LIGHT

     The title of this Sabbath's reading portion is T'tzavveh, which means, "You shall command." The title comes from Exodus 27:20, as the LORD said to Moses: "And you shall command (tsav-vaw - command, charge, appoint, ordain a divine act, send a messenger, set in order, heap of stones, guide stone) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-children of Israel that they bring you pure (zak/zakak - pure. clean, righteous/pure, bright, clean, shining, transparently clean, to wash, to be transparent, innocent) oil of pressed (katit/katat - beaten in a mortar rather than in a press, pounded fine/beat, break in pieces, crushed, destroy, to break, to rout an enemy) olives for the light (ma'or/'or - luminous body, brightness, light-bearer, candlestick/light, shine, enlighten, fire, glorious, light of day, light the eyes, make the face shine), to cause ('ala - offer, ascend, light, arose, exalted, offering, rise, shoot forth, come up before God) the lamp (nir - to glisten, a lamp, a light, progeny) to burn ('ala - see above) continually (tamid - continually, evermore, always, perpetual, indefinite extension, sacrifice)."  This instruction was for the care of the golden lampstand that was to be placed within the tabernacle.

     As we see the Hebrew meanings of the words in this one verse, the light and effectiveness of the lamp do not come without cost. The purity and brightness of the light are products of the oil of olives that have been beaten and crushed and is also connected to the idea of righteousness and innocence. The burning light produced is an offering, a sacrifice that rises up before God, and produces progeny (descendants). According to the meanings above, this light is not limited to the area around it but shoots forth in indefinite extension. It is a light that is commanded to shine continually, and forever more. Jesus said of Himself that He is the light of the world. He also said of those who believe in Him that we are the light of the world. (Mt. 5:14-16).

     Daniel prophesied of those who were wise in the last days of great turmoil and persecution: "Those who are wise shall shine (zahar - admonish, warn, teach, shine, send out light, be light, be bright, to enlighten, to shine forth, be brilliant, give forth light) like the brightness (zohar - brightness, shining, brilliancy) of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars (kokab - star, of Messiah/Christ, numerous progeny, blazing, an illustrious prince) forever and ever." (Dan. 12:3). This light that is commanded above by God to Moses is not the light that we take for granted, produced at the flip of a switch. This light is an offering, a sacrifice, that multiplies. It is the same 'or light (see ma'or/'or above) that God spoke into the dark emptiness before the creation in Genesis 1. It is the light that is produced by and is obedient to the voice of God. It is the same light that the darkness cannot overcome (see Jn. 1:5). It is the light of God and His Son, the Messiah/Christ, Jesus.

    The maintenance of this light in the tabernacle was a responsibility given to the priesthood (Lev. 24:1-4, Num. 8:1-3). There is an account in scripture of a negligent and vile priesthood and the lamp of (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD during a time when there was no longer an open (paras - burst out, burst forth, open) vision (hazon/haza - to see, prophecy, perceiving eyes/vision in night, prophecy, revelation, oracle) in Israel: "And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to dim (kehe/kaha - be dark, dim, obscure/utterly, darkened, be restrained, the light of the eye grows dull) that he could not see (ra'a), and before the lamp (nir - see above) of God went out (kaba - quenched, extinguish light or fire) in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, that the LORD called (qara' - call out, appoint, be chosen) Samuel. And he answered, 'Here I am!' (1 Sam. 3:2-4).

     Although young Samuel was not of the priestly tribe of the Levites, he was dedicated or set apart to the service of the LORD by His mother before his miracle conception. He became a living offering to the LORD in a way. He even wore a little linen ephod (see 1 Sam. 2:18-19) as he ministered to the LORD under Eli, the priest. 

     As Eli allowed the lamp of the LORD to grow dim in the tabernacle, his sight, both physical and spiritual, became dim also. Before the lamp went out, the LORD called young Samuel and spoke to him. Eli's household would be judged because of the wickedness of Eli's sons and Eli's reluctance to restrain his sons. The LORD said: "For I have told him (Eli) that I will judge (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-his-house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them...And therefore...the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned (kapar - atonement, purge, reconciliation, forgive, pardon, to be covered) for by sacrifice or offering forever." (v. 13-14).

     The house of Eli would be removed from the priesthood, and Samuel, the young boy, would become the priest, prophet and judge of Israel. The LORD called Samuel before the lamp of the tabernacle could be allowed to go out from neglect.

     Jesus spoke of the connection between this spiritual light and spiritual eyesight: "The lamp (lychnos/leukos - a lamp, candle or candle placed on a stand or candlestick, illuminator, the eye which shows the body which way to move or turn/light, bright, brilliant, dazzling white, white garments, white color of ripening grain)) of the body is the eye (ophtahlmos/optanomai - the eye, sight, the eyes of the mind, the faculty of knowing, vision/to look at, to gaze at something remarkable with wide-open eyes, to allow one's self to be seen). If therefore your eye is good (halous - as a particle of a union, whole, fulfilling its office, good, sound), your whole body will be full of light (photoeinos - composed of light, well-illuminated, full of light, transparent). But if your eye is bad (poneros/ponos/penes - evil, wicked, full of and pressed by labors or annoyances or hardship/great trouble, anguish/starving poor), your whole body will be full of darkness (skoteinos - full of darkness, covered with darkness, opaque). If therefore the light that is in you is darkness (skotos - darkness, darkened eyesight or blindness, ignorance respecting divine things and the consequent misery in hell, a person in whom darkness becomes visible and holds sway), how great is that darkness (skotos -see above/skia - shadow, shade caused by the interception of light)!" (Mt. 6:22-23). The Greek meanings in these verses give us a deeper understanding of light and darkness, and the struggle for control within us as well as the connection between spiritual light and the spiritual sight of the eye. Paul also prayed that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened that we may know the hope of His calling and the glory of His inheritance in the saints. (see Eph. 1:17-18).

     It is interesting to note that the weekly observance of the Sabbath in each home begins with the prayerful lighting of the Sabbath candles and, by the sweeping of hands over the candles and then to the eyes, the light of the candles is invited and received into the eyes. Lord, light our eyes with the revelation of our Savior, Messiah/Christ Jesus.

     Jesus told a parable about ten virgins who were to be part of the wedding of the Bridegroom, who returned at night. Five of the virgins were wise (see Daniel above), having plenty of oil (see above) to keep their lamps shining brightly. Five of those virgins were foolish. They could not go out to meet the Bridegroom when He came because they had no oil with which to light their lamps. By the time they had acquired the oil, the Bridegroom had already come and gone, having entered into the wedding, and the door was shut. When the five foolish virgins came afterward crying for the Lord to open to them, He answered: "Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know (eido - to see, perceive, look, behold, turn the eyes to) you." (Mt. 25:1-13). Not only does the lighted lamp represent all of those things that we saw above, but the prepared lamp of (spiritual) light also identifies who is known by Messiah/Christ, who revealed Himself as the returning Bridegroom in the parable. He identified the wise virgins by His light shining within them.

