prodigalministries

 4 become 3 that can be the 2 that are made One in His Hand

. . . One in My Hand . . .

The Creator speaks through the Prophet Isaiah, saying “Remember the former things,those things of long ago;for I am God (El), and there is none other; I am Elohim, and there is none like Me. ¹⁰ I make known the end out of the beginning,and from ancient times, that which is still to come.I say: My purpose is established,and I will do as I see fit.” (Isa 46:9-10)

No place do we see a greater testimony to this truth than in the leading verses of the 29^th chapter of Genesis. In those verses, we see the prophetic format for the ‘restoration of the two sticks of the house of Israel’ by Messiah Yeshua, even before a ‘House of Israel’ had even come into being.

Let’s recap briefly a previous teaching that is connected to the passage in Genesis 29. The encounter of Yeshua with ‘The Woman at Well’ in John chapter 4, details an event that marks the beginning of the promised restoration of ‘The Two Sticks’, beginning with the ‘stick of Ephraim’, in the place where it was said you are not my people, there you will be called sons of the Living God. (https://prodigalministries.wordpress.com/the-woman-at-the-well-2/)

And even though Judah’s final exile for her treachery would begin at a later date, the foundation for her restoration is laid in Yeshua’s earthly ministry, an example of which is portrayed in the ‘Woman Caught in Adultery’ as well as Yeshua’s presentation at the sixth hour to Judah by Pilate as ‘The King of the Jews.’(it is interesting both events occurred at the ‘6^th hour – John 19:14). Peter’s vision of the gentiles coming in also happened at the 6^th hour. We see another example of the beginning of this restoration process in the ‘Two Donkeys’  brought into town by Yeshua at His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. (https://prodigalministries.wordpress.com/johns-wayward-women-whats-the-word-say-03-31-16/ )  (https://prodigalministries.wordpress.com/johns-wayard-women/)

So how does that recap tie into the Scripture portion beginning in Genesis 29? Should it give insight into the prophetic picture of the opening scenes of Genesis 29? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’.  

We see three flocks waiting on the arrival of the fourth so that the ‘stone can be rolled away’ from The Well and all the flocks partake of the much needed Water. We know that eventually Jacob (whose name would become Israel) would father twelve tribes by four women, or four flocks, if you will.

So let’s go back to that first scene in which there are three flocks in waiting. We submit this is a picture of all those faithful in the past, diligently and expectantly looking forward to the time of the coming of Messiah when the stone is rolled away from The Well. The 4^th flock is the flock of Rachel – Joseph and Benjamin, also known as The Northern Kingdom. Yeshua began the process of bringing that 4^th flock back in with the strategic meeting at Jacob’s Well and now all the flocks are ‘now on site’ and ready to receive the Living Water, once the stone is rolled away.

We see, in Genesis 29, a picture of the conception of the House of Israel, a picture of their eventual regathering after their exile due to sin, an exile we see take place for The Northern Kingdom in 2 Kings 17 ( as prophesied in Hosea) and Judah’s eventual expulsion from The Land in 70 AD due to her sin and treachery. (Jer 3:10-11)

And, along with the regathering of the ‘Two Sticks’ will also come the harvest from the nations. Isaiah 56:7-8 –  ” these I will bring to my holy mountainand give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrificeswill be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations ⁸ The Sovereign LORD declares– he who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gatherstill others to them besides those already gathered.”” (Isa 56:7-8) We see it again in John 10:16 –  ” I have other sheepthat are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock  and one shepherd.” (Joh 10:16) “Ephraim mixes with the nations” Hos.7:8 and “they will return to Egypt” Hos.8:13 & 9:3

And although all this was prophesied and portrayed well in advance, it could only begin at the ‘consummation of the ages’ ( Hebrews 9:26),  with the advent of Messiah in the earth, the One Who would bring the reconciliation and atonement. Genesis 29 is a prequel to all that was prophesied, both judgment and restoration, the restoration promised from of old and begun by Messiah Yeshua in His earthly ministry.  

Now let’s look at some other interesting numbers in the Genesis passages. We have 4 flocks, 14 years for two sisters/two daughters, 20 years in a foreign house, 6 years for one flock and 10 changes in wages.

But what can these numbers and images mean in light of Biblical prophecy?  The number 20 carries the concept of expectation – looking forward to that which is to come. Jacob spent 20 years in a foreign house and now – expectancy – he is going home – the 21^st year. 20 = 4 x 5.  ‘5’ represents mercy and grace and it is the redemption price, according to Scripture. Here we see the hope – tikvah – the expectancy of the provision for redemption for all 4 flocks, for they/we ALL need a Redeemer.

