Fulfilling Torah Ministries

May 31,2014 Shabbat Bible Study

©2014 Mark Pitrone and Fulfilling Torah Ministries

Exodus 19:6b – 20:20 – Isaiah 61:1-10 – no Psalm – Hebrews 12:18-29

 

Shemoth 19.6- – It was the day of the 3^rd month’s new moon when Yisrael arrived at the foot of Mt. Horeb. In v.1, where the KJV says ‘In the 3^rd month’, the Hebrew is “BaChodesh haShlishi” – on the 3^rd renewal. There is no telling how long Moshe waited before going up the mountain, or how long he stayed before coming to Yisrael with Y’hovah’s instructions, so any precise dating must be inferred. In v.6b, Y’hovah told Moshe (in a Mark paraphrase), “Repeat after me…” Moshe gathered all the elders of Yisrael to hear what he had to say, I suppose in case he wouldn’t project over the whole people. It appears that all 2.5 million (or more) of them DID hear him, though, because as soon as he was finished speaking, they answered almost in unison, “What Y’hovah says is what we’ll do.” There’s nothing to suggest that any more time was needed for the elders to go to the people and return – they heard everything Moshe said, probably by means of another miraculous sign from Y’hovah. Moshe then went to deliver the people’s words to Y’hovah. Now, Moshe did not have to tell Y’hovah what the people said, for He knew already. But Moshe was the mediator of this Covenant, the mouthpiece for both Y’hovah and Yisrael. As such, it was his job to go to Y’hovah and report; and also to receive further instructions by which the people could prove themselves. (8)

The Chumash makes the point over and over again that Moshe only went up the mountain once a day, and always in the morning – that way they can make the giving of the Covenant on the timetable they acknowledge. Many of the Prushim rabbis say that Shavuoth is ALWAYS on 6 Sivan, 50 days after the 1^st day of unleavened bread. Therefore the date is known before Pesach even begins, and with the intercalated calendar it’s known YEARS in advance, and there is no need to count the omer. And then, take this year for an example – if we were to count the omer from the 16^th of the 1^st month (sunset of 15 April), Shavuoth would have been this coming 4^th day, sundown of 3Jun and day of 4Jun. But the day before is not a Shabbat, no matter who’s calendar you use. Even the lunar Sabbath keepers won’t have a sabbath until THURSDAY or Friday. But if you counted from the morrow after the weekly Shabbat during Chag haMatzoh, the end of your count of weeks ends on a shabbat and the next day is day 50 – Shavuoth, or Pentecost. And it’s more like the 8^th day of the 3^rd month (8Jun according to Gregory’s calendar).

Beginning in v.10 Y’hovah gave Moshe instructions for the people to follow; Moshe was to sanctify them for the 3^rd day following this one – set them apart, and that was to be done by washing their clothes, which might entail a mikvah, as well – though that is not said in the passage. Look at Rev.7.14

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation of John 7:14)

That they have washed their robes shows they were not the martyrs under the altar, for these have done something for Y’hovah since they received their robes. Rev. 6.11 says the martyrs were told to rest, not DO anything. Numbers 19.7-10 (red heifer) says;

7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even. 8 And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even. 9 And a man clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it a purification for sin. 10 And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.

So, clean and set-apart men perform a duty for the purification of the people that makes them unclean so they have to mikvah and remain unclean until the evening offering. And the ashes of the red heifer, used in the water of purification makes the clean unclean until even. Isn’t THAT a kick in the head? Those who have to wash their robes in Rev.7 must be doing something in service to Y’hovah and his body. There is no command to mikvah because they’re in Moshiach and are clothed by his righteousness. Their physical robes are defiled and need to be cleansed. These are the 144K in my view. I COULD be wrong.

But I doubt it!

