Tag Archives: Yehovah

Living Sacrifice

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This is the twelfth article in the “New Life” series, written to address the needs of those seeking or those new to their faith in Jesus. This series may also be helpful to anyone who suspects that something is missing from their faith walk.

Yehovah’s goal since the beginning of creation is to establish His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.  His glory will be manifested on earth as it is in Heaven.

It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke (Isaiah 6:1-4).

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world (Psalm 19:1-4).

Yeshua sacrificed everything, even His life, to establish Yehovah’s kingdom on earth.  He paid our debt so that we could be reconciled to Yehovah and be included in His glorious Kingdom. Yeshua conquered death so that we could be raised to new life in Him.

God was in [Yeshua] reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19).

But [Yehovah], being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with [Yeshua]—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in [Messiah Yeshua], so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in [Messiah Yeshua] (Ephesians 2:4-7).

Yeshua lived and died to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.  We, as His followers, are called to dedicate our lives to Kingdom work.  We can expect persecution and trials, for we are not greater than our Master.

If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me (John 15:18-21).

“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come (Matthew 24:9-14).

Many of our brothers and sisters in over 150 countries in the world are suffering persecution.  They must worship in secret.  Some lose family, some are betrayed by those close to them. Some are imprisoned. Some lose their homes, jobs, and community for the sake of the Kingdom. Some are tortured or martyred for their faith. If you are among these people, please know that you are not alone.  Many brothers and sisters throughout the world are praying for you. Yeshua promised that He would never leave you or forsake you.  The Holy Spirit lives in you.    

How can we prepare for these trials?  Will we be able to stay faithful to Yeshua just as He is to us? 

  • Spend time each day with Yeshua.  As you grow closer to Yeshua and experience His love, you will love Him in return and better understand Him.  You will desire His presence above everything else.

“I [Yeshua] am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing (John 15:5).

  • Read and memorize Scripture each day. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Memorize passages that are important to you. Recite your memory verses at least once a day, especially when you need comfort or strength.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right (2 Timothy 3:16).

  • Ask Yeshua to heal your soul wounds, help you to rid yourself of sin, resentment, or bitterness from the past.  Forgive each person who has hurt you in the past and forgive each new offense right away.  It is difficult to forgive others because they do not deserve it. We must remember that Yehovah forgives us, yet we do not deserve His forgiveness either.

 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 4:15-16).

  • We desire to avoid all difficulties and pain. We resist danger. Persecution threatens us. As you read through the Bible, you will discover that Yehovah does not always remove the trouble, but He promises to go before us to fight our battles.  He will walk through the fire or raging waters with us.  We are never alone, even if it feels that way.

[Yehovah] your God who goes before you, He shall fight for you, just as all that He did for you in Egypt before your eyes (Deuteronomy 1:30).

  • The Holy Spirit strengthens us and guides us. As we become sensitive to that quiet voice inside us, we will know when to speak or act and what to say or do. We will know when to be quiet. Yield to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to be in control.  It takes practice and perseverance to let go of control.

 Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26).

  • Ask Jesus to give you a love for those who offend you. It is not our nature to love people who hurt us, yet it is our calling.  Yeshua is our perfect example. He gave His life for us while we were His enemies.

“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 (Matthew 5:43-45).

Why should we endure to the end?  What will keep us going when everything looks so bleak?

He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection (Psalm 91:4).

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4).

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way (Matthew 5:10-12).

Cherished Gems

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This is the eleventh article in the “New Life” series, written to address the needs of those seeking or those new to their faith in Jesus. This series may also be helpful to anyone who suspects that something is missing from their faith walk. Photo credited to: Malerapaso

In the 45 years that I have walked with Yeshua (Jesus), I have made some discoveries that have helped me to mature spiritually and emotionally. These gems, as I call them, have given me comfort, strength, and guidance through my sojourn in a fallen world. I want to share some of these gems with you. I hope they will bless you.

You are never alone, no matter your circumstances. You may not feel His presence, but Yeshua is always with you. The Holy Spirit is also always with you to comfort you and guide you. You can talk to your Heavenly Father any time, day or night. You are loved and valued more than you can imagine.

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you (John 14:18-20).

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you (John 14:16-17).

What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows (Matthew 10:29).

Your real identity comes from Yehovah. The adversary (Satan/hasatan) and his followers work very hard to confuse you about who you really are. They will try to convince you that you are not good enough, that you do not belong, that you are beyond help, that Yehovah does not really love you. Yeshua called hasatan the father of lies. Yehovah created you, loves you, and He determines who you really are.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27).

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well (Psalm 139:14).

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

Yeshua heals not only our bodies, but our souls. In your walk with Yeshua, you may remember painful things from the past. Do not be frightened by this. Yeshua is bringing these memories to mind so that He can work with you to heal them. Although it is distressing at the time, the process will not only heal the bad memory, but will also draw you closer to Yeshua. You will have a stronger sense of His love and commitment to you, and you will trust Him more. Some soul wounds are so deep that you will need to go through several sessions with Yeshua. The memories will return at another time when Yeshua deems that you are ready, but each time you will get better and stronger.

