The Two Silver Trumpets and the Two Houses of Israel

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Numbers 10:1, Two trumpets of silver.What is the significance of the two silver trumpets? They were used to gather the assembly (verse 2), to move the camp (verse 5), to prepare the people for war (verse 9), and to celebrate YHVH’s feasts (verse 10). Why were there two trumpets with which to call the children of Israel to assembly? The procedure for using trumpets as a procedure to summons or signal the nation of Israel was an eternal decree (verse 8, also see The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash, p. 783). 

The Jewish sages teach that the sounding of these silver trumpets is directly linked to Yom Teruah (the Day of the Shofar or Shouting) in the fall, which is symbolic of the return of Yeshua and the regathering of his people Israel. 

So what do these two silver trumpets represent prophetically? Who is being called? Are those trumpets being sounded now in a spiritual sense and who is responding to the call?

As to the significance of the two silver trumpets, Batya Wootten suggests, in her book, Israel’s Feasts and Their Fullness, that the trumpets spiritually symbolize voices (Rev 1:10; Isa 58:1). She goes on to note that historically there have been two people groups on earth who have been testifying about the goodness of the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These are the Christians and the Jews—both of whom worship the same Elohim as revealed in the Scriptures. Israel was called to be YHVH’s witnesses on earth (Isa 43:10). YHVH then divided the twelve tribes of Israel into two nations or houses, They were the House of Judah and the House of Ephraim who would be later represented by the Jews and the Christians, respectively. According to Torah, truth must be confirmed in the mouth of two or more witnesses before it can be believed (Num 35:30; Deut 17:6; 19:15; John 8:17; 2 Cor 13:1). Wootten says that these “two witnesses” have not been sounding their voices in unison, but instead have been fighting and denying one another. Yet the Apostle Paul states that there is to be one new man in Messiah Yeshua (Eph 2:15) not two men—a Jewish and a Christian man. These two witnesses have to come together before Yeshua can return to this earth to establish his eternal kingdom here (Acts 1:6–8 cp. Acts 3:21). Wootten notes that the two silver trumpets were hammered out of one piece of silver (Num 10:2). In the Bible, silver symbolizes refinement and redemption. Hammered trumpets tell of the Father molding his people through affliction (Jer 9:7; Dan 11:35; Zec 13:9; Hos 1:10; Mal 3:3, Ibid. pp. 219–228). Before the one new man can become the glorious bride of Yeshua, refinement, repentance and reunification must occur. This is happening now with YHVH’s people and will continue to happen until the return of Yeshua.

 

Finding the Will of Elohim for Your Life

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Romans 12:2, Prove… Good …Acceptable…Perfect. 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Elohim, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Elohim, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable [well-pleasing], and perfect, will of Elohim. (Rom 12:1–2)

Let’s first define some words in verse two.

Prove is the Greek word dokimazo signifying “to test, examine, prove, scrutinise (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), as metals, to recognise as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy.” 

Good is the Greek word agathos meaning “of good constitution or nature, useful, salutary, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished, upright, honourable.”

Acceptable is the Greek word euarestos and means “well pleasing, acceptable.” 

Perfect is the Greek word teleios (related to telos, see note on 10:4) signifies “a goal-oriented action, that which is complete, whole, brought to its end, lacking nothing necessary to completeness, that which is perfect.”

In this passage of Scripture, Paul’s juxtapositioning of these three words suggests the grammatical construction of the good (the nominative), better (the comparative) and best (the superlative).

What does this teach us? An amazing truth regarding the merciful graciousness of YHVH Elohim! Within the limits of the plan that YHVH has for each of our lives, there are different paths that we can take as Romans 12:2 indicates. The choice is ours. We can take the good path, the acceptable or better path or the best or perfect path. 

As to which path is the perfect will of Elohim for us, we have a clue in verse one as to which path that is. Let’s unpack verse one, so that we’ll better understand verse two. 

