It is Finished

Yesterday I tendered my resignation to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) ending a 20-year career with the Federal government in Washington D.C.  This last act at BLS wasn’t a decision that was hastily made overnight.  Ever since I entered into an authentic walk with the Holy One of Israel in August, 2000 I’ve had a notion that my days in my current occupation might be numbered, but I never would have guessed that those days would be extended over the course of nearly 10 years!  This past year has been the most trying and challenging because I knew the outcome of the end of the year from out of the beginning of the year.  My witness at BLS is now complete having offered myself as a living sacrifice through a parade of trials, tribulations, as well as many glorious moments.  His glory has been witnessed by many at every rung of the organization, and while many of those witnesses may still not call on the name of Yahshua (Jesus), they at least know that He Is. 

Almost exactly one year ago the U.S. election results indicated a shift on the Master’s throne that has since sent a spiritual tsunami of biblical proportions throughout the heavenly realms.  What is sewn in the spiritual order is reaped in the natural order or, in this case, disorder.  Focusing on the worldly implications from the decision made on November 4, 2008 I immediately intended to change my personal circumstances in response to the change that just took place on the national stage.  My initial reaction was rash and laden with the fuel of the flesh.  I knew that Elohim had moved but I had not given much if any consideration as to the spiritual significance of His movement.  All my options were fleshly responses to the emerging crisis.  But being the Abba (Father) that He is, knowing the exact needs of His children, He altered my focus from my own circumstances to His most pressing concern, namely Israel. 

The months leading up to my trip to Israel through the trip itself taken early this year is documented on this blog.  After returning from Israel in late February, I knew for sure that my future, even my immediate future, was tied to the land promised by the Eternal One to a people whom He has set-apart for His own possession.  My only uncertainty was if I could continue with my employment until the 20-year career marker which just happens to occur on November 4, 2009 (5 days from today!)  This might not seem like much of a hurdle to most people, but when the Creator of every living being completely inverts your priorities the tension is palpable—not to mention the efforts of the enemy who is working night and day to derail Abba’s plans.  And while the retirement benefits accrued at the 20-year marker do not compare favorably to those accrued at the 30-year marker, I am at rest knowing that Elohim has used my career span at BLS for His own purposes. 

Even though this post is titled ‘It is Finished’ the truth is ‘it’ is just beginning.  I’m reminded of Yahshua’s words in Matthew 10:39, “He who finds his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”  If any verse from the Bible describes my walk with the Holy One of Israel this would be that verse.  I’m definitely stepping-out of the “safe” confines of a secure job, a good salary, top-shelf health benefits, and only 10 and possibly just 5 years away from receiving full retirement benefits during a time of economic upheaval, but when Abba whistles His children respond, right?  To do the will of Elohim will always appear irrational to those who are living according to the wisdom of this world.  The Bible continually presents this eternal truth for our consideration.  The patriarch Abraham confronted this same dilemma and he believed Elohim and it was credited to him as righteousness. 

Genesis 11:31-12:2

Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran (Abram’s brother), his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans in order to enter the land of Canaan; and they went as far as Haran, and they settled there.  And Terah died in Haran.  Then Yahweh spoke to Abram saying, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing.” 

The ‘it’ mentioned earlier is the ‘Abraham Call.’  It is my hope and prayer that I can believe as Abraham believed.

The Pharaoh who knew not Joseph

Every Sabbath Messianic Israel congregations read a Torah parsha (portion) with corresponding readings from the Haftarah (Prophets) and Brit Chadasha (renewed covenant).  In Hebraic understanding, this practice is known as ‘stacking’ where the subsequent readings build upon, illuminate, and validate the life-giving principles revealed in Torah rather than replace them.  Yahshua came to fulfill the Torah not abolish it!  The Torah is the foundational text that provides the basis for all understanding—the end is known out from the beginning. 

In the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant), the Torah parshas are given names.  During the week of January 16-23 of this year the Torah parsha Shemot was read.  Shemot includes Scriptures from Exodus 1:1-6:1.  This book begins with the introduction of a new king who had come to power in Egypt. 

