Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the seventeenth article in the series, Yeshua is the Resurrection.

Yeshua said to her, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life! Whoever puts his trust in me will live, even if he dies; (John 11:2).

As Yeshua’s apostles spread the good news of the Kingdom, they emphasized the significance of Yeshua’s resurrection.  The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of [Yeshua], and God’s great blessing was upon them all (Acts 4:33). In fact, Sha’ul (Paul) claims in his letter to the Romans that Yeshua’s resurrection proves that He is the Son of Yehovah.  It concerns his Son — he is descended from David physically; he was powerfully demonstrated to be Son of God spiritually, set apart by his having been resurrected from the dead; he is Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord (Rom 1:3-4).

Yeshua raised the widow’s son from the dead in Nain (Luke 7:11-17) and also raised his friend, Lazarus after three days (John 11:38:44).  So, what is significant about Yeshua’s resurrection and how is it different from Lazarus being raised from the dead?  Unlike the widow’s son and Lazarus who were brought back to life in their mortal bodies, Yeshua was raised into an immortal body, a body that cannot be harmed, that is incorruptible.  What does that mean for us?

It means that the payment Yeshua made for our sin debt has been accepted by Yehovah (Rom 4:25). Our corruptible bodies will die but we need not fear for we will be raised into immortal bodies just like Yeshua. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies (1 Cor 15:53).

It also means that Yeshua is alive and active in His body of believers. He is very involved with us, with our growth and formation as citizens of His kingdom.  Even though He is seated at the right hand of the Father, Yeshua communicates with our spirit through His Spirit.  Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing (Acts 2:33).

In this mortal body, we have pain, illness, and weakness, but in our new glorified bodies, we will have perfect health and power.  Living in this mortal body is temporary, but living in an immortal body will be forever. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.  It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body (1 Cor 15:42-44).

Yeshua is our resurrection; therefore, we have hope for the future beyond the death of our mortal bodies.  According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you… (1 Pet 1:3-4).

Yeshua’s resurrection means that He will someday return to the earth to judge, to rule and to reign in His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).  Those who remain faithful to Yeshua while in their mortal bodies will reign with Him in their resurrected bodies. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also, I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years (Rev 20:4-6). Revelation 1:5-6 states “and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , , , , , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the sixteenth article in the series, Yeshua is haMashiach at Father’s Right Hand.

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God (Heb 10:12).

What does it mean for us that Yeshua sits at the right hand of Yehovah?  There are several aspects to consider in this verse.  First of all, the word “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos and it means anointed one. Mashiach is the Hebrew word for anointed one and Messiah is the English word for Mashiach.  In Biblical times and, even sometimes today, an individual who was about to take on a role such as king, prophet or priest, was anointed with oil as a sign of his new designation.  Yeshua is our King (John 18:36), Prophet (Deut 18:15) and High Priest (Heb 4:14-16); thus, it is fitting that He is referred to as haMashiach (the Anointed).  The oil used for consecration is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.  When Yehovah told a prophet such as Moses or Samuel to anoint someone with oil, it indicated that Yehovah was appointing and equipping that person with His Spirit for the new assignment (Ex 28:41; 1 Sam 16:13). 

Was Yeshua anointed?  Yes, more than once.  In Luke 4:18, Yeshua tells that He was anointed.  “The Spirit of Yehovah is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed…”  It is possible that He was anointed by the astrologers who brought him gifts because myrrh was used to anoint kings and was also used for burial.  Yeshua was anointed again before his death and burial. While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table…(Matthew 26:6–13).

Yehovah empowers us for our assignments from Him by pouring His Holy Spirit upon us. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him (1 John 2:27).

Yeshua now sits on His throne at the right hand of Yehovah. Sitting at the right hand of a king is a symbol of authority.  All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matt 28:16).  From His throne, Yeshua commissions us to “make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19).  From His position at the right hand of His Father, Yeshua intercedes for us (Rom 8:34), serves as our High Priest (Heb 8:1, 4:14-16), mediates between His Father and us (1 Tim 2:5); and is our advocate in Heaven (1 John 2:1).