What Paul is teaching here us here is that to the degree that we become a living sacrifice for Yeshua by denying our sinful passions and submitting to the will of Elohim (v. 1), and to the degree that we allow the Spirit of Elohim to renew our minds into conformity to the mind of Yeshua by the “brainwashing” influences of his Spirit and the washing of his word (Eph 5:26) is the degree to which we will find ourselves walking in the perfect will of Elohim. This is a process. As we become deconformed or deprogrammed to the ways and thinking of the world (v. 2), and as we accept the wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable and gentle as opposed to worldly, sensual and demonic resulting in bitter envying, self-seeking and resistance to the truth of Elohim (Jas 3:13–18), is the degree to which we will be able to prove or determine YHVH’s complete or perfect will for our lives (Rom 12:2).

In the bigger perspective, YHVH Elohim has a path for each of his saints to walk in. That path is based on Torah as David discusses in Psalm 119 (e.g. Ps 119:30, 32, 33, 35, 105), as well as the rest of YHVH’s written word from Genesis to Revelation. Within that path, YHVH gives a person room or liberty to wander from one side or the other without falling into the ditch on either side of the road. On several occasions, Moses urged the Israelites to go neither to the left or to the right (Deut 5:32; 17:11, 20; 28:14). Moreover, Yeshua talked about a narrow and a wide path—one leading to life and other leading to destruction (Matt 7:13–14). The wider our spiritual walk, the more likely we are to veer off the path and fall into the ditch of destruction on either side of the path of life. When we veer too far to one side or the other, we begin feeding from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This is a dangerous place to be spiritually, for we know to do good and are drawn to the good, but, at the same time, we are enticed by the evil and may begin to find pleasure in it. Unless something wakes us up, the evil will eventually win out leading to eternal death. Adam and Eve found this out the hard way.

Yeshua characterized the narrow path that is pleasing to the Father as being spirit and truth (John 4:23–24). Truth taken to the extreme produces legalism, judgmentalism and a letter-of the-law approach to obedience. Spirit taken to the extreme results in licence to sin based on the false idea of extreme grace.

There are perhaps no examples in the entire Bible of a person walking consistently in the perfect will of Elohim. For example, Job was a righteous—the most godly, righteous and blameless man on the earth (Job 1:8). He was definitely a good (Gr. euarestos, Rom 12:2) man, but not perfect or complete (Gr. teleios, Rom 12:2) in the eyes of Elohim. YHVH allowed him to be tested to bring Job to a higher level in his spiritual walk. Similarly, Lot was anything but a perfect man. He may well have been the epitome of a lukewarm, world and flesh-appeasing believer, yet he had enough faith in YHVH to leave wicked Sodom and the Scriptures refer to him as a “just” and “righteous” man (2 Pet 2:7). Both Jephthah and Samson committed some glaring sins for which they paid a dear price, but Scripture commends them for their faith (Heb 11:32). Likewise, David failed on several occasions to walk in YHVH’s perfect will and even gave in to the temptation to commit murder, and adultery and to number Israel in direct violation of Elohim’s commandment, yet he repented of his sin and the Bible deems him a righteous man. Moreover, Peter denied Yeshua thrice—a grave sin against the Messiah—but was forgiven. All of these saints fell short in one way or another of Elohim’s highest standards of righteousness, but they did the best they could and YHVH blessed them for it.

It is the heart of Elohim for his servants to achieve the highest standard of righteousness possible. For example, Yeshua instructed his disciples to “be becoming perfect” (Gr. teleios, Matt 5:48), and told them that their righteousness must exceed that of even the Pharisees (Matt 5:20). Attaining to this high level is a process that will last a person’s lifetime, and will likely never be achieved by anyone. How many humans ever consistently attain a spiritual walk that can be characterized as “the perfect will of Elohim” (Rom 12:2). Only one that we know of: Yeshua the Messiah!

In the mean time, Elohim is dealing with imperfect humans, which is why we need his never-ending grace and mercy (and the righteousness of Yeshua to be attributed to our spiritual account). 

The fact is that to the degree that one submits to the word and will of Elohim is to the degree that one will find Elohim’s perfect will for their life. When we fail to live our lives as a living sacrifice before Elohim (Rom 12:1) meaning that we are willing to lay down our own will and accept the will of Yeshua even as he accepted his Father’s will for his life when he went to the cross (Luke 22:42), then we’ll have to spend more time in the wilderness of our spiritual wanderings learning some hard lessons before the Father can bring us into the Promised Land of his perfect will for our lives. 

