Tag Archives: Exodus

How Yeshua Perfectly Fulfilled the Passover

Posted on by
3
Hey folks, Passover is less than two weeks ago. It’s time to start thinking about it! Let’s jump in…

How did Yeshua the Messiah perfectly fulfill the Exodus Passover?

According to the laws of statistical probability, what are the chances of an event happening and then fifteen hundred years later another event occurring bearing an uncanny resemblance to the first one? Now suppose that not only did fifteen hundred years separate the two events, but that they occurred in two different countries several hundred miles apart. Further suppose that the second event involved the death of a person, and that the events leading up to their death including the manner and timing of that death was beyond the control of the individual dying so that in no way could the person dying stage his death to mirror the first event. In fact, those killing the individual possessed no foreknowledge of the event that had occurred fifteen hundred years earlier. What are the chances of this occurring?

This is not a fictional story! Truth is stranger than fiction. The details of these two events are chronicled in the pages of the Bible. The first event occurred in ancient Egypt and is recorded in the Book of Exodus chapters eleven and twelve. There we find recorded the details of the Children of Israel’s first Passover while they were yet slaves in the land of Egypt. A whole series of events led up to this first Passover, which culminated with each family’s ritual killing of a lamb, smearing its blood on the frame of their doors, roasting the lamb, and then eating it. Doing this insured that YHVH would pass over their homes leaving those inside alive. The firstborn of those whose homes did not have the blood painted on the door frames were killed.

Continue reading →

 

The Sabbath—A Rest Area Sign

Posted on by
2

Exodus 31:13–17, My Sabbaths you shall keep. Note that Sabbaths is plural—a reference to not only the weekly Sabbath, but to the feast day Sabbaths as well. However, the seventh day Sabbath remains central to YHVH’s spiritual economy for his people. Why did YHVH designate it as a sign (“signal, distinguishing mark, banner,” Exod 31:12) between him and Israel? By keeping the Sabbath, from whom was Israel distinguishing itself? As YHVH’s set-apart people, Israel was distinguishing itself from the surrounding nations who did not keep the Sabbath.

What distinguishes us as YHVH’s set-apart people from the non-believing heathen around us?

Certainly our love for one another is a distinguishing mark, according to Yeshua (John 13:35). Yeshua also said that if we love him we will keep his Torah commandments (of which the Sabbath is the fourth of the ten commandments, John 14:15; Exod 20:8).

John was inspired to write that those who say they know Elohim and don’t keep his Torah-commandments (of which the Sabbath is a foundation stone) are liars and the truth is not in them (1 John 2:3–6). And finally, Yeshua told those who were Torahless (i.e., workers of iniquity or lawlessness) to depart from him, that he didn’t know them even though they claimed to be his followers and had done many religious works in his name (Matt 7:21–23). Although the Sabbath may not be the sign of the Renewed Covenant, it is a foundation stone of the Torah, and the keeping of it remains to this day for the saints of Elohim (Heb 4:9).

The ArtScroll Stone Edition Tanach translates verse 15 as follows:

For six days work may be done and the seventh day is a day of complete rest, it is sacred to [YHVH] … (emphasis added)

What is complete rest? What is the connection between “complete rest” and the idea of sacredness or being set-apart or kadosh? The people of YHVH are called to separate the kodesh from the common or profane:

Her priests have violated my Torah, and have profaned my set-apart/kodesh things: they have put no difference between the kodesh and profane [common, polluted] neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. (Ezek 22:26)

 

And [the priests] shall teach my people the difference between the kodesh and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. (Ezek 44:23)

What is common or profane? It is that which is commonly done on the other six days of the week. Have you made this complete separation in your life so that you can completely rest on the Sabbath? If not, what are the excuses you use? What does YHVH think about your reasons for not obeying him in light of his clear commands?

 

Paleo-Hebrew: the Writing of Elohim?

Posted on by
7


Exodus 32:16, The writing of Elohim. The contemporary square script letters of the Hebrew alphabet were likely introduced into Israel by Ezra the scribe after the Babylonian exile. Prior to this, Israelite writers used the Paleo-Hebrew pictographic script, which is of ancient origination and is likely the script that YHVH used when engraving the stones on Mount Sinai.

Most modern linguistic scholars trace the alphabet of the European languages, including English, back to the pictographically-based Phoenician alphabet of the tenth century B.C., which shows striking similarities with the Proto-Sinaitic or Paleo-Hebrew script of nearly one thousand years earlier indicating that our own alphabet likely originates from the ancient Hebrew script of Mount Sinai!

The Scriptures record that the time the Phoenician script came into prominence on the world scene coincides with the Israelite alliance with King Hiram of Tyre, who was the king of the Phoenicians. Theirs was a commercial and military alliance that dominated much of the known world, and Israel was the senior partner in this confederation, since the empire of Israel (under kings David and Solomon) controlled a large area of land from Egypt to the Euphrates River (in modern Iraq). In the eyes of some ancient nations (e.g., the Greeks), the Phoenicians and Israelites were regarded as the same people, and both were known by the label of Phoenicians (see The Origins and Empire of Ancient Israel, pp. 148–151, 229–231 by Steve Collins quoting George Rawlinson, nineteenth century biblical scholar and history professor at Oxford University).

From this evidence, we can see that it is likely that the script known as “the writing of Elohim” (in Exod 32:16) is the root of many of the world’s alphabets including Japanese! (See http://jamesjpn.net/index.php/2010/06/10/japanese-script-compared-with-hebrew/.)