     Peter wrote of the special priesthood of light that has been given to those who have become part of the Light of the world, Jesus: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness (skotos/skia - see above) into His marvelous light (phos - light emitted by a lamp, heavenly light, fire as light and which sheds light, God as light which is pure and brilliant, the light of truth and knowledge and spiritual purity) who once were not a people but are now the people of God [note - God is light: see 1 Jn. 1:5], who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (1 Pet. 2:9-10).

      Jesus spoke of and Paul wrote of the believers in Christ as sons of light who believe in the Light (Jesus), walking as a child of light, and being light in the Lord. (see Jn. 12:36, Eph. 5:8, 1 Thess. 5:4-5). We can understand the importance of having our eyes enlightened in understanding spiritual truths, as well as being light that leads others out of darkness, but there is also another spiritual importance to this kind of light. Paul wrote that all things, including the things to be reproved (elegcho - exposed, call to account, bring to the light), are made manifest (phaneroo/phaneros/phaino/phos - to make visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, expose to view, to be plainly recognized/apparent, open, shining/appear, to lighten, shine, be bright, be resplendent, be brought forth into the light, shed light/light, emitting light) by light that is shone upon them: "...for whatever makes manifest is light." (Eph. 5:13). To me this means that not only do we shine light into ourselves to expose any darkness that is present, but it also means to shine this light onto the hidden works of darkness in a way that exposes them for all to see. However, Paul notes that all things are made manifest by light, including the hidden things of God - revelation, visions and so on. We, being light, also make these truths plain for all to see. The same light that can expose darkness and its works is the same light that also manifests the light of the Lord and heaven here on earth. All things are made manifested by this light. Paul also connects this kind of light to resurrection, writing: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light" (v. 14), which he taught from Isa. 26:19 and Isa. 60:1. We have already been raised from the dead when we are in Messiah/Christ. (see Eph. 2:5-7, Col. 2:12-13, Col. 3:1-4).

     This Sabbath is a special Sabbath referred to as Zachor, meaning "Remember" or "Don't Forget." This is the Sabbath that comes before Purim, a day set aside to remember and celebrate the destruction of a plot to kill the Jewish people of Persia (now Iraq/Iran). The king of Persia ruled over an empire that extended from India to Ethiopia. (Esther 1:1-4). A set of circumstances occurred by which (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Esther, whose Jewish identity and Jewish name (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Hadassah (myrtle tree) had been hidden from the king, ended up being the king's new wife, (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-queen of the land. There was an evil man named Haman, who was one of the princes of the land, who had gotten the permission of the king to execute all of the Jews in the empire by paying money to the king. Esther was exhorted by her uncle to go to the king and intercede with him against this wicked decree. She was the only person who was in a position to approach the king. She feared that the king could kill her for approaching him without having been summoned, but with the support of the prayers and fasting of the Jews in the land, Esther approached the king. (Est. 4:10-17, Est. 5:1-3).

     Reminding us of what Paul wrote above, the evil plot of Haman was exposed or made manifest before the king by Esther. However, not only was Haman exposed, but an even greater hidden secret would be exposed or made manifest at the same time - Esther's Jewish identity. (Est. 7:1-6). Haman and his sons were destroyed, and the threat to the Jewish people was removed. How does light play a part in this story? Hidden things were revealed or made manifest, which is one of the things that light accomplishes, but also, Esther's name means "Star", which is a light in the heavens. (see also Dan. 12:3 as mentioned above). Esther, the Star, a light of heaven, saved many lives that day, including her own.

     If you would like to learn more about being light in the Kingdom of God, you can join with me in my prayer: "Heavenly Father, You are called 'The Father of Lights.' Scripture says that You are light. Jesus our Savior said that He is the Light of the world and called us to be the same light. Lord, help me to understand by Your Word and Holy Spirit how to walk as this light. Help me to be one who dispels the darkness in Jesus' name and Light. Help me to be the resurrection light of Messiah/Christ to those who are in darkness and perishing. Let the light of Christ and the candle of the Holy Spirit that dwell within me as Your Word promises, shed light upon hidden things, including first the hidden things in my own soul. I ask this in the name of the Lord, 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. 

Offerings

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is T'rumah, meaning "Offering." The title comes from the first two verses of the reading in Exodus 25: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses saying: 'Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering (teruma - see below). From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart (leb/lebab/labab - heart, mind, soul, emotions, understanding, wisdom, inner part [of a man], center, conscience/ravished my heart, be wise, make the heart beat faster, transport with love) you shall take My offering." (Ex. 25:1-2). 

     All of the reading portions for this Sabbath, Ex. 25, Ex. 27, 1 Chron. 22, 1 Kings 5, 1 Kings 8, 2 Kings 12, deal with the building of the tabernacle or the building of the temple of God, the places that housed the presence and glory of God. What kind of offering will build these physical and, as we will see, spiritual sacred places? It is very important for us to understand the kind of willing offering that the LORD is requesting in order to build His house, the place of His dwelling among His people. The tabernacle and temple were the most important physical structures to Israel and also play a major role in scripture. However, for this Sabbath, the title tells us that it is the teruma offering that the LORD wants His people to consider.

     The Hebrew word for "offering", which is also the title of the Sabbath reading, is teruma/rum. Teruma contains both a positive and negative meaning. The positive, powerful and awesome meaning in the Hebrew is: "offering, heave offering, burnt offering, a present offered especially in sacrifice or as a tribute/exalt, lift up, high, offer, give, heave, extol, lofty, rise up, set on high, be lifted up, become powerful, exalt as victor, exalt with praise, be extolled with praise, cause to grow." Jesus said of the willing offering of Himself: "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up (see above) from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.' This He said, signifying by what death He would die." (Jn. 12:31-33). This willing teruma "lifted up" offering of Himself, turned the world upside down. It is this same offering that draws "all peoples" to Him and to salvation. We can see how important it is for us to understand the teruma offering.

     The teruma offering is to come from our heart, our deepest part, according to the above verses. The meaning above for "heart" is beautiful. However, there is also a negative meaning connected to teruma/rum, "offering", including: "rotten, wormy, breed worms, presumptuously, proud, haughty." We will see where this negative meaning in connection to the teruma offering of the heart might come from. 

     The Hebrew words in the verses above that are translated as "heart" can also carry a negative meaning: "be deprived, be void of heart, empty and void, imbecility and dullness of human understanding compared with the divine wisdom, to wound." We need to look into our hearts as we bring our offerings to the LORD. An offering that has the potential to exalt and lift up the LORD, cast out His enemies, and draw all peoples to Him, can just as easily become an offering that is rotten, full of worms and our own self-importance, self-righteousness and pride, empty and void of heart towards the LORD.

     A Perfect teruma Offering for sin, Jesus, was sent by God (see Heb. 10:5-7, 14, 2 Cor. 5:21) to elevate, lift and raise us also from the lowliest state to a state of honor, to a state that causes us to be seated with Messiah/Christ in the heavenly places (see Eph. 2:4-7). This is the power of Messiah/Christ's teruma offering. This is the same offering that builds the House/Tabernacle of God.

     How can an empty heart and, as a consequence, a wormy rotten offering, affect the House of God? 

