Saul—A Portrait of a Split Personality (like you and me?)

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Saul rejected as king of Israel.

If we were tasked with writing an epitaph on the life of King Saul what would it be, and, perhaps more importantly, what lessons would we learn from the life of Israel’s first king? Several notable aspects on his life beg to be addressed, and since the young David figures so prominently in the saga of Saul’s life, it is almost impossible not to contrast the character qualities of these two Israelites when analyzing the life of the former.

The first character quality—a notable one—when first looking at Saul’s life is that he started out as a virtual nobody from a non-notable family from Israel’s tiniest tribe and because of this he was small in his own eyes. Although he was tall and handsome, Scripture presents him as a somewhat humble and definitely a timid individual. Sadly, however, he did not remain humble once kingship came knocking on the door of his life. The prestige and power associated with regnal authority went to his head and it corrupted him as it does with most leaders of men be it the religious, political or business spheres. It is a rare individual who can remain virtuous, much less godly, when tempted with the allurements of popularity, wealth and power. Saul was no exception. How many modern politician and, sadly, most major religious leaders have fallen into this same trap? To whit, in our day, the public’s resect for both of these categories of individuals has probably never been lower than it now is. 

Saul had another flaw, as well, that manifested itself early in his life. He felt the need to tap into a “crystal ball”, if you will, in an attempt to ascertain his fortune or his future. Often it was not to determine the will of Elohim for his life, but for his own selfish purposes. We first see this tendency in Saul when he endeavored to pay Samuel the prophet to divine where his lost donkeys could be found. Several times after that, Saul called on the his personal priest to use the Urim and Thummim to ascertain the will of Elohim especially when it came to doing battle. This was not a bad thing, for David did the same thing. The problem is that when YHVH failed to answer Saul in this manner, instead of asking why Elohim was no longer speaking to him and then repenting of his errant ways, he turned to witchcraft—to necromancy or spiritism—to discover his fortune. This act demonstrates a notable flaw in Saul’s character. He cared less about obeying and serving Elohim than he did about serving his own interests no matter the means necessary to do so. This is not unlike many Christians in our day who seek “personal prophecies” to know what their future holds from church “prophets” who claim to have an inside track with Elohim.

YHVH Elohim has told us in his Word what he wants us to do: obey him and keep his commandments. In other words, doing the will of Elohim must be the top priority in our lives. This was not the case with Saul and most modern Christians. Too many people are like Saul in that they serve Elohim only when it benefits them and it is convenient to do so. In other words, they conform the Word of Elohim to fit their lifestyles instead of the other way around. 

Moreover, for Saul, if Elohim did not respond to him when he snapped his fingers, he looked elsewhere. Sadly, a majority of “Christians” are just like Saul. When it serves their interests, they are loyal and obedient to Elohim. However, if YHVH fails to do their bidding according to their time schedule, they turn elsewhere for aid and comfort, instead of waiting patiently in faith for heaven’s answer. Yeshua referred to this split loyalty as serving both Elohim and mammon. James referred to such a person as being double minded and unstable (Jas 1:8) and a sinner (Jas 4:8). Why is such a person a sinner? Simply because YHVH is not on the throne of such a person’s life. Following the dictates of one’s carnal, sin nature over the Word and will of Elohim is, in reality, self-worship or idolatry, which is a violation of the second commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” (Exod 20:3). It is making oneself into the god of one’s life instead of YHVH Elohim. Many claim that Yeshua is their Lord (Master) and Savior, but is he really in charge of our lives?  Face it dear reader, make no mistake, for you and I are guilty all too often of the same sin as Saul—of willful rebellion against the Word and will of our Master! Take a long, hard look in the mirror. Who is really the Master of your life? Your own mind, will and emotions, that is, the dictates of your own heart, or the Word and will of the Almighty Elohim? Do you consult the Word and Spirit of Elohim at all times for direction in your life, and then wait for YHVH to answer you? Or do you just take matters into your own hands and impetuously and wilfully blast forward regardless, as Saul did many times, instead of waiting on Elohim?