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise (Jeremiah 17:14).

And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people (Matthew 4:23).

[Yehovah] is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).

Yeshua is our protector and provider. Yeshua is our shepherd who will see to our needs. He did not desert us when faced with cruel punishment and death. He gave His life to ransom us and restore us to His Father. He conquered death and rose from the grave. He continues to watch over us. One day soon, He will return to us and live among us once again. Call on Yeshua whenever you feel afraid, lonely, betrayed, threatened, or sad. Yeshua will help you. He understands your suffering.

My servant grew up in [Yehovah’s] presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. (Isaiah 53:2-4).

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is [Yehovah] your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him (1 John 5:14-15).

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Psalm 18:2).

You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance (Psalm 32:7).

Yehovah keeps His promises. We can trust Him because He is always true to His word. He expects the same of us. If you promise something to Yehovah or to another, be sure to keep your promise. We must be like Yehovah so that we reflect His glory.

I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips (Psalm 89:34).

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? (Numbers 23:19).

Yehovah is long-suffering and forgiving. In the Bible accounts of Israel and the other nations, Yehovah often waited hundreds of years, during which time He would send prophets to the people and warning signs to encourage them to repent and to seek His forgiveness. Yehovah is patient with us in the same way. When any person or nation sincerely turns back to Yehovah and asks for forgiveness, He does not hesitate to forgive us and welcome us back.

We must be patient with others and ready to forgive them as our Father forgives us. In the eighth article in this series, entitled “Our Hidden Past Revealed,” we found that early Gentile and Jewish followers of Jesus (Yeshua) did not forgive each other, but held on to anger and bitterness, which eventually turned to hatred. The hatred led to a total separation about two hundred years after Yeshua’s return to His Father. The separation has only recently started to mend, but it is still far from complete.

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust Psalm 103:10-14).

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14-15).

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:16).

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results (James 5:16).

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

If we seek Yehovah, He will reveal Himself to us. Our Father wants us to know Him and love Him as He knows and loves us. He wants to share His wisdom with us and teach us. Yehovah is always available to us.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known (Jeremiah 33:3).

If you lose everyone and everything in your life but still have Yehovah, you will be rich beyond measure. I speak from my own experience. Cling to Yehovah in good times and bad times. He will never let you down.

“I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants, loving [Yehovah] your God, paying attention to what he says and clinging to him — for that is the purpose of your life! (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33).

The more you seek Yehovah, the more gems you collect. You will begin to see things as He sees them. He will share His wisdom with you. You are forever loved and cherished.

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If [Yehovah] is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?3 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for 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.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39).

Rooted in Yehovah

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This is the tenth article in the “New Life” series, written to address the needs of those seeking or those new to their faith in Jesus. This series may also be helpful to anyone who suspects that something is missing from their faith walk. 

In last week’s article, entitled Hatred and Heresies, we encountered some of the lies and heresies that have been passed down through the centuries since the Gentile and Jewish followers of Jesus separated.  This week, let us turn to more pleasant topics to learn how we are called to be rooted in Yehovah.

Who is Yehovah?  Yehovah is the name of the God we worship, the only true God, our Creator.  His name has been hidden from us for centuries, but He is once again making it known to His people. There are many false gods who are impostors introduced by hasatan.  Hasatan means “the adversary” in Hebrew. In English, we call him Satan, but it is not really a name.

Even though I have used Hebrew words in previous articles, I used English terms at the beginning of this series because they are familiar to most people. The Hebrew terms I will use from this point on were lost to Gentile followers of Jesus for centuries. Gentiles have much to learn from Jews, and Jews have much to learn from Gentiles.  This is not a new religion or a strange cult. Our Father’s plan from the beginning is to establish His kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven, and he intends to include everyone who chooses to belong to His Son.

As I mentioned in last week’s article, the Gentiles established Sunday as the day of worship to honor their sun god. Our Father, Yehovah, commands that the seventh day of the week shall be a day of rest, a day of fellowship with Yehovah.  We can worship and visit with Yehovah any day of the week, but the seventh day, Shabbat (Sabbath), is our special day with Yehovah. 

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation (Genesis 2:3).

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Exodus 20:8-11).

Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am [Yehovah] who sanctifies them (Ezekiel 20:12).

It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed (Exodus 31:17).

For centuries, we have believed that we were honoring Jesus by celebrating Christmas and Easter.  However, Christmas and Easter are pagan holidays.  The Gentile leaders added Jesus to their pagan celebrations when they separated from the Jews. Thus, they started a new religion, mixing the sacred with the pagan. Yehovah established seven appointed times throughout the year to honor His Son, Yeshua.  In Hebrew, Yeshua means “salvation” and “deliverance.” 