When we choose to go against the will of Elohim and choose our own sinful will instead, we’re treading on dangerous ground. We may eventually come back to our Heavenly Father’s good or perfect will for our lives, or we may not. At times, we may be pulled away from Elohim and his righteous standards by the sinful influences of the world, the flesh and the devil as was the prodigal son in Yeshua’s parable (Luke 15:11–31). Hopefully, we’ll repent of our unrighteousness and return to our Father in heaven as the son in the parable did and not remain a spiritually lost prodigal forever.

Let’s close with this ancient adage. Good, better, best. Never let it rest. ‘Til your good is better and your better is best. 

 

Does YHVH’s pillar of fire lead you?

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Numbers 9:15–23, The cloud. The cloud covered the sanctuary by day and a pillar of fire covered it by night. How does this relate to us and to our spiritual walk? Who is YHVH’s spiritual sanctuary now? (Look up 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19.) Who and what is the pillar of fire that gave light in the darkness of the night to the Israelites and that now gives us light? (Read John 1:4–9; 8:12 cp. Ps 119:105 and John 1:1–3.) Where does the fire of YHVH abide now? Over us or in us? (See Acts 2:1–4.) To be filled with the Spirit of Elohim means being filled with Yeshua’s Spirit, which guides us in the ways of YHVH from the inside of us (read John 16:13).

Numbers 9:22–23, Abode … rested … journeyed.How do these concepts relate to our spiritual walk? How do we know when to rest or abide, and when to journey? How does YHVH show us his will for our lives? Matthew Henry in his commentary on this passage says, “Thus we are taught to see [Elohim] always near us, both night and day. As long as the cloud rested on the tabernacle, so long as they continued in the same place. There is no time lost, while we are waiting for [Elohim’s] time. When the cloud was taken up, they removed, however comfortably they were encamped. We are kept at uncertainty concerning the time of our putting off the earthly house of this tabernacle, that we may be always ready to remove at the command of [YHVH]. It is very safe and pleasant going when we see [Elohim] before us, and resting where he appoints us to rest. The leading of this cloud is spoken of as signifying the guidance of the blessed Spirit.” (Read Pss 37: 3–7, 23–24; 73:24; Prov 3:6; Rom 8:14.) Are we ready to lay our lives down, die to self, and to follow YHVH’s perfect will for our lives no matter how much it may stretch our faith?

Some Additional Insights on the Pillar of Fire That Guided the Israelites

In Exodus 13:21 we read,

And YHVH went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.

Then in Exodus 14:19 it is written,

And the Angel of Elohim, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them.

Who is this “Angel” of Elohim (in other places he is called “the Angel of YHVH”)? Angel is an unfortunate translation. The Hebrew word for angel is malak and simply means “a heavenly or a human messenger.”Prophetically this word can refer to human messengers such as the one coming in the spirit of Elijah prior to Messiah’s coming, as well as to the Messiah himself (“Messenger/Malak of the covenant” in Mal  3:1). In Genesis 32:22–30, Jacob wrestles with a man the Scriptures identifies as the Malak of YHVH (Hos 12:3–5) and whom Jacob called Elohim (Exod 32:30). This same Individual redeemed Jacob (Gen 48:16) and is identified with the Malak of Elohim … the Elohim of Bethel (31:11 and 13) and appeared to Moses at the burning bush (Exod 3:2). Now we find this same figure leading Israel in the wilderness. Again who is he? Stephen in Acts 7:37–39 identifies the Messiah (i.e. “that Prophet” Moses mentioned in Deut 18:15) with the “Angel” or Heavenly Messenger which spoke to the children of Israel from Mount Sinai and who gave them the “living oracles,” who the Israelites later rejected for pagan gods. Paul elsewhere said of that same Personage that the Israelites did “all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Messiah” (1 Cor 10:4).

