Psalm 16:7,Reigns/heart/kidneys instruct me. Is this a reference to our “gut feelings” and our need to trust them? Night seasons is a Hebraism or biblical poetic of saying “difficult time of darkness, confusion, indecision, and uncertainty.” This may be one way the Set-Apart Spirit directs us is through our inner or deep conscience. In reference to the Set-Apart Spirit, Yeshua said that out of our bellies will flow living waters (John 7:37–38). The Hebrew word navi often translated as “prophet” can, according to some lexicologists (e.g., Gesenius), mean “to bubble up” in an almost ecstatic sense, presumably under the influence of the Spirit of Elohim. If this is the true meaning of the word, then perhaps there is some connections between the gut instructing one, living waters flowing from one’s belly, and the word of YHVH bubbling up prophetically out of one’s belly.
Psalm 16:8, I have set YHVH always before me. What is before my face? What are the most important things in my life? What gods or idols have I set up before me that have captivated my attention, demand my time, dictate the where I go and what I do ahead of Yehovha Elohim the one and only true God? If we will stop for a moment and listen to it, our heart or conscience will instruct or even convict us of where our true allegiances are, who or what is before us, and who the god of our life really is (v. 7).
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I YHVH search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jer 17:9–10)
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord YHVH; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I YHVH will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord YHVH; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I YHVH will answer him by myself: And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am YHVH. (Ezek 14:3–8)
Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. (Ezek 20:16)
When you think of the Antarctic, what images does your mind conjure up? Probably endless snow and ice packs with icebergs floating by. No doubt penguins and whales as well. Subzero temperatures. How about Eskimos, igloos and polar bears? Sorry no. Wrong hemisphere. That’s the Arctic, not the Antarctic where the South Pole is located. Sounds like a God-forsaken place. Actually it is not. By some accounts, it boasts some of the most majestic and specular scenery on earth, and only .000027 percent of earth’s population or 100,000 people visit this bottom of the world continent each year, and my wife and I were recently one of those blessed people. Without a doubt, Antarctica is an exceptional, other-worldly place unlike any other on earth. It was there that I met our exceptional YHVH Elohim, the Creator of it all, in new and enlightening way. What follows chronicles this divine encounter and how he is calling his people to join him at a new level of exceptionalism.
Let’s go back to the beginning for a quick history review. Never forget that to know where you are going or your destiny, you must know where you are at, and to know that you need to know where you came from. That said, YHVH Elohim created man in his own image with the destiny and potential to become like him. He placed man in the idyllic setting of a garden and invited man to walk with him in this most blessed and exceptional place. Sadly, man chose to walk the downward rather than the upward path, and from that time until, the Creator has had his hand extended inviting those whom he created in his image to pursue an upward path leading to another garden and place of encounter with him, namely, the New Jerusalem. The point of the Bible, therefore, is to shine a spotlight on this upward path that if taken will bring man to his exceptional destiny. Everything else contained therein is the how, step-by-step process of coming to this place. Along the way, a few notable biblical characters have caught visionary glimpse of this higher walk, the ultimate goal, and they have recorded it for us to inspire to join them on the same journey—to embrace the upward calling by accepting the divine invitation to exceptionalism.
Without a prophetic vision of our destiny, we are likely to grow weary in the journey and possibly even perish spiritually along the way (Prov 29:18). The following Bible verses cast the vision and point us in the right direction.
Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world…I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (John 17:11, 14)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Messiah Yeshua, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us in Messiah Yeshua. (Eph 2:6–7)
Elohim eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which Elohim hath prepared for them that love him. But Elohim hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of Elohim. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of Elohim knoweth no man, but the Spirit of Elohim. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of Elohim. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of Elohim: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor 2:9–14)
For our citizenship [community] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Phil 3:20–21)
Make no mistake, not because of any effort on our part or any redeeming qualities that we may possess, has Yehovah Elohim called. It is only according to his sovereign will, mercy and grace that he has called each of us to come up higher to himself. Let us never forget that we have not chosen him, rather, he has chosen us and that we, in our state of spiritual lostness and sinfulness, simply responded to his calling to come out of this world and come up (emphasis on the word up) to him morally and spiritually and eventually literally or bodily at the resurrection. Presently he is calling us to transcend the physical and carnal existence of this earthly cosmos, and to come up or closer to him. He has shown us the way up, which is the way of the cross. This is the only door or gateway to our Father in heaven and the only way to be admitted or adopted into the eternal family of Elohim. The Bible is the revelation of this divine path upwards.
