Tag Archives: Yeshua

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.

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?

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 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. 

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 seventh article in the series, Yeshua is our Song.

Yah is my strength and my song, and he has become my [Yeshua] (Ps 118:14). 

When we draw close to Yehovah and learn more about Him, we sing because it is a natural expression of our joy and delight.  When Yeshua, the Word of Yehovah, dwells in us, we sing our praises and our joy even in the midst of trials.  Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation (Ps 42:5). Singing can help us work through our emotions when we are troubled.

Why should we sing?  Song is a gift from Yehovah. The Bible contains over 400 references to singing and 50 direct commands to sing. When we sing to Yehovah about Yeshua, we are praising and thanking both of them.  When we sing to Yeshua, we not only praise and thank Him, but we extend our praise to our Father for He sent Yeshua to us. e          We have much to sing about when it comes to Yeshua.  In addition to the descriptions of Yeshua in the first six articles of this series, there are so many other things about Yeshua to sing about. When we begin to make a list of all that He is to us and does for us we could go on forever.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16). We sing because Yeshua dwells in us. The more we sing of Him, the more deeply He dwells in us and the more we become rooted and grounded in Him. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love,  will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.… (Eph 3:17-19).

When we sing about Yeshua we encourage ourselves and we build up others around us.  Singing unites us.  Even when we can’t agree on every point of theology or when we rub one another the wrong way, we can set aside our differences and unite in singing and praising the One worthy of all praise. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart… (Ephesians 5:18-19)

The angels sing to Yehovah.  Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts! (Ps 148:2).   Angels sang to the shepherds about Yeshua when He was born and came to live among us and be one of us.  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Luke 2:13-14)

Many of us hesitate to sing, especially around others, because we don’t have good singing voices.  We long to praise Yehovah, but we don’t want to ruin praise sessions for others by adding our imperfect voices to theirs.  Stacy Horn,author of Imperfect Harmony: Finding Happiness Singing With Others, cites a study conducted in 2005 which states that people can still experience the same feelings of pleasure even when the sound being produced is “of mediocre quality.”  Yehovah is aware that some of us have poor singing voices, yet He has commanded us to sing.  Yehovah is more impressed with our obedience and the love for Him that is in our hearts. 

Yeshua joins us in singing to His Father.  Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So [Yeshua] is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.  He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.” (Heb 2:11-12) When we sing praises to Yehovah we are in good company.

Yehovah sings over us.  [Yehovah] your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zeph 3:17) We were created to sing because Yehovah sings and we are created in His image.  Yeshua, the Son of Yehovah and the Son of Man, sings to His Father and over us.  Yeshua, who is everything to us, is also our Song!

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 sixth article in the series, Yeshua is our Provider.

The book of Numbers provides many examples of Yeshua as Yehovah Yireh or Yehovah, our Provider.  In Numbers 9, the Israelites are instructed to observe the second Passover. The lamb they sacrificed represented the true Lamb of Yehovah.  Most likely they wouldn’t have realized this, but were they able to make the connection between the blood of their sacrificed lamb and the lamb that was offered in place of Isaac in Genesis 22? Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Gen 22:8)  Do we recognize and appreciate the wonderful gift that Yeshua has provided for us? 

In Numbers 11, the Israelites complain about lack of meat.  In Exodus 16 that Yehovah had already provided manna from Heaven and quail to sustain them in the wilderness. The problem wasn’t that they desired meat again.  The problem was their attitude and approach.  They simply could have asked Moshe to pray for them, or better still, they could have asked Yehovah to provide meat for them.  Would you rather have someone ask you politely for something or complain that you are a lousy provider?  Were they ever grateful for all that Yehovah provided?  Are we grateful for all that He provides for us?

Yeshua is our Bread from Heaven. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51) Do we gratefully partake of what Yeshua has lovingly offered or are we searching for something in the world to satisfy us?

Yehovah offers the Israelites the land He promised to give them.  He had made this promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and again to the Israelites.  The Lord now said to Moses, “Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the Israelites (Numbers13:1-2).  In the following chapter, we see that the Israelites were afraid and refused to go into the land.  That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt (Num 14:1-4).

Yeshua offers us the Kingdom of Heaven.  And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever. (Daniel 2:44).  Do we seek His kingdom above all else or will we refuse His offer just as the Israelites did?