The appointed times (also called Feasts) begin in Spring.  The first is called Passover, and we remember when the angel of death passed over the homes where blood had been placed on the doorposts and lintels of the houses.  The death of the firstborn was the last of the ten plagues against Egypt.  Later, the firstborn Son of Yehovah, would be sacrificed to set people free and to pay their sin debt.

In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am [Yehovah]. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:11-13).

The next day he saw [Yeshua] coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)!

The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the day after Passover and continues for seven days.  During this time, we remove the leaven from our houses and eat only unleavened bread.  The leaven represents sin.  We are reminded to remove any sin from our lives. 

“[Yehovah’s] Passover begins at sundown on the fourteenth day of the first month. On the next day, the fifteenth day of the month, you must begin celebrating the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:5-6).

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For [Yeshua], our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die (John 6:47-50).

The third feast is called First Fruits.  The Feasts are centered around the three harvest times in Israel.  Barley is harvested in Spring, wheat is harvested in Summer, and produce such as olives and grapes is harvested in Autumn. The Israelites were commanded to bring to Yehovah the best part of their harvest to honor Yehovah for blessing them with good food. We bring our best because Yehovah always gives His best. Yeshua (Jesus) is our First Fruits, the promise of resurrection for all of us.

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine (Proverbs 3:9-10).

But in fact [Yeshua] has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15-20).

The fourth feast is celebrated approximately seven weeks later and is called the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot in Hebrew).  This is the day that Yehovah gave His commands on stone tablets at Mt. Sinai and made a covenant with the Israelites.  The Israelites broke the covenant right away and worshipped false gods.  Three thousand people lost their lives as a result. This is also the day, many years later, when the Holy Spirit descended on the followers of Yeshua and wrote Yehovah’s law on their hearts.  Three thousand people gave their lives to Yeshua and became His followers.

All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” (Exodus 32:3-4)

 Moses told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Each of you, take your swords and go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other. Kill everyone—even your brothers, friends, and neighbors.” The Levites obeyed Moses’ command, and about 3,000 people died that day (Exodus 32:27-28).

The festival of Shavu‘ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place. Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak (Acts 2:1-4).

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of [Yeshua] for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all (Acts 2:38-41).

The feasts of Yehovah are both memorials to what Yehovah has already done for us and teaching tools to prepare us for what He will do for us in the future.  The last three feasts are held in the autumn and are rehearsals for what is still to come. 

The fall feasts begin with the Feast of Trumpets or Yom Teruah (day of blowing, shouting).  The Jewish people today call this day Rosh Hashanah (the head of the civil year). 

The Feast of Trumpets is a day for blowing shofars and trumpets and for shouting.  The blast of trumpets or shofars often signaled the people to go to war or to march.  Many believe that this will be the time when Yeshua returns to rescue His people and to rout hasatan and his followers.

 And [Yehovah] spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy rehearsal. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall present a food offering to [Yehovah].” (Leviticus 23:23-25)

The blowing of trumpets or shofars also begins a ten-day period in which we remove any sin in our lives. It is a time for serious reflection as we ready ourselves for the Day of Atonement, known in the Bible as Yom HaKippurim (day of coverings).  It is often called today Yom Kippur (day of covering). This was the day when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple to make atonement for the people.  Yehovah explains how this day is to be observed in Leviticus 16. Today, we connect this to our High Priest, Yeshua, who made atonement for our sins by dying in our place.

 [Yehovah] said to Moses,“The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present a food offering to [Yehovah]. Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before [Yehovah] your God. Those who do not deny themselves on that day must be cut off from their people. I will destroy from among their people anyone who does any work on that day. You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. It is a day of sabbath rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath (Leviticus 23:26-32).

For [Yeshua] did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before [Yehovah] on our behalf. And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. If that had been necessary, [Yeshua] would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.

 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also [Yeshua] was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him (Hebrews 9:24-28).

The seventh and final celebration that Yehovah provides is called Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles or the Festival of Shelters.  The Israelites recalled and celebrated how Yehovah dwelt with them for forty years in the wilderness as they dwelt in temporary shelters called sukkot in Hebrew.  Today, we also recall that Yeshua, Son of Yehovah, came to live with us and among us.  We eagerly await His return to remove evil from our midst and reign over us (Revelation 7 and 21).

And [Yehovah] said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. Begin celebrating the Festival of Shelters on the fifteenth day of the appointed month—five days after the Day of Atonement. This festival to [Yehovah] will last for seven days. On the first day of the festival you must proclaim an official day for holy assembly, when you do no ordinary work. For seven days you must present special gifts to [Yehovah]. The eighth day is another holy day on which you present your special gifts to [Yehovah]. This will be a solemn occasion, and no ordinary work may be done that day (Leviticus 23:33-36). 