(8) Now a new king arose over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. (9) He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we. (10) Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.” (Exodus 1:8-10) 

Yahweh raised up a king over Egypt who had neither recollection nor knowledge of Joseph and the blessings that Joseph’s God had brought to Egypt.  Pharaoh only saw a people who had become so numerous that they were now considered a potential threat to national security.  His “wise” solution for controlling their numbers was to put the Hebrews to hard labor, but Pharaoh forgot to check-in with the Elohim of Yisrael before putting his wicked scheme into action!  What Pharaoh meant for evil Elohim meant for good. 

(11a) So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard labor. (12) But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel. (13) The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor vigorously; (14) and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously imposed on them. (Exodus 1:11-14)  

This new king imposed taskmasters over the sons of Israel.  The Hebrew translation for ‘taskmasters’ is the word ‘sarim-asim’ where the Hebrew word ‘sar’ is the root of Caesar, Kaiser, or the Russian form Czar.  In essence, Pharaoh appointed Czars to rule over the people and put them under his heel with the intent of keeping them from rising-up and leaving the land.  The adversary has always come to steal, kill, and destroy.  It is interesting to see though that the policies that were implemented to keep the people in the land were the very policies that caused the people to cry-out to leave the land! 

The timing of the Shemot parsha seems appropriate as the Word of Yah increasingly becomes reality in our lives.  If He lives in us then His Word also lives in us and His Word within us leads us to literally walk-out the reality of the Scriptures.  Elohim gave us His Law through Moses written on tablets of stone.  The prophet Jeremiah foretold that Yahweh would make a new covenant with the House of Israel where He would put His Torah (Law) in our inward parts, and write it on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33).  Finally, Sha’ul (Paul) further illuminates on this divine promise in 2 Corinthians 3:3 ‘being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.’  Amein.

The Wilderness

And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says Yahweh, the El of Yisrael, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”  But Pharaoh said, “Who is Yahweh that I should obey His voice to let Yisrael go?  I do not know Yahweh, and besides, I will not let Yisrael go.”  Then they said, “The Elohim of the Hebrews has met with us.  Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our Elohim, otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” (Exodus 5:1-3)  

Elohim calls His people out of Egypt and into the wilderness to keep a feast, but the problem was not only with getting Pharaoh’s approval to let them go but also that they themselves were not yet ready to go.  They had been living in Egypt for so long that they didn’t realize just how much Egypt was living in them.  Moses and Aaron, who both obviously had the Fear of Yahweh, rightfully understood that the pestilence and the sword would fall upon them if they didn’t keep the feast in the wilderness.  But I wonder if they understood that these calamities must happen before Israel was ready to go into the wilderness?  I cannot imagine a Holy God receiving His bride while she is absorbed in the idolatry of Egypt.  Therefore the first three of the ten plagues fell upon everyone in the land—both Egyptian and Hebrew.  He knows how to get our attention. 

The Elohim of Yisrael has always despised the mixing of things.  His word is clear when it comes to mixing fabrics, mixing seeds, or mixing faiths.  Mixture is an abomination in His eyes.  He says to come out from them and be separate for you are holy, a people set-apart for My own possession.  It is interesting that the Pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower were also known as Separatists.  They separated from the Church of England as they no longer could take the mixing of the world with the faith once given to the saints.  The more I learn about these remarkable people the more I understand why this country has been so blessed.  Did you know that the Mayflower Compact was based on the Torah, and that the Connecticut state constitution was based on the Mayflower Compact, and that the U.S. Constitution was based on the Connecticut state constitution?  You will know a tree by its fruit and the fruit begins with the root.  If the root is holy then the branches that bear the fruit must be holy too.  But what happens to the fruit if the root is forgotten, ignored or, God forbid, mixed? 