     The prophets wrote of how the LORD refused the offerings and sacrifices of His people because the condition of their hearts had become corrupt. (see Amos 5:21-24, Isa. 1:11-13). Jesus spoke of the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of the time, who congratulated themselves for minutely following the Law of Moses pertaining to tithes (the giving of the tenth to God) but ignored the weightier principles of the Law: justice, mercy and faith... and the love of God. He called them blind guides full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (see Mt. 23:23-28 and Lk. 11:42). Their hearts contained no real love for God or His principles and character.

     While the house of God is built by the teruma offerings brought based upon the obedience, love and worship of God within our hearts, it is also destroyed by the neglectful, rebellious and unloving hearts of God's people as we will see.

     Only the finest and most precious elements were used to build the tabernacle and then the temple by those of willing hearts and according to the heavenly *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega pattern (tabnit - pattern, plan, likeness, form, similitude, figure, resemblance) (see Ex. 25:9) shown to Moses by the LORD. This *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega pattern of the tabernacle and later temple reflected the resemblance and form of the Messiah/Christ (see *note below). Israel carried upon their shoulders the prophetic promise and likeness of Jesus Messiah/Christ with them as they moved the tabernacle from place to place in their journey. The furnishings within the tabernacle were placed in the pattern of the cross and the encampment of the tribes around the tabernacle was in the form of a cross.  However, the people began to depend and take assurance from the presence of the physical edifice, however, rather than the grace, glory and atonement provided by the presence of the LORD who dwelt among them.

     In one instance, the prophet Jeremiah exposed this false assurance of a people who had turned away from God, yet relied upon the physical presence of His temple to keep them safe from their enemies. The prophet wrote the warning Word of the LORD: "Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Do not trust in these lying words, saying, 'The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these." (Jer. 7:3-4).  The Word of the LORD reminded Jerusalem of how He allowed His tabernacle in Shiloh to be destroyed: "And now, because you have done all these works,...and I spoke to you rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer, therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh." (Jer. 7:13-14). The LORD was willing to see the House called by His name destroyed because it no longer contained the love and devotion of His people.

     David wrote that the sacrifices and offerings brought to the LORD meant nothing without coming from a heart of delight in God, in His Word, in His righteousness, faithfulness, salvation, loving kindness and truth as shown by David's declaration of these things before others. (see Ps. 40:6-10). This is the kind of heart-birthed teruma offering that builds the House of the LORD. As David described this kind of offering in the House of God, he included this prophecy concerning the coming Messiah/Christ: "Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me." (v. 7). Again we see the true meaning and power of the teruma offering connected to Jesus Christ.

     In a powerful correction to His own people who brought corrupt "wormy" offerings out of a neglectful and corrupt heart, the LORD allowed His house where He placed His name, His House by which His own people identified themselves as different from among the nations, both the tabernacle and two temples, to be destroyed by enemies that overran Israel, such as the Philistines in Shiloh, the Babylonians in Jerusalem and the Romans in Jerusalem. Judgment begins in the house of the LORD based upon the hearts of His people towards Him. (see 1 Pet. 4:17, Ezek. 9:3-11, Mal. 3:5-7).

     In Malachi, the LORD prophesied of sending the coming Refiner, even the Lord Himself, for whom the people were waiting and delighting. Then the LORD asks: "But who can endure (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like launderers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-sons-of-Levi (the tribe of priests serving in the House of the LORD), and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness." (Mal. 3:1-3). The LORD's own priesthood, the Levites, which served in His House, had to be purged, cleansed, purified and refined in the spiritual fire of the Refiner, the Messiah/Christ. They had become cursed because they did not glorify God and they did not take His Words to heart. (see Mal. 2:1-2).

      In the week of His crucifixion, Jesus broke out into a holy rage of zealousness (Jn. 2:13-17, Ps. 69:8-9) for God's House, as prophesied, when He came to the Temple in Jerusalem and drove out the money-making profiteers who had set up their lending and selling of offerings in the Temple. After Jesus cleansed the Temple in this manner, the blind and the lame came to Him in the Temple to be healed. The priests and other religious leaders were not pleased "and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching." (see Mt. 21:12-16, Mk. 11:15-18). Was Jesus zealous to the point of overturning rage for a physical building only? And especially one that He knew would be destroyed within a generation of His death and resurrection? I believe that He was fighting for much more than the physical temple.

     I have to wonder at the greater meaning of all of the scriptures, only some of which are covered by this Sabbath reading portion, dealing with the House of God and the offerings pertaining to it. Many chapters of scripture are dedicated to revealing the most minute details regarding these things. Ezekiel received a vision of yet another future temple, and both the prophets and Jesus described the role the House of God would play in the events of the latter days before His return. It is not a small topic in the Word of God. It seems to me that both the House of God and the teruma offerings of His people reflect the true heart of the people towards the LORD - do they view Him and His House as an empty but necessary religious obligation, or are they seeking Him, honoring Him and lifting Him out of love, reverence and gratitude?

     How we view the House of the LORD and the teruma offerings that we bring take us to a New Testament revelation: Because of the willing eternal teruma offering of Jesus Messiah/Christ out His love of His Father in heaven, the House of God is now built, not of curtains or stone, but of living people. Those who are part of Messiah/Christ are living stones being built into a spiritual house. We are..."a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4-5). As Peter compares the believers in Christ to a holy priesthood, then the offerings that we bring are not just on our own behalf, but like the Levitical priests, the offerings are brought to the LORD on behalf of all of the people. Are we able to see the far-reaching effects of the teruma offering? What a wondrous privilege and calling have been given to us!  Is this the way, in the role of holy priests, that we view the offerings that we bring to God? Think of the implications of such teruma offerings, and their effect upon all people.

     Paul wrote that we are temples of the Holy Spirit of God, because the Holy Spirit is within us as believers in Christ: "For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Cor. 3:19-20, see also 1 Cor. 3:16-17). Wormy and rotten offerings from an empty heart without love for God is not acceptable in His spiritual House any more than they were acceptable to Him in His physical House. Paul wrote that our great offering is to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, being transformed from the thinking and ways of the world "...that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom. 12:1-2). Are we viewing the offerings that we bring to God with the mind of the world, or with the mind of Christ and the Holy Spirit? Not only do we present physical offerings to God but also ourselves as a spiritual offering proving the will of God for and to all men.

     Finally, we are given, in the Book of Revelation, a new heaven and a new earth, a picture of the City of God descending from heaven, and with it, a special tabernacle with God: "Then I, John, saw the holy city (see also Mt. 5:14-16), New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as (hos - even as) a bride (see Rev. 19:6-9) for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with (meta - amid, among, after) men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' And He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.'...But I saw no temple in it, for the LORD God Almighty and the Lamb (referring to Jesus) are its temple (naos - sacred edifice or sanctuary at Jerusalem, spiritual temple consisting of the saints from all ages of time joined together by and in Christ)." (Rev. 21:1-5, 22). For the first time, I see this city descending from heaven, not as a city in the usual brick and mortar sense that we may think, but as a Body of living stones, the glorified resurrected believers, the Bride of Christ, and in the heart of this living Body, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have made their dwelling place. This is the ultimate result of the exalting, lifting and rising teruma offering (see meaning above) from the heart that is transported by the love (see leb/lebab/labab above) and delights in God.