Of that pillar of fire that led them we see that it gave them light. Light, in the Scriptures, is synonymous with Torah (see YHVH’s Instructions in Righteousness, A Messianic Believer’s Introduction to the Torah at http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/torahprimer.pdf ). We have seen that Yeshua the Messiah is the Light of the World—the Word of Elohim in living form (personified).

In Nehemiah 9:12 and 19 we read:

Moreover you led them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.… Yet you in your manifold mercies forsook them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way wherein they should go. (emphasis added)

Light in the Scriptures is a metaphor for the Torah while the term the way (Hebrew, derek) means “the way of Torah righteousness.” The Scriptures uses the term way(s)/derek as a reference to the Torah in the following passages (and many more, as well):

Therefore you shall keep the commandments of YHVH your Elohim, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. (Deut 8:6)

And now, Israel, what does YHVH thy Elohim require of you, but to fear YHVH your Elohim, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve YHVH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deut 10:12)

For if you shall diligently keep all these [Torah] commandments which I command you, to do them, to love YHVH your Elohim, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him. (Deut 11:22)

And a curse, if you will not obey the [Torah] commandments of YHVH your Elohim, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known. (Deut 11:28)

I have chosen the way of [Torah] truth; your judgments have I laid before me. (Ps 119:30)

I will run the way of your [Torah] commandments, when you shall enlarge my heart. (Ps 119:32)

Teach me, YHVH, the way of your statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. (Ps 119:33)

The Messenger of Elohim from within the pillar of fire not only directed the Israelites in the way (Exod 13:21; Deut 1:33); they should go, but the Messenger spoke to Moses from within the pillar as well:

And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the Tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the Tabernacle, and YHVH talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the Tabernacle door, and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. And YHVH spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaks unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tabernacle. (Exod 33:9–11)

And YHVH descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of YHVH. (Exod 34:5)

And YHVH came down in a cloud, and spoke unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders, and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. (Num 11:25)

 

The menorah, not the cross should be the Christian symbol

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Numbers 8:2, The menorah. The phrase toward the face of the menorah is an interesting one. The Jewish sages teach that the three wicks on the right and the three on the left were all directed toward the menorah’s central stem, thus concentrating light toward the center. The menorah symbolized that YHVH is the Source of all light (The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash, p. 775). What are the connotations of this for a believer in Yeshua? How did Yeshua describe himself? (See John 8:12; 9:5.) Moreover, what did he mean when he said that “I am the vine and you are the branches?” (John 15:5) What does this mean and how is this pointing to a type of human menorah? Now relate this to the seven Messianic assemblies of Revelation 2 and 3 being likened to menorahs (Rev 1:13, 20). Is Yeshua the center of all that we do? Do we place all of our focus on him? Can we say, as the Apostle Paul did, that “in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)? Does the power of his resurrected life and anointing flow through you even as oil was in the menorah and sap flows through a tree to its branches?

Redeemed Israelites Are That Menorah

The Scriptures plainly states that Yeshua and his body of followers are likened to a tree of which the seven-branched menorah that adorned the mishkan (tabernacle) in the wilderness as well as the sanctuary of Solomon’s Temple is a picture. Furthermore, remember what Yeshua said in John 15:5? “I am the vine and you are the branches …” This is a perfect picture of the menorah, which has a central trunk with six (the number representing man) branches growing out of the trunk. Remember what Yeshua said in Matthew 5:14–15, that his followers were to be lights upon a lampstand on a hill for all the world to see—a clear allusion in the mind of anyone in Yeshua’s audience to the temple’s menorah (which was upon the Temple Mount like a light on a hill).

Additionally, when a redeemed believer in and follower of Yeshua is in a sacred state of worshipping his Master and Savior, he will often lift his arms heavenward. Not only is this the universal sign of surrender (in this case to one’s Heavenly Master), but when we lift our hands our bodies are actually forming a human menorah. By doing this, in worship we are acting out what we are—a lampstand to the world radiating forth the good news of the truth and love of Yeshua.

In fact, The Scriptures shows us that the menorah, and not the cross, is the symbol of Yeshua’s spiritual body of believers. We see this in Revelation 1:12, 20 and 2:1 where the seven congregations are symbolized as a seven-branched menorah! The menorah here is the symbol of the congregation of redeemed believers.

