Monthly Archives: April 2016

We find the ‘foot-washing’ very intriguing. Genesis 18 tells us of Abraham providing ‘foot-washing’ for the 3 Visitors. Lot offers ‘foot-washing’ to the ‘two men’ in Genesis 19. Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet lest they die. Yeshua washes the feet of His disciples as an example. Mary washes Yeshua’s feet with oil, her tears, and dries them with her hair, symbolically preparing His body for burial. But when Yeshua washes the disciples’ feet, He, among other things, is setting them apart. Scripture says ‘and I will make you a nation of priests’ but that does not mean they – we – would all be levites, but rather, priests after the order of Melchizedek, who IS Yeshua. So, as the Aaronic priesthood passed down the washing of hands and feet, we are to follow the example of Messiah Yeshua. As we wash one another’s feet, we propagate and expand the order of Melchizedek, of which we are a part. As we submit to our High Priest, He will ‘give us clean hands and pure heart’, that we might ascend the mountain of YHWH (and not die) and serve Him as priests after the order of Yeshua. Also, take note of what Melchizedek served Abraham . . . (Genesis 14:18)

It was good to see old friends and new faces at our Passover Gathering last evening. The theme was ‘Passover in the Light of Messiah’ with a focus on ‘Worship of The King’ as we gathered in obedience to ‘do this in remembrance of Me’ . . . We offered a time of foot-washing as exampled by our Messiah. We examined the three commanded elements present at the First Passover, in the Memorial Feast as well as at the ultimate Passover of Messiah Yeshua. We were blown away by a time of sharing, as brothers and sisters gave dramatic testimony how Abba brought them out of Egypt, where death and darkness is present, and into His marvelous Light. Thank you Father for your Presence in our midst, for Your Holy Spirit, for the shed blood and broken body and for your mercy and grace. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach -J&R

. . . Got the ‘leaven’ out? This friday evening will be the ending of the 14th day of Aviv and the beginning of the 15th day, the High Sabbath of the First day of Unleavened Bread – Chag HaMatzot. Yesterday – monday (beginning the evening before) would have been the 10th day of this First Month of Aviv, the day ‘the lamb’ was brought into the father’s house to begin it’s period of examination (Exo. 12). For many, it would also have been the day that began the removal of the ‘leaven’ (seor) from their homes, a physical act symbolizing the beginning of their transformation from being ‘chametz’ (that which is leavened) to becoming ‘matza’ ( that which is without leaven, without sin) . We see a picture of the ‘finished product’ when we envision the Showbread or ‘The Bread of The Face’, the 12 Unleavened Loaves, in their proper condition and position in the presence of our Father. The reconciliation offering – The Shelem – Messiah’s death on the cross, begins our reconciliation process, allowing us access to our Father’s ultimate plan of atonement. Scripture says ‘Yeshua is our example’. When Yeshua rode into town on that 10th day of the first month, a day many have come to refer to as palm sunday, He not only began the process of His ‘examination’ as ‘the lamb’, but He also began the process of removing the ‘seor’ – the leaven – and those that had become leavened (chametz) from ‘His Father’s house’ – the citizenship of Israel (Eph, 2:11-13). He went to the Temple, His Father’s physical house, and violently threw out those that defiled his Father’s place, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, “My house shall be a house of prayer for all nations, but you have made it a den of robbers” ( Isa 56:7, Jer 7:11, Matt 21:13). We, as born-again believers, above and beyond all others, should desire to “observe the feast of Unleavened Bread, for in that day, HE brought us out . . .” (Exo. 12:17) If we can help, we are here . . . Shalom

There was an intriguing story recounted to us by a good friend and former head of an international mission outreach organization. He recalled how missionaries had gone into China in years past and worked and sowed ‘seed’ and then were thrown out of the country. Decades later, when outreach workers were allowed back in country by the government, the workers were amazed and what they found. In the ‘underground church’, The Word was being preached with power, healings, deliverance, sight restored to the blind and raising of the dead. When the people were asked how they knew to do these things, their response was simple, yet profound . . .” we just read This Book you left behind and did what It said . . .”

So, at times, when it seems you are up against more than you can handle and you are at ‘the end of your rope’, tie a knot in the end of it . . . just make sure there is The Rock tucked neatly in the end of your rope . . . For He has placed a Rock in Zion . . . A Rock that is the source of all we need, a Rock of refuge and rest. Shabbat Shalom