Yeshua also anoints and equips us with the Holy Spirit to carry out our assignments in the Kingdom. Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today (Acts 2:33). As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him (1 John 2:27). As we carry out the tasks that Messiah Yeshua has assigned to each of us on earth, we are mandated to keep our focus on our Leader. So, if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God (Col 3:1 HCSB).

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the fifteenth article in the series, Yeshua is Sar Shalom.

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name … Sar-Shalom [Prince of Peace] (Is 9:6)

In English, we say that Yeshua is the Prince of Peace and we are speaking the truth, but not the complete truth.  In Hebrew, sar means prince, leader, ruler, but the Hebrew word shalom means much more than just an absence of war or conflict.  The root word of shalom is shalam. It is used several times in Exodus 21 and 22 where Moses is giving instructions to the Israelites concerning Yehovah’s commands to them.  In this instance, Moshe is discussing the compensation (shalam) that must be paid in case of personal injury to another or in case of damage to another’s property. In these two chapters shalam is translated as “make it good”, “shall surely pay”, “make full restitution” or to “restore”. (“The True Meaning of Shalom” by Doug Hershey, firmisrael.org) Yeshua paid full restoration for our sin in order to restore our relationship with Yehovah (Rom 5:1). 

As if paying our debt wasn’t enough, Yeshua provides even more for us. He restores to us all that has been lost through our own sinful choices as well as all that has been stolen or destroyed due to sabotage from our enemy, hasatan.  Yeshua restores our dignity, our true identity in Yehovah, and our lost dreams (Col 1:22).  He heals our soul wounds as well as our physical ailments (Is 53:5).  Everything that was lost to us through the fall of Adam and Eve or through our own fault, is restored to us (James 1:4).  In order to experience all that Yeshua provides, we must have an active personal relationship with Him. The more we seek Yeshua and trust Him, the more He restores to us.

Another definition of shalom is “full of well-being; healthy, prosperous.”  Shalom has been used as a greeting for centuries, even during Yeshua’s time.  In Luke 24:36, the resurrected Yeshua surprised his disciples by suddenly appearing in a room with locked doors and greeting them with “shalom aleikhem” or “shalom to all of you.”  This greeting is a blessing, a wishing someone to be completely well and prosperous. Only in Yeshua can we realize our full potential.

We are restored, not only for our own pleasure, but in order to be fully prepared and equipped to carry out our assignments in the Kingdom of Heaven (Heb 13:20-21).  Yehovah’s underlying purpose is to establish His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  He created and fully equipped Adam and Eve for such a purpose.  When they succumbed to the deception of hasatan, Yehovah made new provisions, at great sacrifice to Himself and to Yeshua, in order to carry out His kingdom-building plan. Yehovah is establishing His kingdom on earth, not only for His own pleasure, but for us as well.  He graciously allows us to participate in His great work.  As a result, we are blessed abundantly as we participate in His work.  When we seek Yehovah with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, we will experience true shalom.

Now may the Lord of shalom himself give you shalom always in all ways. The Lord be with all of you (2 Thessalonians 3:16). 

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the fourteenth article in the series, Yeshua is Advocate.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2).

If you look closely throughout Scripture, you may notice that our Heavenly Father is also the King and Judge over all that He has created and, in particular, over all the earth.  There are times, as in the days of Noah, that our Father warned the inhabitants of the earth that they were straying far from His ways and entrenching themselves in evil. When they continued to disregard Him, our Father, who is also King and Judge, pronounced sentence upon them.  Only Noah and his family were spared because they heeded Yehovah and followed his ways (Gen 5:32-10:1). Other examples include Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19); Nineveh, although that sentence was revoked due to their repentance (Jonah 3); and the dispersion of the Jews and the destruction of the second Temple in 70 AD (as Yeshua prophesied in Matt 24). 

As humans, we stray from Yehovah’s laws and we don’t always heed His warnings right away.  We need an advocate in Heaven to represent us before the Judge.  According to Easton’s Bible dictionary, an advocate is one who pleads another’s cause, who helps another by defending or comforting him.  Yeshua is our Advocate in Heaven, seated at the right hand of Yehovah.  Since the courtroom is in Heaven and we are residing on earth, we have another Advocate on earth to represent us and counsel us here. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate on earth (John 14:16, 15:26, 16:7). The roles of an advocate are to defend rights, to fight for needs and rights for other people, and assist others. 

