Spirit

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Mikketz, meaning "at the end of". This reading comes on the Sabbath after Hanukkah, and also after Christmas this year. 

     Have you ever been "at the end of " yourself where trying circumstances have wearied and discouraged you? When the promise of God seems to be out of reach? One of the people written about in this Sabbath portion might have been feeling that way. His name was Zerubbabel.

     Judah and Jerusalem had been held in captivity in Babylon for seventy years when they were released and allowed to return to Jerusalem, which is also what the prophet Jeremiah had prophesied would happen. The first returnees had come back to Jerusalem and had a huge re-building project ahead of them because Jerusalem had been left in ruins when the Babylonians had laid siege to it. Zerubbabel was in charge of building the (second) temple of the LORD.

     Zerubbabel was among the captives who first returned to Jerusalem. He was also the grandson of the nineteenth and last king of Judah, named Jehoiachin. Jehoiachin became king when he was eighteen years old, and three months into his reign, the Babylonians took Jerusalem, and the king along with many inhabitants of Jerusalem were taken into captivity to Babylon (2 Kings 24:8-12, 15). Jehoiachin was imprisoned there for thirty-seven years until it was discovered that he was a king, and he was not only released from prison, but exalted above all other kings who were held captive (2 Kings 25:27-30). Now, at the end of this time of captivity, this king's grandson, Zerubbabel, had returned to Jerusalem with the other miraculously freed captives.

     The building of the temple, of which Zerubbabel was in charge, was experiencing extremely slow progress. There was great opposition from the local population of adversaries outside of Jerusalem who did all that they could to halt the restoration work (see Ezra 4:1-5). Then there came a stunning prophecy from Zechariah that we read in this week's Mikketz Sabbath portion. This prophecy not only empowered Zerubbabel's building of the temple, but it will give us insight into Jesus' all-powerful anointing, as well as having an impact on end time events before the return of Christ.

     Perhaps Zerubbabel's struggle to build the temple in Jerusalem, and his eventual spiritual empowerment is reflected in the meaning of Zerubbabel's name. The general meaning is "sown in Babylon". However, if we break the name down into its parts, we find the word zarab, which means "to make narrow [like a stream that dries up], perish, pour out, flow off, dry up, flow away." The second half of his name is the word babel, which means "confusion, to mix, fade away." However, the root word, according to the Concordance, balal, means, "fresh oil, to overflow with oil, anoint." From his name, perhaps Zerubbabel was a man who was spiritually drained and overwhelmed, maybe even discouraged, but there is a root pointing to the anointing (of oil) of God. Isaiah wrote this about the anointing of God: "It shall come to pass in that day that his (the Assyrian's) burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke (ol - yoke, of servitude and calamity) from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil." (Isa. 10:27). The title given to Jesus of "Messiah/Christ", for example, refers to "the anointing, the anointed One", and He does indeed break the yoke of sin and death off of our lives. The anointing of God changes everything, even the whole world, as we will see.

     The prophecy of Zechariah, which would have an impact on Zerubbabel's work and the future, began with an unusual vision from the LORD: "Now the angel...wakened me...and he said to me, 'What do you see?' So I said, 'I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. The two olive trees are by it (see also Ps. 52:8), one on the right of the bowl and the other at its left.' So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked to me, saying, 'What are these, my lord?' Then the angel...answered...'Do you not know what these are?' And I said, 'No, my lord.' So he answered and said to me: 'This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) capstone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!' Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 'The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things?..." (Zech. 4:1-10, excerpt).

     According to the vision, there are two living olive trees that continually supply the seven lamps on the golden candlestand, or menorah, with oil. This Sabbath reading portion comes in the middle of the celebration of Hanukkah, or Festival of Lights, a miracle involving the multiplication of the oil for the menorah in the temple many generations previously. The seven lamps represent the seven eyes of the LORD which scan/run to and fro throughout the whole earth (v. 10). To us, the oil of the Lampstand represents the Holy Spirit who searches all things of God. Paul wrote: "But God has revealed them (the hidden wisdom) to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God...Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God...Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." (1 Cor. 2:10-12, see also Jn. 14:26).

     This prophetic word from Zechariah to Zerubbabel is one of the prophecies credited in scripture as being the reason for the successful building of the temple no matter what rose up to try to block it: "So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo (meaning "His witness"). And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia." (Ezra 6:14).