Ezekiel 20:5-10 

(5) and say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh Elohim, “On the day when I chose Yisrael and swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and Made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am Yahweh your Elohim, (6) on that day I swore to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I selected for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands. (7) I said to them, ‘Cast away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt, I am Yahweh your Elohim. (8) But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.  Then I resolved to pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. (9) But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. (10) So I took them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.’ 

Yahweh performs this great mercy for the sake of His name and not because of anything related to the people.  Remember the rich young ruler who approached Yahshua (Jesus) in Matthew 19:16-17 saying, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?”  And Yahshua responded, “Why are you asking Me about what is good?  There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”  Only Yahweh is good.  People are not good but, by His grace, He gives us His Spirit through faith in Yahshua and this makes us good because of Him and not because of anything that we have done.  This same principle is at work as He calls the people of Israel out of Egypt and into the wilderness to restore His good name! 

Ezekiel 20:33-38 

(33) “As I live,” declares Yahweh Elohim, “surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be king over you. (34) I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; (35) and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you panayim-el-panayim (face-to-face). (36) As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness in the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you,” declares Yahweh Elohim. (37) “I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; (38) and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel.  Thus you will know that I am Yahweh.” 

I want to encourage everyone that before we can enter the land we must first pass through the wilderness.  It is at that time that the same Elohim who spoke to our fathers in the wilderness will again speak to us panayim-el-panayim.  We will receive and honor His statutes, ordinances, and Sabbaths and His good name will be restored.  Please read all of Ezekiel 20 to get the full picture. 

I want to say ‘thank-you’ to Bill Cloud whose message “Wedding in the Wilderness” given at the 10^th Annual Messianic Israel Alliance Conference in Orlando, Florida last month was a significant inspiration for writing this post.  Of course, all things are given by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) to those who are willing to receive them.

Trumpets, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and the Great 8th Day finale

Sukkot (Festival of Tabernacles or Booths) 

Tishri 15/Oct 2 (sundown Full Moon) — Sukkot/Tabernacles-First Day 

Tishri 21/Oct 8 (sundown) — Sukkot/Tabernacles-Last Day 

Leviticus 23:33-36, 39-40, 42-43 

Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the Lord.  On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall not do laborious work of any kind.  For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord.  On the eight day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the Lord; it is an assembly.  You shall do no laborious work…On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord for seven days, with a rest of the first day and a rest on the eighth day.  Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days…You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths, so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt.  I am the Lord your God.” 

The purpose of the festival is two-fold and is revealed by its names.  First, the festival serves as a memorial of Israel’s wilderness experience.  For forty years the Israelites lived and ate within easily moveable tabernacles as they wandered in the desert.  In addition, God dwelt within a Tabernacle, a sanctuary in the wilderness and “the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of the house of Israel” (Exodus 40:38).  Second, the festival indicated the time for and thanksgiving associated with the fall (latter) harvest.  It is widely believed that the Puritan colonists, who were well versed in the Hebrew Scriptures, based the first American Thanksgiving on Sukkot. 

The ceremonial elements for observing Sukkot include a tabernacle (Sukkah) that is a temporary hut or shelter.  It is supposed to be built outside, have at least three walls, which may be built of any material (e.g. wood, brick, or tarp).  The most important part of the Sukkah is the roof (sechach).  It can be built from anything that grows from the ground (e.g. branches, bushes, but most commonly palm branches).  The covering should allow the elements through (actually stars can be seen through it on a clear night) since the tabernacles in the desert during Israel’s Exodus would not have been weatherproof.  The tabernacle is decorated with fruit to symbolize the fertile land. 

“The Four Species” – wrapped together in order to be handheld for waving in every direction; symbolize the harvest and God’s omnipresence over his world.  “The Four Species” include: 

• Palm branch (lulav) – symbol of peace; comes from the date palm and has sweetness but no fragrance. 
• Citrus-like fruit (etrog) – sweet with good fragrance; knowledge with good deeds. 
• Myrtle (hadas) – good deeds without true knowledge. 
• Willow (arava) – lacks both taste and aroma; lacks knowledge and good deeds. 

