The Gospel of John chapters seven to nine are a prophetic picture of what will occur at the end of the thousand year millennial reign of King Yeshua the Messiah. In this video, Anna explains the prophetic implications of the Last Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Yeshua being the river of life, the prophetic picture of the Eighth Day, the man born blind, Yeshua being the Light of the world and how this relates to the coming New Jerusalem.
She also reveals how all people fall into three spiritual categories and what the fate of each will be either reward or punishment at the white throne judgment seat at the end of Millennium.
Each of us fits into one of these categories depending on how we respond to Yeshua the Messiah, who is the river of life and the Light of the World.
Will we receive rewards or punishment, life or death?
Yet it pleased YHVH to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of YHVH shall prosper in His hand. (Isaiah 53:10)
The debate has raged within Christian circles for several hundred years as to what specifically happened to Yeshua the Messiah from the point he died on the cross to the time of his resurrection. All agree that his body stayed in the grave, but what happened to the rest of him; namely, his soul and spirit?
It is generally accepted among believers that man is a three-part being: body, soul and spirit. Many scriptural references could be given, but, unless one doubts the Apostle Paul, one biblical example should suffice: that is 1 Thessalonians 5:23, where Paul states that man is comprised of a body, soul and spirit. Furthermore, it is a generally accepted that the body is the physical body of man, that the soul is the rational part of him composed of his intellect or natural understanding, emotions and will or volition, and the spirit is that divine spark or essence YHVH puts in man at the time of inception without which the body and soul cannot live. The spirit separates man from the animal kingdom (Ecc. 3:21) and is the part of man that can connect with the Spirit of YHVH. Therefore, it is through the spirit that man can have a relationship with YHVH (John 4:23-24; Eph. 3:16; Job 32:8; Rom. 8:16; 1 Cor:12:11; 1 John 2:20; Prov. 20:27).
The Bible says very little about the origin or fate of man’s spirit. Several scriptures shed a little light on this subject however. For example, the spirit of man goes up when he dies (Ecc 3:21), and returns to YHVH who gave it (Ecc. 12:7). Likewise, we see that upon Yeshua’s death on the cross he committed his spirit into the hands of the Father in Heaven (Luke 12:6).
With regard to the physical body of a man when he dies, is there any question as to what happens to that? It goes into the grave where it stays to await the resurrection. This is so basic and so widely accepted among Believers that we will not take the time or space here to give scriptural proof of this fact. We know that when Yeshua died, his body was laid in the tomb where it stayed until his resurrection three days and nights later.
Now what about the soul? That is the big question. In the Old Testament we find many scriptures that teach that upon death man’s soul goes into sheol or hell (the grave) waiting for YHVH to raise it up:
Psalm 16:10, “For You [YHVH] will not leave my soul in sheol, nor allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” (See also Acts 2:27.)
Psalm 49:15, “But YHVH will redeem my soul from the power of the grave [sheol], for he shall receive me.”
Psalm 49:8: “For the redemption of their souls [from the power of sheol] is costly.”
Hosea 13:14: “I [YHVH speaking] will ransom them from the power of the grave [sheol]; I will redeem them from death.”
Psalm 86:13: “And You [YHVH] have delivered my soul from the depths of sheol.”
Here we see that in Tanakh (Old Testament) times man’s soul would descend into sheol (the abode of the dead) at the time of his death where it would stay until YHVH would ransom these souls (later through the death of Yeshua the Messiah).
