Category Archives: Gospel Message/Salvation

Acts 15 Explained As You’ve Never Heard It Before

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Acts 15

Acts 15:1, Custom of Moses. What is the “custom” or “manner” of Moses as mentioned in Acts 15:1? Likely it is the Torah principle that circumcision of both the flesh and the heart is a requirement for citizenship in the nation of Israel. However, the latter takes precedence over and is at a higher spiritual level than the former, as we will now discuss.

The Torah-law requires physical circumcision of males, who the spiritual heads of their families as a ritual signifying sanctification (or being set apart or being separated) from the carnal rudiments of this world, the flesh and the devil. When the father, as the spiritual representative and head of his family, was physically circumcised, it is as if his whole family (including the females) were circumcised as well. 

But physical circumcision as Scripture, including the Torah, teaches is but a step toward and points to the higher principle of heart circumcision, which all people (both male and female) must undergo if they are to be part of the “Israel of Elohim” (Gal 6:16), which is comprised of both Jews and non-Jews, who have been grafted into the olive tree of Israel (Rom 11:11–32) and are not part of the nation of Israel through Yeshua the Messiah and are no longer Gentiles (in a spiritual sense; Eph 2:11–19). 

So the overall principle of circumcision comes from the YHVH Elohim. How it was specifically implemented and applied in daily life, or the exact details of how the law of circumcision was walked out, is specific to the era in which the people of Elohim lived. This is a fundamental distinction between the basic, eternal and over-arching principles of the Elohim’s Torah-law compared to “the law of Moses.” The principles of the former are for all time and for all people, while the latter are the specifics of how those principles were applied in the daily lives of a particular people at a particular time—in this case, the children of Israel who had a physical nation governed by many laws (i.e. the law of Moses) specific to that situation. In the case of physical circumcision, it was a physical proof of citizenship, like a passport, that one actually wore on one’s body. Since there is no longer a physical nation of Israel as in ancient times,  this specific law is not applicable in the same way as it was then; however, the higher principle of heart circumcision still applies today and includes both males and females. 

Another example of a literal Torah principle that does not apply to us today is the Torah’s ox in a ditch rule. Today, how many of us now use an ox for work or transpiration? Obviously we do not, but the principle of the pulling an ox out of the ditch on the Sabbath day still applies to us but in a different way, even though most of us have never even seen an ox much less own or use one. This principle allows us to help someone in need, or to perform emergency word on the Sabbath, which would otherwise be a violation of the biblical law to rest on that day. The eternal principles of the Torah, like the laws of circumcision and ox in the ditch, never change, but exactly how these principles are applied may vary from one generation and culture to another. 

This concept is very different than what the Christian church teaches about the law of Moses, which they say was “fulfilled” by Yeshua, which they take to mean was “done away with” or abrogated, so that we no longer have to do it. This concept, of course, is fundamentally flawed and illogical and is patently absurd, since it violates countless Scripture from one end of the Bible to the other that specifically uphold the validity of the Torah for all believers for all time. If the Torah was in fact been “done away with,” as the church teaches, then it logically follows that it is now permissible to murder, lie, have sex with animals, not have to tithe to your church, be a homosexual, etc., etc. Of course, this is patently ridiculous, yet this is, in essence, shows the logical fallacy of what church teaches with regard to the Torah-law of Elohim.

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How to Prepare YOURSELF for Passover

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Passover is just around the corner. It is the first step in YHVH Elohim’s plan of salvation or redemption of sinful humans to reconcile fallen man back to him. Did you ever wonder how this process really works?

There is never a better time to begin repenting of sin and getting under the blood of the Lamb of Elohim than just before Passover. As the children of Israel applied the lamb’s blood to the door posts and lintels of their house, so we must apply the sin-cleansing and Satan-defeating blood of Yeshua afresh to our lives (i.e. to our thoughts as represented by the door lintel and to our hands or actions as represented by the door posts). Cleansing of our sin occurs as we repent of our sins, and pray for and receive YHVH’s forgiveness. He will then cover our sins over or wash away our sins by Yeshua’s blood (1 John 1:9; Rev 1:5).