This is a brief introduction to the appointed times of Yehovah. The appointed times celebrate what Yehovah has done for us, but they are also teaching tools from our Father. There is a lot of good information online and in books about this topic. Peter and I have written other articles on each of the appointed times.  As always, ask the Holy Spirit (Ruach haKodesh) to guide you. Yehovah is calling us to be rooted in Him.

There is Power in The Name

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In my first posting on this topic (What’s in a Name?), I established through a chain of scriptural references that God wants His Name to be known and spoken, although it has been hidden from the majority of Jews and Christians for 2,000+ years. The true pronunciation of God’s (Yehovah’s) Name was hidden before Yeshua (Jesus) came to earth the first time, as the Jewish leaders had decided it was too holy for the common people to speak. Yeshua said that one of the main reasons Abba had sent Him to Earth was to reveal the true name of the Father (Yehovah) to His disciples while He was on the earth (John 17:6).

Since there were no vowels in Hebrew scrolls at that time, there was no way to know the pronunciation of God’s Name from reading the scrolls. However, Jewish scribes painstakingly transcribed the scriptures in the 10th and 11th centuries into what are now known as the Aleppo and the Leningrad Codex. These scrolls are unique because vowel points were added so that unfamiliar words, such as God’s Name, could be pronounced properly. The image at the top of this posting contains the Hebrew letters for God’s Name, including the vowel points as found in the two Codexes mentioned above. According to 100+ instances in these two Codexes, the Name is clearly pronounced as Yehovah or Y’hovah.

What is even more crucial, though, is how we use His Name. In Zechariah 13:9, YHVH says to His people that they will call upon His Name and He will answer them. In the Aaronic blessing, Yehovah spoke to Aaron through Moses and told him what words he was to speak to the people of Israel to bless them (Num 6:23-26). Very few people know that what YHVH said in the next verse is the most important part of the blessing. He was explaining the significance of the blessing when He said: “So shall they [the priests] put My Name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them” (Num 6:27). Each verse of the blessing contains God’s holy Name, and YHVH was saying that if they would place (speak) God’s Name over the people, He would promise to bless them.

God loves to hear His Name spoken and there are so many different ways to speak His Name: in praise and worship (Ps 8:1, 66:4, 148, etc.), in blessings (as in Num 6), in prayers (Isa 1:4, Ps 105:1) and in the joys and sorrows of everyday life (as a greeting in Ruth 2:4). There is power in God’s Name; the greatest power in all the universe. In Isa 45:22, Yehovah is telling everyone to look to Him and be saved; He is saying that He Alone is God and there is no other god. Then in the next verse (Isa 45:23) He says “That to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess.” Finally in Verse 24 He says that all Israel will glorify Yehovah as the true Creator and Redeemer God of the universe.

The power of YHVH’s Name is best seen through His attributes that are contained in His compound names in scripture. One of the most powerful is in the graphic at the beginning of this posting: “Yehovah my Miracle [YHVH Nissi]” – this illustrates that we can call on the Name of Yehovah and trust Him to work miracles in our lives, and then give glory to His Name once again when they happen. Another descriptive name for God is Yehovah Yireh (sometimes written as Jevohah Jireh). This is usually translated as “The LORD my Provider”; however, a more accurate translation is “Yehovah who sees”, meaning in essence that He not only sees and knows our needs but that He satisfies them.

The many other names for God in the scriptures powerfully illustrate YHVH’s mercy, forgiveness, and unconditional love for His people. To know God’s Name is important, but it is more relevant to experience the power and beauty of using His Name when we pray. Such prayers are like sweet fragrant incense rising up to our Father in heaven (Rev 5:8).

For instance, when we are interceding for another who is suffering from illness, we can speak His Name along with the attribute of His character that relates to healing: “Yehovah Rapha (The LORD our Healer)”. When we do this, we can sense the Holy Spirit going into action, bringing healing. In the same way, when we cry out to God that He is our Rock (Yehovah Tsuri) we feel comforted in our soul that we can lean on him as our solid Rock and He will never leave us or forsake us. Many people have experienced peace and comfort when they recite the 23rd Psalm, but when you realize that “The LORD our shepherd” is actually “Yehovah Ro’i” in Hebrew and we can call our Shepherd by His Name, then it makes Yeshua’s words in John 10 so much more personal. Yeshua said in John 10:27: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (Isn’t it easier to hear His voice and discern it from all other (false) shepherds when we know His Name as well as His voice? Finally, He says: “I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) How comforting to know that our Creator and Lord is willing to lay down His life for us (and did just that when He died on the cross)?

I will leave you with the words that Yeshua spoke to His disciples near the end of His first mission to the earth: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) If you want to see more about the Hebrew Names for God, see this Web site (remember that “Y” is usually written as “J” in English translations): Names of God – Blue Letter Bible

What’s in a Name ?