The number 14 is 2 x 7, seven years for each of the two sisters. Seven, in Hebrew, is sheva and comes from the word ‘shava’ which means ‘oath’. By this prophetic and symbolic ‘7’ for each sister, The Creator is sealing His promise to bring them back in and back home. ‘14’ is also the same number of lambs slain each day during the seven days of Sukkot, until there is only one set of seven lambs slain on the 8^th day, symbolizing the completed unification of the two sticks into One Stick in His Hand.

After working for the two sisters, ‘two sticks of his house’, Jacob worked 6 years for ‘the flock’. It has been 6 days or 6,000 years since the fall of man. During those ‘six days’ our Heavenly Father has been working to bring about the return of ‘His Flock’. Yeshua stated that, in addition to ‘the two sisters’, there are other sheep that still remain to be brought in.

Finally, we have the number 10. ‘10’ signifies, among other things, ‘divine order’. That does NOT mean every incident along the way is ‘divine’. It does remind us however of our Creator’s divine presence in the order of events and, even though we muddle around and muddy the waters, our Creator’s divine order and sovereign plan will come to pass. ‘For He makes known the end out of the beginning,and from ancient times, that which is still to come, and says: My purpose is established,and I will do as I see fit.” (Isa 46:9-10)

” . . . My wordthat goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purposefor which I sent it.” (Isa 55:11)

So our Father YHVH did all this, and not only for His good pleasure and the sake of His reputation and kingdom, but He did it for ‘all the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ Of course, that statement begs the question, who ARE the lost sheep of the House of Israel’? There are many who believe the lost sheep are comprised of only the northern kingdom (Ephraim). There are those that believe the ‘lost sheep’ are just those of out of the nations. Although produced by Catholic Press, an interesting footnote in The Complete Jewish Bible says the lost sheep are ‘the Jews’. So who ARE the ‘lost sheep’? Are they the Ephraimites, are they the nations or are they the Jews?

According to The Word of Our Father – it is all three.

So who WAS Yeshua referring to when He spoke on two separate occasions concerning “ the lost sheep of the House of Israel”?  In Matthew 10:5, Yeshua specifically instructs the disciples to not go into the cities of the Samaritans, or to the gentiles, but to the lost sheep of the House if Israel. The cities of the Samaritans would be the territory of the northern kingdom. So, if they were not to go the samaritans, nor to the gentiles, that basically only left them with the territory of the southern kingdom (Judah) and it’s inhabitants which would be, for all intents and purposes, the Jews. In Matthew 15:22-28, Yeshua uses that same ‘lost sheep’ phrase again when confronted by the Canaanite woman in the territory of Ephraim. Did you know, through the Prophet Jeremiah, the Creator refers to both Judah and Ephraim as ‘lost sheep’? (Jeremiah 50:4-6)

The Prophet Isaiah declares “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

“And Yeshua, the One on Whom the iniquity was laid, said to them then and to us today – “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, but by Me.”” John 14:6

Therefore remember that you, formerly gentiles in the flesh– who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands– ¹²  were at that time without Messiah, being aliens from the citizenship of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus/Messiah Yeshua, you who formerly were far off, have been brought near by the blood of Messiah . . . ¹⁹ Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ/Messiah Yeshua Himself being the chief corner, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Eph 2:11-13,19-22)

So, who are the lost sheep of the house of Israel? It is every soul down through the ages in need of a Savior, a Redeemer, in need of the miraculous work brought about through the death, burial, resurrection and first ascension of the Promised Messiah of Israel – Yeshua/Jesus of Nazareth that came in the flesh . . . and He’s coming again to finish what was started. Will we be found faithful and ready?  Will we be found doing His work in the earth?

 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Rom 1:16)

And (Yeshua) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

Feed the hungry, quench the thirsty, clothe the needy, visit the captive . . . “And the King will answer and say to them,`Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” (Mat 25:40)

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters (the kavod) of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. (Mat 23:23)

“And as you go, preach, saying,`The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸ “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (Mat 10:7-8)

“ . . . and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Mat 28:20)

And through the work of Messiah Yeshua, the four flocks become the two loaves, the two donkeys, the two sticks, the two fish (John 6:9).  And the two become one in My Hand, says YHVH. (Eze 37:19) And Who is the Hand of YHVH? Messiah Yeshua/Jesus of Nazareth that came in the flesh.

And no one comes to the Father, but by Him. Shalom

And Abraham called the name of the place, YHVH YIREH; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of YHVH it shall be provided.” (Gen 22:14)

Yahweh yireh – YHVH Provides

Yireh – yod resh aleph hay – ‘to provide’ – comes from the Hebrew root word ra’ah which means ‘to see’.

