3rd Tithe Year Aviv 2022-Aviv 2023

Joseph F. Dumond

Isa 6:9-12 And He said, Go, and tell this people, You hear indeed, but do not understand; and seeing you see, but do not know. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn back, and be healed. Then I said, Lord, how long? And He answered, Until the cities are wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land laid waste, a desolation, and until Jehovah has moved men far away, and the desolation in the midst of the land is great.
Published: Mar 11, 2022

News Letter 5858-002
The 6th Year of the 4th Sabbatical Cycle The 3rd Tithe Year
The 27th year of the 120th Jubilee Cycle
The 8th day of the 1st month 5858 years after the creation of Adam
The 4th Sabbatical Cycle after the 119th Jubilee Cycle
The Sabbatical Cycle of Sword, Famines, and Pestilence
1646 Days until the Two Witnesses
653 Days into the 2300 Days Started May 31st, 2020

March 12, 2022

Shabbat Shalom Royal Family of Yehovah,


Shabbat Zoom Meeting

There are many people in need of fellowship and who are sitting at home on the Sabbath with no one to talk to or debate with. I want to encourage all of you to join us on Shabbat, and to invite others to come and join us as well. If the time is not convenient then you can listen to the teaching and the midrash after on our YouTube channel.

What are we doing and why do we teach this way?

We are going to discuss both sides of an issue and then let you choose. It is the work of the Ruach (Spirit) to direct and to teach you.

The medieval commentator Rashi wrote that the Hebrew word for wrestle (avek) implies that Jacob was “tied”, for the same word is used to describe knotted fringes in a Jewish prayer shawl, the tzitzityot. Rashi says, “thus is the manner of two people who struggle to overthrow each other, that one embraces the other and knots him with his arms”.

Our intellectual wrestling has been replaced by a different kind of struggle. We are Wrestling with Yehovah as we grapple with His Word. It is an intimate act, symbolizing a relationship in which Yehovah and I and you are bound together. My wrestling is a struggle to discover what Yehovah expects of us, and we are “tied” to the One who assists us in that struggle.

Today, many say Israel means “Champion of God”, or better — the “Wrestler of God”.

Our Torah sessions each Shabbat teach you and encourage you to constantly challenge, question, argue against, as well as view alternative views and explanations of the Word. In other words, we are to “wrestle with the Word” to get to the truth. Jews worldwide believe that you need to wrestle with the Word and constantly challenge Dogma, Theology, and views or else you will never get to the Truth.

We are not like most churches where “The preacher talks and everyone listens.” We encourage everyone to participate, to question and to contribute what they know on the subject being discussed. We want you to be a champion wrestler of the Word of Yehovah. We want you to wear the title of Israel, knowing that you not only know but are capable to explain why you know the Torah to be true with logic and facts.

We have a few rules though. Let others talk and listen. There is no discussion about UFO’s Nephilim, Vaccines or conspiracy-type subjects. We have people from around the world with different world views. Not everyone cares who is the President of any particular country. Treat each other with respect as Fellow wrestlers of the word. Some of our subjects are hard to understand and require you to be mature and if you do not know, then listen to gain knowledge and understanding and hopefully wisdom. The very things you are commanded to ask Yehovah for and He gives to those who ask.

Jas 1:5  But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and with no reproach, and it shall be given to him.

We hope you can invite those who want to keep Torah to come and join us by hitting the link below. It is almost like a Torah teaching fellowship talk show with people from around the world taking part and sharing their insights and understandings.

We start off with some music and then some prayers and it’s as though you were sitting around the kitchen back in Newfoundland having a cup of coffee and all of us enjoying each other’s company. I hope you will grace us with your company someday.

Sabbath March 12,  2022, the room will be open at 12:30 PM Eastern with singing and prayers until about 1:15 PM. You are all welcome to join and watch. It is not recorded. We will have our afternoon service after this. You are welcome to come and join us before during and after we are off the air.

We look forward to you joining our family and getting to know us as we get to know you.