     From this I am seeing that the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) pattern of the tabernacle and its furnishings given to Moses was always based upon a living tabernacle which is built from the willing teruma offering of Messiah/Christ and those who are joined with and in Him. 

     If you would like to learn more about teruma offerings of the tabernacle, you can join my prayer: "LORD God and Father, You are teaching deeper things about Your tabernacle, the offerings, and the heart of Your people. I know that these things have great significance in Your Word, and in Your plans for all people. By Your Word and Spirit, let my heart and mind be transformed so that I am able to learn, understand and live these things. You are the God of the living, and Your salvation and glory are for the living, and Your desire is to dwell forever among and within living men. Help me to understand the power and prophetic significance of the teruma offering, in the likeness of Your Son, brought to You with a heart of love. I ask these things 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. 

SeeingGod

     

 

     The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Mishpatim, meaning "Judgments/Ordinances". The title comes from the first verse of this reading portion, Exodus 21:1, as the LORD spoke to Moses: "Now these are the judgments (mispat - judgment, manner, right, cause, ordinance, order, worthy, law, measure, justice-right-rectitude [included in the attributes of God]) which you shall set before them (meaning the Israelites)..."

     We view the word "judgment" in a negative way associating it with only condemnation and punishment. However, "judgment" is more associated with the idea of justice and righteousness, and with the very characteristics of God, as we see in the Hebrew meaning above. It not only includes the idea of punishment from the root word sapat, but also to govern and to vindicate. In the chapters that follow, the LORD demands justice for those who are in servitude, for the poor, and for a stranger or foreigner. The LORD states: "You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute. Keep yourself far from a false (seqer - lying, falsehood, false, wrongfully, deceitful, liar, fraud, deception, swear falsely, deal falsely) matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked. And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discernment and perverts the words of the righteous. Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt." (Ex. 23:6-9). It is among God's people and under God's mispatim judgments that a person should be able to find justice, truth and righteousness. Through His mispatim judgments, one is able to see God through His attributes that are contained within His written mispat judgments.

     The Hebrew letters used to create the word mispat or judgment are "mem, shin, phe, teth". Each Hebrew letter also has an individual meaning. The individual meanings of these four letters, when joined together, convey the idea: "the mighty water and blood from the Rock, when spoken or commanded by the open mouth, destroys and devours the hidden, coiled snake." I can see our Rock, Jesus, in this meaning. He is the Rock of Zion, a Rock of offense and stumbling for those who are disobedient to the Word of the LORD and unbelieving. (see 1 Pet. 2:6-8, and Isa. 8:13-15).  As prophesied, He is the Rock who crushes the head of Satan, who is the serpent, the snake, the dragon. (Gen. 3:14-15, Rev. 12:9-11).

     From this Mishpatim Sabbath reading, there is another occasion where God was seen. Moses delivered (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-all-the-words of all of the mispat judgments of the LORD to the people. Then: "...Moses wrote (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-all-the-words of the LORD. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-young-men (na'ar - youth, young men, boys, the rustling of a lion's mane which accompanies its roar, overthrow, shake, to growl, yell, make a noise, roar as a young lion) of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen (represented by the letter aleph in Hebrew) to the LORD. Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, 'All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient.' And Moses took (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-blood, sprinkled (zaraq - sprinkle, strew, scatter abundantly, live coals) it on the people, and said, 'This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words." (Ex. 24:1-8).

     There are a few things in the verses above that are very interesting. The twelve pillars were not part of the altar, but were built in addition to the altar. It is written above that these twelve pillars were according to the twelve tribes of Israel. As I considered the meaning of these twelve tribal pillars, I thought of the verses from Gen. 31:45-50. Jacob had set a stone as a pillar as well as a heap of stones between himself and his father-in-law, Laban. Laban said, "This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me for harm." Jacob then made a sacrifice and called his brethren to eat bread on the mountain. (v. 54). The twelve pillars around Moses' altar were to stand forever as witnesses to the sacrifice made at the altar, and the covenant blood. We also are to be pillar witnesses of the sacrifice and the blood that were shed for our salvation.

     Moses said above, "This is the blood of the covenant...". Jesus would say generations later: "...this is my blood of the new (kainos - a new kind, unprecedented, uncommon, fresh, recent, unused) covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Mt. 26:28, 1 Cor. 11:25). It is also interesting in the above verses that the blood of the sacrifice didn't become associated with the Messiah/Christ with the notation of the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega until it was strewn or scattered abundantly upon the people. The blood of Messiah/Christ Jesus must be applied, sprinkled, strewn and scattered abundantly to become associated with Him. How are we sprinkling the blood of Christ that we have been given?

     Another interesting detail from the Exodus 24 verses above is the fact that only the young men were dispatched to gather the offering and sacrifice for the altar, which was unusual. In Hebrew, the meaning of "young men" as noted above has to do with the shaking of the mane and the roaring of a lion. These young men are also associated with the Messiah/Christ because they are connected to *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega, in the above verses. Our Savior Jesus is also known as "The Lion of the Tribe of Judah." He brought the sacrifice to the altar/cross, which was Himself.

     What happens next, after these offerings are made upon this altar will include the seeing of God: "Then Moses went up ('ala - ascend, raised, offering, light, come up before God, be taken up into), also with Aaron, Nadab (meaning to offer willingly, a son of Aaron), and Abihu (meaning "He is my father", a son of Aaron), and seventy elders of Israel, and they saw (ra'a - see, behold, consider, perceive, foresee, have vision, discern, distinguish, gaze at, be visible) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire (sapir/sapar - sapphire stone for beauty and splendor/declare, show forth, commune, rehearse, take account of, to score with a mark, to inscribe letters on a stone) stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity (tohar/taher - purifying, clearness, glory, brightness, splendor, majesty/clean, purify, purge, make clean, innocent, holy, to shine, be bright). But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-God, and they ate ('akal - eat, devour, burn up, consume by fire, slay, destroy) and drank (sata - drink, banquet, feast)." (Ex. 24:9-11).

     They saw God, who is identified by the presence of the *aleph-tav with the Messiah/Christ. They ate and drank on the mountain, but this was no average meal. It was a meal of covenant - a covenant created out of the blood of the sacrifice that was slain, the body consumed by the fire of the altar, and devoured. It was a banquet feast like the marriage supper of the Lamb. (see Rev. 19:6-9). As the names of Aaron's sons tell us in Hebrew, it involved the generous willing Offering of the One who says, "He is My Father." This willing Offering will also be One who will consume His enemies "with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His appearing." (2 Thess. 2:8).

     Moses, Aaron, Aaron's sons and the seventy elders (also see Lk. 10:1, and 17-20) were not the only ones to see at least the presence of God that day after the building of the altar: "The sight (mar'e/ra'a - appearance, sight, visage, form, countenance, vision, look upon/see ra'a above) of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming/devouring (see 'akal above) fire on top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel." (Ex. 24:17). All of Israel who were waiting at the bottom of the mountain saw the glory of God's presence on the top of the mountain, and they saw Moses enter into it.