In most occurrences in Scripture this word ‘yireh’ is translated in the context of something being seen or observed or perceived. So why here is it translated as ‘to provide’?

The first step in ‘providing’ is to recognize that provision is needed. Before we can ‘provide’ or meet a need, we first must recognize that there is a need that needs to be met.

Scripture states that our Creator and Father ‘knows what we have need of before we ask’. (Matt 6:8)

Our Father recognizes our need. But do we recognize Him as ‘The Provider’ and the source of everything we need?

In these days as well as the days to come, we must not only recognize our Father and Creator as the Ultimate Provider but learn to lean on Him for direction, for He is dependable. We also must ‘see’ that not all provision is physical or merely giving us the things that we ask for. As good earthly parents, sometimes we recognize that what our children ‘want’ is NOT what they need, and that which they ‘need’ is NOT necessarily what they ‘want’. 

Yod – His (right) Hand protects and directs and instructs

Resh – He is head and The One that we should follow as He ‘goes before us’.

Aleph – The Father, Son and Ruach are One. Our Elohim is our strong tower into which we can run. (Psalm 61)

Hey – Behold the One who sees and knows what we have need of before we ask and has made the Ultimate Provision.

Our Father sees our need and is ready and willing to provide. As we go about our daily lives today and the days to come, may He give us ‘eyes to see’ the needs –both physical and spiritual – around us that require provision, and pray our Father direct us (yod) as we follow His example (resh) recognizing Him as the source of all strength and true provision (aleph) and point others to our Father through Messiah Yeshua/Jesus the Christ and His work on the cross (hey) – ‘BEHOLD the Lamb of God’.  Shalom 

Noah, Yeshua and The Price of a Life

            Noah – to rest, to settle down, to cause to be quiet; a resting place. Noah is a type and shadow of Messiah to come – the One in Whom we can rest. The One Who is our resting place. In the account of Noah and his family and the great upheaval we see both the judgment and deliverance that were dispensed by Father God’s ‘two-edged sword’. For wherever deliverance takes place, judgment also is executed – executed against that from which we are delivered.

In the account of the great flood we see most clearly in the Hebrew the inseparable partnership of Passover and Yom Kippur . . . the reconciliation and the covering, the ‘First and the Last’, and the bringing together of the ‘beginning and the end’ of the Gospel picture within the pattern of the Feasts of the LORD.

           We know it is old news for some, but this always intrigues us when we think on this passage – Genesis 6:14 “ . . . Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.”

           In the English translation it reads “ pitch it within and without with pitch” . . .  The first use of the word in this phrase ‘pitch’ is the hebrew word ‘kaphar’ ( kippur ) which means to cover or atone . . . the second time the word ‘pitch’ is used in the verse is the word ‘kopher’ which means ‘ransom’ or ‘the price of a life’ . . . the word translated ‘within’ is actually the word ‘bayt’ – ‘house’ .

          So this passage can literally be translated –

 ‘ cover the house, and outside – the price of a life . . . ‘

( Exodus 12 speaks to us of the  ‘covering of the house with the Blood of the Lamb, the door  being shut, those inside are safe, but outside – the price of a life’ . . . )

          The word for ‘rooms’ in Gen. 16:14 is the Hebrew word for ‘nests’ . . . sounds a little more personal and intimate than just ‘rooms’ , doesn’t it . . . but it is more than that. Birds have nests, don’t they ?

Hosea 11:10  “ They will walk after the LORD, He will roar like a lion; Indeed He will roar, And  HIS children will come trembling from the west.

 11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their homes,” declares the LORD.

 Psalm 91:3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, ( fowler – the one who hunts the birds ) . . .

          And what is ‘gopher wood’ ?  We don’t know ; but we do find this interesting . The word for ‘wood’ ( etz ) is the also the hebrew word for tree or stake . . . the word ‘gopher’ is spelled gimel peh resh ( or GPR ) . . . the word ‘ kaphar’ or ‘kippur’ is caf peh resh ( or KPR ) . . . but here is what the two words look like in hebrew . . .

rpk kippur rpg gopher

See any similarities in the words ?   Hummm . . .

Is it  ‘gopher wood’ or is it a picture of the ‘wood that is involved in the covering’  because of what ultimately takes place on that tree ?

 Galatians 3:13 “ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: . . .”  ( Deut 21:23 )

We find it interesting that since a ‘tree’ was involved in the original problem, it follows suit that a ‘tree’ would be involved in the ‘cure’ . . .

 Genesis 3:17 Then to Adam GOD said, “Because  . . . you have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground . . . “

 2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Romans 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.