Saul’s lack of unconditional loyalty to Elohim caused him constantly to step out of will of Elohim, which, as Samuel declared, was rebellion and witchcraft (1 Sam 15:23). One does not have to don a black robe and pointed hat and fly around on a broom to be a witch! By biblical definition, we fall into witchcraft anytime we rebelliously step out of the will of Elohim, go against his Word, and do what is right in our own eyes, when it is contrary to Elohim’s Word. Eventually, Saul persisted in his rebellion and witchcraft and even found himself consulting a witch in an attempt to foretell his future.

Going against the Word, will and laws of Elohim or Torahlessness is a form of witchcraft, for it is putting our will over that of Elohim’s. Another expression of this idea is, “Do what thou wilt,” which is the modern mantra of those who have given themselves over to the religion of Satanism. Whenever, Saul stepped out of Elohim’s will, he was, in reality, resisting the Spirit of Elohim, and stepping over to the dark side—the side of the Adversary or Satan the devil. It was at this time that a evil, even murderous, spirit from Elohim began tormenting Saul. In reality, this was Elohim’s judgment against Saul. In essence, YHVH was telling Saul, “If you don’t want me to rule over you, then you’ve chosen the devil to rule over you instead. Now see where that gets you!” When YHVH pulled off of Saul the light of his grace and his Spirit, the void that was left was filled by darkness—an evil spirit. At this time, Saul could have repented and turned back to Elohim, but, instead, he persisted in his wilful, stubborn rebellion against heaven’s rule and, as a result, he lost his kingdom and his life. The devil always over-promises and under-delivers! As Proverbs declares, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death,” (Prov 14:12; 16:25).

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Natan’s Commentary on Psalms 73 to 75

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Psalm 73

Psalm 73:17, Went into the sanctuary. Divine revelation comes in the presence of Elohim.

Psalm 73:18, Slippery places. The wicked, though they may look blessed, prosperous, happy and successful by all appearances actually have one foot on a spiritual banana peel.

Psalm 73:23, You hold me. Like a loving father walking hand-in-hand with his child, so Elohim guides and counsels his spiritual children.

Psalm 74

Psalm 74:4, 8, Meeting place/s [synagogue, KJV]. (Heb. moedim). Moedim literally means “appointment, season or festival” and figuratively “assembly or meeting place.” For a discussion on the history of the synagogue in ancient times, see The Companion Bible (appendix 120).

Psalm 74:11, Withdraw your…right hand…out of your bosom. In 18th and 19th century portraiture, placing the right (and sometimes the left) hand in a one’s waistcoat or vest was considered both a sign of the upper class and of manly boldness tempered with modesty, while conveying calm assurance. This practice seems to go back to the sixth century B.C., where it was considered rude in some Greek circles to speak with the hands outside of the clothing, especially when conducting matters of state. This practice died out and was revived in the early seventeenth century and is seen in portraits of Napoleon I, Samuel Colt, Karl Marx, U.S. Major General George McClellan, President Andrew Johnson and Joseph Stalin. Is it possible that the idea of the hand on the breast inside of one’s coat originated from this psalm?

Psalm 74:14, Leviathan. Heb. livyâthân meaning “a wreathed animal, that is, a serpent (especially the crocodile or some other large sea monster); figuratively the constellation of the dragon”. Leviathan is an unknown sea monster that makes its appearance in Scripture six times (Job 3:8; 41:1; Ps 74:14; 104:26; Isa 27:1). 

Metaphorically, Leviathan is a symbol of Egypt (a biblical metaphor for the world) in Psalm 74:14; a metaphor for Satan the twisted serpent who dwells in midst of the sea (a biblical metaphor for the peoples of the earth) in Isaiah 27:1; a laughing, mocking or scorning sea monster that YHVH has created in Psalm 104:26 (another picture of Satan the sea monster in the midst of the seas of humanity); and, finally, an evil sea monster in Job 3:8. In general, Leviathan is an untamable and unconquerable and is the cruel enemy of YHVH’s people that YHVH created and has power over (Job 41:10), and who YHVH will punish and then ultimately slay (Isa 27:1). The Bible reveals that the same fate is in store for Satan the serpent at the end of the age whom YHVH will punish by casting him into the bottomless pit (Rev 20:1–3), and then destroy (his influence) by confining him to the lake of fire forever (Rev 20:1:10).