Yet this narrow path is much nobler and higher than most religious systems of men have sadly made it out to be. The upward path is vastly more than mere dogmas, rituals and legalistic systems of dos lane don’ts. Although many Christians, to their credit, have caught glimpses of this path, most churches, denominations and Christian instructional institutions have largely missed the bigger picture of what the Bible teaches regarding the higher path. Most prefer instead to take a mere snapshot of the Infinite and then quantify that one glimpse into a system that can then be packaged, labeled, promoted and marketed for the gain or profitability of the few at the top of the organizational pyramid. Even most well meaning but misguided promoters off a more Hebraic approach to the Bible are guilty of this, for they have learned well from their mainstream Christian mentors how this system works and are by default replicating it either out of ignorance, self-serving interests, or even nefarious and ulterior motives.
John the Baptist faced the same problem with the religious system of his day, which is why he left the organized religious system of the Levitical priesthood and shunned the pseudo-righteousness promoted by the Pharisees. Disgusted, he exited this sociological and physical system choosing rather to operate in the wilderness of the Jordan Valley well outside the environs of Jerusalem and its temple. His divine mission was to prepare the people for Yeshua’s coming by calling them to the higher ways of Torah through repentance and a spiritual conversion. This mission could only be fulfilled outside the limiting confines of men’s traditional religious paradigms. The old wine skins were unable to contain the new wine. The same can be said of the biblical prophets who typically were loners and outcasts. In our day, some of us view ourselves in ways analogous to John and may even have a similar calling and path to walk in as we help to prepare the way for the Messiah’s return.
A deep and long study of the Scriptures reveals that ultimately the Bible does not promote rules, regulations and dogmas as much as it points people to Yehovah and toward the upward spiritual path of excellence and exceptionalism leading to an eternal relationship with our Creator. The writings of Paul and the first epistle of John capture the sweet nectar, the captivating fragrant aroma and the quintessential essence of this higher path in the New Testament as does Deuteronomy in the Torah and several of the Old Testament prophets such as Isaiah.
This upward path in symbolic form is Jacob’s ladder to heaven which involves walking out Torah through a personal relationship with Yeshua the Messiah, who is man’s ladder to heaven (John 1:51). Or as Paul states, he characterized his approach to Torah as being “under the law to [literally, through] Messiah” (1 Cor 9:21).
No less a figure than Yeshua himself expresses this same higher approach to Torah in his heavenly sublime and elegant final instructions to his disciples prior to his arrest in John’s Gospel chapters 14 through 17. He is about to reunite with his Father in heaven by way of the cross, and he in turn invites us, his disciples, to follow him upward to his Father, for he is the way to the Father. That way involves a full dose of both letter and spirit obedience to his Torah as he eloquently teaches in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters five through seven). Paul characterized his upward spiritual journey similarly although he admits that he had yet to attain that lofty goal to which he had committed himself unequivocally and unreservedly (Phil 3:12–13).
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of Elohim in Messiah Yeshua. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, Elohim shall reveal even this unto you. (Phil 3:14-15)
As I have reading and rereading the Bible daily for approaching six centuries, I see more clearly at a higher level than ever before a more stunning picture emerging of a higher high way to our Father in heaven than is often taught and believed. This is the Bible’s divine invitation to a higher, other-world level of excellence and exceptionalism to which our Creator is calling us as his potential children and adopted members into the forever family of God as children, mini-elohims or members of the God family (John 1:12; Rom 8:14–15, 23; 9:4; 2 Cor 6:18; Gal 4:5-6; Eph 1:5; 1 John 3:1–2; Rev 21:7; Ps17:15).