It is a frightening thing to try to defend yourself in an earthly court; how much more so to try to defend yourself before the King and Judge of all creation. It is wise to repent and ask forgiveness as soon as we realize that we have sinned. We are not alone for we have advocates to assist us and advise us. Both advocates represent us in Heaven’s Court and both counsel us.  The Holy Spirit not only counsels us directly, but also relays Yeshua’s advise to us (John 16:14). If we will heed their advice and submit to our Father’s rule, we will have no need to be judged.  However, if we stray, we have two powerful advocates to plead our cause before the Judge and to advise us. They are clearly on our side, so it is in our best interest to heed their advice.

When another person complains to the Father about us or when the adversary, who constantly seeks opportunities to destroy us (1 Pet 5:8) raises accusations against us, the Righteous Judge must address the matters brought before Him.  Thanks to His merciful provision, we already have two court-appointed advocates to plead our cause and intercede for us.   

Since Yeshua has lived upon this earth as one of us and has suffered as we suffer, He understands our weakness and is an empathetic Advocate.  He knows our hearts and can plead for us based on what’s inside of us, unlike an advocate in an earthly court who can only work with external evidence.

Every time we are found guilty or plead guilty in Heaven’s court, there is a corresponding debt to be paid, one that we cannot pay for ourselves.  Our Father, the righteous Judge, does not cancel our debt and pretend our sin hasn’t happened when we stand before Him.  However, in His infinite mercy, our Father has provided the payment for our sin, through the sacrifice and blood of His first-born, His precious Yeshua.  Yeshua is not only our Advocate in Heaven, but He has already given His life for us and provides the payment for our debt with His own blood. Once our debt has been paid, our sin is stricken from the record.  We see a picture of this in the commands concerning the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement as described in Leviticus 16. 

When we cooperate with the Righteous Judge and our two Advocates, everything works out beautifully in our favor and our rewards and benefits are bountiful.

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the thirteenth article in the series, Yeshua is Deliverer.

As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God (Ps 40:17).

What is a deliverer?  According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, “deliverer” is defined as:

  1. A person who delivers goods to customers usually over a regular local route; or
  2. One that saves [others] from danger or destruction

Let us explore these two definitions beginning with the second definition. If Yeshua is our deliverer, what has He delivered us from?  If we explore the Scriptures, Yeshua has delivered us from much danger and eternal destruction.

Yeshua delivered us from:

Bondage to hasatan and to the law of sin and death which comes from hasatan  For freedom [Messiah] has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Gal 5:1).

Our sins [Yeshua] Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:14 ESV) And she will have a son, and you are to name him Yeshua [Yehovah saves] for he will save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21).

Heavy burdens Each of us carries heavy burdens such as worry, anxiety, sorrow, grief, soul wounds, and so on.  Then [Yeshua] said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28).

Eternal condemnation (the second death) and separation from Yehovah For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Sickness, disease, weakness But [Yeshua] was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed (Is 53:5 ). That evening many [demonized] people were brought to [Yeshua]. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick.  This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases” (Matt 8:16-17).

Fear “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (Luke 14:27).

Spiritual debt Due to our sins, we each owe a debt that we cannot possibly pay.  Yeshua has paid that debt for us with His own blood.  My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, [Yeshua the Messiah] the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2)

Spiritual darkness/blindness Yeshua spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12).

In addition to rescuing us from many evils, Yeshua also delivers to us numerous delightful gifts.  Some of these gifts are listed below.

Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. (John 15:26).

Adoption and Inheritance [Yehovah] determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be his children — in keeping with his pleasure and purpose (Eph 1:5).  Also, in union with [Messiah] we were given an inheritance, we who were picked in advance according to the purpose of the One who effects everything in keeping with the decision of his will, so that we who earlier had put our hope in the Messiah would bring him praise commensurate with his glory (Eph 1:11-12). The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him (Eph 1:15).

A share in His glory Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne (Rev 3:21-22).

The righteousness of Messiah For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor 5:21)

Eternal life And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:11-12).

Joy But rejoice insofar as you share [Messiah’s] sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed (1 Pet 4:13).