          In the Gospels, John the Immerser declares – “ behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” ( john 1:29 )  . . . we believe that to be a ‘two-part’ statement.

Where does it say that a lamb takes away sin ? The goat was for Yom Kippur, not a lamb. The ‘lamb’ is the ‘shelem’ – the peace offering – that which reconciles two that are separated or at odds with one another. The two goats were the offerings for the Day of Atonement and the lamb is the reconciliation. Yeshua is both the two goats and the lamb . . .

And remember, GOD only covers ( kippur ) those that are His . . . and we become HIS by being reconciled back to Him by and through the blood of His Son, according to the Bible. Only when we accept His Reconciliation ( Yeshua, Our Peace) can we be covered.

Romans 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by is life.

Revelation 1:18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

          Is there anything in our lives that has separated us or ‘put us at odds’ with our Heavenly Father or one another ? If ‘no’, you are a rare individual in a rare position. Most of us would have to answer ‘yes’ to that question. Now would be a really good time to clear things up.

Do you want more of the Father and His Holy Spirit in your life and the life of your family ? Ask HIM what needs to change so there is more room for Him . . .

          Sukkot ( Feast of Tabernacles ) and the ‘Eighth Assembly’  are the culmination of God’s holidays/holy days.  Sukkot is the ‘family reunion of all times’ and the 8^th Assembly is the first day in the New Kingdom. How do we get to be part of that Kingdom, His family ? We enter at Passover. We come in through the Door, Yeshua/Jesus. But once we’re in, the  ‘sin’ has to go. We can’t come into the presence of YHVH God our Father at The Homecoming with sin. He cannot abide sin, and sinful flesh cannot stand in His presence. So we accept His Kippur – His covering – the blood and body of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus the Christ.

Now we can enter His presence unafraid . . . for He sees us through the Blood of His Son, The Lamb . . . the One Who was born to die . . . for me and for you.

PROJECTED HOLY DAY DATES 2022

Based on our understanding of Scripture, the seasons and the ‘lights in the heavens’, below is our reckoning of the tentative dates for the Biblical observances for the upcoming Gregorian year 2022.

Not only is the recognition and observance of the Biblical Holy Days a part of each believer’s ‘reasonable service’, there is a revelation, clarity and understanding that only comes in the ‘doing’.

The entirety of the Gospel Message is laid out in the Feasts of Yahweh, and in the doing of these mandated events, there comes a greater depth of insight into the days in which we find ourselves, end-time events and days that are to come; events and days for which we are actually performing ‘dress rehearsals’ in our physical and spiritual observances of these appointed days/dates.

So, as the writer of Hebrews admonishes, may we not forsake the assemblies as has become the habit of some as ‘The Day’ approaches. Shalom

1^st Day 1^st Month                                                        April 2,            beginning the evening before

10^th Day 1^st Month                                          April 11,          beginning the evening before.

Passover – 14^th Day 1^st Month                                    April 15,          that evening

1^st Day Unleavened Bread – 15^th Day 1^st Month        April 16,          beginning the evening before. (Sabbath)

‘Et Omer Raysheet’- The Day of the Wave Offering – Resurrection Day – The First Ascension –

Day One of the Countdown to 50 –

April 17th, beginning the evening before. Always the first day of the week.

Last Day Unleavened Bread-21^st Day 1^st Month       April 22,          beginning the evening before (Sabbath)

Pentecost – Shavuot – Feast of Weeks                      June 5th,         beginning the evening before (Sabbath)

Day 50, always on the first day of the week.

Yom Teruah/Feast of Trumpets (1^st Day 7^th Month   Sept 26th,       beginning the evening before (Sabbath)

Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement 10^th Day 7^thMonth Oct 5th,          beginning the evening before (Sabbath)

Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot 15^th Day 7^th Month      Oct 10th,        beginning the evening before (Sabbath)

8^th Assembly/Shemini Atzeret 22^nd Day 7^th Month Oct 17th,        beginning the evening before (Sabbath)

“The Last Great Day” (John 7:37-38, Malachi 4)

SUKKOT 2021

September 20-27

8^th Assembly Sept 27-28

EVENING COMMON-MEAL MENU

At the bottom of the daily menu is a shopping list of items needed for the community-wide evening meals for the eight days. You can bring these with you or they can be purchased locally. Everyone does breakfast and lunch at their leisure. If you have special dietary needs or requirements, you will have access to the kitchen for that preparation. We do not prep or cook on Sabbaths. We do warm-up and reheat foods that was previously cooked.

ALL FOODS SERVED DURING THE EIGHT DAYS WILL BE ‘BIBLICALLY CLEAN’.