I am writing this as I exit the waters of the Antarctic in a ship. For the past several days, we have been experiencing up close the expanse of the endless white wilderness of the Antarctic Peninsula in all of its pristine glory and majesty. Words cannot express the spectacular grandeur of this land that few of eyes have ever seen. As has been said by others, Antarctica is akin to Alaska’s famed Inside Passage, but on steroids. Or as I would express the comparison between the two, Alaska’s Inside Passage, as glorious as it is (I have made this voyage so far three times), is a mere footnote to the volume entitled “Antarctica”.
Why is my trip to Antarctica apropos to this discussion on exceptionalism leading to the higher spiritual path to which our Father in heaven has called us? It is because viewing this continent (which is twice the size of Australia and at places has ice that is several miles thick) transports one to another dimension, for there is no place like this elsewhere on earth (and I have visited more than 30 countries on six of the seven continents). Visiting this place has the potential to transport a deeper thinking person to places in one’s thoughts where they have possibly never ventured before. Such has been the case with me. Without a doubt, we are moved and inspired by our surroundings—by the things we see, feel and hear. Exceptional and novel life experiences have the ability to transport us to mental, emotional and spiritual places we have never been before if we will only open ourselves up to this. Perhaps we will even hear heaven’s voice and receive some measure of enlightenment. Such has been the case with me. For me, the Antarctic has been the birth place of some divine revelation from heaven flowing to me as I sail the silent waters off this vast continent, and my thoughts are carried to another, higher place. In this quiet land of endless white landscape stretching from seashore up the winding and tortuous glacial staircase to the mountaintops from which these vast glaciers originate, I am hearing heaven’s still small voice—a whisper that shouts loudly into my spirit unhindered by the confusing babble and cacophony of the man-made cosmos that usually envelopes virtually suffocating a person in the city—a place the Bible euphemistically refers to as “Babylon the Great.”
WARNING: This video is only for disciples of Yeshua who can handle strong meat. It is for those who are truly serious about their spiritual walk. If you want an easy-believism, happy, happy message, then don’t tune in. Go back to sleep in the stinky pew of lukewarm churchianity and maybe one of these days you’ll wake up to the reality and true nature of the higher walk of self-negation as exemplified by Yeshua the Messiah and his true followers.
This is a Yom Kippur message on afflicting the soul or dying to self in order to obtain the higher reward.
Afflicting the soul—it’s time to get serious about putting our soul man to death if we’re going to be ready to meet King Yeshua!
This is an unpopular subject with men, but a popular one with YHVH Elohim!
FOR SPIRITUALLY MATURE READERS ONLY WHO DON’T WANT THEIR EARS TICKLED AND ARE SERIOUS ABOUT FOLLOWING YESHUA!
Our souls need afflicting. This is a tough, unpopular message that few want to think about, much less discuss or preach about. Afflicting the soul or dying to self is what the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur is all about. In fact, this is what our entire life is all about. It’s about dying to the world and the devil, but most importantly, dying to self. If we want to see Yeshua, we must talk about it, and then learn to do it!
Dying to self is the lifelong struggle that Paul, the mighty apostle of Yeshua and the writer of a good portion of the New Testament discusses in Romans chapter seven that each of us faces every day.