Now let us see how Yeshua’s soul had to pay the price for sin by having to die and go to sheol. To see this we must look at Isaiah 53:10 where it says the Redeemer’s (i.e.Yeshua’s) soul was made an offering for sin. In verse 11 we read that Yeshua’s soul suffered or labored and YHVH was satisfied and many were justified by it as Yeshua bore their iniquities. All the major Bible translations (KJV, NKJV, NIV and NASV) bear this rendering out. Verse 12 says that Yeshua poured His soul out unto death and that he was numbered with the transgressors and bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
Why do we see such an emphasis on the soul part of Yeshua dying, suffering, bearing man’s iniquities, justifying many, and satisfying YHVH’s justice? The soul (mind, will and emotions) is the part of man that sins. We cannot rightly say that the spirit part of man or the body sin, although the body does act out the sin, which is conceived in the heart and mind of man. Furthermore, the Scriptures make it very clear that it is the soul that is guilty of sinning and thence must die (Num 15:28, Ezek 18:4; 18:20). Yeshua laid the blame for sin against the heart or soul part of man as well when he said that from it proceed all sorts of evil things such as murders, adulteries, thefts, lying, blasphemies and so on (Matt 15:19). In Matthew 12:33–34, Yeshua shows the connection between the heart and one of the parts of the body, namely the mouth, when he said that “out of the abundance of the mouth thes heart speaks.” Here we see, again, that the body is servant to the soul part of man.
We not only see that Yeshua descended into sheol, but the Scripture makes mention in several places about him descending into the lowest part of hell or sheol. (Ps 88:6, 3, 5, 7, 9, 15, 16. Could Ephesians 4:9 be a description of this as well?)
In the Tanakh, there is a distinction between sheol-hell and the lower part of sheol or the lowest hell (Deut 32:22; Ps 86:13 and Prov. 9:18). Are these the two compartments of hell that exist based on Yeshua’s parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16 as many in the church teach? One compartment is for the unregenerate sinner who, though dead, awaits the judgement seat of YHVH (or the Great White Throne Judgement, Rev 20:11–15) after which he will be cast into the, as yet nonexistent, Lake of Fire, while the other compartment is for the righteous dead and is called Abraham’s Bosom in Hebraic poetic and euphemistic fashion?
Another interesting text is 1 Peter 3:18, which says Messiah suffered for sins being put to death in the flesh (but he did not die in the spirit, for it returned to YHVH!), and the Spirit of Elohim made him alive (even as the same Spirit that had impregnated him into Mary, descended upon him as a dove, led him to the wilderness, and finally raised him up).
The question naturally would arise, what would Yeshua be doing in sheol in either or both “compartments”? The Scriptures say very little about this, so where the Scriptures speak we are able to speak, but where they are silent it is wise for men to be silent as well, and not run the risk of adding to YHVH’s Word. Several scriptures do give us a little glimpse into this time period however. One is Revelation 1:18, which says that Yeshua has the keys of hades (the grave or sheol) and death. Perhaps he obtained those “keys” while his soul was there during his body’s three days and nights in the tomb. First Peter 3:18–20 talks about Yeshua suffering “once [and] for [all for] sins, the just for the just, that he might bring us to YHVH, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient …”
To be sure, 1 Peter 3:18–20 is one of the more enigmatic passages in the Scriptures. We, like those before us, can only guess as to its meaning. Is this passage, coupled with Ephesians 4:8–9, a description of Messiah leading the righteous of old from “Abraham’s Bosom” to an early first of the first fruits resurrection, which is pictured by the early spring barely harvest? Elsewhere we have seen that the scriptural evidence points to the fact that Yeshua resurrected early on the first day (our Saturday evening), and that when he arose he became “the first fruits of them that slept” (1 Cor 15:20). Then Ephesians 4:8–9 says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Now this, ‘he descended’—what does it mean but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?)” Who were these captives that Yeshua led out of the graves to be first fruits along with him? In this regard, Matthew in his Gospel records something strange happening at Yeshua’s resurrection:
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. (Matt 27:52–53)
What happened to these saints after Yeshua’s resurrection? Did they die again and return to the graves, or did they go to heaven to await Yeshua’s second coming? This is a huge question. Yeshua said that no man had ascended to heaven (John 3:13), but he made this statement before his resurrection. So what happened to these saints then? Did they go to heaven, or did they return to the graves? Stephen under the inspiration of the Spirit of Elohim stated that “the patriarch David… is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.… For David is not ascended into the heavens … (Acts 2:29 and 34). This was certainly true of David, but not necessarily of those saints who resurrected at the time of Yeshua’s resurrection. Revelation 19:1 speaks of “people [literal crowds of people according to the TDNT’] in heaven” who will return with Yeshua at his second coming. Perhaps these people are a reference to those righteous saints who will be resurrected at the sound of the last or seventh trumpet (shofar) (1 Cor 15:51–53; cp. Rev 11:15–18). The Bible doesn’t tell us what became of the saints that arose at the time of Yeshua’s resurrection, but one thing is certain: they were part of the first fruits that followed Yeshua who was the first of the first fruits of the resurrection—and all this happened on First Fruits Day—the day of Yeshua’s resurrection and ascension to heaven.