     From another reading portion of this Mishpatim Sabbath, the prophet Amos wrote of the LORD calling His people to seek Him: "Seek (daras - to beat or tread a path to, seek with care, search, enquire) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour (see 'akal above) it, with no one to quench it in Bethel (meaning "the house of God") - You who turn justice/judgment (see mispat above) to wormwood (la'ana - bitterness, curse, accursed as poisonous, hemlock), and lay righteousness to rest in the earth!" (Amos 5:6-7). The people of God had been profaning God by perverting His mishpatim judgments/justice, making them a curse instead. Their only hope was to seek out and return to (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD. We are not to profane the attributes of God as found in His justice.

     The prophet Ezekiel, living far away in Babylon as a captive with God's rebellious people, wrote very plainly in another Mishpatim Sabbath reading portion: "Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar (kebar/kabar - continuance of time, a great while, extent of time/plait together, in abundance, to be much or great), that the heavens were opened and I saw visions (mara/mare/ra'a - looking glasses, vision, mirror, mode of revelation) of God (elohim - [plural form] God, judge, ruler, works of God, the true and supreme God, mighty, angels)." (Ezek. 1:1).

     As Ezekiel referred to thirty years, four months and 5 days, the Jewish rabbis conclude that Ezekiel was referring to his own age. Ezekiel was born of the tribe of priests. According to the Law of Moses, Ezekiel's priesthood of service in the Temple of God would have begun at the age of thirty (see Num. 4:23). However, Ezekiel couldn't fulfill his priesthood in the Temple as he would have known it because he was in captivity in Babylon with his people. The Temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed. This year of his life was probably filled with loss because of these things. The number "30" in Hebrew understanding is associated with "dedication for rulership" and is the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew letter lamed, which is the shepherd's hook or rod. Examples of elevation to rulership at thirty years of age are Joseph in Egypt (see Gen. 41:46), David to his kingship over Israel (see 2 Sam. 5:3-4), and as we know, Jesus to public ministry (see Lk. 3:23).

      I'm sure that Ezekiel never suspected that the LORD had other plans in store for his life. Ezekiel would be given visions of God and would be called to be a prophet of the LORD. He would also later be given a vision of a great new temple of God. 

     Jesus, the Son of God, and co-Member of the Trinity, came in the flesh so that we may be able to look upon Him and behold His glory - the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (see Jn. 1:14). Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. (see Acts 7:55-56). Paul wrote that hundreds saw the resurrected Jesus, including Paul himself. (see 1 Cor. 15:3-8). The heavens were opened and John saw Jesus the Lamb seated on His throne in heaven. (see Rev. 5:5-7). In His resurrection body, He is still visible to us (consider the Shroud of Turin) and we will see Him, and not only see Him but be like Him. (1 Jn. 3:2-3).

     If you would like to know more about "seeing God" you can join me in my prayer: "Father of heaven and earth, You have revealed Your attributes, Yourself, in Your mishpatim judgments. You revealed Yourself before Moses, Aaron and the elders of Israel. You gave Your prophet visions of God, and above all, You have shown us Jesus, who said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." (Jn. 14:9). I am Your witness, Lord, that You have made Yourself able be seen by man. I pray that by Your Spirit, by Your attributes in Your mishpatim judgments, and by the image of Your Son, Jesus, many upon many will ra'a see You and will perceive You. 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. 

SpiritAbundance

      

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge...to another faith...to another gifts of healings...to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy...to another discerning of spirits...to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

      As I was reading the selections of scripture that are part of this week's Sabbath portion, I was directed to a common thread that ran through them. I would like to look at this thread to learn more about it.

     This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Yitro, meaning "Abundance." Yitro, whom we call "Jethro" in English, was also the father-in-law of Moses, and we read about him in Exodus 18, beginning with verse 1: "And Jethro (yitro - "his abundance", "his excellence", a tent cord, hanging over, hanging down, that which exceeds measure or limit, remnant, remainder, exceeding, plentiful), the priest (kohen - priest, chief, ruler, officer, prince) of Midian (meaning strife, brawling, contention, quarrelsome, discord), Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Israel His people - that the LORD had brought (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Israel out of Egypt."

     Jethro came to visit Moses, and "Moses told his father-in-law of all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians." (v. 8-9).

     At hearing of the wonderful things that the LORD had done, Jethro had a moment of revelation: "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods; for in the very thing in which they (the gods) behaved proudly, He was above them." Jethro then made sacrifices and offerings to God, and the elders of the Israelites came and shared a covenant meal of bread (lehem/laham - bread, food, shewbread, grain/fight, war, make war, overcome, prevail, use as food, to battle as destruction, devour enemies) with Jethro before God. (v. 11-12). 

     The Hebrew root for "bread", laham (see above), has a very deep meaning. The idea of eating this bread is connected to the idea of prevailing against an enemy. We see this usage in Num. 14:8-9. Jesus also told us that He was our Bread of life sent from heaven and we eat this Bread, being His body broken, in our Communion with Him. Jesus overcame all enemies, even the world, death, hell and the grave.

     As we read this, we can say that Jethro had a revelatory moment of awareness and knowledge of the LORD.  What he had not known before, he now knew with assurance. This is similar to a "born again" experience.

     After this, we begin to see the thread that will travel through this Yitro, "Abundance", Sabbath reading. Jethro gave Moses a word of wise counsel, a word of wisdom that would help, strengthen, and advise an over-burdened Moses as he governs and judges more a million Israelites. Jethro said to Moses: "Listen now to my voice (qol - voice, thunder, proclamation, command, thunderings); I will give you counsel (ya'as - counsellor, counsel, advice, advise, guide, command), and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-difficulties to God. And you shall teach them the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-statutes and (*[vaw]-aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-laws, and show them (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-way in which they must walk and (*[vaw]-aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-work they must do." (v. 19-20).

     Jethro, a ruler who came out of a place whose name means "strife, brawling, contention, discord, quarrelsome" (see "Midian" above), is now able to offer Godly wisdom and counsel to Moses. This is a picture of the work of the Holy Spirit in Jethro. Isaiah described the Holy Spirit as it would manifest in the Messiah/Christ: "The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD." (Isa. 11:2). 

     Jethro told Moses to listen to his voice (see qol above).  In Proverbs 8, Wisdom is described: "Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding lift up her voice?...Counsel ('esa/ya'as - counsel, advice, purpose, prudence/see ya'as above) is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth." (v. 1, 14-16). Jethro's or Yitro's office as a priest, also includes the meaning of prince and ruler (see kohen above). His counsel of wisdom to Moses was to make it easier for Moses to judge the people of Israel, as also mentioned here in Proverbs 8. (see Ex. 18:13-14). As we see from the verses from 1 Corinthians 12 at the top of the page, and the verses above from Isaiah, the word of wisdom is one of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

      We see another characteristic of the Holy Spirit of God as Jethro advised Moses to "Stand before God for the people." This is a position of intercession. The Greek word in the New Testament used as meaning the Holy Spirit is parakletos, which means "called to one's aid, advocate, counsel for defense, intercessor, lead into a deeper knowledge of the Gospel truth, giver of divine strength, comforter, consoler." Finally, Jethro commands Moses to teach the statutes, laws, the way and the walk which the people must know and follow. These four things are connected to the *aleph-tav or the *vaw-aleph-tav in written Hebrew as shown above from Ex. 18. This means that these four things are identified or connected to the Messiah/Christ (see *note below). One of the divine purposes of the Holy Spirit as revealed by Jesus is: "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper/Comforter (parakletos - see above), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." (Jn. 14:25-26).