Spiritual Gifts Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness (Rom 12:6-8).

Wisdom …that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is [Messiah],in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:2-3).

As we meditate on Scripture, we can add to both these lists.  Yeshua delivers us from the hell we were born into and His gifts equip us to thrive in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Take courage, for we have all that we need to fulfill Yehovah’s purpose for us.

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the twelfth article in the series, Yeshua is Yehovah Tz’vaot.

And David saith unto the Philistine, `Thou art coming unto me with sword, and with spear, and with buckler, and I am coming unto thee in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, God of the ranks of Israel, which thou hast reproached.”  (1 Sam 17:45 YLT).

Yehovah Tz’vaot is translated as “Yehovah of Hosts”, “Yehovah of the Armies”, “LORD of Hosts”, among various other translations.  It is a designation for Yehovah indicating that He is Lord or Ruler over the heavenly hosts and also the armies of the earth.   The first time this term is used in the Bible is in 1 Sam 1:9, where Hannah, who is barren, is pleading with Yehovah to give her a child.  In this case no earthly armies were involved.  In Matthew 26:53-54, Yeshua talks about His Father sending legions of angels to Him at His request.  Throughout the Old Testament, we see examples of Yehovah intervening on behalf of earthly armies You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.” (2 Chron 20:17).  Another example is ‘for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ (Deut 20:4).  And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when the people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses – all dead.” (2 Kings 19:35).

Is Yeshua also Yehovah Tz’vaot?  Some translations of Isaiah 44:6 seem to indicate that Yeshua also carries this title.  “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and His Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God” (Is 44:6 NKJV). In Matthew 28:18, Yeshua told His disciples that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him. 

What does this mean for us?  It means that we are never alone in our battles, whether in the physical realm or the spiritual realm.  In these troubling times, we can easily feel threatened on many levels, but we are not left on our own to contend with those who threaten us, whether human or demonic. We have very real help. not just from earthly armies, but from heavenly ones as well. And we can rest assured that both Yehovah, and His Son, Yeshua, are in charge of all armies. 

I depend on God alone; I put my hope in him.  He alone protects and saves me; He is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. My salvation and honor depend on God; He is my strong protector; He is my shelter. (Ps 62:5-7 GNT)

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the eleventh article in the series, Yeshua is “the Prophet”.

Moses continued, “[Yehovah] your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.” (Deut 18:15).

Yeshua is the Prophet that Moses wrote about in Deuteronomy 18.  This is confirmed in Peter’s speech on Shavuot (Pentecost): Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Yeshua, your appointed Messiah. For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you. Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people (Acts 3:19-23).

Moses prayed on behalf of the Israelites on many occasions throughout Exodus and Deuteronomy. One example is found in Deuteronomy 9:18. Then once again I fell prostrate before the Lord for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in Yehovah’s sight and so arousing his anger.  Matthew 4:1-3 tells us that Yeshua was led into the desert for forty days and forty nights and that He fasted and was tempted by hasatan (Satan). Was He also interceding for His people as Moses did? Romans 8:34 says that Jesus “is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”  In John 17:20-21 Yeshua prayed “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Moses taught the Israelites how to live according to Yehovah’s commands and instructions.   Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you. (Deut 6:1).  Yeshua taught His disciples and large crowds in Israel the same statutes and judgments (Matt 5-7) and even expanded the commandments.  You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.  But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell (Matt 5:21-22). Yeshua did not do away with the law of Moses which is actually the law of Yehovah.  Moses was merely the messenger or prophet.  In fact, Yeshua not only upheld His Father’s law, but raised the bar, so to speak. 

Miracles and signs were performed through Moses as endorsement or proof that he had been commissioned and sent by Yehovah.  For example, Aaron’ staff turned into a snake. Then the Lord told Moses and Aaron,“When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miraculous sign,’ then you are to say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it in front of Pharaoh.’ It will become a serpent.” Exodus 7:8-9).  There are other examples of signs and miracles throughout the Old Testament of Moses and other prophets performing signs and wonders.  Yeshua also performed many miracles such as changing water into wine (John 2:1-11); healing the sick (Matt 8); raising the dead (John 11:38-44); feeding multitudes with just a few loaves and fish (John 6:1-14).