Monday 20^TH  : Set-up Day is always a little crazy, so we will have Cold-cut sandwiches and chips on hand for you to grab as you can!   (Ice cream and pie social that evening)

Tuesday 21^st – (HIGH SABBATH): SOUP, SALAD & SANDWICHES

A soup or salad and sandwich fixings (meat, buns, cheese, etc) enough for your family unit and to share. Desserts are optional (says who? J ) and always appreciated by all!!

Wednesday 22^nd  – ITALIAN NIGHT

(1lb. hamburger, 1 jar spaghetti sauce, 1 lb. spaghetti, parmesan cheese, 1 bag salad mix, 1 pkg. Texas toast or garlic bread.) Optional: onion, tomatoes, cheese, croutons, salad dressing.

Thursday 23^rd – MEXICAN NIGHT – This is always a treat!!

Friday 24th – SMORGASBORD   (Plan on preparing a simple dish/casserole that can be shared. This can includes meat dishes, vegetables and salads, desserts, desserts, desserts J )  Crockpot “friendly” dishes are always easiest. 

FRIDAY – We cook/prepare for the Friday evening meal as well as for Shabbat meal.

SATURDAY 25^th (weekly Sabbath) – CHILI (this can be cooked ahead and warmed up on Shabbat) Don’t forget the crackers, cheese, onions, assorted condiments, etc.

SUNDAY 26^TH – BREAKFAST FOR DINNER – MEN COOKING . . . Eggs, biscuits, gravy, clean breakfast meats.

MONDAY 27^th –  ALL-AMERICAN NIGHT – The Men will  GRILL HOTDOGS AND

HAMBURGERS (OR CLEAN MEAT OF YOUR CHOICE – CHICKEN, TURKEY, ETC) (Meat of your choice, buns, side dish.) Optional: condiments, pickles, onion, tomato, chips, baked beans, potato salad, macaroni salad, etc. . .

Tuesday 28^th – (High Sabbath) – CHEF’S SURPRISE – Soup, salad, sandwiches, chili and whatever else we have leftover and on hand. 

ALL FOODS SERVED DURING THE EIGHT DAYS WILL BE ‘BIBLICALLY CLEAN’.

Since we do not cook on any of the Sabbaths, some folks prepare soups, casseroles, etc in advance and freeze them until needed and then we warm them up. Whatever works best for you. We do cook daily on site, except for the Sabbaths.

ITEMS NEEDED for the 8 days. Please bring enough for your family unit and to share. This one way in which we keep costs to a minimum,  by everyone participating. Thank you in advance.

Paper plates

Paper bowls

Plastic cutlery

Napkins

Cups (hot and/or cold)

Water (gallons and bottles)

Drinks (cold drinks and mixes, hot drink mixes, coffee)

Grated cheese

Parmesan cheese

Spaghetti

Spaghetti sauce

Manwich or sloppy joe stuff

Ground Beef (check menu for days needed)

Hot dogs

Hamburgers

Condiments

Taco shells/tortilla shells

Salsa

Bagged lettuce or salad

And anything else you can think of . . . dessert? J

Sukkot – begins the evening of Monday Sept 20^th.

Among other activities during the week, we will have –

A ‘Barter-training session’. Bring an item valued at $5-10 that you think would be of that value in a ‘Barter economy’ situation.

– a ‘silent auction’ that will begin after Shabbat on Tuesday and will conclude on Thursday evening.

– a painting class. Bring an inexpensive artist’s brush SET and something to paint on – a board is ideal

but you can even bring a rock.

– a knitting class. Bring one ball of Red Heart yarn ‘Super Saver’ collection. One set of knitting needles- size 5.5mm or

size 9 US. You will be making an adult hat. A printed pattern will be provided.

– Rhonda presenting sessions on food preservation (particularly canning of meat) and sprouting.

– a class on Tzi-tziot (gediliim – tassels) tying and Scriptural explanation for the wearing.

 – Lazer Tag for the young folks and the ‘young at heart’ folks.

And timely discussions concerning current events and their prophetic implications . . .

– just to mention a few of the things going on during Sukkot.

A schedule of events and daily activities will be available upon arrival.

If you have NOT received the Sukkot Info Packet, please contact us BY Email at Rhonda@ProdigalMin.com. It should answer most of your questions. Feel free to contact us by email with any other questions you may have.

Yom Teruah – Feast of Trumpets – Day of the Blast, and it’s significance to the last days church and the end-times believer.