Interestingly, in Psalm 74:14, Leviathan is characterized as having many heads. This conjures up images of two of the Greek mythological demon-gods Medusa (who had snakes for hair) and Hydra (who had multiple heads). Indeed, in a sense, Satan the devil serpent can transform himself in many ways to trick and deceive humans. As the god of this world, he is also the founder and head many false religious, philosophical and socio-political-economic systems to enslave humans and to draw them into his rebellion against YHVH Elohim.

Psalm 75

Psalm 75:2, Your wondrous works. How does YHVH’s creation declare that his name is near? Simply this. Hebraically, his name encompasses his reputation and character—who he is and his glory. His creation declares this (see Ps 19:1 cp. Rom 1:19–20).

Psalm 75:10, Horn. (See notes at Exod 34:29.) Horn is the Hebrew word qeren meaning “horn, hill or ray.” This word is used to describe the rays of light rays emanating from the face of Moses after his encounter with YHVH (Exod 34:29) and the horns of an animal (Ps 69:31). In ancient cultures, the horn was a metaphor for physical strength or spiritual power (Deut 33:17; 2 Sam 22:3; Ps 18:2). Elsewhere, YHVH is referred to as man’s “horn of salvation” (e.g., 2 Sam 22:3; Ps 18:2) meaning he is the strength of our salvation.

 

Natan’s Commentary on 1 Samuel 21 to 29

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1 Samuel 21

1 Samuel 21:6, Showbread.David likely had not eaten food for the better part of four days (three days hiding from Saul in the wilderness and the fourth day fleeing to Nob, 1 Sam 20:19 cp. 1 Sam 21:1), and so he was famished. Yeshua makes reference to this incident in Matthew 12:3 when justifying his picking grain and eating it on the Sabbath. Harvesting grain on the Sabbath is forbidden in the Torah, even as eating of the showbread was forbidden for anyone other than the priests (Exod 25:30; Lev 24:5–9). Yet, Yeshua demonstrated that, even as the Torah allows an ox to be pulled out of a ditch on the Sabbath to save the ox’s life, so it was allowable for him to “harvest” grain on the Sabbath to stave off hunger, even as David ate the showbread when he was famished. (See note at Matthew 12:1–14 for a full discussion of this subject.)

1 Samuel 24

1 Samuel 24:4, Corner of Saul’s robe. Corner in Hebrew is kanaph meaning “wing, extremity, edge, border, corner of a garment.” The kanaph was the same part of a garment to which YHVH instructed the children of Israel to attache the tzitzit or blue tassel (Num 15:37–41). Thus, in can be deduced that if Saul were Torah-obedient, then a tzitzit would have been attached to the corner of Saul’s garment. This tzitzit that David cut off was symbolic of Saul’s covenantal relationship and devotion to YHVH.

1 Samuel 24:6, 10, YHVH’s anointed. Interestingly, David was also YHVH’s anointed—as much so as Saul. However, Saul occupied the throne at the time, and David didn’t, so he respected Saul’s position until such time as YHVH removed him from the kingship. David wasn’t one to presume, rush things or to usurp any authority not given him. He was patient to wait for YHVH’s timing, including the time when the throne would his according to Samuel’s prophecy.