Moshe is also to set-apart the mountain that neither the people nor the animals would touch it. The mountain was ‘on a smoke’ from the presence of Y’hovah on its summit, and the associated kavod of Y’hovah may have been enough to kill them had they touched the mountain. It’s as if Y’hovah is making the mountain acceptable for his bride, and he didn’t want them coming up and having the surprise spoiled for them all. He told Moshe not to allow any of the people to come near the mountain until they heard the lo-o-o-o-ong shofar blast. So Moshe went down the mountain and told the men Y’hovah’s Word and to not approach their wives intimately in order to maintain their purity. Q&C

 

Vv.16-25 – The 3^rd day after Moshe gave the command to set themselves apart and remain pure, they heard the shofar blast. Chumash says this was the left horn of the ram that substituted for Yitzhak and the right horn is being held in abeyance for Moshiach to blow on Yom Teruah some year soon. The shofar got louder as it went on. A human being runs out of air rather quickly and the volume trails off toward the end. This one got louder and LOUDER and LOUDER! This was not natural, but mystical. Moshe had to BRING the people out of their tents, because they were afraid of the presence of Y’hovah. The shofar blaring, the mountain turning volcanic, the earthquakes in the only Y’hovah knows what richter range had all conspired to put the fear of Y’hovah in them. Then they heard and understood the voice of Y’hovah calling Moshe up into the mountain, and Moshe talking to Y’hovah and he responding by a voice until Moshe made AliYah. They knew by this encounter with Y’hovah that Moshe was not a dude to mess with, not because HE was all that and a bag of chips, but because Y’hovah IS all that and a bag of chips. And HE has Moshe’s back.

Y’hovah told Moshe to make sure noone came near the mountain to gaze at Y’hovah, or they would perish. Even the priests, who performed service for Y’hovah were not allowed to come near the mountain – performance of service does not translate to familiarity or intimacy. Moshe meant that Yisrael had committed to obeying Y’hovah’s Words and doing what he said, so why worry about them? But Y’hovah knew them better than Moshe did. Who were these priests? Had there been a covenant made with cohanim already? We know that Aharon is Moshe’s prophet (Ex.7.1), and he would be the High Priest of the Covenant, but this says priests, plural. I think they were the bachor, the firstborn of Yisrael. The Levites were not appointed until AFTER the golden calf, some 40-50 days hence. Y’hovah said (in a Mark paraphrase); “Don’t argue with me, just do as you’re told. I know them a LOT better than you do!” Notice that Y’hovah speaks of Y’hovah in the 3^rd person. If I were referring to myself and said: “Well Mark isn’t doing such and so”, or “Mark has a handle on it,’ you’d think there was something wrong with me – and rightly so. It defies convention and smacks of egoism. Y’hovah isn’t bound by convention, nor is he an egoist. I think we have the risen Yeshua speaking to Moshe of Avinu. So Moshe went and did as he was told. He speaks to Yisrael for Y’hovah and tells them not to go near the mountain. He only needed to do this once, because when Y’hovah tells them the 10 Words, it was everything they could do to not soil their drawers. These people became intimate with abject terror this day. Q&C

 

20.1-6 – Cf. the opening sentences of the Chumash’s intro to the 10 commandments (pg.406). How long was the period of silence in rabbinic thought? Rev.8.1 says;

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. (Revelation of John 8:1)

Was Yochanan thinking of Ex.20 and the rabbinic commentaries? Or was he witnessing the revelation of Torah? He was in the spirit and not subject to time.

Chumash has v.2 as the 1^st commandment. I don’t see a commandment there. I see the enabling clause that all good law has. The enabling clause declares the lawgiver’s bona fides. In the Constitution for the united States of America it is;

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Since Y’hovah brought us up out of the land of Egypt and the house of bondage AND because we agreed to obey him, he has the power to make these commandments. The 1^st commandment is, “You shall have NO other Elohims before me.” Not all elohims are images, so there is a distinction between the 1^st 2 commands. Anything that we prize above Y’hovah in any way and at any time is an elohim to us. It may be (and often is) our own life. It may be (and often is) music. It may be (and often is) our family. It may be (and often is) our job. It may be (and often is) athletics or fitness. It may be (and often is) sex. Please notice that NONE of those things is intrinsically wicked, and, in fact, are positive GOODS in our lives. But, when we place these things, ideas or activities before Y’hovah, they are false elohims. Basically, we are religious creatures, and we are all guilty of idolatry at times. The 1^st commandment deals with the less pronounced and therefore the more dangerous form of idolatry – the secret or subliminal kind that noone else knows about that noone else sees (except Y’hovah). The words, ‘before me’, are al panaiy, ‘in my face’. This seems to mean we considered it and went ahead and did it anyway – that we KNOW it’s idolatry.