 John 1:14 

The Word became flesh, and dwelt (Greek word skene is derived from ‘tabernacle’) among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father; full of grace and truth.” 

Some scholars believe that Yahshua may have been born on Sukkot.  If so, then Moshiac (Messiah) entered into this world as a human being on that day. 

During Sukkot, the Israelites would thank God, in faith, for upcoming winter rains essential to replenish the land.  According to a Talmudic custom developed during the Second Temple period, during this festival a priest would take water from the Pool of Siloam and dramatically pour it at the altar of the Temple.  Talmudic rabbis considered this act prophetic in illustrating the days of messianic redemption when the water of the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon all Israel.  They based their interpretation on Isaiah 12:3, “Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation” (salvation in Hebrew is the Hebrew name Yahshua or Jesus).  Juxtapose this with John 7:37-39 that refers to the Great Eighth Day. 

Shimeni Atzereth (Great 8^th Day) 

Tishri 22/Oct 9 (sundown) – Shimeni Atzereth/Great 8^th Day 

“Now on the last day, the great day of the feast (booths), Yahshua stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”  But He spoke of the Ruach (Spirit), whom those who believed in Him were to receive.” (John 7:37-39) 

Sukkot is the only festival to have an extra day.  It is as if God is saying to His people at the end of this festival, “Hasn’t this been good?  Let’s spend an extra day together.”  Thus developed the concept of Shemeni Atzereth, or the eighth-day of assembly, which occurs after the last day of Sukkot—a day when God invites His people to “stay” for an extra day of fellowship. 

Sukkot and the Great 8^th Day Scripture references in the Tanach and Brit Chadasha include:  Exodus 23:16b; 34:22b; Leviticus 23:33-36, 39-40, 42-43; Numbers 29:12-39; Deuteronomy 16:13-15; Jeremiah 17:13; Joel 3:14-21; Zechariah 14:16-19; Nehemiah 8:13-18; Matthew 17; John 7:2, 37; 12:12-13; Revelation 21:1-27, 22:1-21.

Trumpets, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and the Great 8th Day cont’

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) 

Tishri 10/Sept 27 (sundown) — Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement 

Leviticus 23:26-28, 31 

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “On exactly the tenth of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the Lord.  You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the Lord your God…Now shall have this as a permanent statute, to make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once every year.” 

Yom Kippur has long been considered the most holy day in the Hebrew calendar and is the culmination of the entire High Holy Day drama—our final opportunity to repent from our sins.  Yom Kippur is called in the Torah the “Sabbath of Sabbaths or Shabbat Shabbaton.”  On this day, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies, where YHWH Himself dwelt, and offered a blood sacrifice for the remission of all willful and unintentional sins of national Yisrael.  If, at any other time, he entered the “holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark…he (would) die; for (God) appears in a cloud over the mercy seat.” (Leviticus 16:2) 

The ceremonial elements for observing Yom Kippur include (Leviticus 16:1-28): 

• Two rams – for a burnt offering. 
• Bull – a young bull to atone for the sins of the High Priest and his family. 
• Two goats – for a sin offering.  Presented by the High Priest to YHWH at the door of the tabernacle.  The High Priest casts lots upon the two goats; one lot for YHWH and the other lot for the Azazel. 

             -  First goat (Chatat) – receives the lot for YHWH and is presented as the sin offering. 

             -  Second goat, the Azazel, which means the Yom Kippur scapegoat.  Azazel in addition to being the very scapegoat itself, is considered in Hebraic literature the wasteland of spiritual destruction, or even Gehenna/hell.  The symbolism is that YHWH loves Yisrael so much that He annually sent their sins far away to a place called Azazel, far outside the camp, never to return.  This was done yearly to portray YHWH’s forgiveness for all Yisrael, as well as the future redemption through the “fit Man” chosen for Yisrael by YHWH Himself (First Timothy 2:5, Isaiah 59:16).  In Yisrael’s history, only Yahshua was a fit Man forever by reason of His immortality.  In addition to being the fit Man, He was also the Azazel scapegoat Himself (Restoration Scriptures True Name Edition Study Bible). 

“Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness.  The goat shall bear on itself all the iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.” (Leviticus 16:21-22)  

Before 70 C.E. (the year the second Temple was destroyed), Yom Kippur was strictly observed according to Scripture.  However, in the absence of the Temple, rabbis in the first century decided to emphasize prayer (Tefilah), repentance (Teshuva), and charity (Tzedakah) as substitutions for sacrifices. 

Leviticus 23 commands Israelites to “humble (their) souls” on Yom Kippur.  This has been interpreted as requiring fasting in the context of the word for “humble” (Isaiah 58:5).  From sundown on the ninth of Tishri until sundown on the tenth, observant Jews (that are adults and are healthy) abstain from all food and water. 

On the evening of the holy day, modern-day Jews attend Kol Nidre services at the local synagogue, where they ask God to release them from any vows that had been taken inappropriately.  The next day services focus on the need for atonement for sins.  Each individual prays that his name be written in the Book of Life for one more year.  At the Neilah service (the closing of the gates), a final shofar is sounded.  Then comes the cry, “Next year in Jerusalem!” followed by singing, dancing, and a festive after-fast meal.  It is thought that the fate of each individual is sealed at this time for the upcoming year.  

As Yom Kippur is understood as a day of atonement for all sins so also the same “one for all ordinance” is found in Yahshua’s one-time offering of Himself (Hebrews 10:12, 14). 

In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), the word for “mercy seat” in Leviticus 16 is the same one used of Moshiac (Christ) and is translated “propitiation” in Romans 3:25. 

Hebrews 10:1, 3-4 

“For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near…In those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.  For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” 

Many scholars associate Yom Kippur eschatologically with the Jewish people’s recognition of Yahshua HaMoshiac at His second coming.  “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10) 

Yom Kippur Scripture references in the Tanach and Brit Chadasha include:  Leviticus 16; 23:26-32; Numbers 29:7-11; Romans 3:24-26; Hebrews 9:7; 10:3, 19-22. 

I will be posting on Sukkot (Tabernacles) and Shimeni Atzereth (Great 8^th Day) next week.

M.I.A. — Commissioning the Runner cont’

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Malachi 4:5-6)  

These last two verses in the Old Covenant (Malachi is the last book in the Christian order of the Bible) provide us a hint (remez) of what to expect at the end of the last days.  Elijah the prophet was an Ephraimite and the quintessential example of a watchman—one who watches over the restoration of the house of Israel.  As the previous post on the “M.I.A. – Commissioning the Runner” presentation by Ephraim and Rimona Frank explained, the watchman is a prophet and Abba Yahweh has delegated the role of watchman to Ephraim. 

Malachi 4:5-6 also provides the evidence that confirms the watchman is doing his job, that is, the hearts of the children are turned to the fathers (patriarchs)—to the life that emanates from the fathers.  The life (not necessarily the genetics) of the fathers is in the progeny.  The fathers are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  And the progeny are those who call on the name of the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  If the hearts of the children are not turned to the patriarchs then the El Himself says that He will come and smite the earth with a curse and, in Hebrew or Hebraic understanding, the curse is HaAllah or Allah.  By the way, the Hebrew word for violence is Hamas.  

The Franks provided some interesting facts about Islam to help us better understand what Elohim might have meant by smiting the earth with a curse.  In the Islamic view, wherever Islam has ruled and reigned then that area must always remain Islamic or it is considered a territory of war.  In 1948, 1967, and 1973 Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq attacked Israel and they lost each one of those wars.  While these nations thought they could annihilate Israel and drive her into the Mediterranean Sea, their hubris proved costly as they walked away from each encounter with a definite inferiority complex.  If Islamic adherents consider themselves weaker than their rivals, then they will seek peace which in reality is only a truce that buys them time to strengthen their position.  While Israel’s neighbors have proven to be weaker militarily, they have used this disadvantage as leverage with third-party nations like the United States in seeking peace with Israel—a peace that the Arab nations have no intention of keeping.  This never ending ‘peace process’ has allowed Israel’s Arab neighbors time to develop other methods to achieve their ends – for example using the political process through organizations like the United Nations to discredit Israel. 