1 Samuel 24:16–21 (also 26:25), You are more righteous than I. Here King Saul prophesies that David will succeed him as king over Israel, and that he will do go great things and prevail. There were other instances of Saul coming under a spirit of prophecy (e.g., 1 Sam 10:10–11; 19:23–24). Saul was capable of hearing the voice of Elohim, but because of unrestrained carnality, a spirit of rebellion (15:23), and his inability to submit to the will of Elohim, he was spiritually conflicted. Clearly, YHVH was not in his heart (1 Sam 15:15, 21, 30). Within him was a constant struggle between doing the will of Elohim and his own will. The latter usually won out, because he had not unconditionally surrendered his will to YHVH (15:23, 26). Saul was swayed more by popular opinion than by the Word of Elohim (1 Sam 1 Sam 15:24, 30). Saul was able to worship Elohim (15:31), but was spiritually weak and not able to obey the Word of Elohim (15:23, 26). It is impossible to love and worship Elohim without obeying his Word. Let’s be honest. Most of us are at least a little if not a lot like Saul in these areas.

Yeshua declared that those who love him will obey his commandments or his Word (John 14:15). James wrote that the demons even tremble before Elohim (Jas 2:19), even though they are in rebellion against the Word of Elohim. Faith, works and obedience must accompany the worship and fear of Elohim (Jas 2:14–26). Though Saul paid lip service to YHVH, his heart was far from him. He obeyed when it was convenient and expedient to him. Isaiah similarly spoke of the rebellious Israelites who drew near to YHVH with their lips, but in reality, their hearts were far from him (Isa 29:13). Yeshua quoted and applied this verse to the hypocritical and rebellious religious leaders of his day (Matt 15:6–7).

In a certain sense, Saul is spiritual type of Christianity, which teaches and obeys the Torah-Word of Elohim only in part, and otherwise follows their own anti-Torah belief systems. 

1 Samuel 25

1 Samuel 25:1, Samuel died. Samuel was able to die in peace, since his ultimate mission was now complete. David’s kingship was safe, since Saul had just ceased pursuing David and admitted that David would be king. 

 1 Samuel 27

1 Samuel 27:3, So David dwelt with Achish. Why would the Philistines now accept David into their midst after he had fought against and killed so many of them as a general in Saul’s army? They accepted David because he was now an enemy of Saul. It was a political move on their part. This is a classic case example of the saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

1 Samuel 28

1 Samuel 28:15, 19 Samuel. Was this actually Samuel, and does this scripture passage prove that Samuel’s soul was immortal, as many in the mainstream Christian church teach, thus proving the doctrine of the immortality of the soul?

In this passage of Scripture, the witch of Endor is acting as a spiritist or medium—a necromancer. A demon is speaking and is posing as the dead Samuel. Yes, this demon looked and sounded like Samuel, but it wasn’t. Even though Scripture calls this demonic impersonator Samuel, this was written from the human perspective, as many Scriptures are, since the Bible is often quoting humans who are speaking and writing from their own perspective based on their limited knowledge, and not necessarily stating truth in the full sense of the word. This is where the astute and Spirit-led Bible student will rightly divide the Word of Elohim, so that they don’t make it say things that are contrary to spiritual truth or contradict other scriptural truths. Moreover, do you not think that the sovereign, all powerful Elohim can’t use anyone or anything to communicate to anyone in any way he chooses—in this case to King Saul? After all, he used a donkey to speak to Balaam. Yeshua said that Elohim could raise up rocks to praise him. Elohim used lying spirits to prophesy lies to King Ahab through the mouths of his false prophets (1 Kgs 22:19–23). Know ye not that even Satan can transform himself transforms himself into an angel of light. (2 Cor 11:14)?

In verse 19, the demon posing as Samuel declares that Saul and his sons will be with him. If one believes this is Samuel speaking, and believes that the soul is immortal and goes to heaven when a saint dies, then it would be logical to assume that Saul and his sons would be going to heaven. However, if this is a demon speaking, where is he speaking from? Yes, the demon is saying that Saul and his sons will be with the him wherever he happens to be—probably in what the Bible refers in several place to as the pit, abyss or, in the Greek, tartaroos (2 Pet 2:4)—the place where the demons are being held in prison awaiting the final judgment.

1 Samuel 28:24, Calf in the house. In ancient times, in the average Israelite home, animals lived in the house with the people.