In Egypt at Passover time, YHVH judged all those who had failed to put the lamb’s blood on the door posts of their houses. In other words, they weren’t under the blood of the lamb, but were still under the penalty of sin, which is death (Ezek 18:4; Rom 6:23). Any unrepented of sin in our lives brings the curse of death on us. To the degree that we have sin in our lives is the degree to which the spirit of death has a legal claim on us. Now is the time to repent of sin by confessing it and seeking Elohim’s forgiveness under the blood of Yeshua and then forsaking that sin through YHVH’s grace (1 John 1:9). 

Let us now discover the miraculous process of how to overcome sin in more detail through a spiritual magnifying glass. How do we go from being a lost sinner—the walking damned or the living dead—to becoming the glorified and immortalized children of Elohim?

It works like this: When we confess and repent of our sins, Yeshua will pass over or forgive us of our past sins (Rom 3:25; Ps 103:8–12). From this point forward, it is up to us to embrace a new mindset and a new spiritual identity and reality; that is, we must reckon our old sinful man as having been crucified with Yeshua, in that we are now dead to sin, no longer slaves to sin, freed from the power of sin, and alive to Elohim in Yeshua our Lord (Rom 6:7–11). Yeshua is the one who victoriously defeated the power or sting of sin, which is death, hell and the grave at the cross and through his resurrection (1 Cor 15:56–57; Col 2:13–15). Through our faith in him and our legal identification with his death, burial and resurrection through the symbolic ritual of baptism for the remission of sine, his victory is legally applied to us by the courts of heaven, which is how he has made us more than conquerors over sin and death (Rom 8:37; 6:1–14) such that the power of sin and death will no longer have dominion over us (Rom 6:12–14).  He now gives us strength through his enabling and empowering grace to resist and overcome sin, that is, to not let sin control us any longer (Rom 6:12). He promises to give us a new, circumcised heart as he writes his laws or commandments on our hearts, so that we will be supernaturally inclined to love him by keeping his commandments (Jer 31:33; 24:7; Heb 8:10; 10:16; Ezek 36:25–27; Isa 51:7; Ps 40:8; 37:31; Deut 30:6; John 14:12 cp. Rom 7:22). What is that supernatural power that works in us to help keep us from sinning? It the Spirit of Elohim or the Comforter that Yeshua promised would come along side of us to aid us in the process of overcoming sin (John 14:16–18, 25–26; 15:26–27; 16:7–14). 

To summarize, this whole supernatural and miraculous process of being victorious over sin is activated when we first acknowledge our sin, confess our sin, repent of our sin and then place our faith in Yeshua’s death and burial. This occurs when we appropriate or reckon, by faith, our old sinful man to have been crucified with Yeshua, and then been resurrected in the newness of spiritual life with him. We now embrace the new identity that he has given us—a spiritual reality that he has imparted to us and has been legally recorded in heaven (Col 2:14)—that we are a new creation and are victorious over sin (Gal 2:20; 2 Cor 5:17), and have become Spirit-begotten children of Elohim. This whole process is summarized from beginning to end in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans chapters six through eight. The end result, if we continue in a right spiritual relationship with Yeshua the Messiah for the rest of our lives, is that our names will be recorded in Elohim’s Book of Life, and our physical bodies will be glorified—we will be given immortality—at the resurrection of the righteous dead, which occurs at the second coming of Yeshua. 

This whole process or chain of events that transforms sinful humans into glorified and immortal children of Elohim begins at Passover which symbolizes the first steps a person takes when he comes to faith in Yeshua the Messiah.