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of Elohim according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Rom 7:14–24)
Why must our souls be afflicted? So they can be brought under the power of the Spirit of Elohim, and so that we think and act like Yeshua, and eventually be transformed into the people that he wants to spend eternity with. Becoming like Yeshua is ultimate purpose of life! When a person’s main goal in life is to make money, or to gain material possessions, to achieve fame, power, knowledge or even to become happily married and to raise a family, they are falling way short of their full and destiny as potential children of the Creator, Most High YHVH Elohim. That’s why Yeshua asks the question, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mat 16:26). That is why YHVH Elohim, our Father in heaven sent Yeshua his Son to this earth. It was not only redeem us from the death grip of sin, but to show us how to live—to show us the way to our Heavenly Father. For this to occur, we must overcome the world, the flesh and devil every day of our lives and live as Yeshua did. The Word of Elohim tells that without holiness, spiritual purity or sinlessness, no one will see Elohim (Heb 12:14). These are words to live by and to guide us in all that we do, say and think. This means becoming a living sacrifice for Yeshua or dying to self.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Elohim, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to Elohim, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of Elohim. (Rom 12:1–2)
Dying to self and being overcomers is necessary if we are to be the chaste bride ready to meet Yeshua our coming King and Bridegroom—a bride that will be one or echad with him for eternity. We must die to everything else that will get in they way of our love for him.
Who shall separate us from the love of the Messiah? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE KILLED ALL DAY LONG; WE ARE ACCOUNTED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of Elohim which is in the Messiah Yeshua our Lord. (Rom 8:35–39)
One aspect of becoming like Yeshua by dying to self and overcoming this world and the flesh may well involve our rethinking or even changing our entire paradigmatic perspective concerning our current lifestyles. What do I mean by this? Let me explain.
Most of us have spent a lifetime constructing neat little nests all around us to shield ourselves from the harsh realities of life. Almost everything we do, everything we buy, everything we construct, the relationships we nurture, and the material possessions that we collect is about self preservation and comfort. To this end, we all have furnished the nests of our lives in a way to protect ourselves from the harsh reality of death. Then beyond this, we have embellished our nests to look good to the outside world, and to feel good about ourselves, and live comfortable and self-gratifying lifestyles, while forgetting that it could all be gone in an instant, or that we could die at anytime, and then what?
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mat 16:26)
Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry. ‘ But Elohim said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward Elohim.” (Luke 12:16–21)
Sadly, many of us placed more of our time and energy attempting to fulfill our physical expectations instead following Yeshua’s instructions to his disciples to “seek first the kingdom of Elohim and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you,” (Matt 6:33). As a result, in many cases, our expectations have become idols that, to one degree or another, are keeping us from walking out the Truth of YHVH, and the higher life of a disciple of Messiah by walking as he walked. In many respects, our affluent and free Western lifestyle has not helped us in achieving the higher spiritual walks that Yeshua requires of his disciples. This is because we have been blessed with civil liberties, freedoms and luxuries never before experienced by any previous human society, and this has not helped us to grow stronger spiritually. Instead, in many cases, and as a whole, we have grown spiritually weak, lukewarm and careless, anemic, somewhat apathetic toward our faith. For many of us our passion for Yeshua and the Truth of Elohim has waned if not all but evaporated. YHVH warned ancient Israel and the Laodicean church over these same issues.
For the YHVH’s portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance. He found him in a desert land And in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings, so YHVH alone led him, And there was no foreign god with him. He made him ride in the heights of the earth, That he might eat the produce of the fields; He made him draw honey from the rock, and oil from the flinty rock; curds from the cattle, and milk of the flock, with fat of lambs; and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the choicest wheat; and you drank wine, the blood of the grapes. But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; you grew fat, you grew thick, you are obese! Then he forsook Elohim who made him, and scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation. They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons, not to Elohim, to gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear. Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, and have forgotten the Elohim who fathered you. (Deut 32:9–18)
For Jerusalem stumbled, And Judah is fallen, Because their tongue and their doings Are against YHVH, To provoke the eyes of His glory. The look on their countenance witnesses against them, And they declare their sin as Sodom; They do not hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves. Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, For they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, For the reward of his hands shall be given him. As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths.” YHVH stands up to plead, And stands to judge the people. YHVH will enter into judgment With the elders of His people And His princes: “For you have eaten up the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the faces of the poor?” Says the Lord GOD of hosts. Moreover YHVH says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, And walk with outstretched necks And wanton eyes, Walking and mincing as they go, Making a jingling with their feet. Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, And YHVH will uncover their secret parts. In that day the Lord will take away the finery: The jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents; the pendants, the bracelets, and the veils; the headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands; The perfume boxes, the charms, and the rings; The nose jewels, the festal apparel, and the mantles; The outer garments, the purses, and the mirrors; the fine linen, the turbans, and the robes. And so it shall be: Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; Instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-set hair, baldness; instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty. (Isa 3:8–24)
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of Elohim: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev 3:14–22)
What are some expectations that our Western lifestyle has automatically provided us such that we automatically expect them and if deprived of them, we would be scandalized, inconvenienced, shaken physically and spiritually? In America, for example, they include…
The American dream (a house, an automobile or two, vacations, a cushy retirement beginning at a young age, having a few toys, e.g. a boat, travel trailer, a second home, etc.)