In Numbers 19, a perfect red heifer was to be slaughtered and completely burned outside the camp.  The priest was to throw some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool onto the heifer as it was burning.  The ashes would then be mixed with water to purify those who had become unclean through contact or proximity to a dead body.  This is a picture of Yeshua’s death on the cross (represented by the cedar wood).  Our Perfect Lamb was covered by our scarlet sins (Isaiah 1:18) and would also be covered in His own blood.  His sacrifice would be as hyssop, cleansing us from the death of sin. 

In Numbers 20 the Israelites were again complaining about lack of water.  Their complaining upset Moses so much that did not speak to the rock as commanded, but rather struck it instead.  Even so, water gushed out of the rock.  Yeshua was struck on our behalf and out of Him flows living water.  On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’ ”… (John 7:37-38).

In Numbers 21, we encounter another picture of Yeshua providing for us.  [The Israelites] traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way;they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So, Moses prayed for the people.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived (Numbers 21:4-9)   The bronze snake on the pole is a shadow picture of Yeshua on the cross.  As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life (John 3:14-15). Those who forsake their sins and believe in Him will never die the second death, but will live forever.

Later in chapter 21, we see a picture of Yehovah providing protection against enemies. Then [the Israelites] turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei. The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.” So, they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land (Num 21:33-35).

Yeshua will return as our conquering King and will destroy our enemies. I looked up and saw a white horse standing there. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory (Rev 6:2). In the midst of ever-increasing darkness, in the midst of our own troubles and trials, do we feel alone and isolated, or do we eagerly wait for our conquering King?

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 fifth article in the series, Yeshua is the Faithful One.

To better understand Yeshua, we must correctly understand Job.  There has been much speculation over what Job did wrong to deserve to lose everything.  After all, he must have done something wrong or Yehovah would not have allowed such losses and horrors in his life.  It reminds me of the gospel story of the man born blind.  The story is recorded in Matthew 9, Mark 8 and John 9.  Jesus saw a man who had been blind since birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus replied: Neither this man nor his parents sinned … but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him (John 9:1-5) 

Let us look closely at the story of Job.  There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil (Job 1:1).  There is nothing in this passage that would indicate that Job had sinned; in fact, it is quite the opposite.

One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” (Job 1:6-8) Yehovah’s own words confirm that Job had not committed any serious sin; in fact, Yehovah describes him as “blameless”. 

If Job did not sin, then why did Yehovah allow these atrocities to happen to him? Let us read further in chapter one of Job’s story.  Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is!  But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”  (Job 1:9-11)

The Accuser claimed that Job was only faithful to Yehovah because Yehovah made him prosper in everything.  Yehovah then responds by allowing the Accuser to test him by taking away all his possessions and even his children.  What was Job’s response to learning that he had lost everything?  He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave.  The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God (Job 1:1-22).

Later, Job was struck with boils from head to toe because the Accuser claimed that loss of health would cause Job to curse Yehovah.  At this point, even Job’s wife urged him to curse Yehovah (Job 2:9), but Job refused. 

So, what’s the purpose of the story of Job?  It’s the same purpose as the story of the man born blind:  to glorify Yehovah.  Why did Yeshua suffer loss, humiliation, cursing and death?  So that His Father would be glorified.  When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him.…” (John 17:1-2). Yeshua was smitten so that Yehovah would be glorified and His plan to establish His kingdom on earth would be fulfilled. 

In the end, Yehovah restored and even doubled all that Job had lost.  Through Yeshua’s suffering and resurrection, Yehovah is not only glorified but has restored all that we lost through sin.  Not only have we regained what we lost, but Yehovah now offers us much more in His kingdom.  He makes us His sons and daughters. 

Job was severely tested and remained faithful to Yehovah.  Yeshua was severely tested and remained faithful to His Father.  Many of our brothers and sisters in Yeshua are suffering loss of family, home, income, health, freedom and even life.  They are being tested and I pray that they will all have the strength and trust to remain faithful.  Our time will come, too, or for some of us, it may already have arrived.  Will we remain faithful to Yehovah no matter what the cost to us?  And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life (Matt 19:29).

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.