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They know My Name

When we meet someone, one of the first questions we ask is “what is your name”? Jesus (Yeshua) died for our sins, to restore our relationship with our Father. We relate to God as our heavenly Father, so it is good to call Him Abba (Aramaic for Father or Daddy). But we also know from scripture that He has a name, and that His children are even called by His name – see II Chron 7:14 and Isa 43:7 (“…everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory…”). And should you believe that knowing and speaking God’s name is only for Israel, see Amos 9:12 where God speaks through Amos and says “…And all the Gentiles [nations] who are called by My name, says the LORD…”.

So, how do we know that God wants us to know and speak His name? There are over 100 scriptures in the Torah, Psalms and Prophets where God says that He wants all the earth to know, speak, and praise His name (e.g. Ex 9:16; Num 6:27; Ps 9:10; Ps 66:4; Ps 91:14; Ps 105:1,3; Ps 105:1,3; Ps 119:132; Ps 148:13; Isa 42:8; Isa 52:6; Jer 16:21; Mal 4:2). The other question that pops up is whether God’s name is to be remembered by everyone for all time? This question is answered soundly by David in Ps 45:17 “I will cause Your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise You forever and ever”. A prime example of God blessing His people when they remember His name is in Ex 20:27 “In every place where I cause My name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you.”

What does Yeshua have to say about the name of God? In Matt 23:39, when He was weeping over the people of Jerusalem because they had not recognized Him as their Messiah, He said “for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ”. “The LORD“ in this verse is actually YHVH (Yehovah), not Adonai (the Hebrew word for Lord). Yeshua was quoting directly from the prophecy in Ps 118:26, which was talking about the future end times when people would speak those words, and use God’s true name in place of the generic title of “The LORD”. In John 17:6, when Yeshua was praying to Abba Father on behalf of his disciples, He said “I made your name known to the people you gave me out of the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.”

In Acts 2:21, Peter quotes Joel 2 when he says “And it shall come to pass that all who call upon the name of the Lord [YHVH] shall be saved”. Just as in Matt 23 above, “the Lord” in this verse is not the generic title for Lord, but rather YHVH (written as The LORD in the Old Testament). In the end times (as reported in Zech 13:9), YHVH says “They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; and each one will say, ‘The LORD [YHVH] is my God.’”

So now that we have established that YHVH wants His name to be known, spoken, praised and glorified in all the earth, how can we know how to speak and pronounce His name? I will go into this in more detail in future blogs in this series, but in summary we know the following to be true:

  • God always wanted us to know His name (from the time He spoke His name to Moses in Ex 3:15)
  • God’s name (the full pronunciation of YHVH) was spoken regularly by people up until the time of the Second Temple, after the return from Babylon – see Ruth 2:4
  • The speaking of God’s name was progressively restricted to a smaller and smaller group of Jews during the Second Temple period (first only the priests, and eventually only the high priest, before and during Yeshua’s time)
  • As stated in John 17:6 above, Yeshua revealed the true name of YHVH to His disciples while He was on the earth (which had been hidden from the common people for several hundred years)

As far as the actual pronunciation of God’s name, there is great dispute, but through our research over a number of years, we believe that His name (YHVH), which is written 6828 times in the Hebrew scriptures, is pronounced as Yehovah (or Y’hovah). We also believe that His name is being revealed to many in this age, as another of the many signs of the approach of the end times that are now unfolding. Finally, we believe it is all part of Yehovah’s plan, that His name would be hidden for a time, and then revealed again to His remnant when the time was right. Stay tuned for further chapters in this story and why we and others believe as we do.

Who Is Yeshua?

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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 nineteenth article in the series, Yeshua is Yehovah’s Son.

For to which of the angels did He ever say, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again,“I will be a Father to Him And He shall be a Son to Me”? (Heb 1:5)

In order to understand who Yeshua is, we must first understand who His Father is. Yehovah is our Creator (Neh 9:6; Ps 139:14), our Provider (Ps 34:10, 81:10), our Rescuer (Ps 34:19, 37:4), our Protector (Nah 1:7, Ps 118:6-7), our Healer (Ps 147:3, Jam 5:15), our Teacher (2 Tim 3:16, Ps 32:8), our Redeemer (Gen 22:13-14, Ps 19:14) and so much more.  Yehovah’s ways are excellent (Ps 18:30, Is 26:7-8).  He is the source of wisdom (Prov 2:6, 1 Cor 1:25) and righteousness (Ps 48:10, Is 45:21).  Yehovah is King forever over all creation (1 Chron 16:31, Ps 45:6, Ps 103:19).

How do we know that Yeshua is Yehovah’s Son?  The angel Gabriel announced it to Yeshua’s mother, Miryam, twice (Luke 1:32, 35). “…therefore the child to be bornwill be called holy—the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). The prophet, John the Baptist testified that Yeshua is the Son of Yehovah.  “And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34).  His followers declared that Yeshua is Yehovah’s Son.  “And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’” (Matt 14:33).  “He said to them, ‘But who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God’” (Matt 16:15-16i). Yeshua identified Himself as the Son of Yehovah (John 10:36; 11:4, 16:28, Matt 27:43).  On at least two occasions, the Father publicly proclaimed that Yeshua is His Son (Matt 3:16-17, Matt 17:5).  There are many instances recorded in the Gospels of Yeshua healing and teaching.