Though the cross is representative of the redemptive work Yeshua accomplished on our behalf, it is not the symbol of the body of believers, commonly called the “church,” but the menorah is! Furthermore, in Jewish thought, the menorah is analogous to an olive tree (the ancient temple menorah was constructed of hollow tubes of solid gold filled with olive oil that burned when lit), to which the Apostle Paul makes reference in Romans 11, as representing the tree of life (which ultimately represents Yeshua) into which all must be grafted if they are to be part the spiritual body of Yeshua and have his eternal life.

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 6-16 Through 6-22-19

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Parashat B’Ha’alatkha — Numbers 8:1 – 12:16 
Haftarah — Zechariah 2:14 (10)* – 4:7
Prophets — Jeremiah 45:1 – 51:35
Writings — Ecclesiastes 2:1 – 8:17
Testimony — Romans 11:1 – 16:27

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link below.

The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day: one each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.

* Verse numbers in parenthesis refer to the verse number in Christian English Bibles when they differ from Hebrew Bibles or the Tanakh.

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 6/16/19 through 6/22/19. Today Shavuot (Pentecost/Feast of Weeks) has fully come. Chag Sameach! (Happy Feast!)

 

Preparing for Shavuot or Pentecost

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A (Re)New(ed) Covenant Involving YHVH Writing Torah on Our Hearts

Long ago Jeremiah prophesied that YHVH would make a new (or renewed) covenant being with his people Israel, which would involve both houses of Israel (Judah and Ephraim, or, prophetically speaking, the Jews and the Christians), and that he would write his Torah on their hearts.

Behold, the days come, saith YHVH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith YHVH: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith YHVH, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know YHVH: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith YHVH: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jer 31:31–34)

Contextually, in the verses surrounding this prophecy, we discover some other important details.

Verse 27, The houses of Judah and Israel were to be mingled throughout the beast (heathen) nations of the world as punishment for breaking their covenant with YHVH that they made with him on Shavuot (the Feast of Pentecost) at Mount Sinai (Exod 19–20, 24).

Verse 28, At some point in the future, YHVH’s punishment of Israel for breaking their covenant and their resulting exile among the gentile nations will come to the end. He will rebuild and restore the nation of Israel.

Verses 29–30, Whereas in times past, Israel was punished as a collective nation for their sins when they disobeyed YHVH and were similarly blessed when they obeyed him, now each person will be cursed or blessed for his own sins. Salvation is more of an individual matter now.

Verses 31–33, YHVH promises to make a renewed covenant with the two houses of Israel at some time in the future (from Jeremiah’s perspective). It will be different from the covenant he made with Israel at Sinai in two major ways:

Though it will be a covenant with Israel collectively (both houses), it also will be made with individuals.

He will deal with the heart of each individual Israelite when he writes his Torah on their hearts.

Verse 34, This renewed covenant will involve mercy and forgiveness (grace). It will involve a personal relationship between each person and YHVH (“they shall all know me…”).

Verses 35 and 37, As the sun, moon, stars, the sea, and expanse of the heavens and the earth exist, so YHVH will renew his Torah covenant with Israel. The words of Yeshua in Matthew 5:18 are reminiscent of the this prophecy. Not one jot or tittle (Heb. yud or tag, which are the smallest elements of the Hebrew alphabet) of YHVH’s Torah will pass as long heaven and earth still exist.

Verse 36, The very survival of the nation and people of Israel (and hence the fulfillment of the covenants YHVH made with Abraham), is dependent on YHVH regathering and restoring Israel. If YHVH doesn’t bring this to pass, then YHVH is a liar and his Word is a lie and there is no hope for the world! This cannot be!

This was fulfilled during the time of the writing of the Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament). The author of Hebrews talks about this in Hebrews 8.