First, let’s take a moment and look at this rather obscure-appearing celebration in the Biblical text and see if it has any relevance to non-Jewish folks today.
What is the purpose of ‘trumpets’ or rather ‘the blasts’ according the Scripture ? Leviticus 23:24 reads “ in the seventh ( Biblical) month on the first of the month, you shall have a Sabbath, a reminder or memorial by blowing (Teruah – Blasts) of trumpets, a holy set-part assembling. Numbers chapter 10 indicates trumpet sounds are used to summon the camp and direct it’s movement; to summon the leaders to gather; to sound the advance; Numbers 10:9 “When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, you shall sound an alarm (Teruah) with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before YHVH your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.”   10 “Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets . . .”    And accordingly, these ‘blasts’ are individual and distinct and each with a purpose. Paul makes mention of this in his first letter to the Corinthians by saying “For if the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will know to prepare for battle?” 14:8
In Revelation there are seven trumpets and Psalm 81 mandates we ‘blow (Teqia) the trumpet on each new moon, and at the Full Moon Feast Days ( Passover and Tabernacles). Again Paul speaks to the congregation at Corinth with these words –
“ in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised and those that remain shall be changed.”   In Exodus 19 the trumpet heralded the very Presence of God and preceded His speaking. 1 Thess. 4:16 tells us “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,(Teruah) with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.” And the Prophet Joel urges to ‘Blow the trumpet in Zion. Sound the alarm . . . for the Day of the Lord is at hand . . .”
We see God using the ‘trumpet’ for a multitude of reasons. He summons His people, assembles them and directs the movements of the camp. The trumpet is used in the time of war as well as in our celebrations and our seasons of joy. The trumpet alerts the people, sounds the alarm and awakens the camp. Could the trumpet be used to announce the coming, the speaking and the very Presence of the King? And is yes, how does that apply to born-again believers today? 

We have established from Scripture how ‘Trumpets’ are used by the God of the Bible in a multitude of ways. He awakens the camp and calls them to attention. He sounds the alarm and the call to battle. The Trumpet announces the time of celebration as well as the time of judgment. Trumpets are seen and heard all through the Scriptures, sometimes overtly, sometimes covertly.
Judaism has a tradition concerning ram’s horns. When God provided the Ram whose horns were caught in the thicket ( Gen. 22:13) and Abraham offered it on the altar, tradition says God took one Ram’s Horn and gave Abraham the other. In Exodus 19 and 20 the Scriptures speak of a ‘trumpet waxing louder and louder’. Joshua overcame the great city of Jericho with Trumpets and obedience to God’s instructions. In 2 Samuel, Trumpets marked a great celebration as well as a proposed coronation. In Nehemia, Trumpets sound the call to fight for another. Trumpets are instruments of praise and mark the ascending of GOD, according to the Psalmist. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel and Amos all make mention of sounding Trumpets to awaken and warn the people.
The Apostle Paul speaks of the return of Messiah at ‘the last Trumpet’ (1 Cor. 15:52). Revelation speaks of seven trumpets. Psalms 81 speaks of blowing the trumpet on the ‘new moon’, or the first of each biblical month. If a trumpet is blown at the first of each month, starting with the month of Passover in the spring, and continuing each month until the month of Tabernacles, there will have been seven trumpets sounded. The Feast of Tabernacles is in the seventh biblical month, following Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and, according to Zechariah, marks the season of the return of Messiah. That places the return of Messiah at the time of the last of the seven trumpets – the last trumpet. Isn’t it neat how the Old and the New fit together like a hand and a glove . . . almost like it was made that way.

Isaiah 27:13  “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown . . .”

Joel 2:1 “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD comes, it is nigh at hand;“
Zechariah 9:14 “Then the LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign LORD will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south . . .”

In Numbers chapter 10 we are told the trumpets are used to gather the elders, gather the entire assembly, sound an alarm and call to war.

    Hopefully we also understand this holiday marks the beginning of the season of the Return of Messiah Yeshua. It should make us mindful of the price that has been paid to reconcile us back to our heavenly Father. With His return will come both great joy as well as great judgement  – the ‘two-edged’ sword.

It is a time to rejoice in the Joy of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus the Christ Who Is our Salvation, and to remember the great cost of that Salvation . . . a price that could only be covered by The Son of The Living God.

     May this Yom Teruah/Feast of Trumpets be the beginning of a time of self examination as we march humbly towards Yom Kippur, remembering that ‘judgement begins at the house of GOD’ and that if we ‘judge ourselves we will not have to be judged’, and remembering that Messiah Yeshua has taken my punishment and delivered me from the curse and eternal separation from our Father God.