Freedom of speech.
Freedom of religion and the right to practice it freely.
Freedom to peaceably assemble.
Freedom from government intrusion and tyranny.
Freedom to maintain personal privacy.
The right to travel freely and unmolested on our way whenever and wherever we want to go
A just judicial system that is impartial and not a respecter of persons where one is innocent until proven guilty.
No taxation without representation.
Freedom to defend oneself with firearms if necessary.
Freedom to live privately without government surveillance and intrusion.
The expectation that we can buy whatever we want whenever we want with no supply shortages including the basic necessities of life.
The knowledge that our national constitution guarantees and protects our basic civil rights.
The belief that our politicians represent us.
Freedom to raise our children how we want and that parents have ultimate authority over their minor children.
Freedom to live on our own land and to do what we want on it as long as it doesn’t hurt someone else or violate their freedoms.
The expectation to live a safe, secure, settle, undisturbed life free of worry and stress, discomfort, insecurity and privation of any kind.
The destiny of the saint is to be a king or a priest in the millennium under King Yeshua the Messiah, and the redeemed believer is now in training to fulfill their ultimate destiny. What does this mean and how are we to live and act in preparation for the future as glorified sons and daughters of YHVH Elohim? Watch and learn to discover what the Bible says about this wonderful truth! This is a stirring, provocative yet encouraging video.
There are 49 days between First Fruits Day, which occurs during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot or Pentecost). Why does YHVH in the Torah command his pepole to count the seven weeks or 49 days between these two events, with Pentecost occurring on the fiftieth day? The short answer is that Yeshua doesn’t want to marry a spiritual baby. For the long answer, keep reading…
From the Depths of Slavery to a Kingdom of Priests
Every detail in Scripture is for our learning and edification. All the examples of the past are for our learning upon whom the ends of the world are come (1 Cor 10:11; Rom 15:4). Everyday, YHVH is uncovering the prophetic mysteries hidden in the Scriptures that are being revealed to those who diligently seek him by diligently studying to show themselves approved as a workman rightly dividing YHVH’s Word (2 Tim 2:15).
YHVH’s command us to countdown 49 days from First Fruits Day to the Feast of Weeks (Heb. Shavuot; Gr. Pentecoste, Lev 23:15–16) to memorialize the Israelites’ journey from spiritual babyhood to adulthood. During this 49-day count, Israel ascended out of the depths of slavery and suffering in Egypt, was baptized in the Red Sea, and then arrived at Mount Sinai—a place of a spiritual standing before YHVH to become a kingdom of priests (Exod 19:6). It was there that YHVH gave the Israelites his instructions in righteousness—the Torah on Shavuot. This 49-day period represents Israel’s passage from slavery to freedom. They came out of slavery permeated with the leaven, that is, the sins, values, and pagan concepts of Egypt. YHVH instructed them to leave it all behind as symbolized by deleavening their lives during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. After that, YHVH gave Israel 49 days to overcome and to get rid of the impurities of Egypt, and to become the nation of Israel—a holy priesthood and the bride of YHVH. There, at the foot of Mount Sinai, YHVH wanted them to become his ambassadors to this world of the truths of his heavenly kingdom.