Matthew 15:21–28, “Then Yeshua went away from there, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, ‘Have mercy on me, O Master, Son of David; my daughter is grievously demonized.’ But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she cries after us.’ But he answered and said, ‘I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ Then came she and worshipped him, saying, ‘Master, help me.’ But he answered and said, ‘It is not suitable to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.’ And she said, ‘Truth, Master, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Yeshua answered and said unto her, ‘O woman, great is your faith. Be it unto you even as you desire.’ And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”
Prophetic Points to Analyze
verse 21— coasts
verse 22— Son of David
verse 23— send her away
verse 24— I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel
verse 25— came she and worshipped him
verse 26— the children’s bread
verse 27— crumbs which fall from their master’s table
verse 28— made whole
The Canaanite woman in this story is a non-Israelite Gentile who recognized that Yeshua was the Messiah, Son of David. She, like Rahab of Jericho and Ruth the Moabitesse, had accepted the Elohim of Israel, and she even put her faith in Yeshua, Israel’s Messiah.
In faith, this woman recognized that part of the Messiah’s mission was to exercise dominion over and eradicate from this earth every vestige of satanic influence, while simultaneously advancing the kingdom of Elohim. Indeed, we find prophesied in the Book of Revelation Satan’s demise, his removal from this earth and his confinement to the bottomless pit at the return of Yeshua and the establishment of Yeshua’s millennial kingdom (Rev 20:1–3).
At his first advent, it was Yeshua’s mission to preach the good news of the kingdom of heaven, and to begin establishing the kingdom of Elohim on earth (Matt 4:17)—a mission that his disciples were to continue after his ascension.
Furthermore, the Scriptures teach us that Yeshua and his disciples preached that the “kingdom of heaven was at hand” (Matt 4:17), and that it was near because the sick were being healed and the demonized delivered (Luke 10:9; 11:20). The kingdom of heaven was “among them” (Luke 17:21) through the work and person of Yeshua, and through the fact that the saints are being “translated into the kingdom of his [Elohim’s] dear Son” (Col 1:13; 1 Thess 2:12).
This is what Yeshua and his disciples taught, and what those who followed him believed including any formerly non-Israelites Gentiles, such as the Canaanite woman in this story. Upon acknowledging Yeshua as their Redeemer, these Gentiles are no longer strangers or aliens to the nation of Israel, but become grafted into the commonwealth of Israel and the blessed beneficiaries of the divine covenants of Israel (Eph 2:11–19.
As noted throughout this book, we see that Yeshua’s primary target group was the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Yet the good news message never precluded non-Israelite Gentiles from sojourning with Israel and becoming grafted into the nation and the covenantal promises YHVH made to them (Exod 12:48; Num 9:14; Eph 2:11–19; Rom 11:13–24).
Bread on the masters table metaphorically represents the Word of Elohim, the instructions, teachings or precepts of Elohim (i.e., the Torah) given to Israel to live by. It also points to Yeshua, the Living Torah-Word of Elohim (Matt 4:4; John 1:1, 14; 6:48–58). Yet there has always been a righteous “Gentile” remnant that has been attracted to the glorious light of the Torah-truth of Elohim (Isa 60:1ff). Such was the case with Joseph’s wife, Rahab, Ruth and the mixed multitude that left Egypt with the Israelites (Exod 12:38). Even in our day, many Christian (non-Israelite“Gentile”) believers have been feeding from the spiritual crumbs that have been falling from YHVH’s banqueting table, which David references in Psalm 23:5. These Gentiles have received salvation, deliverance and hope, yet, in a state of being somewhat detached from the Hebraic roots of their faith, they have not realized the fullness and richness of the gospel message. They have become grafted into the olive tree of Israel and are now Israelites in the eyes of YHVH Elohim.
