Endings&Beginnings

      At this time of year, after the Feast of Tabernacles, the Torah Sabbath readings come to an end with the last chapters of Deuteronomy, but at the same time, the Torah Sabbath readings are renewed with readings beginning again in the Book of Genesis (Greek word meaning "origins, source, generation, beginning"), or the Hebrew name of the first Book, B'reishit, which means "In the Beginning." The Hebrew Title of this first Book of the Torah comes from the first verse: "In the beginning (re'sit/ro's - beginning, first fruits, first, chief, best, choice, principal thing, first of its kind/head, top, beginning, first, rulers, captain, summit, height, choicest, best, height, summit, forefront) God created (bara - create, creator, select, choose, make, done, shape, form, fashion, to cut, to carve out, to produce) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the heavens ([vaw]*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) and the earth." The presence of the two *aleph-tav's and their written locations in front of the heavens and the earth bring an eternal meaning to those two parts of creation. The presence of the *aleph-tavs also connects the heavens and the earth with the identity of the Messiah/Christ Jesus, who is eternal, and calls Himself "the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last". (see *note at bottom). We see this eternal characteristic of the heavens and the earth, including new beginnings, in these prophecies: Isa. 65:17-25, 2 Pet. 3:13-14, Rev. 21:1-4. When Father God connected the heavens and the earth to His Messiah/Christ by the written Hebrew *aleph-tav, He incorporated into them the ending and the beginning of them as well.

     This Book could have been titled "Created" from the Gen. 1:1 verse above, but the title and emphasis is placed instead upon "beginning". The end of the Torah reading in Deut. 33 and 34 deal with Moses' blessings spoken over each tribe of Israel, the laying on of Moses' hands upon his appointed successor, Joshua, and the death of Moses on Mount Nebo (meaning "prophet") after the LORD showed (ra'a - look, behold, appear, consider, seer, perceive, provide, foresee, to be visible, be shown, cause to see, discern, have vision) Moses all of the land that the children of Israel were about to possess. Within this ending was the prophetic spiritual seed for the new beginning found in the ra'a vision which the LORD caused to be seen by Moses. (Deut. 34:1-4). Moses would end, but the new beginning, the land soon to be possessed by the children of Israel, was incorporated into the vision given to the prophet. There is no ending without the accompanying provision of God of the new beginning. Don't despise the ending of something, but look for the new and greater beginning that is about to come.

      Another reading from this B'reishit Sabbath brings forth a prophetic revelation of the Messiah/Christ in Isa. 42:1-9. The LORD covers this prophecy with His authority as Creator: "Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it (se'esa'im - offspring, issue, descendants, children, produce), who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it." (v. 5). The LORD also is prophesying by the principle of endings and beginnings: "Behold, the former things (ri'son/ri'sa - first in time, foremost, primary, former, aforetime/beginning time, early time) have come to pass, and new things (hadas - new, new thing, fresh, unheard of, renew, make anew, rebuild, repair, be new) I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them." (v. 9).

     The LORD is both the beginning of something and the end of something (see Isa. 46:9-10, Rev. 22:12-13), followed by another new beginning (see Isa. 43:18-19, Isa. 65:17-18, Eph. 4:22-24, 2 Cor. 5:17, Rev. 21:5-6). As we can see from Eph. 4:22-24 and 2 Cor. 5:17 linked above, part of what the Lord is able to create anew is a person, whoever believes Him through Jesus Messiah/Christ, who IS the beginning and the end.

     As we can see from the first verse of Genesis, above, the meaning of the words in Hebrew includes the truth of a Creator who chooses or selects, forms, shapes and fashions. The Creator makes the purposeful decisions. Creation does not occur by happenstance or accident but is purposefully directed. Challenging the idea of Creator God is not just a recent phenomenon. The LORD understood that man in foolishness would deny this truth: "Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb (see also Ps. 139:13-18): 'I am the LORD, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; Who frustrates (para - makes void, come to naught, make ineffectual) the signs of the babblers (bad/bada - lie, liar, used in regard to soothsayers and false prophets/devise, contrive, invent, feign), and drives diviners mad; Who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolishness." (Isa. 44:24-25). Many of those who deny a Creator consider themselves wise intellectuals, but the LORD says here that he makes their "knowledge" into foolishness.