The 2^nd commandment is to not have graven images of any kind to bow down to. Is a photograph an image? Yes, it is. Do we worship the image? Some do, some don’t. If we do, we’d better be considering if we are actually in Moshiach. If we ARE in Moshiach, Ruach will witness to our idolatry and prompt us to eschew it by destroying the object of false worship and confessing the idolatry to Y’hovah. If we are not in Moshiach, there is no Ruach within us to witness to our spirits to run away from the false Elohim. This is the reason for Rav Sha’ul’s admonitions in 1Cor.11.28, 2Cor.13.5 and Rom.8.1-16

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (I Corinthians 11:28)

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Yeshua haMoshiach is in you, except ye be reprobates? (II Corinthians 13:5)

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Moshiach Yeshua, who walk not after the flesh, but after Ruach. 2 For the law of the Ruach of life in Moshiach Yeshua hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, Elohim sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after Ruach. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after Ruach the things of spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded, life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against Elohim: for it is not subject to the law of Elohim, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please Elohim. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in Ruach, if so be that the Ruach of Elohim dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Ruach of Moshiach, he is none of his. 10 And if Moshiach be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but Ruach is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Ruach of him that raised up Yeshua from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Moshiach from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Ruach that dwelleth in you.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through Ruach do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Ruach of Elohim, they are the sons of Elohim. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Ruach of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 Ruach itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of Elohim: (Rom.8.1-16)

Please notice the difference between the ‘law of sin and death’ in v.4 and the ‘law of Elohim’ in v.7. The law of Elohim is life and peace (v.6). There are 2 different laws at work in our bodies, as Paul lamented throughout Rom.7. Which of these laws we obey is our choice, and ours alone.

We need to be trained in this truth early, and we ought to train our children in this Way so that ‘when they are old’ they will ‘not depart from it’ (Prov.22.6). The reason is that Y’hovah DOES visit the sins of the fathers on the 3^rd and 4^th generation of them that hate (despise or don’t consider) him. We need to be watching our lives, that they are pleasing to Y’hovah. If we truly worship Y’hovah, we consider him in everything we do. Q&C

 

Vv.7-12 – What does it mean ‘take the Name of Y’hovah in vain’? Does it mean to use his Name; to speak it aloud? Well, No, it doesn’t; but, Yes, it does. Just to use his Name to speak to or about him is not using it vainly, for that describes a proper use of it. But to use his Name so much as to make it common CAN be a vain use. This is why Yehudism uses Hashem and Xianity uses LORD, to avoid a profane, or common, usage. So far I have used Y’hovah’s Name 42 times (including that one) in the 4 pages of notes I’ve gone over. More than 1.5% of the words I’ve used has been His Name. That is pretty frequent. But not one of those uses has been in any way improper. Every use has been to designate Him. Had I used his Name improperly in any of those instances, that would have constituted an improper or ‘vain’ use. But that isn’t the only use of Y’hovah’s Name that can be said to be vain.

When we are graffed into His Kingdom and become a part of His Commonwealth, we have been clothed in His Name, like a Bride is clothed in her husband’s name. When Deborah Miller was married to Mark Pitrone, she “took my name”. She is now a part of me. If she does something in my name to dishonor me or of which I do not approve, in that thing she has taken my name in vain. What does she do that is NOT in my name? She doesn’t call herself Deborah Miller anymore, but Deborah Pitrone. She represents me in everything she does, so what she does should reflect me, not her. In exactly that same way, I have taken the Name of Y’hovah on myself. Everything I do is supposed to reflect Him, not me. EVERYTHING I do as a member of his Commonwealth should be showing HIM forth, not me. What do I do that is NOT reflecting him? Whatever I may do that does not show HIM forth is a vain use of his Name. Do we recognize how OFTEN we take his Name in vain? Rather, do we realize how seldom we actually honor His Name in our lives? It ought to be very sobering to us. In light of how seldom we honor Y’hovah’s Name, do you see why the 5^th Commandment is one that reflects our relationship with Him even MORE so than it does our relationship with our human parents?