But now, Yeshua the Messiah has attained a more excellent public service, since He is the Mediator of a more excellent covenant, one that was legislated with better promises than the former. (Heb 8:6)

The “better promises” is everything that Yeshua taught about salvation and eternal life as a person puts their trust in him. These better promises he taught during his life and ministry, and formalized this at his last supper through the communion elements. It is all these glorious promises to which the whole Levitical and sacrificial system pointed, which, as the author of Hebrews makes clear, was fulfilled in Yeshua.

If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need to look for a second one. Finding fault with THEM He said, “Look, the days are coming, says Yehovah, when I’ll enact a New Covenant with the descendants of Israel, and with the descendants of Judah. It wont be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors during the time when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt, because they didnt remain loyal to My covenant, and I rejected them, declared Yehovah. But this is the covenant that I’ll enter into with the descendants of Israel after that time, says Yehovah; I’ll put My Torah in their minds—inscribing it on their innermost thoughts. I’ll be their Aloha, and they’ll be My people. No one will teach doctrine to their fellow citizens [evangelize], or a friend, or ask: “Do you know Yehovah” [witness to anyone], because they’ll all know Me, from the youngest of them to the oldest. I’ll be merciful regarding their wrongful behavior; and I’ll no longer remember their sins.” When He [Yeshua] mentioned, a New Covenant, He was saying that the first one was old and about to be repealed; and what was then old and failing, was about to disappear. (Heb 8:7–13, GV)

Other Scriptures Relating to the Renewed Covenant and the Heart of Man

The Tanakh is full of scriptures that speak of the renewed covenant where YHVH will write his Torah on the hearts of men. For example, in Jeremiah 32:40, YHVH reiterates his promise to make an everlasting promise with Israel. This new covenant will involve his putting his fear in their hearts. As a result, they will no longer depart from him.

And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

The following is a list of other scriptures that talk about the Torah being written on men’s hearts.

  • Deut 30:6, And YHVH thy Elohim will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love YHVH thy Elohim with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
  • Ps 37:31, The law of his Elohim is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
  • Ps 40:8, I delight to do thy will, O my Elohim: yea, thy law is within my heart.
  • Isa 51:7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
  • Ezek 11:19, And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
  • Ezek 36:25, Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
  • Eze 36:26* A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
  • Ezek 36:27, And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
  • Jer 31:1, At the same time, saith YHVH, will I be the Elohim of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
  • Jer 24:7, And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am YHVH: and they shall be my people, and I will be their Elohim: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
  • Jer 30:22, And ye shall be my people, and I will be your Elohim.
  • Jer 32:38, And they shall be my people, and I will be their Elohim:
  • Ezek 11:20, That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their Elohim.
  • Ezek 37:27, My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people.

The Testimony of Yeshua Speaks of YHVH’s Torah-Law Being Written on Men’s Hearts Also

  • Rom 7:22, For I delight in the law of Elohim after the inward man.
  • Rom 8:2–8, For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, Elohim sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against Elohim: for it is not subject to the law of Elohim, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please Elohim.
  • 2 Cor 3:3, Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Messiah ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living Elohim; not in tables of stone, but Messiah in fleshy tables of the heart.
  • 2 Cor 3:7–8, But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
  • Heb 8:10, 16, For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith YHVH; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a Elohim, and they shall be to me a people…This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith YHVH, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.

Yeshua Is Mediator of the Renewed Covenant

On Passover, Yeshua initiated the renewed covenant.

  • Matt 26:28, For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
  • Mark 14:24, And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
  • Luke 22:20, Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
  • 1 Cor 11:25, After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
  • Heb 12:24, And to Yeshua the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
  • Heb 7:22, By so much was Yeshua made a surety of a better testament.
  • Heb 8:6, But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
  • Heb 8:8, For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith YHVH, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
  • 1 Tim 2:5, For there is one Elohim, and one mediator between Elohim and men, the man Messiah Yeshua;
  • Heb 13:20, Now the Elohim of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Yeshua, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
  • Heb 9:15, And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

On Pentecost in Acts chapter two, Yeshua sealed his covenant on the hearts of his disciples by giving them his Holy or Set-Apart Spirit. 

As YHVH made a marriage covenant with our fathers at Mount Sinai some 3500 years ago, so he promised to make a new covenant with the houses of Israel in the future. 

