-32. With his three names, Jethro brings to my mind the Trinity of Father (Abundance, Exceeds measure or limit, Excellence) , Son (Beloved, cherished and hidden), and Holy Spirit (Friend and Comforter). In Num. 10:29-32, Moses begs his father-in-law to travel with the Israelites through the wilderness "...that thou mayest be to us instead of eyes...And it shall be, if you go with us - indeed it shall be - that whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same we will do to you." Jethro became an essential part of the exodus, a Greek-Latin word meaning "the way or road out of". We can't always assume that we know all of the friends of God that are deeply loved, and kept hidden in His bosom. Jesus said, "...he who is not against us is on our side" (Mk. 9:38-41). I am convinced that God still has these seemingly unlikely cherished friends whom He keeps close to Him, hidden in His bosom, and unrecognized by us. We see this again in other portions of this sabbath's readings. Isaiah had a vision of the Lord in His heavenly temple. He saw and heard the seraphim (sarap - fiery, burning, poisonous serpents, to burn up, kindled, utterly, to cause to burn, to absorb with fire) angels crying to each other: "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory." (Isa. 6:1-3). The glory of the LORD is not confined to His tent/tabernacle/temple in Isaiah's vision, but it has exceeded those limits (see the meaning of Yitro/Jethro above) to include the whole earth. Considering the meaning and description of these angels, above, I'm not going to argue with them! In another sabbath portion, the LORD calls to Jacob, or Israel, and his descendants to be brought back from all directions, and adds: "Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him." He calls out "the blind people who have eyes", and "the deaf who have ears", and let all nations be gathered together...let them hear and say, 'It is truth.'". (Isa. 43:5-9). The word "everyone" is used in these verses. It is the Hebrew word kol/kalal, and means "everything, all, whole, whosoever, whatsoever, totality, any number, as many as, all the earth, the whole flock/made perfect, to complete, to crown, nuptials, crowning of a bride". Believers in Christ should be able to see themselves clearly in the meaning of "everyone" used here. In the last portion of this sabbath's reading that we will look at here, there is a revival of the Word of God among the Israelites who returned from Babylonian captivity. The people, gathered together as one man, asked Ezra the priest and scribe to read the Book of the Law of Moses to them. The assembly was described as the men and women, "and all who could hear with understanding...who could understand" (Neh. 8:1-3). The people were assembled in front of the Water Gate. The Water Gate and its nearby tower, located on the eastern side of Jerusalem, were believed to have been added later to the original footprint of the walls of the city. The Gate's purpose was to not only bring more water into Jerusalem, but to provide water from the Gihon (Gihon/giah - bursting forth/come forth, bring forth, like a child brought forth from the womb) River to the outlying population - to those beyond the limit of the original walls of the city. As we have seen in this sabbath reading, Jethro and others, named and unnamed, have a special place in the heart and plan of God for His people, and play an important role in their exodus, meaning "the way or road out of" Egypt and other oppressive situations. There are "friends of God" still, I am convinced, who play a role in the plans of God, until "the whole earth is filled with His glory". They may appear to dwell outside the tent of God's people, but as "tent cords", they are also part of the dwelling that continues to stand against the winds and the rains. The LORD gave a wonderful prophecy to Isaiah for the barren woman who has no children: "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand/break forth to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited." (Isa. 54:2-3). If you would like to understand more about these "other sheep", as Jesus called them, which also includes ourselves, you can pray with me: "Father, You have cherished friends hidden in Your bosom whom You have called to serve Your will, and to be a benefit to Your people. They may appear to me to be beyond the limit of Your dwelling, but Your dwelling exceeds all limits. You have told me to lengthen my tent cords, and to enlarge the place of my tent. Teach me Your Word, not by my own understanding and perception, nor by tradition, but by the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit, who guides me in all of Your truth. Let me join in Your call to "everyone" to be brought back to Your dwelling place. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN." **There is a free ebook now available that was written by a well-respected author on the subject of the fascinating Shroud of Turin titled: "The Shroud of Turin- A Perfect Summary". You can get this free ebook by going to www.TheShroudofTurin.org/freebook.**