      As we saw how the spiritual anointing (of oil) revived and empowered Zerubbabel to complete the building of the house of the LORD, scripture tells us that Jesus was this anointing and was filled with this anointing (and light) of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist said this about Jesus after he saw the Spirit rest upon Jesus in the form of a dove (see Mt. 3:16-17): "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaiming the Father’s own message]; for God gives the [gift of the] Spirit without measure [generously and boundlessly]!" (Jn. 3:34 Amplified Version).

 

     Paul also wrote of Jesus, warning the church not to be deceived by the philosophies of men: "For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and so you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." (Col. 2:8-9). The Godhead spoken of here by Paul also includes with the Son, Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit. As Paul also indicated, this same fulness dwells in us as we are in Jesus. Jesus Himself gave to His disciples the Holy Spirit prophetically (Jn. 20:21-23), and then in manifestation in the Upper Room after His resurrection and ascension (Acts 2:1-4), and it wasn't just for the original twelve disciples but for every believer in Christ (Acts 19:1-7).

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     Do we understand what this gift received from Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, of the anointing of the Holy Spirit really means in our lives? Some believers are actually taught that the full anointing of the Holy Spirit is not for them, and that it is no longer needed. How sad and wasteful of the power of God! Some believers believe in the receiving of the Holy Spirit but limit the meaning of the receiving of the Holy Spirit's anointing to operating in spiritual gifts. However, it means even more than that. The anointing is the same anointing that destroys the yoke of which Isaiah prophesied. It is the same anointing and Holy Spirit that destroyed every obstacle standing in the way of the will of God, as it did for Zerubbabel, and created a headstone out of that same obstacle with joyful shouts of "Grace, grace!" to it. I believe that same "headstone" of the temple/house of God built by Zerubbabel with "grace" attached to it was a prophetic reference to the Messiah/Christ, Jesus, as Peter said (Acts 4:11-12 ), and is also named as the Head over all things, and over all things pertaining to His Church of believers (Eph. 1:22). Why would we want to limit the fulness of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Christ certainly did not limit the Spirit. It is even the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead! (see Rom. 8:9-11). I hope in the same resurrection for myself, don't you? Then we need to thank the Holy Spirit Who is to dwell in each of us, and the One Who baptizes us in the Holy Spirit, Jesus the Anointed One (Mt. 3:11-12).

     From this same prophecy of Zechariah's also comes a time-changing and world-changing event in the days before the return of Jesus, which, according to what we are seeing happening now, could be very soon.

     

       The prophet Zechariah received an explanation from the angel who brought him the vision regarding the two olive trees and the two olive branches that drip oil into the receptacle of the golden lampstand:  "Then he answered me and said, 'Do you not know what these are?'   And I said, 'No, my lord.' So he said, 'These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."  (Zech. 4:"12-14).

     The Book of Revelation mentions the coming of two witnesses, who are also prophets, who are sent to testify in the last days before Christ's return: "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.' These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth." (Rev. 11:3-4).

     The purpose of these two witnesses, who are associated with the olive oil anointing, is so important that they are given great power and authority, and able to do signs and plagues. Although the beast of the bottomless pit will make war against them and kill them, after three and one-half days: "the Holy Spirit/breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them...And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them." (v. 7-12). 

     This anointing that destroys the yoke, as Isaiah described it, gave the two witnesses power and authority from heaven, and we see the power of resurrection from the Holy Spirit raise them up as well. The witness of these two prophets will be one of the last chances that dwellers on earth in those days will get to hear and receive the Gospel that will save them.

     The LORD is building His spiritual house of living souls redeemed by His Son (see Eph. 2:19-22, 1 Peter 2:5-8) and nothing will stand in the way of that, as Zerubbabel found out.

     If you would like to find out more about the anointing that destroys the yoke, and the work of the Holy Spirit in us, you can pray with me: "Our Father, You sent Your Son, Jesus the Anointed One, to save me and baptize me with Your Spirit. Help me, Lord, not to limit the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit, but to walk in that infilling according to Your Word. Remove any self-righteous spirit from me that takes pride in the humbling gift of Your Spirit in me. As David prayed, "Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" (Ps. 51:11). Help me not to grieve the Holy Spirit by walking in sin. Give me ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to me in order to teach and guide me in the Words of Jesus. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."