In light of the 3^rd commandment, look at Phil.2.4-13;

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let ^this mind^ [Mark edit – what he just said, as well as what he’s about to say] be in you, which was also in Moshiach Yeshua: 6 Who, being in the form of Elohim, thought it not robbery to be equal with Elohim: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the tree. 9 Wherefore Elohim also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth; 11 And every tongue should confess that [Mark edit – hoti meaning ‘in that’ or ‘because’] Yeshua haMoshiach is Y’hovah[1], to the glory of Elohim the Father.

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is Elohim which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

A secondary application of the 3^rd Commandment is that there are lots of people who think they will enter the Kingdom who will not.

7 every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. (Isaiah 43.7)

There are those who have taken Y’hovah’s name on themselves who are not called according to his purpose, they acted presumptuously. They were not formed by Y’hovah, but by acts of their own will. THAT, ultimately, is ‘taking His Name in vain.’

The 4^th commandment is the one most of us despised, meaning ‘thought vain or useless’, until just recently. When it prohibits ‘work’, does it mean any type of work? In physics, ‘work’ means any expenditure of energy toward a desired end. So, do I have to lay in bed all day, not even turning my body from one side to the other? Technically, that is work. Or is ‘work’ already defined for us in ch.16 – don’t do what you normally do to earn a living on Shabbat, which in ch.16 was to not go out to gather food or the stuff to prepare it? I think that’s the point of the command. We set the Shabbat apart by trusting Y’hovah’s provision from our 6 days of work and not pursuing that work on Shabbat. Yeshua and his Talmidim illustrated this by walking by a grain field, gleaning from the corners of the field, rubbing the outer husk off the grain and eating the grain. They were all from some other occupation than farming. I would suppose that a farmer could go fishing on Shabbat, since these fishermen were gleaning grain on Shabbat, see? The Prushim didn’t get that, and condemned the Talmidim. Yeshua said they hadn’t done anything wrong. So whom do you trust in this case, the Prushim, or Yeshua?

Now think of it’s position between the 3^rd and 5^th commandments and see how they are all speaking of the same honor of Y’hovah, which is related to the 1^st 2 commandments to not have false elohim before Y’hovah, or ‘in his face’. The 1^st 5 commandments speak directly to our relationship to Avinu in Moshiach, from the most general (1^st –outline point I.) to the specific (2^nd-5^th – outline points A-D.). These reflect our love for Avinu, as the 2^nd 5 reflect our love for our neighbors. Q&C

 

Vv.13-20 – The 2^nd greatest commandment is detailed in the 2^nd 5 commandments. The 6^th commandment is to do no murder. KJV has kill, but in the day, ‘kill’ meant to murder. To this day, murder is the first entry as a synonym for kill in my thesaurus, so to take someone’s life in a vicious and premeditated fashion is to murder them. And the sentence for one found guilty of murder is death. That manslaughter, or unpremeditated or inadvertent taking of a human life, is different from murder is recognized in Torah by the creation of 6 cities of refuge within an easy trip of anywhere in Israel. One who kills another without intent could run there and await investigation of the act that led to the other man’s death. In Num.35, where the instruction for the CoR is given, the word ratsach, the same one used in the 6^th commandment for kill, is translated murderer at least 11 times and manslayer 7-8 more. Intent is the issue. Even if the manslayer is found not guilty of murder, he MUST stay in that city of refuge until the death of the then-sitting high priest. If I remember correctly (and if Wikipedia is right), in the time between the Exodus and the destruction of the Temple, a period of 889 years, there were only 17-23 high priests (depending on whose list you use). So the average length of a high priesthood was between 38 and 52 years. I think, and I really could be wrong about this, that they trained every son or Aharon from his 20^th year to be high priest until his 30^th year. Then, when the sitting priest died, the YOUNGEST fully trained person would take the office. Even at that, a high priest dying early would live to between 70-80 before he croaked. A manslayer would have to stay in the CoR for quite some time to avoid the avenger of blood. He should have been more careful of those around him, eh?