1 Samuel 29

1 Samuel 29:6, As YHVH lives. Here Achish the Philistine is invoking the name of YHVH. Why would a heathen whose people worship Dagon (the wheat harvest or fish god of fertility)call on the name of YHVH, the Deity of the Hebrews? Ancient history shows that the people of Canaan in biblical times worshipped a pantheon of deities including Ba’al, Asherahm, Berith, Chemosh, Dagon, El, Elyon, Moloch, YHVH and many others, whereas the Israelites worshipped only YHVH Elohim. The biblical record reveals that at one time, the inhabitants of the earth knew the name of YHVH, and called on him (Gen 4:26). This doesn’t mean, however, that they remained faithful to the truth he had revealed to them through his servants (e.g., Adam, Enoch, Noah, or Shem) even though the use of the name YHVH continued. In our day, the use of the names God, Jesus, Christ can mean many things to different people, and their use may have little or no relevance to what the Scriptures reveal about the Godhead or what he requires in the way of obedience.

 

Join Natan for Shabbat Fellowship & Bible Study on Zoom

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Donna Nash (and Natan Lawrence) are inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.  


Shalom Everyone!  Here is the link for this Saturday’s fellowship.  Feel free to pass this on to other brothers and sisters you think may be interested in joining our Midrash (study and discussion of the Scriptures).  We have folks from the West coast to the East coast.  Be sure and upload the Zoom app to your device and sign up for an account.  It is free.  When joining the meeting, enable the audio and video options so we can see and hear you.  This is a wonderful way to encourage each other as the Ecclesia of Messiah.

I am adding a personal note to stay prayerful.  I am hearing of many brethren with their feet held to the fire.  Paul wrote to the Thessalonians when he was weary, “We were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by YOUR faith.”  Find someone who’s faith will help sustain you if you relate to the above.  Yah bless and keep you.  We look forward to seeing you Saturday! — James and Donna Nash


Topic: Shabbat FellowshipTime: Dec 11, 2021 02:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)


To join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84427078405


Meeting ID: 844 2707 8405One tap mobile+19292056099,,84427078405# US (New York)+13017158592,,84427078405# US (Washington DC)


Dial by your location:        +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)Meeting ID: 844 2707 8405

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kb83HNG2XM

Romans 12:2  “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, and perfect, will of Elohim.” 

 

Glenn Beck Drops Bombshells on Tucker: NIH Claims Joint Ownership of Moderna VAXX, Started Working on It Long Before Pandemic

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The best part about Glenn Beck going on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show is that he’s able to reach millions of right-leaning Americans who may not be aware of the various conspiracies surrounding our government, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and Covid-19. The bad part is on a show like Tucker’s, Beck only had a few minutes to try to squeeze in two hours worth of bombshells. (https://thelibertydaily.com).

Watch the video clip of this:

Glenn Beck Drops Bombshells on Tucker: NIH Claims Joint Ownership of Moderna VAXX, Started Working on It Long Before Pandemic
 

Indisputable PROOF from the Hebrew manuscripts of Luke that it’s “Yehovah”, NOT “Yahweh”, “Y’huwah”, etc.!

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This is hot off the press, and I’m excited to pass this presentation by Nehemia Gordon on to you! — Natan Lawrence

In this episode of Hebrew Voices, Hebrew Luke and John Found in Vatican Junk Box, Nehemia Gordon talks about how he discovered Hebrew manuscripts of Luke and John! These manuscripts have never been shared with the public before this was aired and are particularly interesting when compared to the Greek text. They are also another proof that the name of God is unequivocally Yehovah and clearly show the pronunciation of the name Yeshua.You can download a full transcription and translation of the surviving portions of the Hebrew gospels of Luke and John from the Vatican below. Elvira wrote: “I am so glad you are getting this out there to the world. I was able to read along with the download of the documents as you read them out loud. What a privilege! What an era to live in!”