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

     

AppointedTimes

The title of this sabbath's reading is Mikketz, meaning "At the end of", from Genesis Chapters 41-43. Genesis is the Book of Beginning, or B'reshiet in Hebrew. We have read about many beginning principles of God so far in this first Book of the Bible, and we have another beginning principle in this sabbath's readings also. TThis week's readings are timed to take place during the Feast of Dedication, the Festival of Lights, or Hanukkah. This year, the sabbath also falls on Christmas Eve. Our reading begins with Joseph who was forgotten in Pharaoh's prison: "Then it came to pass, at the end (qes/qasas - extremity, border, end/cut off, hew off, chop off, cut in two) of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river." (Gen. 41:1). We read here that two full years had passed since Joseph was forgotten by the man whose dream Joseph had interpreted while the man was imprisoned with Joseph. Suddenly, Pharaoh had a strange set of dreams. In the first dream, seven fat, healthy cattle arise from the river. Then seven thin, ill-favored cattle rose up after them and "ate up" (akal - eat, devour, consume, burn up) the healthy cattle. In the second dream of Pharaoh, seven plump and good heads of grain appear on one stalk. However, seven thin heads, blighted (sadap - scorch, burn up) by the east wind sprang up afterwards. The blighted heads then "devoured" (bala - swallow up, engulf) the good heads of grain. We should keep in mind that at the end of a two year time period, the time is "cut off" or "chopped off", according to the Hebrew meaning. Joseph's life is about to change dramatically. Pharaoh was troubled by his two dreams, and called in both his magicians, and the wise men of his realm to interpret these dreams, but no one knew the meanings. Both man's natural knowledge and wisdom, and the dark "knowledge" of the occult, were insufficient. Then Pharaoh was told about a Hebrew in his dungeon named Joseph, who had the proven ability to interpret dreams. Joseph was brought up out of the dungeon, shaved and given clean clothing in order to appear before Pharaoh. Pharaoh told Joseph that he had heard about his ability to interpret dreams, and that his magicians and wise men had not been able to help him (Gen. 41:15). Pharaoh had the power to throw Joseph right back into the dungeon, or set him free, yet Joseph answered him: "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." (V. 116). Pharaoh told Joseph the dreams he had had, and Joseph began to bring the interpretation saying: "The dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do." (v. 25). Joseph told Pharaoh that the seven fat cattle and the seven full heads of grain signified seven years of abundance. However, a seven year severe famine, represented by the ill-favored cattle and blighted heads of grain, would follow the seven years of plenty. (v. 29-31). He concluded by saying to Pharaoh: "And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass." (v. 32). Joseph advised Pharaoh to appoint a wise man to set aside part of the abundance Egypt would experience, and store it away for the time of the famine to come (v. 33-36). "So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said..."Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?' Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.' And Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.' Then Pharaoh took (sur - depart from, come to an end, put aside, be removed, withdraw from) his signet ring (taba'at/taba - signet ring of authority used for sealing/sink down, pierce, to impress a seal, dip into, immerse, plunge) off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen (ses/sayis - linen, marble, bleach, white/alabaster, bleach, white, marble) and put a gold chain (rabid zahab - golden, shimmer, brilliance, splendor of the sun and heavens/ bind a neck collar) around his neck." (v. 37-42). Instead of wearing the yoke of slavery on his neck, Joseph now wore a golden neck piece instead. The signet ring mentioned is the seal of authority, and by the Hebrew meaning of the word, it is also associated with a plunging, or immersion, such as baptism. Paul wrote this concerning the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the believer: "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed (sphragizo/sphragis - to set a seal upon, mark by the impression of a seal or a stamp in order to prove, attest, confirm, authenticate, place beyond doubt regarding a thing/a signet ring) us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." (2 Cor. 1:21-22, see Eph. 1:13-14, Rev. 7:2, Rev. 9:4). The fine linen given to Joseph to wear by Pharaoh (meaning "great house") is like the fine, white linen given to the saints, representing the righteousness of God (Rev. 19:5-9). In this Book of Genesis, we are seeing a beginning teaching of the changing role that the Holy Spirit played in Joseph's life, not just to bring Joseph glory, although He does, but to bring God glory out of Pharaoh's own mouth. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is not to exalt a believer for his own sake, but to bring God glory. The appointed time had come to make a shift in Joseph's life, s well as Egypt's future, and for the survival of Israel, which was able to be buy food in Egypt from Joseph in the middle of the terrible famine when it arrived (see Gen. 42-43). This was about so much more than Joseph's personal destiny. It also set the precedent of beginning in our lives as believers. The appointed time arrived in which the Holy Spirit came into our lives, sealed us, and changed our garments, neck-yokes, lives and destinies, and the destinies of those with whom our paths cross. Again we will see the connection of the Holy Spirit with the abrupt changing of time. In Zechariah 4, the prophet is awakened by the return of an angel "as a man who is wakened out of his sleep". (Zech. 4:1). The Hebrew meanings of the key words in this phrase can also mean "like a man raised from the dead", or "like a man stirred up after a long, old, dry period of time". The angel is about to show Zechariah something that will affect a work in the prophet's present time, but also the eternal meaning of the work. As with Joseph, the appointed time had come. During the prophet's time, Zerubbabel was the governor of Judah, after the people of God returned to Israel from their captivity in Babylon. Zerubbabel was overseeing the rebuilding of the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the work was not progressing well. It had taken many years just to complete the foundation of the temple. The appointed time to break through the spiritual darkness that was impeding the work had come. The angel gave Zechariah a vision of the eternal golden Lampstand, from which the lampstand of the earthly temple had been copied. This golden Lampstand had a perpetual supply of oil attached to it in the form of two olive trees directly feeding their oil into the bowls of the Lamp. This Lamp of the angelic vision represented a message for Zerubbabel, the governor: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone/headstone (eben rosa - top most, highest stone of the corner), with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'" (v. 6-7). Zerubbabel was concerned with building a work - the Temple of God. However, God was building an eternal connection in this moment of time between the Kingdom of heaven and a living temple on earth through His Salvation, according to the Hebrew meanings found in verses 8-14 of this same chapter. We know that Jesus is described as "the chief cornerstone" (see Ps. 118:22, Mt. 21:42-44). Paul explained: "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." (Eph. 1:19-22). These sabbath reading portions were about Joseph and Zerubbabel, but they were also about the stirring force of the Holy Spirit Who begins, continues, and completes the eternal work of God in us and through us. We cannot force it to fruition ourselves. We cannot force a beginning ourselves, nor change the times ourselves. It is by His Spirit. How can we apply these things to Christmas? The eternal work accomplished through the birth of Jesus Christ only happened by the Spirit, at an appointed time. Mary conceived the holy Seed of Christ, not by the will of man, but by the Spirit of God: "And the angel answered and said to her (Mary), 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." (Lk. 1:34-35). Knowing this, Paul also 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, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba, Father!'" (Gal. 4:3-6). Zerubbabel was to bring out the capstone shouting "Grace, grace" to it by the Spirit of God. We, by the Spirit, cry out "Abba, Father!". The birth of Christ was determined by "the fullness of time", according to Paul. Not only His birth, but His death was determined by the Holy Spirit: "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit Who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time/at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:5-8). Jesus did not die according to the timing of a hateful mob. He died, as He was born, at the appointed time, by the eternal work of the love of God through the Holy Spirit. Even Christ's resurrection, and ours, was accomplished by the Holy Spirit! (see Rom. 8:11-14). Paul wrote again regarding our appointed time: "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:1-2). When will your appointed time, like Joseph's, come to accomplish God's work? God has the answer: "...humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time (kairos - a fixed and definite time, opportune and seasonable time, the right time), casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7). Have a blessed Hanukkah and Christmas, for they come at the appointed time of God. If you would like to learn more about the Lord's appointed times, and the work of His Holy Spirit in our lives, you can pray with me as I pray for myself: "Heavenly Father, I see in Your Word that events are not by the power or might of man, nor by the will and knowledge of man, but by Your Spirit. All of the events in the life of Jesus were quickened and accomplished by Your Holy Spirit. Baptize and fill me with Your Spirit, and arrange the days of my life according to Your appointed times. I thank You for the birth of Your precious Son and our Savior, Jesus, who is the Light, the Menorah, of the world, and has called me to be the light of the world in Him. I ask for these things in His name. AMEN."