     It is very important that we know God as Creator. The absolute power and authority of the Creator is so great and high, that it is beyond human understanding and imagination without a revelation from Him. In that power and authority, what can't God do? Jesus and the angel of the Lord both said that nothing is impossible with God. (see Mt. 19:25-26, Lk. 1:35-38).

He is a Creator of things that no man can create in the natural world, as He notes above in Isaiah 44. For example, God spoke light energy, both spiritual light (Gen. 1:3-5) and natural light energy (Gen. 1:14-19) into existence, when the scientific law of the conservation of energy states that in the physical realm, energy cannot be created by man: "Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; rather, it can only be transformed from one form to another."

     Not only did God command light to manifest from nothingness, but that Light was the spoken Word of God, and that same Light is the Light of life in man (see Jn. 1:1-5). That Light, Who also became flesh, Jesus, (see Jn. 1:14-18) was the Author/Prince and Beginning of Life. (see Acts 3:14-15). 

     It is essential that man understands that he has a Creator and did not create or evolve himself by chance into existence. The LORD directly connects His authority to redeem and save us to His authority as Creator. He is able to redeem man because He created man. He is able to extend His Salvation to man, because He created man. We see this connection in the verses above from Isaiah 44. Isaiah also gave us even more declarations from the LORD of this connection: "But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior...I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King." (Isa. 43:1-3a, 15). Here we see again, the Creator has the authority to provide redemption and salvation to the uttermost extreme condition, distance and need through His Salvation, Messiah/Christ Jesus. (Heb. 7:24-25). God created that uttermost and has authority over it. David said in another reading from this Sabbath that there was no extreme distance where he could go over which God does not inhabit and have authority. Therefore, in every circumstance, God can see him, David, and rescue him. (Ps. 139:7-12).

     In another declaration through the prophet Isaiah, the LORD speaks over His people as their Creator: "For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens, who is God, who formed the earth and made it, who has established it, who did not create it in vain, who formed it to be inhabited: 'I am the LORD, and there is no other....Who has declared this from ancient time (qedem/qadam - ancient time, before time, eternal, that which is before, earliest time, beginning/beforehand, before)? Who has told it from that time ('az - beginning, old, earlier, at that time or place, of old, now)? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides Me. Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." (Isa. 45:18, 21b-22). Only God is Creator and therefore, only God is Savior. Man cannot save himself or anyone else. There is only one Savior.

     Again we read from Isaiah: "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I the LORD do all these things...I the LORD have created it (referring to heavens that rain down righteousness and earth that opens to bring forth salvation). Woe to him who strives with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) his Maker!" (Isa. 45:7-9, excerpt). The earth, the grave, indeed opened and Salvation (Yeshua, Jesus) was brought forth! The earth could not disobey its Creator. Only man will disregard His Maker, even though it is his Maker who has called forth righteousness and salvation on man's behalf from the beginning.

     In another reading from this B'reishit, "In the beginning" Sabbath, we find God's faithful servant Job suffering great affliction through no fault of his own. He is undergoing a testing of his faith that is extreme. In this testing, he is looking in the wrong places for his help. His search, probably like ours would be also, involves the question, "Why did this happen to me?" His friends were not much help to him either, as they also searched for the reason that this affliction came upon Job. In chapters 38 through 41, the LORD begins to present the wonders of His creation to Job through questions. There were mysteries, impossibilities, specific characteristics of creation that were all meant to illustrate the presence and control of a Creator. Man could neither explain nor duplicate any of the marvels about which the LORD asked Job. The LORD "answered ('ana - answer, testify, speak, to sing, utter tunefully) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Job out of (min/men - from, among, a part of anything/string of a harp, a musical chord as parted into strings, slender threads) the whirlwind (sa'ar - storm, whirlwind, tempest, be troubled, tossed with tempest, be sore, be made, insane, violently shaken, scatter by wind)." (Job 38:1, 40:6).