The 7^th commandment is ‘no adultery’. A married person is not to lie with a person other than his or her spouse. Period. Adultery is likened throughout scripture to idolatry, going after strange Elohims. No other Elohims, no other sexual partners. Commandment 7 is to interpersonal relationships what commandments 1-5 are to our relationship to Moshiach. Enough said.

The 8^th commandment is no theft. This one corresponds to the 4^th commandment, because when we perform our regular work on Shabbat we are effectively trying to steal time from Y’hovah for the purpose of providing more for ourselves, thereby not trusting Him to do what he’s promised. There are exceptions to the rule, like life saving or sustaining work; doctors, nurses and such preserving life. But these are exceptions to preserve a life. So a surgeon should not be scheduling surgery for a Shabbat, though emergencies do happen.

The 9^th commandment is to not bear false witness, which directly correlates to the 3^rd commandment, not taking his Name in vain. When we take His Name upon us and then act as if we were free-agents and his Name is really of no importance, we have borne false witness and taken his Name in vain.

The 10^th commandment is to not covet. This one can get really involved, but there are basically 2 ways we can covet. We can covet what others have; like wealth, power or influence. Or we can covet what we already own and don’t want to live without; like wealth, power or influence. When Yeshua dealt with the ‘rich young ruler’ (I think it was Sha’ul of Tarsus), this was the key to the passage. In Mark 10 we see this;

17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18 And Yeshua said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none good but one, Elohim. 19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21 Then Yeshua beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. (Mark 10.17-22)

Yeshua left out, ‘Do not covet’, because he knew this guy’s problem was lust for what he had, same as Rav Sha’ul in Rom.7;

What shall we say then? Is the law [Torah] sin? Elohim forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law [Torah]: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. (Romans 7:7)

It truly was hard for Sha’ul to ‘kick against the pricks’. His covetousness of his position in Judaism was, I THINK[2], the REAL thorn in his flesh that he requested be removed from him;

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (II Corinthians 12:7)

The thorn in Paul’s flesh was not a physical problem, like near-sightedness; it was spiritual and threatened his relationship to Mashiach every day. He dealt with it all his life;

O, wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Romans 7:24)

Mashiach will, Rav Sha’ul. Mashiach will. That’s his job. And he’s VERY good at it.

I think the 10^th commandment is the catch-all, because it is the ROOT cause of all the others. It is covetousness that is the root of our idolatry, because our most pernicious idol is our selves. We think haSatan is wicked because he wants to be like El Shaddai, but we are every bit as guilty as he. If we didn’t think of ourselves as the most precious thing in Creation, we wouldn’t be tempted to get what isn’t ours by right – which really amounts to nothing. We have nothing by right, not even the breath we’re taking right now. It is ours as a gift from El Shaddai Y’hovah. The gift is not anything for us to covet, and if it is taken back, we need to glorify Elohim for having had it as long as we did. Q&C

 

YeshaYahu 61.1-4 – Ps.61 is Mashiach speaking. The word translated ‘anointed’ is H 4886, mashach. If we add the right hand of Y’hovah as a middle syllable (the letter yod), we spell Mashiach. V. 1 names 5 different ways Moshiach delivers; preaches good tidings to the meek, binds up the broken-hearted, gives sight to the blind (LXX & Lk.4.18), proclaims liberty (Torah) to captives, opens the prison of the bound by proclaiming the acceptable year of Y’hovah. All these are spiritual conditions and the remedies were done in spiritual metaphor by Moshiach Yeshua when he visited us. When he performed his miracles, he was USUALLY fulfilling one of these prophecies of Mashiach. I think the reason the 3^rd condition he met was removed from the MT was to remove the thing that was unmistakably something that only Mashiach could do – give sight to those who are born blind; In Jn.9, we see;

16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of Elohim, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. 17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. [Prushim divided]

24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give Elohim the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. 25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

(The Jews, i.e.; the political leaders of the religion said,)29 We know that Elohim spake unto Moshe: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. 30 The man answered and said unto them [Mark edit – and the uneducated blind man taught the Jews], Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 31 Now we know that Elohim heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of Elohim, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33 If this man were not of Elohim, he could do nothing.