Hebrew Voices #72 – Hebrew Luke and John Found in Vatican Junk Box

This information is ground breaking!

I apologize to those who are not able to view the video, since it is behind a paywall. In the video, you can see the actual manuscripts and see and read the Hebrew yourself. This I did, and it was astounding to see this with your own eyes, and it is faith building! Biblical Truth is being restored in our day in fulfillment of Peter’s prophecy in Acts 3:21:

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

In this video, Nehemia also proves linguistically from the Hebrew Luke that Yeshua (not Yahshuah) is the proper pronunciation of the Messiah’s name, and that the vowels in the name A-D-O-N-A-I cannot be the vowels for Y-H-V-H, thus definitively disproving the Yahweh theory for the pronunciation of YHVH.

For those of you who are not able to download this video, here is the transcript of it (Nehemia is being interviewed by Michael Rood):

Hebrew Voices #72 – Hebrew Gospels from a Vatican Junk Box

You are listening to Hebrew Voices with Nehemia Gordon. Thank you for supportingNehemia Gordon’s Makor Hebrew Foundation. Learn more at NehemiasWall.com.

Nehemia: And as I’m looking through the junk box, I’m seeing hundreds of pages from many different books, and all of a sudden I come across a page, and I look at this and I say, “Wait a minute. That’s a Gospel in Hebrew.”

Benjamin Netanyahu: Le ma’an Zion lo ekhesheh, u’l’ma’an Yerushalayim lo eshkot. (For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest. Isaiah 62:1)

Michael: This is a day I’ve been waiting for for nearly two decades. What we are going to present to you tonight, I have been waiting for a long time since Nehemia came out with his original work on Shem-Tov’s Hebrew Matthew, and we toured the United States over a two-month period of time with Raiders of the Lost Book – Discoveries in the Ancient Hebrew Text of the Gospel of Matthew. And Nehemia had, at that time, uncovered several texts of the Hebrew Matthew that had not been known, that had been hidden away in the archives of Jewish scribes for an untold number of years, and because of his research, we were able to solve problems that were unintelligible in the Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew, and also in the English text.

And so, these discoveries in the Hebrew text of Matthew gave us insights into the Gospels that had eluded scholars for generations. Now, Nehemia is going to bring forth some of the other Gospels that he has now found in the Hebrew language. We have Nehemia’s book, The Greek Jesus Versus the Hebrew Yeshua. This is where he lays out the detail of solving the problem of Matthew 23. And ladies and gentlemen, I suggest that you get these and you study them, because it’s going to lay the groundwork of what, now, we’re able to lay out after all these years. You are going to be the first ones to see it, and tonight I’m going to be the first one to see some of these manuscripts for the first time myself.

Nehemia, it’s good to have you back.

Nehemia: Great to be back.

Michael: And I am looking forward to what is happening tonight on Shabbat Night Live.

Nehemia: Well, so this is what we’ve been waiting several weeks for, Michael. I’m really excited about this. I told the people last week about the Vatican junk box, and it really came out of that research I was doing with Matthew 23. I had found these manuscripts of Hebrew Matthew. George Howard found nine, and I had found 14, and I said, “There’s got to be more.” And it turned out, by the time we did that video I believe we had 26, and later I found two more. But the process was, I would get these microfilms and I would put them on the reader, analogue reader, and I’m swirling them, looking through them, and one of these microfilms was in the Vatican, and it said, “Miscellaneous”. And I said, “Well, that’s interesting. Let’s see what’s miscellaneous.” And as I’m looking through, I’m realizing this is a junk box. They have a loose page…

Michael: What do you mean by “junk box”?

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Natan’s Commentary on Psalms 69 to 71

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Psalm 69

Psalm 69:10, Chastened my soul with fasting. (See notes at Lev 23:26.) The natural soul of man—that is, one’s mind, will and emotions—is like an unruly and totally self-focused child, or a rebellious and petulant teenager; it is stubborn, prideful and wants its own way and fusses when this is denied. The act of fasting, which is the practice of self-denial through the deprivation food, helps to bring the soul under the control of the spirit within a person and, in turn, helps to bring one’s Spirit into line with the Spirit of Elohim.