I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah … I will put my Torah in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts and will be their Elohim and they shall be my people. (Jer 31:31 and 33)

Yeshua initiated this covenant with the descendants of the children of Israel during his last supper when he said to his disciples, “Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the renewed covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.…for the remission of sins.” (Luke 22:20 and Matt 26:28). It was the mission of Yeshua’s disciples to bring as many people into that renewed covenant—a spiritual marriage covenant—as possible. We enter into this renewed covenant with Yeshua who is the Living Torah and our Heavenly Bridegroom, when we do as the Paul says in Romans 10:9 and 10 and confess with our mouths the Master Yeshua and believe in our heart that Elohim has raised him the dead.

Romans 10:13 goes on to say, “Whoever shall call upon the name of the Master shall be saved.” Yeshua also said, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt 10:32).

Yeshua then sealed that renewed covenant when he sent his Spirit on the day of Pentecost to write his Torah on the hearts of his people. Likewise, when a new believer confesses Yeshua as his Lord and Savior and subsequently receives the Holy Spirit, this person is sealed spiritually as Ephesians 1:13–14 says,

And you were also included in Messiah when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Elohim’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

The Counting of the Omer: Antitype and Type

In the roughly 49 days between Passover (Pesach) and the Feast of Pentecost (Chag haShavuot), a momentous spiritual dynamic occurs. This period of time is comprised of forty-nine days or seven days of seven weeks (i.e. the counting of the omer), which is seven times seven—the biblical number for complete or full perfection. After the counting of the omer, Scripture then commands us to add one day, which brings us to Shavuot or Pentecost (Lev 23:15–16). Fifty is the biblical number for the jubilee picturing redemption from the enslavement to this world. 

Historically, the children of Israel were redeemed from their sins by the blood of the lamb on the first Passover in Egypt. At this time, YHVH betrothed himself to Israel (Exod 6:7). YHVH then led them out of Egypt into the wilderness, and on Shavuot he married them at Sinai (Exod 24 cp. Ezek 16:8; Jer 2:2; 31:32). At the same time, YHVH gave them his Torah, which was their ketubah or marriage vows.

Shavuot is a picture of the bride of Yeshua the Messiah coming into full maturity spiritually and coming to marriageable age. She has gone from being a spiritual child and slave in Egypt to becoming the fully mature spiritual bride and queen of the King of the universe.

At the time of Yeshua, he betrothed himself to both houses of Israel on Passover. On Pentecost, he then sent his Spirit, the Comforter, as a seal of this covenant. He hasn’t married this bride (that’s you and me) yet—something which occurs at his second coming. Rather, he betrothed himself to her (his disciples) at the last supper and then subsequently to each new believer when they come into spiritual relationship with him. In the mean time, he has placed his betrothed bride in a 2000 years-long wilderness exile outside the land of Israel where she is getting ready for him (Rev 19:7–9); she is learning to fall in love with him by keeping his Torah commands (John 14:15) and by receiving his Torah (instructions in righteousness) into her heart, so that she will become the sinless bride with whom he wants to spend eternity in the New Jerusalem. 

In the end times, his bride (comprised of some from both the Christian and the Jewish people) have to one degree or another left YHVH spiritually and gone off into the world. In the end times at Yeshua’s second coming, he’s going to bring his bride out of the wilderness of Babylon the Great (called the Second Exodus), which is a worldwide antichrist system, and they will repent of their Torahless ways and return to him. We are now getting ready for this day.

Understanding the prophecies of the Bible that speak of these end-time events, and understanding who the principal players are (the two houses of Israel or the Jews and the Christians) is the key to insuring that we will  be ready for our Messiah when he returns for us—that we’ll be wise and not foolish virgins, who have our lamps full of oil (the Torah and Spirit of Elohim, see Matt 25:1–13). 

The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (Shavuot), along with Passover (Pesach) and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot) and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) are three times each year when YHVH commands his people, his bride-to-be, to gather together before him to rehearse their upcoming wedding and vows renewal and otherwise to celebrate their relationship with their Heavenly Bridegroom and commune with him (Exod 23:14–17).