Here are some things of which to repent: 

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Exploring the Tabernacle of Moses Continued

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Exodus 27:1–8, An altar. As we continue our tour of the Tabernacle of Moses, the Torah takes us next to the bronze altar of sacrifice just inside the tabernacle’s door. Everything occurring in the tabernacle revolved around this altar—EVERYTHING! This fact is highly significant, since this altar points to the “altar” of the cross on which Yeshua the Messiah died for our sins. This is one truth that the mainstream church has gotten wonderfully right: the cross and what happened there is the central point of the gospel message. One cannot read the writings of the apostles and fail to see this unless one is sadly spiritually naive and spiritually blind! 

Just inside the door of the tabernacle was the altar of sacrifice. It was made of acacia wood overlaid with bronze, which is a prophetic picture of Yeshua the Messiah bearing the judgment for men’s sins on the cross. The blood of the sacrifice was poured out on the ground at the base of the altar symbolically picturing Yeshua shedding his blood at the cross. Two lambs were offered at the altar morning and evening (Exod 29:38–42). This pictures our need to come humbly before our Father in heaven morning and evening in prayerful devotion as living sacrifices to confess our sins, to praise and thank him for saving us from the penalty of our sins, which is death (Ps 51:16–17; Heb 13:15; 1 John 1:7–9; Rom 6:23).

The Altar of Sacrifice in More Details. Upon understanding that the Person and work of Yeshua is the way into spiritual life, light and truth, one must also recognize that one’s sin liability keeps one from a having personal relationship with one’s Creator. The broken fellowship with our Father in heaven due to our uncleanness because of our sin is the reason for this. For one to have a relationship with a sinless, perfect, totally set-apart or holy Elohim,the sin problem has to be dealt with. Sin must be atoned for along with the resulting guilt, shame and penalty (i.e. death) that sin brings. In the Tabernacle of Moses, the liability and effect of sin is dealt with at the altar of the red heifer outside the gate of the tabernacle, which represents the work of Yeshua at the cross (Heb 13:10–13). There one was purified and made ready to come into the actual tabernacle. Upon doing so, the first thing one encountered when entering the tabernacle was the altar of sacrifice where both kosher animals and unleavened bread (made of the finest flour and the purest olive oil) were offered, and a wine libation was poured out twice daily (morning and afternoon, Num 28:1–8). These all picture the body of Yeshua being broken and slain for sinful man and our need to “eat” his body and “drink” his blood in a spiritual sense to which the communion elements of the Lord’s supper taken on the Passover during the seder meal symbolically point (John 6:35–58). 

The fire on the altar was to be kept burning at all times; it was never to go out (Lev 6:13). Additionally, before ministering at the altar, a priest was to always wash his hands and feet at the bronze laver (Exod 30:17–21), and to put on the priestly robes (Lev 6:10). These activities are prophetic shadows that point to the ministry of Yeshua before the throne of the Father in heaven. There, as our heavenly high priest, he, in an ultimate state of purity and perfection is ever making intercession for his saints and reconciling us to the Father (Eph 2:18; 1 Tim 2:5; Heb 7:25–26; 8:1–2, 5–6; 9:11–22; 10:19–22; 1 John 2:1).

At the twice daily offering (the morning shacharit and the afternoon minchah), a yearling lamb was sacrificed on the north side of the altar, or its left side as viewed from the holy of holies, which represents the throne of Elohim. (Furthermore, north is significant since Scripture seems to indicate that the third heaven where Elohim dwells is in the northern region of the sky [Isa 14:13].) The lamb’s blood was then sprinkled round about the altar as an atonement for sin, while a wine libation was poured out onto the altar, and unleavened bread was cooked and offered at the same time on the altar (Num 28:1–8; Lev 1:11). The fact that the lamb was killed on the north or left side of the altar is prophetically significant, since it points to Yeshua’s first coming as the Suffering Servant Messiah, the Lamb of Elohim. The left side is significant, since the left hand (usually the weaker hand), in Jewish thought, represents grace and mercy, while the right hand (usually the stronger hand) represents strength, power and judgment. At his first coming, Yeshua was like a lamb led to the slaughter (Isa 52:13–53:12, especially note 53:7), as he spilled his blood as an atonement for men’s sins (Isa 53:5–6,10). Upon his death and glorious resurrection, he returned to heaven where he took his rightful place as the right arm of YHVH Elohim (Acts 7:55–56; Rom 8:34). At Yeshua’s second coming, he will come, this time not as a lamb led to the slaughter, but in power and glory as a regnal warrior on a white stallion to judge the wicked and to reward the righteous. After that, he will assume his rightful position as King of kings and Lord of lords over the earth during the Millennium as revealed in the Book of Revelation.