(Paleo-Hebrew graphic used as per Creative License with thanks to mdewey60; a member of AboveTopSecret.com in his message thread, “Is the Rune Alphabet Related To Paleo-Hebrew?” at http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread794112/pg1)

 

Seven Steps to Consecrating the Priests/Saints

Posted on by
2

Exodus 28:1–29:46, Note the seven steps required to consecrate the priests for service in the tabernacle. Let’s compare them with the steps a believer goes through to become a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into [Yeshua’s] marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9). These steps relate to the process a believer goes through from initial salvation to his ultimate glorification.

  1. The priests were taken from among the children of Israel (Exod 28:1). This prefigures divine election. YHVH calls or chooses each person. Yeshua called his disciples (John 15:16–19). They did not call or choose him, but they had to respond to that call.
  2. They were then brought into the door of the tabernacle (Exod 29:4). The door of the tabernacle is Messiah Yeshua who is the door to the sheepfold. No man comes to the Father except through Yeshua (John 10:1–18 and 14:6). The door is comprised of four colors, which speak of the person and work of Yeshua: blue, scarlet, white and purple. It also speaks of the four Gospels, which are the door to understanding the Person and work of Yeshua.
  3. They were washed (Exod 29:4). Upon accepting the work and Person of Yeshua, one must be immersed for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) to identify spiritually with the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua (Rom 6:3–14), and the washing of the water of the Word (Eph 5:26).
  4. They were clothed in their official garments (Exod 29:4–9). The redeemed believer is to put on the robes of righteousness. (Gal 3:27, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Messiah have put on ­Messiah.”) Paul talks about fruits of righteousness through Yeshua in Philippians 1:11. Righteousness is Torah obedience (Ps 119:172) and is a mark of the end-time believers/saints (Rev 12:17 and 14:12) and of the bride of Messiah (Rev 19:8).
  5. They laid their hands on the head of the animals that were sacrificed, blood was shed and sprinkled on Aaron and his sons, matzoh (unleavened bread) was waved and burnt, and they ate the flesh of the ram and the matzoh (Exod 29:10–26, 32–33). Each believer has to take personal responsibility for his own sins. The sacrifice of Yeshua, the Lamb of Elohim, at the cross must become personal to each person each must have his own personal relationship with Yeshua. Each must “eat” the flesh and “drink” the blood of Yeshua individually (John 6:35–58). Communion pictures this and is a personal and individual matter.
  6. They were anointed with oil (Exod 29:21). Each person must receive the Set-Apart Spirit (Ruach) of Elohim
  7. They are sanctified or set-apart for a special, divine purpose (Exod 29:44). Only after going through these steps is one set apart unto YHVH as a set-apart priesthood doing the set-apart work of YHVH.

Only on the basis of following YHVH’s steps, as outlined above in a spiritual manner, can one have fellowship with the Father. And what was the result? Relationship with the Father! Read Exodus 29:44–46 below,

And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar. I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their Elohim. And they shall know that I am YHVH their Elohim, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am YHVH their Elohim. (emphasis added)

This is all accomplished through Yeshua living in us spiritually. Yeshua is the Chief Cornerstone of the spiritual building of which the saints are a part (Eph 2:20). He is the end result or goal of the Torah (Rom 10:4). He is the Author and the Finisher of our Faith (Heb 12:2), the Beginning and the End, the Aleph and Tav (Alpha and Omega, Rev 21:6; 22:13) of everything. He is calling us to be  his “royal priesthood.”

 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of Elohim, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Pet 2:4–10, emphasis added)

Our faith in Yeshua stays alive and vibrant because of the sacrifices of devotion and praise we offer up daily—morning and night as did the priests of old.

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 3/18–3/24/12 Midrash

Aside

Reply

Exodus 29–35; Isaiah 11–24 and John 10–16

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. The full year’s Bible Reading Schedule can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.”

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.

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 3/11–3/17/12 Midrash

Aside

Reply

Exodus 22–8; 2 Kings 21–25; Isaiah 1–10 and John 3–9

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. The full year’s Bible Reading Schedule can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.”

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.

 

Doctrines of Men Built on Weak Foundations

Posted on by
2

Parashah Mishpatim: Exodus 21–23

Exodus 21:1, These are the judgments [mishpatim]. Most of the Torah-laws listed in Exodus chapters 21 through 23 are civil in nature and relate to our relationship with our fellow man (as summarized by the phrase, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” Lev 19:18).

These laws would correspond to the second half (the fifth through tenth) of the Ten Words or Commandments of Exodus 20.

These civil laws are an expansion or elucidation of those foundational principles given in chapter 20. For example, death by someone’s animal is an expansion of the “thou shalt not murder” command. The charging of usury on loaned money is an expansion of the commands not to covet or steal. The land sabbath and annual sabbaths (appointed times or moedim) are an expansion of the weekly Sabbath.

It should be possible to see how all of YHVH’s Torah commands spring from the original ten, which form the foundation for the rest of the Torah.

Additionally, the approximately 1056 imperative commands found in the Testimony of Yeshua (NT) all spring from the 613 found in the Torah. Think about it. YHVH’s Word would be in opposition to itself if any of the 1056 were to contradict or nullify any of the 613. If they did, that would make YHVH into a liar and his word inconsistent with itself (Mal 3:6; Heb 13:8; John 10:35).

Yet have you ever heard this taught in the church? If it were, how many doctrines of men would come crashing down?