Spirit

Reminder: Beginning in July, Google will stop sending automatic notifications of new postings for blogs such as this one that are published under "blogspot.com". If you have been receiving notifications, or would like to receive them, please enter your email address in the box in the upper right corner of the blog page before July. These email addresses will be retrieved hopefully, and you will be sent a notification directly when there is a new post available. These email addresses will not be used for any other purpose. You will receive the "new blog post" notifications from "the disciple". If you choose not to enter your email address, I would recommend that after June 2021, check the blog regularly for new posts. Thank you for your patience and faithful readership. Part of this week's Sabbath reading deals with three men. The three men, Moses, Joshua the High Priest, and Zerubbabel, the governor, were faced with great challenges. Although Moses is considered by us to be a deliverer and law giver, in Psalm 90, part of the haftarah reading portion, he is referred to simply as "the man of God". In Numbers 11, Moses has just seen the fire of the LORD's anger break out on those who were on the outskirts of the camp, because the people of God were complaining. The fire was not quenched until Moses interceded with the LORD. This must have been a very stressful situation for the people and for Moses as their leader. The children of Israel looked to Moses as the man who talked to God. In this week's Sabbath reading from Numbers 11, something very disturbing takes hold of the children of Israel. It began within the "mixed multitude" (asapsup- promiscuous assemblage of people, rabble) who were with them. These were the first to be driven into a severe craving (lust) for "flesh" (basar- of the body: of humans, of animals, flesh, nakedness, skin, mankind)). The language used here suggests that something intense and wicked was going on among the "mixed multitude". Then the children of Israel also felt an overwhelming craving. They were so distraught with the craving that they were weeping. They stood in the doors (petah- entrance, gate; root: to loose, to let go free, to unstop, to break forth) of their tents (ohel- dwelling, covering, tabernacle, sacred dwelling of Jehovah; root: to be clear, to shine) crying with this craving. These Hebrew words tell us that from the spiritual position of the "doors of the tents", something was being loosed by the people in their cries. The spiritual attack that had begun with the "rabble", had taken hold of, and was escalated by the actions of the children of Israel. They were crying desperately for meat, and had disdain for the daily manna that the LORD miraculously provided for them. The people of Israel yearned instead for the food that was available to them in Egypt, even though the cost of that food was their hard bondage and oppression. Imagine what the LORD would think and do about this latest round of complaining! I'm sure Moses was thinking about that also: "Moses heard the people weeping...and the anger of the LORD was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased (Num. 11:4-6, 10). What started with the "rabble", had infected the people of God, and now, it would affect Moses, their leader. The word "displeased" used in our Bibles to describe Moses, does not reflect the Hebrew word used. That word is ra'a, which means "evil, evil doer, hurt, wickedly, harm, sad, injurious, to do evil or wickedly, to break, shatter". Moses reacted in anger against God: "So Moses said to the LORD, "Why have you afflicted your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child' to the land which You swore to their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give all these people? For they weep all over me...I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now..." (Num. 11:11-15). The spiritual attack on the camp had just been escalated again by the reaction and words of their leader, Moses. As the LORD prepared to deal with the intense craving of the people, Moses again spoke out against the LORD as he demanded to know of the LORD how the craving would be satisfied (Num. 11:21-22). The Lord answered Moses: "Has the LORD's arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not." (v. 23). To provide assistance to Moses, the LORD took of the Spirit that was upon Moses, and placed the same upon seventy elders, and they began to prophesy on that occasion (v. 24-25). As for the craving that came upon the people, they had so much meat in their mouths, which the LORD had prophesied and provided, that they were struck with a very (mehode- exceedingly; root: firebrands) great (rab- many, abounding; root: multiplied, ten thousands) plague (makkaw- wounded, beaten, stripes, stroke, blow). With the Tabernacle of God in their midst, which represented Christ, the Messiah, inside and out, and all of the wonders of God that the people had witnessed up to this point, the LORD expected them to have the knowledge of Him as their Savior. That place was called "Kibroth Hattahavah" or "Graves of Craving/Lust", because they buried there the people who had yielded to the craving (Num. 11:33:34). The people and Moses had sought a natural solution to a spiritual attack. The attack wasn't about a lack of meat, or even about complaining, but about the unnatural craving/lust that came upon the people, and drove them to despair. God didn't expect Moses to find a way to feed meat to