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Salvation—What Is It and Do You Have It? (explained simply as YOU have never heard it before)

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YOU need to read this article to understand what the Bible really says about salvation in it full Hebraic context. This will insure that YOU are truly saved and not just an unsaved false convert or a spiritual tare that will end up being cast into the lake of fire on Judgment Day.

The following information will also insure that you do not make false converts as you share the gospel messages with others.

This information is important to know because many Christian churches DO NOT preach the full Truth about salvation, but teach the unbiblical traditions of men, thus making millions if not billions of false converts who think they are saved but who are not saved according to biblical standards.

What is Salvation?

The dictionary defines the word salvation as “the deliverance from the power and effects of sin.” In a generic sense, salvation is “the preservation from harm, ruin or loss.” Relating the first definition, which is biblical in nature, to the second definition, which is generic in nature, we see that salvation is the deliverance or preservation from the power of sin, which causes harm, ruin or loss. Salvation and redemption are synonymous terms in biblical Hebraic thought. We will discuss the idea of redemption below. In the mean time, let us explore the ramifications and implications of salvation as it relates to the deliverance from the power of sin in a person’s life and how this relates to you.

So what is sin that it causes harm, ruin or loss, and what is being harmed or being lost such that each person needs deliverance? Very simply, Scripture (the Bible) defines sin as the violation of YHVH Elohim’s (the LORD God’s) commandments or his Torah-laws (1 John 3:4). What is YHVH Elohim’s Torah-law? Specifically it is the instructions, precepts or teaching of YHVH as found in the first five books of the Bible, which can then be expanded to include the entire Bible or Word of YHVH from Genesis to Revelation. The Word of Elohim commands all humans to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Creator as found in Scripture (Deut 8:3; Matt 4:4). Man is to hear and do the Words of YHVH (Deut 6:4), place YHVH’s words in his heart (Deut 6:6), teach them to his children (Deut 6:7), and to make them the basis for all that he does and thinks (Deut 6:8). The words or laws of YHVH Elohim can be summed up as loving YHVH and loving one’s neighbor (Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18; Mark 12:30; John 14:15). Love is the fulfilling of YHVH’s commandments or laws (Rom 12:8–10). The cornerstone of all of YHVH’s laws is the famous ten commandments as found in Exodus 20. They are:

  • I am YHVH your Elohim.
  • You shall have no other gods before me and you shall not worship idols.
  • You shall not take my name in vain.
  • Remember the Sabbath day to keep it set-apart or holy. 
  • Honor you father and mother.
  • You shall not murder.
  • You shall not commit adultery
  • You shall not steal.
  • You shall not lie.
  • You shall not covet your that which belongs to your neighbor.

The first five statements constitute loving YHVH Elohim, while the last five constitute loving one’s fellow man. These ten statements are but the beginning of YHVH’s laws as outlined in Scripture, which if man break, man is guilty of sin (1 John 3:4). There are 613 such laws in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and more than 1050 in the Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament). This may seem like a lot of laws for man to have to follow, but in reality, it is a small number of laws compared to the hundreds of law books that constitute the laws of most nations on earth. Whole law libraries are established to contain the laws of men!