Psalm 69:22, Table become a snare. The word table (Heb. shoolkan) derived from the Hebrew word for a skin or leather mat. Thus in ancient times, a table was either that or a low stool about 14 inches high where people sat on the floor around this stool, or it was a leather skin or mat that was spread on the floor (like a picnic blanket) and the food was spread on it. When David prays that the table of his enemies would become a snare to them, David’s meaning would be, “Let their feet become entangled in it, as it is spread on the ground” (Manners and Customs of Bible Lands, p. 57).

Psalm 69:28, Book of life. From this verse and Exod 32:32 comes the idea that every person who was ever born had their name written Elohim’s “Book of Life” until, because of unrepented sin, the Almighty is forced to blot them out. Our names may or may not remain in this book depending on our actions and the choices we make in this physical life. Our time on earth is merely a period of testing, a proving ground and a classroom. Will we pass the test and overcome the world, the flesh and devil and subsequently be rewarded with heaven’s gift of salvation resulting in eternal life and inclusion in the kingdom of Elohim as immortal sons and daughters of our Creator, or will we fail to meet the requirements, fail to pass the test and have our names and our lives blotted out of existence forever? The choice is ours.

Psalm 70

Psalm 70:2–3, That seek after my soul. The more are enemies persecute us, the more we should seek Elohim and the sweeter should be his salvation (Heb. Yeshua, see v. 4) to us. It only follows that the longer we spend in the cold rain, soaked to the skin and chilled to the bone, the greater will be our appreciation of a hot shower or a warm fire.

Psalm 70:4, Love your salvation (Heb. Yeshua). Those who are in love with Yeshua the Messiah will continually be saying, “Let Elohim be magnified (Heb. gadal). Gadal means “to make large, increase or boast.” The more we love Yeshua, Elohim’s salvation, the more we will be continually loving, praising and worshipping Elohim.

Psalm 70:5, Poor and needy. Not until we recognize our personal spiritual poverty and neediness will we seek, much less appreciate, the salvation of YHVH. The problem is that the majority of people, due to human pride and complacency, fail or even refuse to admit their spiritual lack and, therefore, cannot or will not receive the help, deliverance or “salvation” (v. 4; Heb. Yeshua) of Elohim.

Psalm 71

Psalm 71:3, The commandment to save me. YHVH has given us his Torah commandments to protect and guard us, and to preserve and deliver us from evil. They are like guardrails on the road of life to protect us from veering off of the road and over the cliff to our doom. Once redeemed by the blood of Yeshua, YHVH’s Torah shows us how to love Elohim with all of our being and our neighbor as ourself. It also shows us how to walk a sanctified life and remain in a redeemed state as we progress through the spiritual wilderness of this physical life en route to the Promised Land of our eternal inheritance in the kingdom of Elohim.

Psalm 71:4, Cruel [Heb. chametz] man [or leavened man]. The Hebrew word chamets means “pungent, sour or fermented” and is the one of the words used to describe leavened bread. Therefore, it is a biblical metaphor for sin. Other words in this verse that describe those individuals who are the enemy of the saints include the wicked (i.e., the morally wrong] and the unrighteous (i.e., the morally distorted).

Psalm 71:20, Shall revive me again…bring me up from the depths of the earth. This is one of several psalms that prophesy of a bodily resurrection of the righteous dead. (Also see Pss 17:15; 50:4–5; 73:24 cp. Job 14:15; 19:26–27.)

Psalm 71:21, You shall increase my greatness. What could be greater and more comforting than eternal life as a glorified son and daughter of Elohim?

Psalm 71:22–23, I will praise you. What could be a greater source of praise to the Almighty than his granting his saints the gift of eternal life?

Psalm 71:24, They are confounded. What could be a greater victory over all of one’s enemies than for the Creator of the universe to grant one eternal life and inclusion in his everlasting kingdom?