So how does Ephraim fit into this scenario?  Well…the first step is for Ephraim to understand his identity not only in Yahshua HaMoshiac but also in the family of Israel—this includes both spiritual and physical understanding with the one validating the other.  To fulfill his role as a watchman, Ephraim must be able to discern of spirits.  Spirits understand what is judicially right – for example, a spirit of jealously or anger will not get out of us until we are judicially right.  Consider the Cross as a courtroom.  What did His death mean to the powers and principalities?  They were crushed by His heel.  We are no longer humans but spirits that can call on His power.  Watchmen must keep our eyes on spiritual things not on man.  With this in mind, let’s consider the prophecy in Habbakuk 2:4-6: 

(4) Behold, his soul which is lifted up (pride) is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.  (5) Furthermore, wine betrays the haughty man, So that he does not stay at home. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, And he is like death, never satisfied. He also gathers to himself all nations And collects to himself all peoples.  (6) Will not all of these take up a taunt-song against him, Even mockery and insinuations against him, And say, ‘Woe to him who increases what is not his– For how long– And makes himself rich with loans?’  

Can you think of a nation that is making itself “rich” with debt and loans?  What happens when the creditors suddenly rise-up?  We are in the days of Elijah, but if the hearts of the children are not turned to the fathers (patriarchs) then He will send a curse (Allah) for a snare (Islam).

The Power of the Word

My good friends at Trumpet of Salvation in Tel Aviv, Israel have produced a new video called “The Power of the Word.” This is a powerful message that I want to share with my readers here at the House of Ephraim. Special thanks to Yakov and Elisheva Damkani at Trumpet for giving me permission to share the video.

The video is narrated by Yakov in Hebrew with English subtitles.  Click on the link below to open the video.

The Power of the Word

Trumpets, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and the Great 8th Day

The Moadim (Appointed Times) of Yom Teruah (Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Tabernacles), and the Great Eighth Day (Shimeni Atzereth) arrive this week with Yom Teruah and the start of the Days of Awe (Yomim Nora’im)—the ten days between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur.  As I did for the spring moadim that occurred earlier this year, I want to continue sharing the Biblical Judaism understanding with Renewed Covenant significance for the fall moadim.  This is by no means a comprehensive description of the festivals but rather just a sprinkling to hopefully spark your interest in learning more about them.  Scripture references are provided from both the Tanach (First Covenant) and the Brit Chadasha (Renewed Covenant) for each festival. 

Yom Teruah (Trumpets) 

Tishri 1/September 18 (sundown) – Yom Teruah/Trumpets 

Leviticus 23:23-25 

Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first day of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.  You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord.” 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout (likely teruah in Hebrew), with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Moshiac will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 

The first of the fall holidays, the Festival of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) calls for repentance.  The festival was considered so significant by the rabbis that it eventually became the civil or spiritual New Year (Rosh Hashanah) in the Hebrew calendar.  The ram’s horn (shofar) is used to ring in the new year. 

The shofar, which can serve as a trumpet, has special meaning in the First Covenant.  It was used to: 

• Spare Abraham from sacrificing his son since it entangled a ram in a thicket that ultimately was offered to God in the place of Isaac. (Genesis 22:13)
• Signal the attack against Jericho.  “It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead.” (Joshua 6:5) 
•  Cause panic and confusion in the Midianites when attacked by Gideon and 300 men.  “When they blew 300 trumpets, the Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole (Midianite) army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zereah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, but Tabbath. (Judges 7:22) 
• Announce the Year of Jubilee (on Yom Kippur).  “You shall then sound a ram’s horn…” and “proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:9-10) Note: the second quote is inscribed on the U.S. Liberty Bell. 
• Hail a king in the ancient world. 