Law and order or the rule of law form the basis of all areas of authority in the cosmos. There are five such realms of authority as outlined in Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians. They are: divine, family or parental, church, civil or governmental and that of employers. As civil governments have established laws to maintain order among the inhabitants of a society, and as all societies impose penalties upon its citizens for breaking those laws, the same is true of YHVH’s divine laws. The violation of all laws brings a consequence or penalty of one sort or another. Some penalties are serious than others. The punishment should fit the crime. If one violates the law of gravity, for example, and jumps off a cliff, the result is death. If one drinks poison or has an unhealthy lifestyle, the result will be sickness or a premature death. If one violates a speeding law, the penalty may be a fine. If an employee violates a company policy, he may get fired from his job. If child disobeys a parent, the child will be disciplined. If one mistreats one’s fellow man, there are negative relational consequences. If one murders someone, imprisonment or the death penalty will occur. Similarly, Scripture teaches that if one violates divine law (i.e. sin) the penalty is death (Ezek 18:4; Rom 6:23). 

The Bible also teaches that all humans have sinned (Rom 3:23). YHVH has imposed a death sentence upon everyone because sin results in harm, ruin or loss in one way or another. As a result, all humans need deliverance, redemption or salvation from the consequences of their sin. The Bible teaches that salvation is deliverance from that death, and that those who are saved will be granted eternal life or immortality because the death penalty has been lifted from them. Therefore, those who are saved from death, the result of sin, will be given immortality (Rom 6:23).

How can each person receive salvation from the wages or penalty of their own sin, which is death? Let’s now explore this concept.

Steps to Salvation

The Bible states that man has a sin problem (read Romans chapters 1 through 3), and that each person must take certain spiritual steps to rectify this problem. We  will now explore these steps.

One can have their past sins forgiven by placing their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), the son of Elohim who took man’s sins upon himself and died in each person’s place to satisfy the divine and legal judgment against each person because of sin (i.e. the violation of the Creator’s laws), so that man could pass from death to life (John 3:16). What is sin? We sin when we break YHVH’s commandments as revealed in the Bible, the Word of Elohim (1 John 3:4; Rom 3:20). When a person turns away from committing sin and places their faith in Yeshua, Scripture promises that the person will experience forgiveness resulting in a glorious spiritual relationship with our Father in heaven leading to eternal or everlasting life (Rom 3:21–5; 6:23). 

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John Chapter 1–3: Natan’s Commentary Notes

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John 1

John 1:1, The Word was Elohim.Is Yeshua or the Father the God (Elohim) of the Old Testament (Tanakh)? For many believers in Yeshua, there is confusion as to who it was in the Godhead who interacted with the Israelites in the Tankah. Was it the Father or the Son? In the minds of the apostolic writers, there was no confusion about this. Yeshua, in his preincarnate state, was the One that YHVH Elohim the Father used to both create (John 1:3; Col 1:16; Heb 11:3), and then to interact with mankind. He was the Word of YHVH Elohim, the Father, who become flesh and dwelt among men (verse 14). This truth is easily confirmed in several passages in the Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament).

First, Yeshua himself claims to be YHVH or the I Am of the burning bush (see John 8:58 cp. Exod 3:14). The Jews viewed Yeshua’s claim to be deity as blasphemous, which is why they picked up stones to kill him (John 8:59). Next, Yeshua in declaring to the Jewish religious leaders that “I send you prophets, wise men and scribes: some you will kill…” (Matt 23:34), he is claiming the rights and prerogatives of YHVH — a right and role that solely belonged to YHVH in the Tanakh.

Yeshua also declared that no man has seen the face of Elohim the Father (John 5:37). Yet in the Torah, we have several instances of men seeing YHVH (e.g. Gen 17:1; 18:1; 26:2; 48:3). If we are to take what these scriptures say literally, then it could not have been YHVH the Father these individuals saw, but rather YHVH the Son who later become Yeshua. Not only that, Yeshua even goes so far as to say that the Israelites of old not only never saw the Father’s face, but neither at anytime even saw his form nor heard his voice (John 5:37). Therefore, it becomes evident that while on Mount Sinai, Moses didn’t see the backside of the Father, but rather that of the pre-incarnate Yeshua (Exod 33:18–23).