Talk about cut to the quick! Have you ever seen a ‘pro’ wrestling match and what they call a ‘pile-driver’? That’s what this guy just did to the Jews – the political leaders of the Hebrew religion. That phrase in Is.61.1 – recovery of sight to the blind – had to go, or their political positions would wither up and die. This was an unmistakable work of Y’hovah and his Mashiach.

V.2 contains a gap of roughly 2000 years. Yeshua proclaimed the acceptable year of Y’hovah, but not the day of the vengeance of Elohim. It is likely that had the leaders of the religion accepted him as Mashiach ben Yoseph, the day of Elohim’s vengeance would have come immediately following his resurrection as Mashiach ben David. What would the proclamation of the day of vengeance have done? We’re told in vv.2c-the end of the chapter what it will do, so I assume it would have been done had there been acceptance then. It will 1) comfort all who mourn and appoint unto us, 2) beauty for our dust and ashes; 3) the oil of Joy for our mourning, 4) a garment of Praise for our heavy spirits so that we might be called 5) Aylay haTzedek – elms of righteousness and 6) the planting in which Y’hovah glories. I say we and us because we will go through a time of great heaviness and mourning before we overcome through to Y’hovah’s Messianic Kingdom. Keep that in mind when the persecution comes. Endure it until the end of either your life or the time of Ya’acov’s Trouble, and you shall be an overcomer and a part of his Bride.

Those who overcome SHALL build the old wastes, raise up the old desolations, repair the waste cities and the desolations of MANY generations. Do you see why the people at the synagogue in Natzreth got angry when he quit in the middle of v.2? They wanted all the good stuff without any of the bad stuff, the delivery of the physical NOW, not the spiritual. They wanted what they could see with their eyes and touch with their hands, not just what they would merely know in their hearts and minds. Q&C

 

Vv.5-11 – Follows my notes from this section from LAST week (?):

61:6-10 – Y’hovah is going to find a way to make us Priests and Ministers for his Kingdom. In Ezekiel 40-48, the sons of Zadok are the ones who offer the freewill offerings while the Levites serve in the Temple. Speculation Warning! Maybe the resurrected saints will be the ‘sons of Zadok’ in the Kingdom. In v.5, we see the stranger (H2114, zuhr, one who turns aside to lodge) feeding our flocks and the alien (H5236, nekar, foreign) plowing our fields and dressing our vines, perhaps to free us to perform Y’hovah’s service in v.6. When it says we will eat the ‘riches’ of the gentiles, I don’t think it has the aspect of oppression, but that they will (at least at first) gladly make their offerings to Y’hovah, which we, as his reconciled Kingdom of priests, and the Levites will freely eat. If true, we will be in our resurrected bodies in the Kingdom, we will not have wrong motives in accepting the offerings of the zuhr and the nekar. But since they (aliens) are in their fallen physical bodies, they may perceive it as oppression, and you can bet your bottom dollar that after haSatan is released from his chains during that last few months or year of the Kingdom he will be playing the oppression card to the hilt. It will probably be one tool he will use to foment the final Gog uMagog rebellion.

 

In v.7 the Priests will receive double for the trouble endured in their fallen flesh.

And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of Y’hovah, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for Y’hovah hath blessed his people; and that Y’hovah hath blessed his people, and that which is left is this great store. (II Chronicles 31:10)

V.8 shows what I mean by them NOT being oppressive, like Azariah the son of Zadok explained to Hezekiah in 2Chr.31.10, for Y’hovah HATES robbery for burnt offering. Zadok = Tzadik and Moshiach is our Tzadik. The priests, at the end of both the Judges and Yehuda’s kingdom time were being oppressive in their exactions for offerings.