     Paul also wrote of the powerful intercession that the Holy Spirit makes on our behalf before God: "Likewise the Spirit (pneuma - third Person of the Trinity and co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son, Holy Ghost, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord) also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings (stenagmos - groaning, a sigh) which cannot be uttered...He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Rom. 8:26-27, excerpt).

     Jethro also told Moses above to teach the people the *aleph-tav words, commands, ways and works connected to the Messiah/Christ, which is Jesus. As we can see from Jesus' words above in Jn. 14, this is the function of the Holy Spirit. Jesus also said of the Holy Spirit: "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you." (Jn. 16:14).

     Paul wrote above that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings and sighs that cannot be expressed in human language. Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Helper/Comforter in Jn. 14 above. The Hebrew word used for "Comforter" is naham, which means, "comfort, repent, ease, to console, be sorry, have compassion, to sigh, to groan, to lament, to grieve." Not only do we see the connection in Hebrew to groaning and sighing in intercession, but through the Hebrew word naham we also see the connection of the Comforter to repentance. Repentance is not achieved by the strength of the will of man, but by the sovereign move of the Spirit of God upon and within us. Scripture tells us of Esau, who had changed his mind about rejecting the blessing. However: "...he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it with tears." (Heb. 12:17). He desired to repent but no door of repentance was opened to him. Two of the reading portions of this Yitro, "Abundance", Sabbath, deals with deep repentance.

     Isaiah chapter 6 presents us with the vision of heaven that brought Isaiah his calling to be a prophet. In his vision, Isaiah saw (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-Lord (Adonai) sitting on His throne in (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-temple. Upon seeing the awesome sights and sounds of heaven, Isaiah was moved to repentance, saying: "Woe is me, for I am undone (dama - cut off, perish, lay waste, bring to silence, cut off at the sight of the Theophany)! Because I am a man of unclean (tame' - defiled, polluted, unclean, impure) lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-King, the LORD of hosts." (Isa. 6:1-5).

     As Isaiah cried out the words above, an angel took a live coal (Heb. root word resep/sarap - hot stone, glowing stone or coal, flame, firebolt, spark/set on fire, kindle) from the altar in heaven, and touched Isaiah's mouth with it, saying: "Behold, this has touched you lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged (kapar- atonement, reconciliation, forgiven, atonement made)." (v. 6-7). Then (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-voice of the Lord then spoke sending Isaiah forth with the prophetic message to the people. (v. 8-10).

     The sight of the Messiah/Christ in heaven causes Isaiah to cry out in repentance. Where is the Holy Spirit in this encounter? I see the Holy Spirit in the flaming coal taken from the altar. John the Baptist said that the Messiah/Christ (Jesus) would come baptizing in the Holy Spirit and fire. (see Lk. 3:16-17). When the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples in the upper room on Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, He descended as tongues of fire that rested upon the heads of every disciple. (see Acts 2:1-4) The first indication of the touch of this fire of the Holy Spirit was a change in tongues or language. Their mouths, like Isaiah's, would now be used as vessels of the Lord. Jesus also connected the Helper/Comforter (see above) with repentance: "And when He (the Helper/Comforter) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." Jesus also connected the Holy Spirit with prophecy. (Jn. 16:8, Jn. 16:13).

     We read from another portion of this week's Yitro Sabbath in Nehemiah 8: "Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of/before (panim - before, face, presence, countenance, person, from before time, turned towards the face) the Water (mayim - waters, waterspring, washing, waterflood, waters of refreshment, waters of destruction) Gate (sa'ar - gate, door, gate of entrance, heaven, gate of the temple/tabernacle, split open, set a price); and they told Ezra ('ezra/'ezer/'azar - help, succor, assistance, one who helps/aid, female helper/help, helper, surround, protect, aid, succor) the scribe to bring (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Israel." (v. 1).

     There is important information in this first verse from Nehemiah Ch. 8. The whole congregation of Israel, which is identified with the *aleph-tav or Messiah/Christ, is standing before the "face" of the Water Gate. The waters described here are like flood waters that wash (or destroy) according to the Hebrew meaning. The prophet Ezekiel wrote: "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols...I will put (*vaw-aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-My-Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. ...you shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses...Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations." (Ezek. 36:25, 27-29, 31). The Spirit of God is associated with the cleansing process of God's people, as well as their repentance.

     Ezra, whose name means "helper" (see also parakletos above) is like the Comforter/Holy Spirit who gives aid. The Book of the Law of God which Ezra reads from is associated with the Messiah/Christ, by the presence of the written *aleph-tav in Hebrew. Ezra assigned Levites who explained, gave the sense of, and "helped the people to understand" the Word of God being read to them (see parakletos above: "to lead into a deeper understanding of Gospel truth"). (Neh. 8:7-8, see also Jn. 16:14 above).

     As the people heard the words of the *aleph-tav Book, and were led by the Levites into the understanding of the Word, they began to weep and mourn in repentance because they had not kept the Words of the *aleph-tav Book, which is identified with the Messiah/Christ. The governor, Nehemiah, Ezra the scribe, and the Levites began to comfort and console the people. (v. 9-12). Not only the repentance from being given the understanding of the Word, but the comfort and consolation afterwards are all the work of the Comforter (see naham and parakletos above), the Holy Spirit.

     Paul wrote about the cleansing process that begins in the Word of God and includes the inspiration of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote that Christ gave Himself for the church: "...that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." (Eph. 5:25-27).

     Paul also wrote to Titus, saying: "...when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7).

     The title of this week's Sabbath portion is Yitro, means "Abundance". We see above that the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, is poured out in abundance upon us. Joel wrote: "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out (sapak - to profusely expend [soul, life], spill forth [blood, libation], gush out, shed blood, poured out like water, intensively) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-My-Spirit on all flesh..." (Joel 2:28).

     The above writings of Paul, and the prophecy of Joel above, tell us that both the Word, which is Jesus and His blood, and the Spirit, work together to bring us our regeneration and renewal. John wrote: "...There are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one." (1 Jn. 5:7-8, excerpt).