What’s more, in John 14:15, Yeshua, speaking to his disciples, declares, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” When Yeshua says commandments here, we know from Luke 18:20 that he has the Torah in mind. In this statement, Yeshua is actually quoting himself when he made the same statement to the children of Israel while he was delivering to them the Oracles or Torah of Elohim at Mount Sinai (Exod 20:6; Deut 11:1).

Stephen, in agreement with John, clearly demonstrates that Yeshua was the prophesied “prophet like Moses” who was to come (see Deut 18:15), and who was the Angel, or more correctly, the Divine Messenger from Elohim, who gave the Torah to the Israelites (Acts 7:37–38). Paul goes on to say in enigmatic terms that Yeshua was the spiritual rock from which the Israelites drank and that followed them (1 Cor 10:4). And finally, Paul equates Yeshua, “the Word of Elohim made flesh and that dwelt among us” (John 1:14) with the Written Torah which YHVH gave through Moses to the Israelites. This he does when he quotes Deuteronomy 30:11–14 and substitutes the word Torah for Yeshua (see Rom 10:5–13). In Paul’s mind, Yeshua was not only synonymous with the Torah, but he was very much present with the children of Israel.

The Word was Elohim. Numerous scriptures in the Testimony of Yeshua clearly show that the apostolic writers believed in the deity of Yeshua (see Matt 1:23; Luke 24:52; John 5:18; 8:58–59; 9:38; 10:33; 19:7; 20:28; Phil 2:6; Col 2:9; 1 Tim 3:16; Tit 2:13; Rev 21:3, 6, 23; 22:1–5). Amazingly, even James (Heb. Ya’acov), the writer of the epistle that bears his name and believed to be the biological half brother of Yeshua equates Yeshua with YHVH of the Tanakh (Jas 5:7, 8, 10, 11 cp. 1:1). This is evident in his usage of the word “Lord” where he equates the Lord Yeshua (verses 8 and 10) with the LORD (or YHVH) of the Tanakh (verses 10 and 11).

The Word was Elohim.The Greek grammar of this statement is very specific. It says, “and the Word was God/Elohim.” It doesn’t say, “And the Word was the God,” which is Sabellianism or modalism, which is the belief that the Heavenly Father, Resurrected Son and Holy Spirit are different modes or aspects of one monadic Elohim. It also doesn’t say, “and the Word was a god,” which is Arianism, which is the belief that Yeshua the Son of God did not always exist, but was created by and is therefore distinct from and inferior to Elohim the Father (Basics of Biblical Greek, pp. 27–28, by William Mounce).

All things were made through him.Yeshua is the Creator. (See also Col 1:16; Heb 11:3.)

What Is the Word/word of Elohim from a Hebraic Perspective?

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A Tabernacle Tour—The Gospel Message Acted Out

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Exodus 25

Exodus 25:10–22, Ark. The ark of the covenant was a small box of acacia wood overlaid in gold, which contained the golden pot of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded and the two tablets of stone containing the ten statements of Elohim—commonly called the Ten Commandments. Against the ark was leaned a scroll of the complete Torah (Deut 31:26).

Covering the ark was a golden cap called the mercy seat or kapporet and is related to the word kippur as in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Both share a common Hebrew root, which is the word kapar, which according to The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT) means “to make an atonement, make reconciliation, purge”) and the mercy seat—the golden “lid” covering the ark of the covenant located in the D’veer (i.e. the inner shrine of the Tabernacle of Moses)­—which in Hebrew is the word kapporet was “the place of atonement or the place where atonement was made.” The TWOT defines what happened at the kapporet as follows:

“It was from the … mercy seat that [YHVH] promised to meet with the men [of Israel] (Num 7:89). The word, however, is not related to mercy and of course was not a seat. The word is derived from the root ‘to atone.’ The Greek equivalent in the LXX is usually hilasterion, “place or object of propitiation,” a word which is applied to [Messiah] in Rom 3:25. The translation ‘mercy seat’ does not sufficiently express the fact that the lid of the ark was the place where the blood was sprinkled on the day of atonement. ‘Place of atonement’ would perhaps be more expressive.”