Yeshua referred to this Canaanite woman from the area of Tyre and Sidon as a “little dog” (Matt 15:26). He contrasted this non-Israelite woman with the ten tribes of the lost sheep of the house of Israel (verse 24), which was his mission to regather (Matt 10:5–6). The woman, in great faith, replied that even dogs were allowed to feed from the master’s table and therefore benefit from the spiritual food, salvation and healing available through the Jews and the Jewish Messiah (verses 22 and 27). Upon seeing her great faith and perspicacity, Yeshua granted her the request that he heal her demonized daughter (verse 28).
Furthermore, Tyre and Sidon were cities of Phoenecia, and not part of geographical Israel. This woman of Canaan may have been an Israelite dwelling in the land of the Gentiles, or she may have been a non-Israelite Gentile. Whatever the case, she had a knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures and knew who the Messiah was and that his mission would be to heal the sick and to go primarily to Israel and not specifically to the non-Israelite Gentiles.
What can we learn from this encounter between Yeshua and the Phoenician woman? First, there will be those of the non-Israelite Gentile nations who will have a heart for the Messiah and will seek him for spiritual healing. Second, some Israelites will want to keep Messiah for themselves and will hinder the non-Israelite Gentiles from coming to faith in Messiah. Third, Yeshua had a heart for and was willing to minister to those Gentiles who had faith in him. Fourth, some of those who are non-Israelite Gentiles will be demonized and need deliverance at the hands of the Messiah, the Anointed One. This whole story shows the loving grace of our Savior for everyone and that he is not willing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to him in repentance (2 Pet 3:9).
This Gospel account teaches us that the message of the gospel—a message of great hope, deliverance, salvation and life—is not confined to the biological nation of Israel alone, but is a message of hope for all peoples throughout the world. As such, all peoples everywhere are called to become part of Israel.
What You Can Do
Do you feel as if you have been feeding from the spiritual crumbs and leftovers in your spiritual associations? Have you wanted to be an Israelite, or felt a spiritual affinity with the people of Israel, but have believed what your spiritual teachers have told you—that you are a Gentile, and always will be one? Well, it is time to believe the Word of Elohim, which clearly states that if you are redeemed by the blood of Yeshua, you are no longer a Gentile, that is, one who is without Elohim and without hope (Eph 2:11–19). You are now a redeemed Israelite and a literal child or descendant of Abraham, and as such, you are entitled to the full rights and privileges of an Israelite (Gal 3:26–29). As such, you will enter the New Jerusalem through one of the twelve gates named after the twelve tribes of Israel; there is no gate labelled “Gentile” (Rev 21:12)! So now it is time for you to have faith like the Canaanite woman, and claim what is yours and what the Father wants to give to you!
In this video, discover the end times prophetic implications of the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard, and Yeshua’s discussion with the woman at the well as it relates to worshiping the Father in Spirit and Truth.
In this video, discover the end times prophetic implications of the coin in the fish’s mouth, and Yeshua’s teaching on marriage and divorce as it relates to his marriage to his saints.
This author believes that the earthly ministry of Yeshua had prophetic implications pertaining to end time events. In other words, I will now attempt to show the reader that behind, if you will, the literal events surrounding Yeshua’s earthly ministry including his miracles and teachings, there was an entire prophetic or allegorical subtext or message. Yeshua’s life was literally a walking prophetic shadow-picture. Understanding these divinely engineered, yet hidden clues from a Hebraic context will yield a literal treasure trove of understanding into end time events as prophetically prefigured in the fall festivals of YHVH.