     If you would like to learn more about the work of the Holy Spirit with the Word of God, you can join my prayer: "Merciful Father, how thankful I am that You sent Your Son, Jesus, the Word, for my salvation! How thankful I am that Your Son, baptized me with Your Holy Spirit! I welcome the cleansing water and renewal of the Word and the Spirit. I welcome the wisdom of Your Spirit. I welcome the guidance of Your Spirit who teaches me Your truth, leads me into repentance, and then comforts and consoles me in renewal and refreshing. Forgive me when I have tried to accomplish these things in my own strength and understanding. Jesus, my Shepherd guides me to the still waters of Your Holy Spirit and the green pastures of the Word of God. I need both in my life, Lord, not only for my own sake, but as a witness to others. I ask this mercy 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. 

MyTestimony

       "And He (Jesus) said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs shall follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents (ophis - snake, serpent, sly and cunning deception, artful and malicious person like Satan, the devil, hypocrite); and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mk. 16:15-18).

     This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled B'shallach, which means "When he let go." This title is taken from the first verse of the reading portion, Exodus 13:17: "Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-people go (shawlakh - send forth, send away, send out, loose, cast out, stretch out, shoot forth as a weapon, set free, let go, let depart, send/drive to pasture, send a messenger), that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines (pelisti/palas - descendants of the Egyptians who migrated to the western seacoast of Canaan, strangers/to roll in ashes and dust, to wallow, to dig a hole, to roll oneself), although that was near; for God said, 'Lest perhaps (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-people change their minds when they see war (milhama/laham - war, battle, fight, warriors, warfare/devour or eat as food, make war, overcome, prevail, to fight, to battle), and return to Egypt."

     After the last plague of death to the first born of Egypt, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, let the people of God go (shawlakh, see above) . The LORD led His people, not by the nearest route which would take them through the land of the Philistines but led them by the longer route through the Red Sea wilderness. He did not think that they had the fortitude to face battle with the Philistines yet. The Israelites would not face the Philistines until later in time.

     After the Israelites left Egypt, they began to face continual challenges. Pharaoh decided to pursue them and trapped them by the Red Sea. They were terrified. They cried out to the LORD and said to Moses: "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness?...Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." (Ex. 14:11-12). At that point, the LORD delivered the Israelites from the Egyptian army by dividing the waters of the Red Sea so that they could cross to the other side: "So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." (v. 22, see also Ps. 78:13). The sea water was so thoroughly removed that the ground underneath the waters was not muddy but dry.

    As the Israelites were trapped before the Red Sea, Moses had promised them: "Do not be afraid. Stand still and see (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-salvation (yesua - Jesus' Hebrew name, salvation, help, deliverance, welfare, victory) of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today....". (Ex. 14:13). After the LORD parted the waters of the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to pass through it and then released the waters of the sea in order to drown the pursuing Egyptian army, Moses and the Israelites celebrated this great miracle with a joyous song. Part of this song included: "The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation (yesua - see above); He is my God, [and I will prepare Him a habitation (nava - abide, adorn, beautify, celebrate with praise)]/and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him." (Ex. 15:2).

     Immediately after this celebration, however, (*aleph-tav/Alopha and Omega)-Israel came to a place of undrinkable, bitter waters, and they complained. The LORD made the bitter waters sweet by having Moses cast a certain tree ('es - tree, gallows, carpenter) into the waters. At this place, the LORD revealed His name, "I AM the LORD who heals you." (see Ex. 15:22-26).

     Then the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-whole-assembly began to make (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-murmurings against Moses and the LORD over not having meat and bread. Then the LORD heard their (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) murmurings and sent them quails for meat in the evenings and bread from heaven in the mornings. (Ex. 16:1-13). Their "murmurings" have the written Hebrew *aleph-tav before them because the murmurings were against the Messiah/Christ.  Generations later, Jesus would solve this mystery by comparing Himself to the manna bread in the wilderness, calling Himself the Bread from heaven of eternal life as the Israelites of His day murmured and complained against Him, as specifically worded in the verses from The Gospel of John. (see Jn. 6:41-43, 48-51). The exact repetition of the wording between Exodus 16 and John 6 is no coincidence.

     As believers in Jesus Messiah/Christ, when we murmur and complain about anything, who are we really murmuring against but the One who is the Lord of our lives, Jesus? Murmurings and complaints become our testimony to others of who Jesus is, or is not, in our lives.

     Psalm 78 is another portion from this week's B'shallach, "When he let go" Sabbath reading. This psalm recounts the kindness and miracles that the LORD showed to Israel even though they continually rebelled against Him and complained against Him.

     The psalmist, Asaph ('asap - "gatherer", "collector", assemble together, to gather and take away, gather the harvest, to take in, to receive into), wrote of the wonders that God did for His people to deliver them from slavery in Egypt, and afterwards, to give them the provision that they needed in the wilderness. However, Asaph wrote, His people were stubborn and rebellious and "whose spirit was not faithful to (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-God." (v. 8). The psalmist said that he wrote this psalm as a testimony for future generations: "We will not hide them (referring to the sayings of old from the fathers) from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony ('edut/'ed/'ud - testimony, witness, holy rites, revelation, "the Holy Ghost saith"/prince, recorder, emphatically affirming/testify, record, surround, restore, say again and again, affirm solemnly, exhort solemnly, give warning) in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel...that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise (qum - arise, establish, stand, confirm, continue, abide, accomplish, perform, endure, prove) and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments." (v. 4-7).

     The power contained in the testimony given to Israel praising the wonderful works of God kept generation after generation alive and preserved them through danger, even the danger of their own rebellion, and sorrow. As we see the Hebrew meaning connected to the word "testimony", we can see that it is powerful, inspired and appointed by the Holy Spirit.

      When Pharaoh the king of Egypt let the people go (see B'shallach and shawlakh above), he would be sending them out to encounter an eternal testimony.

     Similarly, in verses from Mark 16 shown at the top of this page, Jesus, the King of Kings, sent His believers out with a testimony, the Gospel, commanding them to take that testimony of His suffering, death, burial and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins and the glory of God, to every creature. It is also an eternal testimony leading the hearer to salvation and eternal life. It is a testimony so powerful that it overcomes Satan, himself: "And they overcame him (referring to the accuser of the brethren, Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Rev. 12:11). This testimony contains the power of "salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ" (see Rev. 12:10). As the verses from Mark 16 at the top of the page tell us, miracle signs and wonders follow the believers with this testimony in their mouths.

     Rather than the testimony of murmuring and complaining, we have been entrusted with this amazing testimony, the Gospel, not only for our own sakes but for the sake of every creature.

     If you would like to learn more about our testimony, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you can join my prayer: "Heavenly Father, You have given to us the most amazing and powerful testimony to bring to future generations and to every creature! By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Lord, keep this testimony in my heart, mind and mouth, rather than the testimony of murmuring and complaining, which testifies against You. Forgive me, Lord, when my words and testimony have robbed You of glory. Let this testimony that You have given to me glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit always, as well as testifying to life, even eternal life gained for us by Christ. As the song says, "O how marvelous! O how wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!" These are the wonderful works of God. This is my testimony 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. 

Enter

    

     "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:19-22).

     The above verses from the Book of Hebrews speaks about entering into the House of God, because of and through the way that has been made for us to enter, the flesh of Jesus Christ, torn open for us. Jesus also referred to Himself as "the Door" by which the sheep of God enter into His sheepfold of safety: "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture....I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (Jn. 10:9-10).