The mercy seat covering the ark that contained the Torah is a vivid symbolic picture of YHVH’s mercy triumphing over his judgment (Jas 2:13). We all deserve death for violating his commandments, for the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23) and sin is the violation of YHVH’s Torah commands (1 John 3:4). However. Yet when we repent of our sins and place our faith in Yeshua’s atoning death on the cross as payment for those sins, YHVH forgives us and grants us his merciful grace.

Everything in, on and around the ark pointed to Yeshua. Inside the ark was the golden pot of manna, which points to Yeshua who the bread of life—the Word of Elohim made flesh. Aaron’s rod that budded speaks of Yeshua’s role as the ultimate high priest due to his atoning and life-giving work at the cross. The two stone tablets and the Torah scroll speak of the Yeshua who was the Word of Elohim from the foundation of the world (John 1:1,14), and whose words or instructions in righteousness the saints are instructed to follow (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3–6; Rev 12:17; 14:12).

Overshadowing the mercy seat were two golden cherubim with outstretched wings. This is a picture of YHVH’s throne in heaven, which is surrounded by cherubim and other living creatures that sing his praises and minister to him (Rev 4).

The Ark of the Covenant in More Detail

The ark of the covenant is the gold-covered acacia wood box with the pure gold crown or mercy seat upon which are the two gold cherubim that represented the very throne and glorious Presence of YHVH himself. Inside the box were the tables of the Torah, Aaron’s rod that budded (Num 16) and the golden pot of manna (Exod 16:32–34). Against the ark was leaned a scroll of the complete Torah (Deut 31:26).

Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest entered this part of the tabernacle to make atonement for his sins and those of the nation of Israel (Exod 16:14–19). The most set-apart place was also called the oracle (D’veer), for it was here that YHVH often met with and talked to Moses giving him instructions on how to govern the Israelites (Exod 25:21–22).

The gold-covered wooden box pictures resurrected and glorified humanity raised to that place by the work of Yeshua and the mercy of YHVH. Two realities identify the bride of Yeshua: Spirit and truth (John 4:23); namely, the truth of Torah of the Written Torah (the box contained the two stone tablets) and that of the Living Torah who is the Manna or Bread of Life. In addition, Aaron’s rod that budded (also in the box) pictures the authority and fruitfulness of the priesthood of believers (2 Pet 2:5-9) through the work of Yeshua on the cross (see also Rev 11:17; 12:14). Additionally, the Torah scroll leaning up against the ark illustrates to us that without total dependence on Yeshua (his work at the cross and partaking of the spiritual manna of Yeshua’s broken body we cannot properly keep the Torah. Only with Yeshua living in the heart of a regenerated believer by the power of his Spirit can one keep the Torah. Without the Torah leaning on Yeshua, the Torah becomes the dead letter of the law (2 Cor 3:6)!

As the high priest sprinkled the mercy seat with blood seven times on Yom Kippur so Yeshua bled seven times: at Gethsemane, from the scourging, the crown of thorns, nail in the left hand, nail in the right hand, nail in the feet and the spear in his side.

Exodus 25:21, The testimony. This is the Torah in codified form or what became known as the law of Moses. Prior to this, the Torah was YHVH’s oral instructions to men passed on down generationally from teacher to student, from father to son. Moses, under instructions from Elohim, wrote this oral Torah down as it was transcribed to him on Mount Sinai (Exod 24:12) and to which additions were made on an as-need basis as YHVH subsequently spoke to Moses from his earthly throne of the tabernacle (Exod 25:22).

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How many ways are there to “heaven”?

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Exodus 19:2, Before the mountain.The children of Israel coming to Mount Sinai and preparing themselves to meet YHVH Elohim and to receive his instructions in righteousness is symbolic of the spiritual path that all humans must take if they want to meet their Maker as we will learn in the brief study below.