     The ‘last days’ have been swirling around us for 2,000 years, according to the Apostle Peter in Acts 2. Scripture says ‘a day is as 1,000 years and 1,000 years as a day’. It has been 2 days since Messiah Yeshua walked this earth. We are on the threshold of that third day. “For in two days I will revive you and on the third day I will raise you up and you will live in My sight.” (Hosea 6:2)

    Yom Teruah – The Day of the Blast, Feast of Trumpets –  is the rehearsal for the promised return of the Promised Messiah. Much is going on around the world and more pointedly in the Middle East. The time will come soon when this appointed time will no longer be a rehearsal but the ‘opening night’ of the final performance . . . and it announces the beginning of the eternal ‘Season of Our Joy’.

Have you accepted Yeshua/Jesus as your Savior and Lord? Do you belong to The Father through the work of His Son on the cross?

“For if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” (Rom 10:9-11)

Remember the words of Yeshua/Jesus when He said ‘no one comes to the Father except through Me.’

Feast of Trumpets . . . announcing the coming of The King. Are you ready?

Some Scriptural Thoughts to Ponder . . . ‘When a Woman gives birth . . .’

Leviticus 12:1-8   ‘. . . and when a woman gives birth . . .’

As we go through this study, please notice the similarity between the offerings in this passage to some of those among the weekly offerings of The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), the time of the regathering of the Whole House of Israel . . . 

For a female offspring – 14 days (2 sets of 7) and 66 days – two sets of 33 . . . for a total of 80 days – two sets of 40 (fulfillment  of judgment, things being set right, completion x 2) . . . 

One for each House of Israel.  Remember, Israel was divided into two houses and is represented by the two sticks, the two donkeys, two loaves and the two fish. . 

Another place we see ‘two sets of 7’ are in the seven daily offerings of Sukkot, the regathering of the House of Israel, the Bride, the ‘female’ if you will . . . ( Num. 29:12-34)

For a male child – 7 days (one set of 7) and 33 days, for a total of 40 . . .- (fulfillment  of judgment, things being set right, completion) . . . on the 8th day the boy is circumcised.

After the total days of her uncleanness are finished (whether a male or female child) and she is clean, she presents to the Priest the offering of the lamb and the dove, an offering before the Lord to make atonement and she shall be clean from the flow of blood. (Lev. 12:6-7)

It is interesting at the age of 33 Yeshua (the Lamb) is crucified, and as the High Priest He makes atonement for His bride, offering His Blood as the Lamb of Reconciliation (as well as the slaughtered goat of Yom Kippur)  and the Bride is made clean from the blood by The Blood.

(Let His blood be on us and on our children Matt. 27:25-) . . . and after His departure the Dove was sent . . . (HE is actually both goats of Yom Kippur)

Yeshua came only for the House of Israel . . . (Matt 10:6, !5:24, Ephesians 2) In the offerings commanded during the 7 days  Sukkot, we see 14 lambs – 2 sets of 7 as well as multiple bulls, 70 in total. In Numbers 29:35-36, we see one set of 7 lambs and one bull – 7 lambs signifying the union of the two sticks (‘and the two sticks shall become one in My Hand, says the Lord ( Eze. 37:19) . . . and the 1 bull signifying that ‘ the kingdoms of the earth have become the kingdom of our God’. (Rev. 11:15) So we see a picture of one restored house and one restored Kingdom.

On the 8th Day we see one bull and one set of 7 lambs . . . symbolizing completion.

On the eighth day after the birth of the male child there is ‘circumcision’ . . . the uncleanness is taken away. At the conclusion of each time period – 33 plus 7 days for the male child, 66 plus 14 (two sevens) for the female child – the mother presents the offerings – Lamb and the Dove – signifying the uncleanness has been taken away . . .

It is interesting in these short eight verses you can see the two houses of Jacob becoming the one restored House in the Father’s Hand through the atoning work of Messiah Yeshua

Before Israel went into the Land, preparing to keep the Passover, they were all ‘circumcised’ and the uncleanness was rolled away – Gilgal.

The first time the Hebrews went into the Land as Israel was at Passover.

The next time?

 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that they shall no longer say,`As the LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ <sup>8</sup> “but,`As the LORD lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.” (Jeremiah 23:7-8)

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua, for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. ¹¹ Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh . . . ¹² that at that time you were without Messiah, being aliens from the citizenship of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Messiah Yeshua, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. (Eph 2:8-13)

And The Lord will be King over all the earth. And all the nations must keep The Feast of Tabernacles.

 Shalom – R&J

Deuteronomy – Devarim – Moses, Joshua and Chips the War Dog

Huh ? There’s nothing in the Scriptures about a war dog or a Disney movie.  OK, well, just hang on a minute and we’ll explain.