hundreds of thousands, but to intercede in the Spirit for the people, and to seek a Word of deliverance from the LORD. The second example from this week's Sabbath reading, deals with Joshua the High Priest. It is from Zechariah Ch. 3. The prophet Zechariah has a vision from the Spirit of God of Joshua the priest. In this vision, Joshua is standing before the Angel of the LORD, but Satan (satan- superhuman adversary, one who withstands) is at his right hand to oppose (satan- lie in wait, resist, accuse, attack) him. Again, as with the account above, we are dealing with a spiritual attack. In the vision, instead of standing before the Angel in his beautiful priestly garments, Joshua was clothed in filthy (tso- as with excrement) garments. The LORD, Who has chosen Jerusalem (v. 2), rebuked Satan on Joshua's behalf (Zech. 3:1-3). The LORD then commanded, with the Angel looking on, that the filthy garments be removed from Joshua, and be replaced with clean garments: "See I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes." (v. 4-5). This work was seen in the Spirit by the prophet, and it was performed in the Spirit. This prophetic work of the Spirit was a confirmation that the LORD would once again take and choose Judah and Jerusalem (Zech. 2:12-13), and Joshuah and his companions would serve as a wondrous sign of His Servant the BRANCH (semah/samah- sprout, bring forth, shoot (of Messiah from Davidic tree), whom the LORD was bringing forth (v. 8). What started as a spiritual attack by Satan himself, became a great work of prophetic restoration and forgiveness that would cover the land. From beginning to end, this was a work of the Spirit of God by the Messiah, the stone upon which are seven eyes (v. 9). As we rely upon the Word and Spirit of God, instead of becoming "graves of craving", as did the children of Israel, we become like Joshua the High Priest, "a wondrous sign" of restoration affecting the whole land (see also Joel 2:15-27, another Sabbath reading portion for this week). The third leader in this week's Sabbath reading portion is Zerubbabel the governor. Zechariah the prophet is wakened by an angel who shows him a lampstand of solid gold. This lamp of light is fed a continuous supply of olive oil directly from two olive trees that stand on either side of it. Immediately the Word of the LORD is given to Zechariah concerning the governor of Judea, Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel had been appointed to be governor of those who had returned to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon. He had begun the rebuilding of the foundation for the temple in Jerusalem that had been destroyed. Zerubbabel's name means "offspring of Babylon". His name (zarab) also comes from the idea of a flow of water that grows more and more narrow until it eventually dries up. In fact, like Zerubbabel's name, the progress in rebuilding the temple seemed to have come to a standstill. There was much opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple by the local inhabitants of the land. Perhaps Zerubbabel grew discouraged by this slow progress, and the constant opposition. So the vision given to the prophet was not of a narrowing stream that eventually dried up, but of an unending supply of olive oil (the Holy Spirit and the anointing) that keeps the lampstand lighted. This was identified as a spiritual problem that had a remedy in the Spirit. Then the LORD delivered these words to Zerubbabel: "'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of hosts" (Zech. 4:6). A great spiritual mountain of opposition stood in front of Zerubbabel, but it would become nothing but a flattened plain, and the rebuilding of the temple would be completed within the Spirit of the LORD, and the words of "Grace, grace". The great Building Stone, the capstone, would be brought forth by Zerubbabel by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of the LORD had anointed Zerubbabel to build the Temple of God regardless of the obstacles set against it. The title of the Sabbath readings for this week is B'ha'alot'cha, which means "In your making, go up!". In Psalm 90, Moses asked God to end His anger with His people, and "Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. And let the beauty (na'om- kindness, favor, delightfulness, splendor, grace) of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands." (v. 16-17). We have just observed the Feast of Pentacost in the church, which remembers the fulfillment of the promise of God to endue believers with power from on high. This took the form of pouring out the Holy Spirit in tongues of fire upon believers in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. This outpouring continues, and is unending as in Zechariah's vision concerning Zerubbabel. It never dries up. It is in this "beauty", this provision of God, that establishes His works through the work of our hands. Our Father overcomes by His Spirit. If you would like to know the Messiah, Jesus, and receive the Spirit of Grace Who overcomes, you can pray: "Lord Jesus, I believe that You died for me, and that You were raised from the dead by the Spirit. You baptize me with the Holy Spirit, so I will be able to overcome all obstacles and attacks of the enemy. Your anointing destroys every yoke, and makes all things possible in God. Teach me not to rely on my own strength but on the anointing that never runs dry. I give You thanks, and receive this promise from the Father. In Jesus' name, AMEN."