Throughout history, humans have invented a whole boatload of religions and philosophical ideologies in an effort to reconcile man to heaven. The Creator has placed eternity in the heart of man (Eccl 3:11); therefore, humans instinctively know that there is something more to this physical life—there is something “out there” beyond each of us that beckons us to a higher place—something eternal and spiritual. Humans instinctively know that they must improve themselves morally in order to get there. This is because the Creator has given each of us a conscience, that like the needle on a compass, points us to true north. The problem is that (a) man does not know how to get there and (b) he has internal (i.e. his rebellious and lawless sin nature or his flesh; Jer 17:9; Rom 8:6–8; Jas 3:15) and external forces (i.e. the world the devil, and All the invented religions of the world; Jas 3:15) that keep him from find the way. All of these false paths lead everywhere else but to true north. In an effort to get to their Creator and to fulfill the inner longings of their hearts, man has invented religions and philosophies to get him to “heaven” through his own efforts but without dealing with the root reason that man has prevented from coming into the presence of his Creator. One thing keeps man bound to this earth, lost and confused; it is sin. No matter what his or her religious or philosophical efforts may be. It is impossible for one to pull oneself up by one’s own bootstraps. Until each human deals with the sin issue in his or her life, he will not progress one inch toward heaven. 

Only one religion, ideology, philosophy or whatever you want to call it deals with the sin issue, and that is the Truth of the Bible. Until each man recognizes that his sin has separated him from a perfect, holy (totally pure, set apart and transcendent) Elohim and that only by going through the spiritual cleansing process that heaven prescribes for the disease called sin can one find the answers to the deeper questions of life, resolve the sin issue that separates earth from heaven and then eventually come into the presence of one’s Creator during and after this physical life.

Through Moses, a prophetic picture of Yeshua the Messiah, YHVH led the Israelites to the foot of the Mount Sinai representing the presence of Elohim; it was a symbolic picture of heaven on earth. 

To experience the presence of Elohim, humans must not only consecrate themselves before hand, but then one must climb upward spiritually to meet YHVH. This is done through a process of spiritual consecration or sanctification and involves getting cleansed from the defilements or rudiments of the world, flesh and devil (Jas 3:15; Col 2:8, 20), even as the Israelites cleansed or consecrated themselves physically in preparation to meet their Maker (Exod 19:10–11, 14). 

A spiritual relationship with Elohim through the cleansing blood of Yeshua is the only cleansing process which is acceptable to YHVH Elohim by which humans can transcend spiritually. There is no other way (1 Pet 1:2; 18–19; 1 John 1:7; Rev 1:5; 7:14; Heb 10:19–22; 9:12; 12:24; Matt 26:28; Eph 1:7). Yeshua is literally the only way to the Father in heaven (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). He is the spiritual ladder that each person must climb (John 1:51) to get to the top of Mount Sinai representing the exalted presence of Elohim (Gen 28:12). He is literally the gate or door to heaven (Gen 28:17; John 10:7–9; 14:6).

The book of Exodus’ account of the children of Israel coming into the presence of Elohim is an illustrative example of the process that each of us must go through to meet our Maker on his terms, not our terms. 

Of course, this cleansing process or spiritual journey did not start at Mount Sinai for Israelites. It started back in Egypt when they put their faith in the blood of the lamb to save them from Elohim’s judgment against sin, and when they deleavened their lives, and then passed through the Red Sea. These are all symbolic and prophetic pictures that point to the steps that each person must take if they want to see Elohim. These steps include acceptance of Yeshua the Messiah, the Lamb of Elohim and his death on the cross, putting sin out of one’s life, and then being baptized for the remission of sins. 

These truths should be as plain to see as the nose on one’s face, but human pride and rebellion against the Truth of Elohim have blinded most humans from reality. Now that you know this simple Truth, what will you do about it?