     The LORD entered into Job's whirlwind of affliction and sang His testimony to him with musical chords of strings according to the Hebrew words of the verses. After beginning His revelation of His power in creation, the Lord asked Job these questions: "Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and array yourself with glory and beauty." (Job. 40:9-10). No man can do what God has done as evidenced in His creation.

     After the LORD continues His revelation to Job, Job answered (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the LORD: "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You...I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees (ra'a - see above) You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:1-2, 5-6).

     The LORD "restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before...Now the LORD blessed (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the latter days of Job more than his beginning (re'sit -see above)..." (v. 10, 12).

     Within the LORD's revelation of His authority and power over His creation, Job found a new knowledge of God and a new beginning prepared for him that was even greater than his former blessings or ending. We also see the *aleph-tav eternal Messiah/Christ thread that we first saw in Genesis 1:1 throughout Job's experience.

     The "in the beginning" B'reishit message of this Sabbath has great meaning for all creation, and for each one of our lives. Contained within it for the heavens, the earth and all that springs out of the earth are endings and beginnings and then again new beginnings enveloped by the identity of (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Messiah/Christ Jesus, who is the spoken Word of creation. Our Father, the Creator, has authority over all, and as Job said, "You can do everything, and...no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You." Are we able to walk in this powerful knowledge where nothing is impossible with God?

     If you would like to know more about this awesome creation power of God, or if you need a new beginning, you can join in my prayer: "Father, Creator, help me to walk in the knowledge of the endings and beginnings contained within the power of creation. Renew me, LORD, by faith in the redemption and salvation of Your Son, Jesus Messiah/Christ. The old things have ended and passed away, and Jesus has made me and all things new. Strengthen me in faith, LORD, and heal my unbelief. You have a new beginning already planned for the heavens and the earth, as well as for me. I praise You and exalt You as my Creator and King, my Redeemer and my Savior. I pray today in the name of Jesus, my *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega". 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. 

Creation

      

     This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled B'reishit, meaning "In the beginning", and brings us back to the beginning of Scripture, back to the beginning of everything. B'reishit is also the Hebrew name for the Book that we call "Genesis", and comes from the word resit/ros, meaning "first, beginning, firstfruits, chief/head, top, total, sum, front, beginning, highest and supreme, multitude". Genesis is the Greek word meaning "to be born, origin, source, establish, all events established".

     The word "created" from Gen. 1:1 is the Hebrew word bara meaning "to create [always with God as the subject], creator, choose, make, produce, shape, fashion, cut down, carve out, beget, separating, to feed".

     As we can see from the word meanings above, the Creator cannot be separated from the creation, and so we have in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) created the heavens and the earth." As we know from the Genesis account, all of the separate parts of the creation began as the spoken word out of God's mouth, the first thing created being light: "Then God said, 'Let there be light', and there was light." (Gen. 1:3).

     In John 1:1, we read a parallel but more revealing view of creation: "In the beginning (arche/archomai/archo - beginning, origin, first person or thing in a series, the leader, the first place, principality, rule, the extremity of a thing/to begin, the first to do, leader, ruler, designate office of dignity/to be chief, to lead, to rule, to be first in rank or power) was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." (Jn. 1:1-3). "The Word" used here is the spoken word, logos, and is identified later as Jesus: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn. 1:14). The Greek meaning of the very word "beginning" must include with it a leader, ruler, highest power. "The beginning" also includes the idea of "the extremity of a thing". The beginning must be followed by a continuation of a thing all the way to the end or outermost extended part, no matter how distant that end might be. For instance, the creation continues or perpetuates through many generations from a beginning point. The flower we see today is the result of generations of flowers and seeds. The people that live today came from a long line of generations that had a physical beginning point in Adam and then Noah. The Jewish people have the concept of the creation as being a "cosmic womb" or a perpetual or eternal pregnancy. God placed this perpetual cycle of birth and renewal within the characteristics of His creation. We will see that creation was not just a special one-time event that happened long ago.