Yeshua demonstrates that He is his Father’s Son by His actions.  Yeshua worked with His Father and the Holy Spirit to create the heavens and the earth (John 1:3, Col 1:16).  Yeshua provided wine at a wedding (John 2: 1-12) and food to the crowds (Matt 14:13-21). Yeshua is our Rescuer (Matt 1:21, Heb 7:25) and Protector (John 10:28, 17:12). Yeshua has paid the debt for our sins and has redeemed us (1 Cor 7:23, Eph 1:7).  Yeshua’s ways are His Father’s ways (John 5:19-20, 6:38). Yeshua is the source of all wisdom (Col 2:3, 1 Cor 1:30).  Yeshua is our righteousness (2 Cor 5:21, Rom 5:19). Yeshua will reign as our King (Heb 1:8; Col 1:13).

Although Yeshua is eternal and is equal to the Father, when He came to earth as a human He became the firstborn of both the Father and His mother.  A firstborn son in ancient Near East times was considered the strongest of His siblings. He had authority over his younger siblings.  When his father died, the firstborn son was expected to take care of his mother and his unmarried sisters and became the head and spiritual leader over his family.  The firstborn son was also entitled to a double portion of the inheritance. 

Although our Father is eternal and will never die, Yeshua is not replacing His Father but is acting in His Father’s stead. Yeshua has assumed responsibility for those of us who welcome Him as our Lord and Redeemer.  We are considered His younger siblings.  We have the privilege and blessing of having a truly righteous Brother who teaches us, protects us and loves us.

In ancient times a man could redeem his relatives who had been sold into slavery.  He could also buy back property that had been sold. Yeshua is our Kinsman Redeemer.  Through the fall of Adam and Eve we became slaves of hasatan.  Yeshua has purchased our freedom not with money but with His own blood.  Just as Abram recovered Lot, his family and all that had been stolen by the enemy, Yeshua has rescued us and recovered all that has been lost or stolen from us (Gen 14:14-16, Heb 2:14-15, Acts 3:21). Yeshua’s sacrifice and resurrection as the Son of Yehovah ensure our eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven!

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?

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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. 

Clean Reflections

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This is the eleventh article of our Living Tabernacles series, where we study the Tabernacle in depth. It is exciting to see how each element symbolizes some characteristic of Yeshua.  It is also challenging when we examine what each element means for us, since each of us is now a living tabernacle of YHVH [Yehovah].  We are posting two articles each month as part of this series. YHVH is building His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  Our King reigns from His throne and also pronounces judgment from there. 

This article focuses on the significance of the Bronze Laver (basin) that YHVH instructed His people to build and place between the Brazen Altar of sacrifice and the Tabernacle. In Exodus 30:18, YHVH [Yehovah] said to Moshe: “You are to make a basin of bronze, with a base of bronze, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it” [CJB].

In verses 18-21, YHVH explains to Moshe how this basin is to filled with water and used by the priests for washing before they come into His presence and before they bring sacrifices to the Altar: “Aaron and his sons will wash their hands and feet there when they enter the tent of meeting — they are to wash with water, so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by burning an offering for Yehovah, they are to wash their hands and feet, so that they will not die. This is to be a perpetual law for them through all their generations”.

To help the priests see their dirty places more clearly, YHVH also instructed the Israelites to embed mirrors into the bronze laver: “Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle” (Ex 38:8).  Since YHVH wants us to come before Him without spot or blemish (as in Ephesians 5:27), the bronze mirrors from the women helped the priests to clean up those physical spots that would keep them from full immersion into YHVH’s presence.

These instructions that YHVH gave to His people show the importance He places on purity.  When His people come before Him to minister to Him, they are to be “clean”.  So, what does Yehovah mean by clean in this context?  He has given us many examples of cleanliness in the physical world, such as His instructions to the priests to wash themselves before coming into the Tabernacle or Temple, for His people to eat clean instead of unclean foods, and to cleanse ourselves after touching a dead body or being healed of leprosy.

However, these are only physical object lessons that point to His more crucial message that we need to cleanse and purify our hearts and minds before coming into His presence, as in Psalm 24:4: “The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up their soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully”.  The importance to YHVH of purity of hearts and hands is also shown in Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” and James 4:8: “Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded”.  After David committed his most flagrant sins, he cried out to God in Psalm 51:10: “Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me”.