Moses relayed messages from Yehovah to Pharoah and to the Israelites. Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say” (Ex 4:12). Yeshua relayed messages from Yehovah to the religious and civil authorities and to the people in Israel.  For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. (John 12:49).

Moses as a prophet was a messenger for Yehovah, but Moses did not provide the manna in the desert, nor did he part the Reed Sea, nor did he draw water out of the rock by striking it.  It was Yehovah who protected and provided for the Israelites.  Yehovah is a spirit and it is more difficult for people operating only in the physical realm to related to a spirit.  So, Moses, a human like the rest of the Israelites, was more tangible to them, but he was not Yehovah.  Yeshua is both Yehovah and a human and is therefore the perfect person to be the Prophet.  The Israelites tended to attribute Yehovah’s work to Moses’ credit and there was a tendency to worship Moses rather than Yehovah.   Yeshua, the Prophet, relates the Father’s message to us and does the work of His Father, but Yeshua is also Yehovah.  When we understand who Yeshua is, then we can more easily make the connection to Yehovah.  It is then that we recognize our true Provider and Protector.

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the tenth article in the series, Yeshua is our Beloved.

 In that the Messiah [Yehovah} chose us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in his presence. He determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be his children — in keeping with his pleasure and purpose —so that we would bring him praise commensurate with the glory of the grace he gave us through the Beloved One (Eph 1:4-6).

Yeshua is the beloved Son of Yehovah.  Yeshua was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Matt 17:5). It is through Yehovah’s beloved Son we are welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven and adopted as Yehovah’s children.  Even if our parents fell short in loving us or even if they rejected us, we are beloved children of our Heavenly Father. 

Through Yeshua we are able to escape from the kingdom of darkness we were born into and can be born again into Yeshua’s Kingdom. We are born again when we repent of our sins and ask Yeshua to be Lord of our lives.  For [Yehovah] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, (Col 1:13).  We who belong to Yeshua are His beloved.  “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love” (John 15:9).

Yeshua wants to be close to us, just as He is close to his Father.  When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you (John 14:20).  We have become part of Yehovah’s family.  It is a close-knit family where each member is valued and cherished.   

Our Beloved Yeshua is always faithful to us.  When we feel isolated and misunderstood, we are not truly alone for He is always with us. I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (Matt 28:20). He has experienced every hurt and sorrow that we experience. He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Is 53:3).

When we are afraid, we can take our fear to Yeshua.  We are safe at all times because our Beloved is at hand to protect and defend us.  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Ps 23:4). 

The rest of the world may seem oblivious to our troubles, but Yeshua is not.  He has already borne all our trouble, sin and weakness and put them to death in His body on the cross. Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. … (Is 53:4-5).

Dayenu!  It would have been enough for Yeshua to rescue us from the clutches of evil, but He does so much more.  He wants us to live with Him forever.  He wants us to share in His glory.  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. (2 Cor 3:18).

Our Beloved remains faithful to us forever, no matter how much the enemy tries to thwart our relationship.  We may walk away from Yeshua, but He will never walk away from us.  Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?  (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”])  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us (Rom 8:35-37).  Let us cling to our Beloved in good times and in bad times.

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the ninth article in the series, Yeshua is our Goal.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Heb 12-3).

From the time we are born, and even more so, from the time we are born-again we are in a race toward a particular goal.  The goal we should all be striving toward is Yeshua.  Yeshua modeled for us how to run the race correctly.  His Father was His goal.  He focused totally on His Father and not on Himself.  He followed His Father’s instructions and example. Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does (John 5:19). Yeshua’s goal was to be at His Father’s right hand.  Our goal is to be with Yeshua.

How do we reach that goal? We are to pay heed to Yeshua’s words and follow His example.  And keep growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Deliverer, Yeshua the Messiah. To him be the glory, both now and forever! Amen (2 Pet 3:18).  What example did Yeshua give us?  He sought His Father’s will and pleasure, not His own.  He learned from His Father what His assignment was while He was on earth, and He set about to accomplish that assignment, even though it meant torture and death at the hand of His enemies for the sake of those who rejected Him. “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.” (Luke 22:42) We too must learn from Abba what our assignment is and fulfill that assignment to the best of our ability. 