     The LORD demanded in His Word that we know this: "Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,' ... Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it." (Isa. 46:8-11).

     In one of our reading portions for this Sabbath, Job, a godly man who ministered to his community, from those in the highest ranks to those most humble, in an almost Christ-like manner (see Job 29), forgot the above wisdom in his troubles, and God rebuked him: "Then the LORD answered (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 'Who is this who darkens (hasak - darken, grow dim, be hidden, conceal, confuse) counsel (esa/ya'as - counsel, purpose, advisement, prudence, wisdom/devise, plan, guide, purpose, give counsel, minister of a king) by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding."" (Job 38:1-4). The LORD then continued through several chapters to question Job's neglect of the knowledge of God's sovereignty and omnipotence as revealed in the secrets of His creation. The nature of God and creation has a necessary wisdom to teach us.

     What had Job said that caused God to speak to him in such a way out of the whirlwind? In Job 3, we read: "After this Job opened his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) mouth and cursed the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) day of his birth. And Job spoke and said, 'May the day perish on which I was born, and the night in which it was said, 'A male child is conceived.' May that day be darkness; May God above not seek it, nor the light shine upon it. May darkness and the shadow of death claim it; may a cloud settle on it; may the blackness of the day terrify it. As for that night, may darkness seize it; may it not rejoice among the days of the year, may it not come into the number of the months...because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb..." (Job 3:1-6, 10). Did Job think that the beginning of his life was in his own hands or the hands of any man? Did he not know that the LORD had ordained his birth from the foundation of the world? As we start our Sabbath readings from the beginning, I think that this is the serious warning and message for us as well this year. Have we, with our words and deeds, "darkened counsel", or caused the supreme wisdom and omnipotence of God to be hidden from sight and forgotten? The LORD may well make demands of us to give an account, as He did with His servant, Job.

     After the LORD gave Job a thorough dressing down concerning his failure to see the sovereignty of God in His continuing manifestation of the purpose of His creation, Job says to the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) LORD: "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know....I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (Job. 42:2-6, excerpt). One purpose of the omnipotence of God in the creation is that our eyes may "see" Him in revelation understanding. Do we have eyes to see it?

     After God restored Job, he lived one hundred and forty years longer and went on to have seven sons and three daughters. The three daughters were the only children named in scripture and were so excellent that they were given an inheritance among Job's (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) sons. The daughters' names are translated: "Day of the Dove", "The fragrance of incense", and the "Glistening setting of precious gems (ref. Isa. 54:11)". It is as if Job's daughters were a prophetic picture of the Bride of Christ. This anointed generation and those that followed, were hidden within Job's life, which he had wrongfully cursed. With his repentance, this (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) generation was able to manifest as God intended from the beginning.

     We, as believers in Christ and heirs of salvation, were "seen" by God from the beginning: "...just as He (God and Father) chose (see bara, "created", above) us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved (agapao - to welcome, to love dearly, to have a preference for, to wish well to, affectionate reverence, unique proof of love such as Christ washing the feet of His disciples)." (Eph. 1:4-6). We were in the knowledge and choice of God from the beginning, and each of us manifested physically at the appointed time here within the creation because of that ancient choice. We have a tremendous responsibility as holders of this almost overwhelming knowledge that our Creator has entrusted to us, but are we sidetracked like Job from this truth by the cares, distractions and desires of life? Jesus warned us against this danger that is so easy to fall into. (see Mk. 4:18-20, Lk. 21:34-35). 