The counting of the omer is the story of our lives also. It pictures our going from bondage to the world, the flesh and the devil and coming to a place of spiritual standing before YHVH, so that we can be used of him to advance his kingdom.
It’s a process ordained of YHVH and it’s his pattern that we must follow. There is no escape from this process if we are to be groomed and prepared for use in YHVH’s service.
Why Fifty Days Between the Wave Sheaf Offering and Shavuot?
Fifty is the biblical number signifying complete redemption or liberty. In ancient Israel, all debts were forgiven every seven years. This was called the seven-year cycle. Every seven years, one had to let their land rest; no crops were planted. This was called the land Sabbath. Seven seven-year cycles equaled 49 years. In the Scriptures, we see that seven is the number YHVH uses to signify completion or perfection. Therefore, seven sevens, or 49 years, signified total completion. Seven Sabbaths represents redemption, liberty or rest in its fullest or ultimate sense. The fiftieth year was therefore the year of jubilee when all slaves were set free, all land was returned to its original owners and when all debts were forgiven. If Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread signified deliverance from sin (Egypt), then Shavuot, occurring 50 days after the wave sheaf offering during the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, symbolizes total redemption, deliverance and victory over sin. How? For us, this occurs through the divine gift and glorious power of the indwelling presence of the Ruach HaKodesh (the Set-Apart Spirit), which Yeshua poured out upon his disciples on the day of Pentecost.
We must recognize this YHVH-ordained process, submit to it and realize what he wants to accomplish in our lives as a result. As we are going through the process, we must keep our eyes on the end goal and keep heading in that direction. Yeshua is that end goal. He is the “end” or “final aim, goal of the Torah” (Rom 10:4). He is “the fulfillment of the law”, that is, he is the full manifestation or fruition of the Torah (Matt 5:17). As such, he is our example to follow. Paul says we are to imitate him—to do what he did (1 Cor 11:1).
The 49 Days Represent a Time of Overcoming and Spiritual Development
When the people of Israel left Egypt, they were immersed or baptized in the Red Sea. This represents the redeemed believer being baptized for the remission of sins at the time of their conversion, and their receiving the Spirit of Elohim. The gift of YHVH’s Spirit is for the purpose of producing within us YHVH’s divine nature. There are seven levels of spiritual growth and development that involve overcoming and equipping, so that we come to a place where YHVH can use us in a special way as his representatives on earth for kingdom outreach.
The seven levels of spiritual development of the divine nature are found in 2 Peter 1:4–8,
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindnesscharity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Master Yeshua the Messiah. [For an explanation of each of the character attributes, see the end notes.]
The fruit of the Spirit must proceed or underlay the gifts of the Spirit. Without love (or the fruit of the Spirit) all the gifts of the Spirit are zero, in YHVH’s eyes (1 Cor 13). The power of the Spirit without the fruits makes for an out-of-control, fleshly or soulish and unloving person.
Divine Empowerment for Kingdom Advancement
Upon conclusion of the 49 days, we arrive at the fiftieth day or the giving of the Torah (in Hebrew, mattan Torah). It is at this point that we receive YHVH’s gift from above—YHVH’s Torah written on our hearts by his Set-Apart (Gr. Paracletos or Comforter, John 14:16–18, 25–26; 15:26; 16:7–8 12–14). The Spirit of Elohim is the One who comes along side of us to aid, help, strengthen and succor us in walking out the Torah. With this divine help, we are able to do that which we could not achieve by our own limited capacities. We receive the gift of true freedom from the world, the flesh and the devil through the gift of the Spirit of Elohim indwelling us, writing his Torah on our hearts thus empowering us to live at a spiritual level beyond what would be otherwise impossible solely through our own human capacity. It is by YHVH’s divine empowerment that we are granted the ability to transcend our human limitations and touch the Divine.