When Yeshua was here on earth, people clamored after Him. They ran to wherever they heard He was going to be.  They sought Yeshua for His teaching, for miraculous healing, for forgiveness, for food. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan (Matt 4:25). People dropped whatever they were doing just to be near Yeshua.  Sometimes they walked great distances, went without food or other comforts for days just to see Yeshua and to be near Him. Jesus called the disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a great distance.”… (Mark 8:1-3). Do we pursue Yeshua with passion or have we been taking Him for granted?  Is being near to Him the most important thing in our lives or do we succumb to other distractions?

Yeshua sacrificed everything for us.  He held nothing back.  We are His pearl of great price.  “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! (Matt 13:45-46).  Yeshua went to great lengths to ensure that we could be part of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Likewise, we must be willing to sacrifice everything to be with Yeshua in His Kingdom, for He is our Pearl of great price.  Yeshua is our destination, our goal!

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living. 

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom, , , , , ,

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the eighth article in the series, Yeshua is our Wisdom.

It is [Yehovah’s] doing that you are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He has become wisdom for us from [Yehovah], and righteousness and holiness and redemption as well! (1 Cor 1:30)

Yeshua is our wisdom.  He illustrates this by the words He speaks and by His actions while He was here on earth.  We learn Yehovah’s wisdom from following Yeshua’s example.   The better we know Yeshua personally, the deeper our understanding of Yehovah’s heart and mind.  Yehovah’s thoughts and ways are far above our ways, but we can learn more about them by sitting at the feet of our Teacher, Yeshua. 

We can learn from Yeshua by spending more time with Him in prayer and by focusing on His words in Scripture.  This helps to ensure that we are not easily swayed by others’ words.  For example, the religious leaders of Yeshua’s time had great influence on the Jews.  They portrayed themselves as righteous and far more knowledgeable than others.  They were leading people astray from Yehovah and Yeshua confronted them on this matter repeatedly.  This was an opportunity for the religious leaders to repent and humbly learn from the Master.  Perhaps some did listen to Yeshua.  But the majority sought to kill Yeshua and continue following their own wisdom. 

Many in leadership positions today in both government and church settings are much like the Pharisees and Sadducees in Yeshua’s time.  Oftentimes, their words may seem reasonable.  When we focus on such leaders, we block out the wisdom and truth of Yeshua and Yehovah and we stray from the narrow path that leads to everlasting life. Sometimes our brothers and sisters fall into the same trap.  Do we lovingly confront others who have strayed or are we fearful of some type of retribution? See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to [Messiah] (Col 2:8).

Hostility and violence are increasing.  There are more hate groups than ever.  Road rage is rampant and shootings are everyday occurrences.  Our brothers and sisters in Messiah are being persecuted for their faith in at least 150 countries around the world. In Nigeria, a Christian is killed on average of every two hours for his or her faith.  Even within the Body of Messiah, there is growing hostility and intolerance.  We seem to be surrounded by enemies.  What should we do?  Should we join in the fray and retaliate against those with whom we disagree?  What does Yeshua teach us? You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matt 5:43-48)

Some of us today have grown lukewarm in our relationship with Yehovah and Yeshua.  We take our relationship with Yehovah for granted.  We become complacent and hide out in our comfort zone.  Do we think that there is nothing else to be learned?  Have we stopped earnestly seeking Him?  Are we helping to build His Kingdom?  Or have we become like the church in Laodicea?  I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!  But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!  You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.  So, I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.  I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference (Rev 3:15-19).

Our world grows increasingly evil and unstable.  Do we worry about the future?  What will happen to our economy?  How will we provide for ourselves?  What if products become scarce or too expensive for us to afford?  How will we provide for ourselves and our families?  “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?7 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? (Matt 6:25-27)

For every situation that confronts us, Yeshua supplies the answer by His words and His actions. Yeshua has experienced all that we experience. He lived in a hostile world while He was on earth.  He was persecuted and ridiculed for His words and actions even though He lived in total obedience to His Father.  Yeshua understands our fears and weaknesses.  He will help us through any situation if we seek His wisdom.   For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. (Heb 4:15). Let us forsake the foolishness of the world and seek Yeshua, our true source of wisdom.

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.