     The creation of man was a very personal work for the LORD. (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Man was created in God's image and likeness (Gen. 1:26-28) and became a living soul by the breath of God (Gen. 2:7). Like the rest of creation, continuity was contained within (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) man, being fruitful and multiplying, generation, after generation: "Then God saw (ra'a - behold, appear, foresee, visions, observe, discern) everything (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them were finished (kala - accomplished, end, done, fulfill, to be determined in thought, plotted, come to an end, make an end, bring to pass, completed, perish, vanish)." (Gen. 1:31, 2:1). As He considered His creation, God saw everything that was contained within it, including future generations, and even the end or accomplished purpose of that creation from its beginning. The generations would bring forth the Messiah/Christ, who is the Aleph-Tav/Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, and all of creation would be redeemed and made into a new thing.

     From another reading portion from the B'reishit Sabbath, David considered his own creation which was before he was even formed in his mother's womb: "My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw (ra'a - see above) my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!" (Ps. 139:15-17). 

     This knowledge that God foresaw and knew everything concerning David's life, even before he was physically formed, was so overwhelming to David that he said: "Such knowledge is too wonderful (pil'i, pil'i - double wonderful, incomprehensible, extraordinary, secret, supernatural, marvelous, difficult thing beyond one's power) for me; It is high (sagab - inaccessible, high, exalted), I cannot attain it." (v. 6). This knowledge should change us also and have a profound effect upon us every day of our lives. This is our God and Creator. Are we seeing His greatness in this? He saw you and me and knew everything about us and ordered our days before the foundation of the earth was established.

     All of the things spoken by God in the creation became submitted to the measure of time when the lights in the firmament of heaven were created on the fourth day "to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons (mo'ed/ya'ad - appointed, time, days, congregation, feast, a fixed time or season, a point of time, a set time/betrothed), and for days (yom - day, time, daily, continually, full, always) and years (sana - division or measure of time, an age, a lifetime, a year, transformation, transmutation)...and to divide the light from the darkness." (Gen. 1:14-19). John Ch. 1 tells us that the darkness will never be able to overcome or conquer the light.

     Ecclesiastes, traditionally understood to have been written by King Solomon, says this: "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." And again he says: "...for every matter there is a time and judgment, though the misery of man increases greatly." (Eccl. 3:1 and 8:6). The prophecy of creation manifests at appointed times. All things have already been appointed in time from within the initial creation.

     Jesus came to Galilee to preach the Gospel, saying, "The time (kairos - measure of time, the right time, limited period of time, a fixed or definite time, season) is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel." (Mk. 1:14-15).

     There was an appointed time for Christ to die: "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." (Rom. 5:6). However, Peter wrote of the order of Christ's death within the Creation: "...knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God." (1 Pet. 1:18-21). The death of Christ is found in the pictographic Hebrew letters composing the words that open Genesis Ch. 1. Then, at the appointed time, it became manifested. All that we see and exists from the beginning, through the middle and to the end, was established within the initial creation, to be manifested at the proper time.

   Paul wrote: "Even so we...were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman...that we might receive adoption as sons." (Gal. 4:3-5). The creation held that prophecy (Gen. 3:13-15).

     According to His will and good pleasure, God "purposed in Himself that in the disposition of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth - in Him." (Eph. 1:9-10). This is a mystery which God wanted to make known to us. It is Who He is. Can our eyes see Him?

     Paul wrote this instruction to the church: "See that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the LORD is." (Eph. 5:15-17).  How do we view these times in a way that redeems them from evil? We can view them from the creation as God saw it and expected it to manifest at the perfect time according to His spoken will in Genesis 1. As we saw above, "God saw everything that He made, and indeed it was very good." Paul said in the context of these verses from Ephesians that we are to be speaking in psalms and spiritual songs to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. (v. 19-21). The world curses the day, and the One who made it, but we are not of the world. 

     In another of this Sabbath's reading portions, the LORD identified Himself to His prophet in terms of the creation. He said to Isaiah: "Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it:" (Isa. 42:5, see also Isa. 44:24). The prophecy that followed the above concerned a picture of His Messiah/Christ. The creation is prophetic and the source (genesis) of prophetic events manifesting as declared from the beginning by God. Notice how God speaks in the present tense of His acts of creation? It is not an event to be consigned to the past.