     This truth of "entering in" is also reflected in this week's Sabbath reading portion titled Bo, meaning, "Enter." The Hebrew letters that comprise the word bo are beyth and aleph. The individual meanings of these Hebrew letters are "house/family/within" and "the first, or Adonai/Lord." Therefore, just within the word bo itself is the meaning "the house of the Lord," as we saw in the top verse from Hebrews 10, in addition to the word meaning, "enter."

     The title "Bo", is found in Exodus 10:1-2, the first verses of this Sabbath reading portion: "Now the LORD said to Moses, 'Go in (bo' - enter, go in, lead in, come in) to Pharaoh; for I have hardened (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-his-heart and (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the hearts-of-his-servants, that I may show these signs ('ot - signs, miracles, distinguishing mark, banner, proof, beacon, monument, evidence, token/consent, agree, consent to any one) of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and (*vaw-aleph-tav)-My-signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD." Moses would enter into the house of Pharaoh again in order to repeat the LORD's command to let His people go to serve Him. (v. 3).

     Entering into the house of God as mentioned in the verses from Hebrews at the top of the page is connected with the way of entrance that Jesus made for us by the sacrifice of His own body and blood. As Jesus also said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through (dia - through, with, by, by the means of) Me." (Jn. 14:6).

     It is very interesting that the concept of entering in this Bo Sabbath reading portion also contains three mentions of Passover, the sacrifice of the spotless lamb and the application of its blood upon the doorposts and lintels of each Hebrew home. Entering their homes through that blood-soaked doorway would assure their safety from the coming tenth and final judgment/plague of death to the first-born in Egypt. Therefore that sacrificed blood upon the door has a direct connection to the concept of "entering." into the salvation provision of God. The meal in which the Hebrews were to partake was within that blood-painted door: "Now the blood shall be a sign (see 'ot above) for you on the houses where you are. And when I see (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt....and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning (boker/bawkar- end of night, coming of daylight, beginning of the day, bright joy after the darkness of distress/inquire, seek out, search for, look for, consider, admire, care for, inspect diligently, discern, contemplate, to cleave, to open, breaking forth and arising of light)." (Ex. 12:13, 22). 

     Up until this point, the earlier plagues of Egypt did not strike the territory of Goshen (meaning "drawing near") where the Hebrew slaves lived. However, against the plague of death, physical territory would not save them - only the lamb, sacrificed and eaten (Ex. 12:8, see also Jn. 6:53-58), and its blood painted on the doorposts and lintels of their homes would save them from the destroyer. For this protection, they would have to dwell or abide inside the body of the LORD. Jesus also said to abide in Him as branches abide in the vine. (Jn. 15:4-8).

 Isaiah also wrote the word of the LORD telling His people to enter (bo - see above) into their chambers (heder/hadar - within, inward or innermost parts, inner chamber, bedchamber, private chamber/encompass, surround, enclose as a room) until the indignation (za'am - foam at the mouth rage, anger, abominable, angrily indignant) has passed. (Isa. 26:20).

     In Exodus Ch. 12, which is also part of this Sabbath's Bo "Enter" reading portion, scripture says that "on that very same day" (v. 41 and 51), on the night of Passover, and as prophesied to Abraham generations before (v. 40, and Gen. 15:13-14), "that the LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their armies."  In Ex. 13, another part of this Sabbath's reading, Moses told the children of Israel to "Remember (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-this-day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place...On this day (which is Passover) you are going out, in the month of Abib ('abib - fresh young ears of barley, green ears of corn, tender young ear)." (v. 3-4). In this same chapter, Ex. 13, Moses tells the children of Israel that when the LORD brings them into (bo -see above) the land of the Canaanites and other Canaanite tribes "that you shall keep this service in this month." Passover would then be immediately followed by the seven-day feast of Unleavened Bread. 

     The image that I am seeing here is one in which the same (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) day, meaning Passover, and consequently the same blood-painted door, that was their way of exit out of Egypt will be the same door by which they will bo enter into the land that the LORD promised to their forefathers by covenant. With the same sweet, striped, pierced and without the leaven-of-sin Bread that they ate on Passover, they would also remember, observe and eat for a Sabbath week (seven days) in the new land which they would enter. Both the exit and entrance were mentioned in the same context of Passover.

     Jesus prayed to the Father before His arrest and death, praying for His current believers, and those believers who would come in the future: "I do not pray for those (His present disciples) alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." (Jn. 17:20-22). We become one with past believers, with current believers and with future believers because we are all in the Father and Son. We convince the world that Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, not only because of our faith, but because we are in the Son and also then in the Father, and it shows. It is a sign (see 'ot above).

      This is a level of intimacy that is more than "knowing" Him or even believing Him. This calls for being in Him. Many know of Jesus Christ. Many even concede that He is the Lord, but how many dwell inside of Him? The following verses reveal the importance of being "in Christ": 2 Cor. 5:16-17, Rom. 8:1-2, Eph. 1:3, and Eph. 2:4-10, 13, Gal. 3:27-28. As we read these verses listed here, what have we previously thought as regarding their meaning? Perhaps we thought that they mean for us to enter into faith in Christ? However, perhaps they mean as they say - to enter through and into the Person of Christ. We often think that being saved means to ask Jesus to come into (see bo above) our hearts, but perhaps salvation also means for us to desire and seek to enter into His heart.

     Finally, from another reading portion of this Bo "Enter" Sabbath, in 2 Chron. 35, we read about how King Josiah (meaning "the LORD is the foundation support"): "...kept a Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem." (v. 1). On this occasion, the king restored the ministry of the priests and Levites in the house of the LORD. The king also restored the holy ark into its proper place in the temple. The king gave the people all of the lambs that would be necessary to offer for Passover, tens of thousands of them from the king's own possessions. They also kept the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread. (v. 17). There hadn't been a Passover kept in Israel since the days of Samuel. (v. 18). Imagine what this event must have meant to Jerusalem and Judah - the healing and restoration of their relationship with the LORD. It is also written of Josiah: "Thus Josiah removed all the abominations from all the country that belonged to the children of Israel, and made (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-all-who-were-present in Israel diligently serve (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD their God. All his days they did not depart from following the LORD God of their fathers." (2 Chron. 34:33). When King Josiah died, "...all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah." 

     As I read these passages, the message for me this Sabbath and forward is to seek out and enter into the Lord Jesus in a new and deeper way, to have a deeper understanding of the meaning of the blood-painted doorway through which Israel exited and entered. We know Jesus as this Door of entrance into that innermost chamber, which is Himself.

     If you would like to learn more about entering into Christ, you can join me in my prayer: "Heavenly Father, You provided a holy, consecrated Door for us to enter into Your house and Your presence, a Door which is soaked with the blood of Your precious Son, Jesus. Show me Father, by Your Word and Spirit, the way to live, move and have my being in Christ, our Passover. Let me be one of those who dwells and abides in my Lord, Messiah/Christ, and in You, which is a miraculous sign to the world that You have indeed sent Your Son. Give me a greater understanding of the need to abide in Christ. 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.