For the record, let it be known that such a study in no way denies the historicity of the literal events surrounding Yeshua’s life. Both Jewish and Christian scholars have been interpreting literal biblical events in an allegorical light for thousands of years. This is not a new exercise. (For a discussion of this, please refer to our brief study of the Jewish rules of biblical interpretation at the end of this book.) Not only have the biblical exegetes derived understanding from the biblical record through this means of interpretation, but numerous examples can be cited from the apostolic writers themselves interpreting various scriptural passages from the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament) in this manner as well.
What is different about the following study is that it will allegorically examine the entire life of Yeshua—his ministry activities, the meaning of the geographical names of the places where he ministered and his parables for the purpose of deriving insights into end time events such as the great tribulation and wrath of Elohim periods, the resurrection, the second coming, the regathering and reunification of the exiled Israelites, the marriage of the Yeshua to his bride and the establishment of his kingdom on earth. It is hoped that the insights gained may clarify some of the difficult passages in the writings of the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures as well as the prophecies found in the Testimony of Yeshua including the Book of Revelation.
Yeshua’s Compassion on the Scattered Sheep
Matthew 9:35–38, “And Yeshua went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then said he unto his disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore that the Master of the harvest will send forth laborers into his harvest.’”
Prophetic Points to Analyze
verse 36, scattered abroad
verse 36, sheep having no shepherd
Yeshua continued his ministry of healing the shepherdless sheep of the house of Israel and the house of Judah, who had been scattered, hurt, maimed and exploited by hypocritical, self-righteous and self-serving religionists (see Ezek 34).
Yeshua commenced the mission to regather his lost and scattered sheep at his first coming, and his servants continue this mission to this day. At Yeshua’s second coming, he will culminate the work he started 2000 years ago of redeeming and (re)gathering the exiles back to the land of Israel in fulfilment of the land inheritance promises YHVH made to the patriarchs—promises which have yet to be fulfilled to their fullest extent, and which must be fulfilled if the Word of Elohim is true.
The Parable of the Large Net
Matthew 13:47–50, Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the age. The angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Prophetic Points to Analyze
verse 47, like a net
verse 47, cast into the sea
verse 47, gathered every kind
verse 48, gathered the good…cast the bad away
This is another parable relating to the kingdom of Elohim, and correlates with the concept of Yeshua’s servants being fishermen or, more accurately, fishers of men, seeking lost Israel (the descendants of Ephraim, Manasseh and, by logical extension, the other tribes of the Northern Kingdom as well) whom Scripture likens to fish mixed throughout the sea of humanity (Gen 48:16).
As we have already seen, this understanding corresponds with the rabbinic Jewish interpretation of Genesis 48:16 which says, “may they [Ephraim and Manasseh’s descendants] proliferate abundantly like fish within the land” (The ArtScroll Stone Edition Tanach translation), or as the Aramaic Targum Onkelos translates it, “And like the fish of the sea may they multiply like the children of men on earth.”
The descendants of Ephraim will be mixed in among the nations to become like fish of every sort and kind. As the spiritual net (that is, the message of the gospel) of YHVH is preached to these lost sheep, it will draw up every sort of fish (to mix metaphors). The angels will go forth just prior to the resurrection of the righteous to separate the good fish from the bad, the wheat from the chaff, the righteous from the wicked and the wheat from the tares (see Matt 24:31; 13:30, 37–41, 47–50; cp. 13:24–30). This will be a day of rejoicing for those who are gathered in, a day of anguish for those who are rejected because they failed to heed the gospel message and place their trust and obedient faith in Yeshua the Messiah.
What You Can Do
What are you doing to support the spreading of the gospel, so that the lost sheep of the house of Israel can be brought in? To what degree are you using your divinely-given gifts or talents, as well as the time, treasures and resources heaven has placed at your disposal to be a fisher of men, or to support those who are doing that work? Let us not forget Yeshua’s Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 where he rewarded the faithful servants, but cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness.