     Another prophet, Zechariah, wrote what the LORD said to him: "Thus says the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him:" (Zech. 12:1). What follows this reference to creation is a prophecy about the troubles that will surround Jerusalem "in that day", a phrase repeated seventeen times throughout the prophetic Word delivered to Zechariah, and the revealing of their Messiah/Christ to Jerusalem and the house of David. The LORD was announcing something established within His work of creation into the appointed time of its manifestation "in that day".

     Perhaps one reason that the seventh (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) day became a sanctified day of rest (sabat - rest, celebrate, desist from exertion, to sit down, be completed) for the LORD (Gen. 2:1-3) is because all of His work was not only ended (kala - end, finish, accomplish, fulfill, be fulfilled, bring to pass), but was fulfilled in His sight, and just waited upon the fullness of the appointed time to manifest itself. He had full confidence that His creative Word would continue bearing fruit, and accomplishing His perfect will for all time (see Isa. 55:11). Paul wrote that all things are made manifest by light (Eph. 5:13), and light was the first thing spoken by the living Word (Jesus) of God in Genesis 1. We are called to be the light of the world. Understanding this becomes the place of our rest as well.

     No wonder, then, that nothing has been so undermined and attacked in modern times as the idea that there was a creation fashioned by the Creator, including the creation of man by God, with the world preferring to believe instead convoluted "theories" of godless happenstance. This dead, faithless, powerless secular religion is being systematically taught to our children. We need to speak the wonderful and high truth to our children so that they also may be able to "see God with their eyes".

     If you would like to know more about the continuing manifestation of God's creation, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father and Creator, by Your Word Jesus, You spoke creation and it manifested and continues to manifest generation by generation. Help me to understand by Your Holy Spirit how to change my thinking to incorporate this knowledge that is high, this knowledge of how Your creation continues to bring Your will into manifestation at the proper time. Help me to walk and speak circumspectly each day, so that I am not in opposition to Your spoken will and the manifestation of it for that day. 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 Α Ω , 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.

     

     