Foundation

We are still in the Book of Genesis, or B'reshit: The Beginning, in the sabbath schedule of readings, and we will see another beginning this week. This week's Sabbath portion deals with a beginning of a people, a nation, a line of kings, a faith, and even principles of the Church, all accomplished through one man. An eternal, earth-shaking, history-changing foundation was established, and it was established by God out of nothing, and from nowhere. It starts with God saying to a man, "Go, leave!", or Lech L'cha, the title of this sabbath's assigned reading. The man receiving the order to "Go!" was, of course, Abram, who would later be renamed Abraham by God, meaning "Father of a multitude". This man who had no children at the time, would become the patriarch of multiple millions over many generations, because of a promise from God. Abram is described in scripture as having originally come from out of the Chaldees, which is geographically located at the end of the Tigris-Euphrates River system, at the head of the Persian Gulf. The Chaldeans were reportedly made up of Aramaic speaking tribes that had migrated there from the Levant (Middle Eastern area). The Chaldeans were under the rule of Neo-Babylon, which was under the rule of the sprawling Assyrian Empire. As we can see then, Abram was well "buried" in "the back of beyond" obscurity, but God knew him, found him, and called him out. This is the beginning of our foundation as God commanded Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family, and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' So Abram departed (yalak/halak - go, go away, walk, to die, live, manner of life, carry) as the LORD had spoken to him..." (Gen. 12:1-4). The Hebrew word that is translated "departed" here also means "carry". Abram did not leave alone, but carried his wife, his nephew, all of the servants of his household, and the future generations within him that he never thought he would father (including all of us) with him as he began this walk into the unknown land to which the LORD was leading him. At one point in his relationship with God, Abraham was taken outside by the LORD to view the night sky, and the LORD said to him: "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them...so shall your descendants be." (Gen. 15:5, Heb. 11:12). Abraham believed this promise although his wife, Sarah, was barren, and, like himself, of advanced age. In order for a true foundation of God to be established, it is written that Jesus is, and must be, the Chief Cornerstone of that foundation of God's living temple of faith and salvation (Mt. 21:39-44, Eph. 2:19-22), 1 Pet. 2:4-8). We will soon see how Jesus was indeed the Chief Cornerstone of this foundation established by God in Abraham. From another of this sabbath's readings, the LORD reveals how He called the generations, including the generations of Abraham, before they ever appeared: "Who has performed and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first; And with the last I am He." (Isa. 41:4). As this verse refers to God as "the First" and "the Last", we can see Christ emerge because this was the name that identified Him to us (see Rev. 22:13). Many generations later, the descendants of Abraham would be told by the prophet how to be restored back to God from their rebellious ways: "Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him." (Isa. 51:1-2). From this prophecy in Isaiah, which is also part of this sabbath's reading, while the LORD points Israel back to its foundation in Abraham, He also seeks to comfort Zion with the mention of His salvation in the same passage: "Listen to Me, My people; and give ear to Me, O My nation...My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth...The earth will grow old like a garment, and those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will not be abolished." (v. 3-6, excerpt). The LORD speaks of His foundation in Abraham and connects it to His salvation here. We see Jesus make the same connection, as He admonished a generation who had not truly looked back to their foundation, their father, Abraham: "I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you...If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this...Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad...Most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." (Jn. 8:37-58, excerpt). Abraham, who, it is estimated, lived 2,000 years before Christ was born, "saw" Jesus' day of salvation, and rejoiced in it! Jesus, as the slain Lamb of God, existed in eternity with the Father before Abraham, and before the creation itself (see Rev. 13:8). The foundation that God built from Abraham definitely included Jesus as its Chief Cornerstone! The sovereign prophetic power of the foreknowledge of God is awesome to behold as He reveals it to His prophets and apostles (Eph. 2:20), as He did with Abraham. The Book of Hebrews tells us that the heroes of our faith, which included Abraham, saw the promises afar off, were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth because of them (Heb. 11:13). The promises of God that they received by faith separated them from the earth and its other inhabitants. Their home became not this world, but the heavenly realms. Hebrews 11 continues that Abraham specifically knew to wait "for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." (v. 10). Abraham shared in the promise of the salvation of Christ by faith, because he had to wait for its fulfillment in us. (Heb. 11:39-40). In fact, many prophets saw and desired to receive the fulfillment of this promise of salvation through Christ in their lifetimes, but had to receive its fulfillment by faith as it was not yet time for Christ to appear (see Lk. 10:23-24). This is the purpose of this part of the foundation of faith that God established in Abraham - many additions would be built, and elevations added upon this foundation, of generations in Christ not yet born, in order to build that living city of God for which Abraham waited (Rev. 21:2-3). There is another interaction between God and Abraham included in this week's sabbath reading that will again mysteriously connect Abraham to Christ, and to the Church of believers. In Gen 17, the LORD appeared to Abraham and said: "I am Almighty God (Shaddai/saday- most powerful); walk before (halak + panim - come away, walk, depart, die, live, carry + face, presence, turn oneself to look at anything) Me and be blameless/perfect (tamim/tamam - without blemish, complete, whole, entirely in accord with truth/ finished, to be completely crossed over)...As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations...I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you, and to your descendants after you." (Gen. 17:1-7). As God called Abraham to walk before Him and be perfect, we also are called to do the same (see Eph. 4:11-13, Eph. 5:25-27). These are principles established by the foundation created by God in Abraham. Again God called Abraham to "depart", but this departure would be with God's presence in covenant. "Covenant", meaning alliance, is the Hebrew word berit, meaning "create, birth, something new, cut, separate, cause to eat, cut in order to choose and separate". The word, berit, is composed of the Hebrew letters beth, reysh, yod, and tav. The meanings of these letters put together could be: "The house, body or family by the Highest's hand on the cross". There is no covenant made between God and man except through Jesus Christ, who is present in the very word "covenant", whether it was made before or after His physical appearing. Abraham was told of a token or sign that he and his generations must carry as part of this "cut" covenant. The sign or token, which is the Hebrew word ot, formed by the letters aleph, vaw, and tav, meaning "Adonai God nailed to the cross", is circumcision (mul - cut down, cut in pieces, cut off, destroy). Circumcision is meant to distinguish one from uncircumcision, which means "uncircumcised of the lips and heart, to remain unharvested, to regard as profane or unpure". Paul wrote that circumcision, rather than an outer, fleshly work, is truly fulfilled as an inner, spiritual work in the heart (Rom. 2:28-29). This is not just a New Testament concept, but this inner circumcision was also expressed clearly by Moses (Deut. 10:12-17, Deut. 30:6). In this week's sabbath reading, the prophet Jeremiah also repeated this truth: "For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem... 'Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your hearts...lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings." (Jer. 4:3-4). However, Paul went even further regarding inner circumcision, writing: "For we ARE the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Phil. 3:3). We, as the circumcision, are the sign or token of God's covenant of eternal life through Jesus, His Salvation. This was established in the foundation that God created in Abraham. God's encounters with Abraham are too numerous to be detailed here, but, as we read the words of Jesus, we can see that His words are life for the children of Abraham, Jew and Gentile, for Abraham was the father (ab- founder of a household, group, family, clan) of many nations, and a hero of faith. The children of Abraham are built upon his apostolic and prophetic foundation, with Christ as its Chief Cornerstone, who do as their father Abraham did. If you would like to know more about this foundation that was established by God in Abraham, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You called Abram out of the world and its empires, and into Your Presence. You revealed great mysteries of Christ to him as Your apostle and prophet for future generations. You gave him a new name, and separated him as You cut covenant with him, and all of his household. You have given him to us as a reminder of Your foundation, and the work of Christ in him, and in his descendants. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that the work of Christ may be perfected and completed in my heart also. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."