The traditional Jewish observance and Christian significance of the Yom Teruah festival includes a special water immersion (tevilah mikveh) or baptism that symbolizes cleansing our ways.  In traditional groups, the afternoon of Rosh HaShanah is typically spent at a body of water observing the ancient service, Tashlich.  This word is derived from Micah7:19: “He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot.  Yes, you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”  Participants in Tashlich often cast bread crumbs or pebbles into the water and rejoice in Yah’s promise of forgiveness. 

Consider parallel themes in the life and ministry of Yahshua.  Yahshua was baptized (a special immersion/mikveh) by John the Baptist, quite possibly in the fall.  He was tested by Satan for forty days in the wilderness.  The message at the beginning of His official ministry, which followed those forty days, was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

Yom Teruah Scripture references in the Tanach and Brit Chadasha include:  Numbers 29:1-6; Micah 7:19; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Matthew 3:13-17; 4:1-11; and 4:17. 

I will be posting on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Tabernacles), and Shimeni Atzereth (Great Eighth Day) throughout the High Holy Days.

High Holy Days (fall 2009)

The High Holy Days have arrived and begin tomorrow (Sept 18) at sundown with the Feast of Yom Teruah (or Trumpets).  The upcoming festivals also include Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Tabernacles), and Shimeni Atzereth (Great Eighth Day).  These feasts, in addition to Pesach (Passover), Chag Matzoth (Unleavened Bread), Bikkurim (Firstfruits Omer Count), and Shavout (Feast of Weeks or Pentecost) that occurred earlier in the year, are the annual biblical feasts appointed for our observance. 

If Yahshua (Jesus) observed and fulfilled these feasts appointed by the Father should we not do the same?  Is it disobedience to not observe these times appointed by the Father?  In addition to Leviticus 23 which instructs the Israelites to observe Pesach, Sukkot, and Shavout throughout all their generations, Zechariah 14:16-21 indicates that Sukkot ushers in the Kingdom and will be observed by all nations after the Father renews the earth.  This understanding was exhibited by Peter, James, and John as they attempted to build three booths (tabernacles) for Yahshua, Moshe (Moses), and Eli-Yahu (Elijah) in Matthew 17:4.  They had the right idea but it was not yet the appointed time to usher in the Kingdom–the Millennial Kingdom. 

I realize that I am still learning how to properly observe the biblical feasts appointed by Abba Yahweh.  I’m thankful that He has shown mercy towards me by drawing me out of the traditions of men—even though to get my attention He has had to knock me down and stomp me flat on more than one occasion, slowly but surely I am learning His ways.  Coming out of unbiblical man-made traditions is a process that requires both a repentant heart and time (see Jeremiah 16:19). 

Below is a schedule of the upcoming High Holy Days that occur during the Hebrew calendar month of Tishri.  The schedule is in Hebrew with English translation. 

Ethanim-Tishri Moadim/Feasts 

Tishri 1/Sept 18 (sundown) — Yom Teruah/Trumpets 

Tishri 10/Sept 27 (sundown) — Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement 

Tishri 15/Oct 2 (sundown Full Moon) — Sukkot/Tabernacles-First Day 

Tishri 21/Oct 8 (sundown) — Sukkot/Tabernacles-Last Day 

Tishri 22/Oct 9 (sundown) – Shimeni Atzereth/Great 8^th Day 

M.I.A. — Commissioning the Runner

“Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days—You would not believe if you were told.” (Habbakuk 1:5) 

Moved by the Spirit through Hab 1:5, Ephraim and Rimona Frank travelled from Israel to Orlando, Florida to present the “Commissioning the Runner” workshop at the Tenth Annual Messianic Israel Alliance (MIA) conference.  Their presentation addressed what Abba Yahweh is doing in the world today through His two witnesses—Ephraim and Judah.  Both houses have a role to play in the restoration of all Israel—and if one house catches fire the other is sure to follow, both the Bible and history confirm this fact.  Considering the current world environment, the Franks brought a sense of urgency to their presentation that focused on the role of the watchman that has been delegated to Ephraim.  According to the Franks, the watchman commissions the runner.  The runner is waiting for the watchman to give the vision (see Habbakuk 2:2-3).  The watchman must catch fire to ignite the runner. 