B'reishit

After the recent conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Sabbath reading cycle swings back around to the beginning of scripture - Genesis 1. This sabbath reading is titled B'reishit translated as "(In) the beginning". The Hebrew meaning and root of the word is "beginning, the first (in order, rank. place or time), firstfruits, best, chief, captain, head, top, summit, to shake". When we think of the beginning of creation, we usually think of the physical elements that manifested when God spoke the words. However, the sabbath readings of B'reishit for this week began to lead me down a path that took me further than that first thought. As we start on the path of this week's sabbath readings together, we will find confirmation and additional revelation waiting for us in New Testament scriptures as well. What is the nature of "the Beginning" in God? When we look at an overview of Genesis 1, we can see that God created things that He called "good" (tob - goodness, prosperity, excelling, precious, first fruits, first of its kind, fine, beautiful, benefit, kind, right, happiness, welfare, glad, delight, confer benefits), and "very good" from an existing situation that was full of deep darkness and hopeless emptiness. The idea of "good" is not just a description, but contains the active quality of God's benevolence also. As we continue, we will also see that this good intent of God in the Beginning, included His Son, Jesus, before the world ever "saw" Jesus. In fact, He is the Person of the Beginning. In one of this sabbath's readings about "the Beginning", we are able to see that even after Adam and Eve fell by choosing to believe a lying serpent (nahas - serpent, snake, enchanter, practice divination, sorcery, fortune telling, whisper (hiss) a magic spell), God brought forth the goodness of His Son, Who had been hidden in "the Beginning", into this seemingly hopeless situation. To the serpent, God prophesied: "And I will put enmity (eba/ayab - hatred, hostile mind, be a foe to, be an adversary with anger and hatred) between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head (ros - head, chief, captain, rulers), and you shall bruise His heel." (Gen. 3:15). God brought forth "good", a benefit out of His kindness, hidden in the Beginning, by prophesying the Savior to be born who would overcome the serpent and its ruler(s). In another sabbath portion, Cain, only the second generation of man on the earth, murdered his brother, Abel. As Cain realized the consequences for this act, he cried to God: " My iniquity (aon/ava - iniquity, punishment, fault, sin, depravity, guilt from sin, evil, perversity, crime, wrongdoing) is greater than I can bear!...driven out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive (nua - stagger, wander, tremble, tottering, be tossed about) and a vagabond (nud - sorry, shake, grief, wander aimlessly) on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me." (Gen. 4:13-14). At this cry from Cain, the LORD set him apart with a "mark". What could this mark have been? It is the Hebrew word ot meaning "miraculous sign, token, mark, banner, warning, evidence, signal, consent, to come". The individual Hebrew letters of the word ot, or mark, form the meaning "Adonai God nailed to a cross". Cain committed one of the most heinous crimes there is - he murdered his brother. However, there was a hidden provision within the Beginning that set him apart with a hope - the crucified Christ as a "mark" upon Cain. Jesus, in Rev. 3:14, says that He is "the Beginning of the creation of God", so we shouldn't be surprised to see these references to His (hidden) presence from the very beginning of man's walk on earth. In another sabbath reading from this week's portion titled B'reishit, we see again an example of Jesus Christ in the Beginning of creation. God spoke a prophecy to Isaiah of the Messiah, the Savior. Revealing the Messiah to come, the LORD said: "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him...He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law...I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison..." (Isa. 42:1-4, 6-7, see also Mt. 12:15-21). God brought forth this prophecy in connection to the Beginning of His work of creation by saying: "Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens...who spread forth the earth...who gives breath to the people on it..." (v. 5). God established all things from the beginning of creation. As He said, "I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done...". (Isa. 46:9-10). Jesus also personified this same principle as He called Himself the Alpha (Aleph) and the Omega (Tav), the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last (Rev. 22:13). Looking at the Greek word and roots, arche/archomai/archo, translated as "Beginning" in this verse, we not only find that the meaning is a starting point, but also a ruler behind the starting point. The meaning is: "beginning, origin, that by which anything begins to be, the active cause/chief, ruler, leader/to lead, to rule". The Greek word and root for "End" used in the above verse, telos/tello, is also interesting. The meaning is: "end, uttermost, that by which a thing is finished, the end to which all things relate/to set out for a definite point or goal". According to the meanings of the Greek, the concept involved in the Beginning and End of something, in this case, creation, is not accidental or coincidental, but is specifically and deliberately introduced and directed towards a planned and expected conclusion. Intelligence and personal will must be behind it to purposefully start it, and direct it to a goal. In this case, the intelligence belongs to God, of course! Paul wrote the following to help us understand God's purposeful intentions behind "the Beginning": "He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him 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. He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." (Col. 1:15-17). John also wrote: "He (the Word, Jesus) was in the beginning with God, and without Him nothing was made that was made (see Jn. 1:1-3). It is because of this preeminence in all things that Jesus is also stated by Paul as being "the beginning, the firstborn from the dead", and the One who is able "to reconcile all things to Himself". (Col. 1:18-20). Death was not beyond the scope of His preeminence, and therefore was under the same authority of that which was present in the Beginning. We see this when God was challenging Job regarding Job's limited understanding, and God's limitlessness that was set into the Beginning of creation, God said this to Job in another portion from this sabbath's reading: "Where were you when I laid the foundations (yasad - to found, to place, set, fix, establish, begin, appoint, ordain) of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding...Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me if you know all this." (Job 38:4, 16-18). God had set the limits or boundaries of all creation, including death, from the Beginning. Jesus said this about His authority over the gates and doors of death mentioned in Job above: "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys (kleis - key, the power to open and to shut) of Hades (Hell), and of death." (Rev. 1:17-18). God had already set the limits of death in and by Christ before physical creation and physical death had been established in the earth. We see this same connection to the Beginning when we read that Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8, see also 17:8). We have seen death's limits established in the Beginning, what about each individual life? David sang about his life that existed before he was physically born in another portion from this sabbath's B'reishit reading: "...You LORD understand my thoughts afar off...For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether...Such knowledge is too wonderful for me: It is high, I cannot attain it...For You formed my inward parts; You covered (sakak - a covering, defense, hedge in, shut in, overshadow, weave together) me in my mother's womb...My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret (seter/satar - covering, shelter, hiding place, secret place, protection, a veil/conceal, hide carefully, lie hidden, guard, defend), and skillfully wrought (raqam - embroider, mix or adorn with colors, woven, the formation of the embryo in the womb {of the formation of the members of Christ's mystical body})in the lowest parts (tahti/tahat/toah - the depths, low parts, the under part, from under the hand of, lowly, humble) of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them." (Ps. 139:2, 4, 6, 13-16). Before David was born, God had already known the thoughts he would have and the words he would speak! Everything concerning David was known and written in God's book before David manifested in physical birth. We associate the creation of Genesis 1 with the physical elements of the heavens and the earth, including Adam and Eve, but all things, like David, were hidden in the depths of creation's Beginning. Even now, our lives are hidden in that Beginning, because we are hidden in Christ, "the Beginning and the End". (Col. 3:3, Rev. 22:13). Scripture also says: "...just as (God) chose us in (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love..." (Eph. 1:4), and that even the good works in which we are to walk were prepared "beforehand" (Eph. 2:10). Christ, Himself, was hidden in the Beginning: "He (Christ) indeed was foreordained (proginosko - known before) before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you..." (1 Peter 1:20). So there are things that have been hidden in the Beginning, and then the hidden is made manifest, or visible. The meaning and roots of "manifest" are very helpful. The word in Greek is phaneroo meaning "to make actual and visible, to make visible and known what has been hidden or unknown". The Greek root words give us more understanding. When we look back to several roots, phaneros/ phaino/ phos, we begin to see the secret. The roots mean: "evident, plainly recognised or known/bring forth into the light, cause to shine, to become clear, to be seen/light, to shine, make manifest, that which is exposed to the view of all". Hidden things are made manifest in the presence of light, according to our meanings here. The first thing that God spoke in the Beginning, before any of the rest of creation came forth was: "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good." (Gen. 1:3-4). This light was not a natural source of light, which would be created later, but the revealing light by which all things hidden in the Beginning, would be made manifest or seen in the proper time, including God's Son. Paul also wrote about this revealed mystery saying, "...making all see what is the dispensation of the mystery, which from the beeginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places...", as Paul also additionally commnds us: "...now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." (Eph. 3:9-10, 5:8). The other side of the coin is that the evil things that are hidden are also made manifest by that same light. They are exposed at the appointed time for judgment: "But all things that are exposed (elegcho - admonish, convict, shame, to call to account) are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light." (Eph. 5:13). The world tries to convince us that the formation of creation, and life itself, is an undirected accident acted upon by a series of haphazard events, with no divine, intelligent planning, no direction, and no assigned purpose or goal. However, as we can see, when God said in His Word, "In the beginning...", or "B'reishit, in Genesis 1:1, He was saying an awesome mouthful! He was including everything that will ever exist, and His intelligent purpose that drives it to its completion or end. If you would like to know more about being part of God's Beginning in Christ, you can pray with me: "Dear Father, You created all that exists, including me, in a Beginning that is in and through Your Son, Jesus. You saw my form before it was made. You knew my thoughts and words before I was even born. I was, and am, hidden in Christ, the Beginning and End. My sabbath rest in You comes from the knowledge that You have declared the end from the beginning concerning all creation, including myself. You have revealed the mystery of purpose hidden in the Beginning, B'reishit. As David said, "These things are too wonderful for me!". Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and understanding so that I can walk in the light that makes the hidden things of the Beginning manifest in their appointed time. I ask these things in Jesus' name AMEN."