2. 27 And there came a man of Elohim unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith Y’hovah, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’ house? 28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel? 29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people? 30 Wherefore Y’hovah Elohim of Israel saith, I said indeed thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now Y’hovah saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’ house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house. 32 And thou shalt see an enemy habitation, in all which shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house forever. 33 And the man of thine, I shall not cut off from mine altar, to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age. 34 And this a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Pinchas; in one day they shall die both of them. 35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, shall do according to which in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before my Moshiach for ever. (1Sam.2.27-35)

Zadok was that faithful Aharonic priest. Oppression will NOT happen with us in the Messianic Kingdom, as the sons of Zadok will officiate. Since the priest will not be taking more than Y’hovah requires, as some Aharonic priests did in the flesh, the people will have more of their own than they did under the priesthood of the earthly kingdom. The priests in the Millennial/Messianic Kingdom will be righteous judges and accept from the people only what is due Y’hovah or the people’s freewill offerings. And in v.9, the people will recognize the righteousness of the Priests, the sons of Zadok, who serve before Moshiach and execute his judgments, commandments, ordinances and statutes. I think v.10 ices the speculation that the priests are resurrected saints. These priests are clothed in garments of salvation, covered with robes of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks his bride with ornaments and as the bride gives her dowry of precious gems to her husband, as we will cast our crowns at Moshiach’s feet. Q&C

 

Heb.12.18-29 – Remember our Torah passage, where Moshe was told to ensure that noone came to even just touch the mount, or they would be snuffed out? Well the mount we come to is NOT that mount that Y’hovah says we can’t touch. Actually, I don’t think it was the mountain that was the problem, but the people who would be unworthy to touch it while Y’hovah was on its peak, because Y’hovah knew their hearts, that they were no more worthy of touching such hallowed ground than we are in our own right. The difference between them and us is not our human hearts, but our trust in Y’hovah and His Moshiach. The people at the feet of Sinai proved their unworthiness to touch the mount by being unable to endure even the trump of Y’hovah, much less his voice.

The Beast system will offer us the ‘Esau Test’ (vv.16-17). They will offer to feed you in exchange for your willing obedience and the sale of your birthright [your place in Moshiach]. Only AFTER you’ve chosen NOT to sell your birthright will you come to THE Mount Zion and the kahal of the bachor. We come to THE Mount Zion and the New Jerusalem, the city of Elohim haChaim with an innumerable company of angels, so many saints of El Shaddai that they can’t be counted. This gathering of saints, messengers of Y’hovah, is called the kahal of the firstborn – Ephraimites. Remember, Ephraim is Ya’acov’s bachor.

V.24 speaks of the difference between Yeshua’s and Abel’s blood. Abel’s very blood cried out

And he [Y’hovah] said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’ blood crieth unto me from the ground. (Genesis 4:10)

If Cain could not escape when he turned away from his brother’s blood that he’d poured out on the ground and that was crying out for vengeance, how will we escape if we turn away from the blood poured out before Y’hovah in the heavenly sanctuary that is crying out for our forgiveness? Remember – ALWAYS remember that the book of Hebrews was written to a group of Jewish priest who were believers in Moshiach (Acts 6.7) who were thinking of going back to the Yom Kippur sacrificial service. The whole book is dealing with this issue. In ch.10, they were told that there is no more sacrifice for sins – Yom Kippur language is used throughout ch.10. He has now come to the icing on the cake – Yeshua’s blood is asking for our forgiveness, and if we turn our backs on it, as Cain had callously done to Abel’s blood that was crying out for vengeance, what chance will we have of inheriting the life supplied by it?

He that speaks in v.25-27 is Yeshua, who spoke from Sinai as the earth quaked and the mount was on a smoke, with thunder and lightning. Now when he speaks it will shake not just the earth, but the very heavens, as well. This sounds like 2Peter3

7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with Y’hovah as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 Y’hovah is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of Y’hovah will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 [T]hen all these things shall be dissolved, what manner ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of Elohim, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Vv.26-29 speak of the destruction of the heavens and the earth and the Creation of New heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness and a Kingdom that cannot be moved because Yhwh will live there among his people. I think the author of Hebrews had a glimpse of the end of the Messianic Kingdom era and the New Creation. Q&C

 

End of Shabbat Bible Study

 

[1] Cf. AENT Appendix, “Mashiach Yeshua is Y’HOVAH”, pg.900

[2] An italicized I think denotes a surmise or an educated guess. The author COULD be wrong … but he DOUBTS it!