The title ‘Devarim’ is both the Hebrew name for this 5^th book of the Bible, as well as the first Torah portion of that book. The title ‘Devarim’ comes from the Hebrew of the opening phrase ‘These the words’. ‘Deutoronomy’ is the English rendering of the Greek ‘deutoro nomos’/ ‘deutoronomion’ or ‘second law’. This is not literally a ‘second law’ but rather a ‘reminder or reciting or repeating of the law’. It is also referred to in Judaic circles as the Mishneh Torah or ‘repeating of the Torah’- not to be confused with Maimonides’ Mishnah Torah.

So what’s that got to do with an old Disney movie?

Well, for those that know the movie, the plot is about a young army recruit, an old trainer and a german shepherd that just can’t seem to ‘cut the muster’. But at the last minute, this ‘washed-out’ pooch is the only option and must pass the final test the next day. So all night long, the old trainer (he’s not allowed to go to the testing site with the other two) sits with the recruit and the dog, reminding them of all that they need to remember, going over and over their training one last time. Over and over the old trainer keeps saying, ‘ oh yeah, and this is the most important thing . . .’

Well, every time the book of Deutoronomy rolls around in the study cycle, that movie comes to mind. If you’ll allow us to make these analogies – The good ol’ pooch is Israel, the green recruit is Joshua and the old trainer ? Well, that would be Moses. And throughout the Book of Devarim,  Moses is reminding the people over and over of their training, and all that they need to remember as they head into the Promised Land the the battles ahead.  And just like the old trainer in the film, Moses is not allowed go to with them, so he is reminding them one last time.

There is much in the opening chapters (as well as through the rest of the book) that we need to remember. Things like “To you it was shown that you might know that YHVH, He is God; there is no other besides Him”; or “”Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that YHVH, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.” And don’t forget “When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days, you will return to YHVH your God and listen to His voice.”

But the one that stands out most for us begins in Deuteronomy 5:1, for this is the description of what we should understand and recognize as ‘The New Covenant’. What ? That’s right, The New Covenant. In verse two Moses states- ‘God made a covenant with us at Horeb . . . this is not the covenant He made with our fathers’. Why ? For this is the New Covenant. For the first and only time in history, The God of Creation enters into a covenant relationship with a nation He called out and formed. Up to this point, every covenant made by God has been with an individual or a couple; Adam & Eve, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, even Hagar and Ishmael. But now, God has formed a family and set up His new household with all the guidelines that are needed for and by this New family . . . the family promised to Abraham.

The English word ‘new’, in reference to ‘new commandment, new covenant or new testament, appears over a dozen times in the Apostolic Writings/New Testament, and only once is it the greek word for ‘new’ as in brand new, never existed before. It is the word ‘neos’, from which we get words like neo-natal. Every other instance uses the greek word ‘kainos’ which means to ‘renew, refurbish or make like new again’. That one instance for ‘brand new’ – neos – is in Hebrews 12:24 where it states ‘ Yeshua/Jesus is the mediator ( intercessor) of the NEW Covenant.

So what does that mean ? We are not going to presume to be able to give a comprehensive answer here, but to this one point we will speak. Yeshua is the intercessor of this New covenant given at Horeb, which is a type and shadow of Messiah and not the other way around. The blood of bulls and goats does not forgive sin, but rather an annual reminder of the sin (Hebrews 10:3) that would be dealt with at a point in the future by the Promised Messiah. But until that prophesied time and event would come,  the sincere obedience from a grateful heart – the circumcision of the heart – coupled with Yeshua’s/Jesus’ intercession (Job 16:19) looked forward to the ultimate reconciliation and atonement being made by the Promised Messiah, and all in the Father’s perfect timing. Abraham’s faith was reckoned unto him as righteousness. Abraham was saved the same way we all are – faith in the Word of God and the Blood of The Lamb of God – Messiah Yeshua. ‘For he (Abraham) looked forward to seeing My day’, said Yeshua.
The New Covenant ? Torah. The intercessor for this Covenant ? Yeshua, the Living Word.”

Meanwhile, back in the movie, Chips the wayward german shepherd finally ‘gets it’, and performs just as the old trainer had hoped. Under the tutelage of the ‘old trainer’ and the leadership and relationship with the ‘recruit-turned-soldier’, Chips is transformed into all he was meant to be.

The same can be true for all who are made part of the citizenship of Israel through the work of Messiah Yeshua on the cross. Being led by the Holy Spirit through the teachings of Moses, the Apostles and Prophets, and Yeshua Himself – the commander of the Hosts of Heaven – we can be transformed into all we were meant to be – for we were meant to be like Him and with Him.

For with the heart man believes, and with the mouth confesses that Yeshua/Jesus is Lord and that YHVH raised Him from the dead, and then you shall be saved. Time is short, and the ‘test’ could come sooner than you think. Are you ready?

Shalom – J & R