Yeshua Feeds the Five Thousand
Matthew 14:13–21, “When Yeshua heard of it [about the death of John the Baptist], he departed there by ship [they crossed the Sea of Galilee, John 6:1] into a desert [wilderness] [up into a mountain, John 6:3] [to rest a while, Mark 6:31] place apart. And when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Yeshua went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things, Mark 6:33], and he healed their sick. And when it was evening [the day was now far spent, Mark 6:35], his disciples came to him, saying, ‘This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food.’ But Yeshua said unto them, ‘They need not depart; feed them.’ [“There is a lad here, which has five barley loaves, and two small fishes,” John 6:9] And they said unto him, ‘We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.’ He said, ‘Bring them to me.’ And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled [satisfied, fulfilled]: [Yeshua said, “Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost,” John 6:12] and there was left over of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.”
Prophetic Points to Analyze
John 6:1— Sea of Galilee
Matthew 14:13— by ship
Matthew 14:13— desert (wilderness)
Matthew 14:14— great multitude
Matthew 14:14— moved with compassion
Matthew 14:14— healed the sick
Matthew 14:15— evening (the day was far spent)
Matthew 14:15— buy victuals
John 6:9— a lad
Matthew 14:17— five loaves
Matthew 14:17— two small fishes
Matthew 14:20— twelve full baskets
This account appears to be an allegory pertaining to end-time events—specifically, the regathering of the Israelite exiles, and is another allusion to the final redemption.
John the Immerser (or Baptist), who came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Messiah, had just been killed by the politico-religious system of his day. (It is interesting to note that the two end time witnesses or prophets, who will come in the spirit of Elijah, similarly will be martyred in Jerusalem just prior to the return of Yeshua [Rev 11:1–13].) In response to John’s murder at the hands of Herod, Yeshua and his disciples left the area to escape any possible backlash as a result of the wrath of Herod (who symbolically represents the devil). I take this to be a picture of what the Bible prophesies will occur to Yeshua’s bride (the saints) during the great tribulation just prior to his return (Rev 12:12–17). In this scenario, metaphorically the boat in which Yeshua and his disciples were sailing across the sea appears to point to the eagle’s wings of Revelation 12:14 that carried the woman into the wilderness, which is a place of protection and safety the first half of the wrath of Elohim period that is to fall upon the unsaved inhabitants of the earth.
Once in the wilderness, “when the day was far spent…and now the time is far passed” (a prophetic reference to the end of the age just prior to the return of Yeshua), Yeshua fed the multitude five loaves and two fishes provided by a young boy. The five loaves can symbolically represent the five books of YHVH’s Torah or Pentateuch. This is because in Jewish thought the number five represents the Torah, and bread can be a biblical metaphor for the Word of Elohim (Matt 4:4). This points to Yeshua who, spiritually speaking, is the Bread of Life and the Torah-Word of Elohim made flesh (John 1:1, 14; 6:32–58). The two fish is a likely metaphor for the two houses of Israel (i.e., the houses of Judah and Ephraim). This is because, as we have seen before, Scripture likens the sons of Joseph (Ephraim and Manessah) to fish of the sea in Genesis 48:16 (or and who would “proliferate abundantly like fish,” according to TheArtScroll Stone Edition Tanach translation of Gen 48:16). At the same time, as we noted earlier, Yeshua called his disciples to become fishers of men (i.e., Jews, all Israelites and eventually all humans across the face of the earth (Acts 1:8). The fact that a lad provided the makings for the dinner shows us that the Torah-Word of Elohim is neither too difficult for YHVH’s people to understand nor to obey (Deut 30:11–14), for even a child is able to provide this food. Elsewhere Yeshua taught that we must become humble, simple and teachable as little children if we are to enter his spiritual kingdom (Matt 18:2–5).
Yeshua was moved with compassion toward the multitude because they were as sheep without a shepherd. In Ezekiel 34, YHVH rebukes the spiritual shepherds of Israel (i.e., the religious leaders) for not feeding his spiritual sheep,130 for not gathering those who were scattered and lost, and for not healing the wounded and sick. This was the spiritual condition of lost (Ezek 34:16) and scattered (Ezek 34:5) Israel, but YHVH, the Good Shepherd, promises to feed his sheep upon the mountains of Israel (Ezek 34:13–14), even as Yeshua fed the multitudes in the wilderness upon the mountains of Israel by the Sea of Galilee in the historic homeland of the house of Israel (or the Northern Kingdom). He not only fed the multitude, but healed their sick. This he also promised to do for the returning sheep of Israel in Ezekiel 34:4 and 16.