Aaron and his sons were the appointed priests for the whole nation of Israel, but we know that all of YHVH’s children are to be priests ministering before Him, as in Exodus 19:6: “And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation”.  Yeshua said in Revelation 5:10: “And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God”.  We know that we are to come before YHVH’s throne and into His presence, as in these Scriptures in Hebrews:

  • Hebrews 4:16 – “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most”; and
  • Hebrews 10:22 – “…let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him…”

Now that we understand that we are to be priests before YHVH, be cleansed, and come into His presence, how do we go about cleansing ourselves?  First, look at the second part of the verse from Hebrews 10:22: “For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Messiah’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water”.  While it is true that Yeshua’s blood has saved us from our sins, we still need to be cleansed and made holy by “the washing of water by the word” (Eph 5:26)

In James 1:25 [NLT] it says: “But if you look carefully into the perfect law [Torah] that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it”.  So, YHVH says that we are to study the Torah (the Word of YHVH) and follow what it says.  The living Word is Yeshua.  As it says in John 1, verses 1 and 14: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. And the Word became flesh and dwelled among us…”.

The Word of God (both written and Living) is our water of cleansing – it is His will for us to spend time every day soaking in His Word, being transformed by the renewing of our minds, and being cleansed in our souls so that we can constantly draw closer and closer to Abba and His precious Son, Yeshua.

YHVH’s Sanctuary

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yhvh-is-a-shelterWhat did Yeshua mean when He said in His Olivet discourse: “as it was in the days of Noach” (Matt 24:39)?  In this and other Re(new)ed Covenant Scriptures (2 Pet 2; 2 Thess 2), the authors speak of a future world of great wickedness, such as has not been known since the times of Noach and Sodom.  These Scriptures also speak of YHVH’s judgment on those who are deceived by the lies of hasatan and refuse to turn to the truth of the Creator and Redeemer of the world, Yehovah Elohim.

They also speak of YHVH our Deliverer saving and protecting His people during times of past trials or judgment:

  • Noach and all his family were divinely saved from destruction by the protection of the Ark (2 Pet 2:5). Note that the Hebrew word for ark (tevah) not only means a box or covering, but it also means “word” – so you can think of Noach and his family truly being covered by YHVH’s Word!
  • In the time of Sodom & Gomorrah, we are told that the people were very immoral and ungodly, but also that God [Elohim] rescued Lot from the fiery judgment because Lot was a righteous man who followed the truth (2 Pet 2:6-7)
  • Moses (Ex 44:7), David (1 Sam :14-15) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:4-8) were all protected in the wilderness
  • In the same way, when YHVH brought all the plagues onto the people in Egypt, He spared the Hebrews from the worst of those plagues (Ex 9). Yeshua became our Passover Lamb 2000 years ago, and now we can cover ourselves with His blood for protection from the enemy’s attacks
  • Finally, in speaking about the end of days, Yeshua says in Revelation 12 verses 6 and 14 that YHVH will once again protect His people from both the unbearable attacks from the adversary hasatan, and also from His own judgments against the wicked

From these Scriptures we know that YHVH has protected His people many times in the past, and has said that He would protect us again during the Tribulation period.  We also know from Yeshua’s words in Matthew 24 and Sha’ul’s prophecies in 2 Timothy 3 that the times before the end of this current world will be characterized by great sinfulness and evil.

What will lead the people of the world into such great lawlessness, though?  We know there are plenty of greedy, boastful and wicked people throughout the world now, but Yeshua says the End will be a time like no other that has ever been seen or will ever be seen again.  Several Scriptures speak of a great apostasy, deception, or falling away (2 Thess 2:3, Matt 24:10).  Reading further in these Scriptures we see many reasons for this falling away of believers in Yeshua, so great that even some of the elect will be led astray (Matt 24:24).  Yeshua speaks of many false prophets and teachers, and the great signs and wonders they will use to try to convince believers that they are the Messiah who is prophesied to return.

There is a stronger deception than simple signs and wonders that will be leading the saints away from YHVH, though.  This deception becomes clear when you look at the expanded meaning of apostasy – it means “an abandonment of the truth”.  In spiritual terms, this means that the end times will involve a wholesale rejection of YHVH’s revelation, a further “falling away” of an already fallen world.  This “end times” falling away is confirmed as the sign that will come before the Tribulation ends and Yeshua returns for His saints (the set-apart ones) in several other Scriptures.

When Sha’ul talks about the end times in II Timothy 3, he talks first about all the wickedness that will mark that time, but then he goes on to say in Verse 7 that people at that time will be: “always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth”.  This agrees with II Thessalonians 2:10-12 which states that the ones who will be judged in the latter days will be the ones who did not believe the truth of YHVH, but instead believed the enemy’s lies.  The crux of this passage in Verse 11 says: “…God will cause them to be greatly deceived, so that they will believe these lies”.

Going back to Matthew 24, Yeshua’s first answer to His disciples about the signs of the end was: “Be careful that no one leads you astray! For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will lead many astray” (Matt 24:4-5).  Remember that one of Yeshua’s harshest reprimands of the religious leaders was in John 8:44 when they accused Him of casting out demons and healing people in the name and power of the devil: “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies”.