Before jumping too deep into the content of the presentation, let’s take a look at how Scripture (with some explanatory notes) defines the role of the Watchmen (or Notzrim) according to the Restoration Scriptures True Name Edition Study Bible. 

Jeremiah 31:6-7 

(6) For there shall be a day, that the called out Netzarim-Notzrim [A] the ones who watch on the Mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise, and let us go up to Tzion to YHWH our Elohim.  (7) For this says YHWH; Sing with simcha for Yaakov, and shout among the chief of the nations [B]: publish hallel saying, YHWH, has saved your people, the remnant of Yisrael. 

Explanatory Notes: [A, B]  

[A] The word Notzrim speaks of watchmen (guards) appointed by YHWH and assigned to the task of watching over the restoration of all Yisrael.  Scripture refers to the Mountains of Ephraim (Samaria), which will produce the watchmen (guards) of the last days.  The late Rabbi Isidor Zwirn, of blessed memory, a Messianic Jew, confirmed this in his extensive research on the term Notzrei-Yisrael, which he defined as “Christian believers.”  He states: “Isaiah 11:1 clinched my acceptance of Yahshua HaNotzrei as the preserver of the twelve tribes of Yisrael, and the founding Father of the Notzrim.” 

A traditional Jew, Ben Cohen, states: “the way Watchmen has been translated in our Bibles, it’s a wonder we can see it right.  The word is notzrim, and the root is natzar.  The real explanation of the word in Hebrew is to keep safe, to keep until a later time, to hide it in a way that will be revealed later.  But now take into consideration the book of Jeremiah, of course, was written before there was Christianity.  You look for a clue as to how it came about that Jeremiah used a word that was not used in his day at all, and it is the word used in Hebrew for Christians today.  And it is translated ‘preserved ones of Yisrael’ (Isaiah 49:6, Isaac Lesser Edition).  Elsewhere it is translated as “watchmen.”  The word netzer is used only three times in the Bible (First Covenant), and everywhere it is mentioned it has to do only with Ephraim.  It’s amazing.” 

[B] In context, Ephraim as the Nazarenes, or “watchmen” are to cry out in all nations that Messiah has come for atonement and return from the exile. 

While Yahshua is restoring Ephraim to take his rightful place as a watchman, Ephraim must still meet certain qualifications. 

• Watchmen must be willing to give up their lives.  This is the first qualification because it is important to convey the seriousness of this responsibility up front. 
• The watchman is a prophet.  In the past, Ephraim has often been distracted or snared and unable to perform his duties as a watchman.  “Ephraim was a watchman with my God, a prophet; Yet the snare of a bird catcher is in all his ways, And there is only hostility in the house of his God” (Hosea 9:8). 
• The watchman has to be able to profile or survey the environment.  This is done through spiritual discernment.  Isaiah 56:10 describes a watchman who lacks discernment, “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.”  
• Watchmen are not Intercessors!  Watchmen are busy traversing the walls and scanning the environment for the first sign of trouble.  Intercessors are praying with heads bowed and eyes closed.  Watchmen are moving around while Intercessors are mostly stationary.  

The watchman is reproved and therefore repents for our fore-fathers rebellion.  The watchman must become the vision/message—in the Hebrew mindset, he is the proof of the reprove. 

Habbakuk 2:1-3  

(1) I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. (2) And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it. (3) For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.  

In the next post on the “Commissioning the Runner” topic, we’ll continue to explore the role of the watchman in turning the hearts of the children to the patriarchs, and we’ll examine the foreboding prophecy in Habbakuk 2:4-6.