Moreover, Yeshua would not permit the multitudes to return to the villages (symbolic of the churches or religious institutions of the Babylonian world system—out of which YHVH commands his people to come, Rev 18:4) to procure food even though it was becoming evening (or prophetically a reference to the end of the age—a time of spiritual darkness). After all, Yeshua is the Bread of Life (John 6:48–58) and he, as a faithful shepherd, will feed his sheep provender (Ps 23:1–2). He promises to nourish his people in the wilderness during the dark times of the great tribulation just prior to his second coming (Rev 12:14) by feeding Israel from his Torah (pictured by the five loaves).
It is not until one comes away from the villages (a metaphor for the churches or religious systems of this world, which the Scriptures call Babylon or “confusion”[Rev 18:4]) that one becomes truly satisfied and fulfilled with the spiritual nourishment of both the Written Torah-Word and Yeshua the Living Torah-Word of Elohim. In fact, there was such an abundance of food in the wilderness by the hand of Yeshua that twelve baskets of bread were left over.
The number twelve is a symbol of the twelve tribes of Israel, who Yeshua the Good Shepherd will feed once he gathers all his scattered sheep together (Ezek 34:5, 11–16). Twelve also speaks of perfect government. For example, in YHVH’s kingdom the twelve apostles will sit on twelve thrones ruling the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt 19:28). Eventually, only redeemed and glorified Israelites will inhabit the New Jerusalem, which has twelve gates named after the twelve tribes of Israel. There will be no gate labelled “Gentile” (Rev 21:12)! This will be the perfect governmental system of YHVH eternal kingdom.
What You Can Do
Have you left, or are you in the process of leaving Babylonian religious systems, which contain a mixture of biblical truth and pagan and humanistic teachings? This is the time when Yeshua is calling his people out of Babylon (Rev 18:4) and promises to feed and care for them in the wilderness, even as YHVH led the children of Israel out of Egypt and cared for them in the wilderness and prepared them for going into the Promised Land.
In Hebrew, the word wilderness is midbar, which, interestingly, is the Hebrew name for the fourth book of the Bible, the Book of Numbers, which is B’midbar, meaning “in the wilderness.” This word contains the Hebrew word d’bar or debar (also devar), which literally means “word” as in “the word of Elohim”. In fact, the name of the fifth book of the Bible is Deuteronomy is also related to this word. It is the Hebrew word devarim (literally meaning “words” [of Elohim], which is the plural of debar (also devar). Finally, the most set-apart place (or the holy of holies) in the Tabernacle of Moses was alternately called the deveer, which is a Hebrew word meaning “oracle”. It was called this because it was there that Moses went to hear the word of YHVH.
What is the point of this quick word study? Simply this. The Hebrew word for wilderness is related to the Hebrew word for theword of Elohim. What can we learn from this as related to Yeshua feeding the multitudes in the wilderness away from the cities of the Babylonian world system? Sometimes YHVH’s people have to leave the non or quasi-religious (Babylonian) systems of men, and go into the spiritual wilderness to hear the pure and undiluted word of Elohim. This is not easy for many people to do, but in the end times, YHVH is calling more of his people to do just that so that he can purify them spiritually, bring them into alignment with his Word and Spirit (Ezek 20:33–38), and then prepare and train them for their future destiny as leaders in his millennial kingdom in the spiritual Promised Land.
They can steal elections, but they cannot steal the elect out of Yeshua’s hands when they are in his boat!
In this video, Nathan comments on the US fall 2022 midterm elections and the current state of things in the world as we progress toward the New World Order, which the Bible calls Babylon the Great. He ties this into the Gospels’ account of Yeshua walking on the water while his disciples were safe in the boat.