The essence, then, of the reason for the great falling away in the end times will be that a great majority of the people (believers and unbelievers alike) will believe the lies of the false teachers and prophets and of the anti-messiah himself.

So how do we prepare ourselves for these perilous times, so that we can discern false from true teaching and prophecy, and resist following the popular path of believing the captivating lies of the enemy’s allies?  As with all temptations and allurements of our society, we need to put all our trust in our Rock and Redeemer, Yeshua HaMashiach, and be filled with Yehovah’s Holy Spirit.  We need to ask Abba for guidance in discerning the truth from the lies, and then follow that truth no matter what are the world consequences.  While it is true that not all believers will be delivered physically through the Tribulation, we know that if we remain steadfast in our trust and obedience, YHVH will help empower us to overcome the world, by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony.  In this world we will have tribulation, but Yeshua has overcome the world, and greater is He that is in us (the Holy Spirit) than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Safe Shelters

Abiding, God's Strength & Character, Peter's blogs, , , , ,

refuge-under-your-wingsIn my blog two weeks ago, I wrote about Yeshua as the Door of the sheep, and how He protects from us from all dangers.  Another closely related Biblical concept is that YHVH shelters us, but how does He shelter us?  In many places in the Psalms, David talks about YHVH sheltering us in His hiding place, for example:

  • Psalm 91:1 – He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty [El Shaddai].
  • Psalm 27:5 – For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His sanctuary; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me (the Orthodox Jewish Bible says that He will keep us safe in His Sukkah and shelter us in His tent)…He is our refuge and our fortress;
  • Psalm 32:7 – You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance;
  • Psalm 119:117 – You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word;
  • Psalm 144:2 – My lovingkindness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and the One in whom I take refuge…

Other scriptures speak about God sheltering us in His high tower, on a rock that is higher than us, or in his fortress, just to name a few of the graphic images He paints.  Many times David and others speak about YHVH as not only keeping them safe in His secret hiding place, but as actually being that hiding place, refuge, fortress, high tower, stronghold, rock, sanctuary, Sukkah, etc.  As an illustration of a high / strong tower, Sh’lomo says in Proverbs: the name of Yehovah is a strong tower; and the righteous run to it [Him] and are safe.  Now we are getting to the purpose of YHVH sheltering us in all these amazing ways: He is keeping us safe from the enemy.  Psalm 32:7 above provides one of the most beautiful word pictures of God’s protection in all of Scripture: He is not only our hiding place, but He protects us from trouble and surrounds us with songs of deliverance.

In Psalm 91, David says that no evil will befall him because he has made YHVH his refuge and dwelling place.  Because David is abiding under the shelter of His wings, YHVH has promised to give His angels charge over David to keep him safe against all physical and spiritual enemies and attacks.  In Verse 14, He says that because we know and trust in His name (Yehovah), He will set us up on high places (a high rock, high tower, etc.).  He also promises that no evil will befall us, no plague will come near our dwelling, and we do not need to fear the arrows by day or the pestilence that comes in the night.  Finally, in Verse 7 He paints an even more vivid picture of how he delivers us in the middle of great battles: “Though a thousand fall at our side and ten thousand are dying around us, these evils will not touch us” (NLT).

Even from the beginning, God has always been there to shelter us and keep us safe.  When He created the Garden for Adam and Eve, He created it as an enclosed garden that was protected on all sides against enemies.  The meaning of the “Garden of Eden” [Gan Eden] from Hebrew is a sheltered or enclosed garden.  There are many examples of how God has provided for our protection in His creation. For instance, the way an eggshell protects the baby chick as the strongest shape in the world, or the way a mother’s womb protects her unborn baby against environmental dangers.

When God saved Noah and his family from the flood, He once again protected them with an Ark that provided their covering and protection from all the devastation that was going on around them.  Another example of YHVH’s protection was the lamb’s blood covering He told the Israelites to apply to their doorposts to protect them from the angel of death.  In the end times, YHVH’s remnant will be sheltered in the protective rocks of Petra (Bosrah in Hebrew), waiting for our King, Messiah Yeshua, to come and usher us into the homeland of Israel.

As you think about all the ways YHVH protects and shelters us in His fortress or high tower, think about the Hebrew letter “tet”, which in the ancient word pictures represented a shelter for protection.  It is used in the word beten to mean the house that surrounds life (the mother’s womb), and in the word for trust (batach), which pictures us being safe inside the surrounding fence.  The word seter means a hiding place or covering, and from the ancient word pictures it literally means a secret hiding place.  Whereas the word for adversary (satan) means the snake that devours life, YHVH provides the seter hiding place which protects us from evil.  Would you rather be under YHVH’s wings which protect your life from harm, or the enemy’s snake-coil which devours your life?