Joseph Dumond is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Joseph Dumond’s Personal Meeting Room
Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3505855877

Meeting ID: 350 585 5877
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,3505855877# US (Germantown)
+13126266799,,3505855877# US (Chicago)

Dial by your location
+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

Meeting ID: 350 585 5877
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kctjNqPYv0


Septennial Torah Portion

If you go to Torah Portion at our archived section, you can then go to the 5th year which is the 5th year of the Sabbatical Cycle, the one we are in now, as we state at the top of every News Letter. There you can scroll down to March 12, 2022, and see that this Shabbat we could very well be midrashing about

Exodus 31

Isaiah 59-62

Proverbs 2

Acts 1

If you missed last week’s exciting discoveries as we studied that section you can go and watch past Shabbats on our media section.


COVID

It was just 2 years ago when WHO declared a worldwide pandemic on Passover on March 11, 2020. This past Sunday, March 6, 2022, two years after COVID first came on the world scene, worldwide deaths from the disease have just peaked at 6,001,907.  The richest, most wealthiest nation in the world, the one with the most advanced medical resources, and all the advanced tech know how in the world, THE USA, has almost 1/6th of all deaths at 958,890.

Because I believe in Yehovah and understand there are curses for disobedience, I know this was and still is a plague against the USA. Those plagues can be read in Leviticus 26 and in Deuteronomy 28.

Yehovah promised to do the following for us if we obeyed.

 

Deu 28:1  And it will be, if you shall listen carefully to the voice of Jehovah your God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command you today, Jehovah your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth.

Deu 28:13  And Jehovah shall make you the head, and not the tail. And you shall be always above, and you shall not be beneath, if you listen to the commandments of Jehovah your God, which I command you today, to observe and to do them.

But we did not obey. So, now Yehovah warned us He was going to then do this to us.

Deu 28:43  The stranger within you shall get up above you very high, and you shall come down very low.

Deu 28:44  He shall loan to you, and you shall not loan to him. He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.

Deu 28:45  And all these curses shall come on you, and shall pursue you and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not listen to the voice of Jehovah your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you.

Deu 28:46  And they shall be on you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed forever.

Deu 28:47  Because you did not serve Jehovah your God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things;

Deu 28:48  therefore you shall serve your enemies which Jehovah shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in the lack of all things. And he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.

Now you may be wondering how this is going to come about. The USA Dollar is supreme. The USA tells the SWIFT who to squeeze and who to kick out as the west just did with Russia.

Let me now share with you something that the west may not have seen coming, or maybe you have not considered. I cannot find a legitimate source for this quote. But it is on all those alternative sites which I abhor.

Vladimir Putin didn’t just invade the Ukraine on 24/02/2022, he officially ended the petrodollar system. How? Remember, Russians don’t do anything without a plan. They & China have been prepping for this moment for years & are now ready:

Russia has stated NATO expansion into Ukraine was a red line.

-They knew their invasion of Ukraine would be inevitable and would have strategized that the US/West’s response would be SWIFT $ system exclusions/sanctions.

-Reasonable to expect that Russia’s next step would have been to shut off oil/gas pipelines to Europe, as Russia has built up huge Yuan, gold & commodity reserves.

-This will cause massive price and supply disruptions (war level) to the western markets & monetary system.

– For years Russia & China have looked for ways to re-monetize gold & exit abuses of SWIFT system as a geo-political tool against them, but how to do it, how to exit, without West declaring it an act of aggression or war against West?

– This Ukraine invasion just accomplished that end for them. And the West is doing it themselves.

-Now, freed to declare themselves SWIFT system outcasts by the western govt hands, Russia can now say “we will turn oil pipelines back on, but not for dollars.”

– Russia then declares that Europe or anyone that wants Russian oil (as 3rd largest global producer) or Russian/Ukrainian wheat (1/4 of worlds production) must pay in gold, or use the ruble-yuan gold backed payment system.

– Their leverage as an oil producer (who cuts off supply) will cause almost immediate price shocks to the western world. A good part of the population could immediately be unable to heat their homes.

– Almost equal to the oil shock they’d cause is their ability to cause food shortages and price spikes through the disruption of wheat production.

-Unmentioned in all this is China. Who has been silent & not condemned Russia. That means silent approval & cooperation.

– China will act to soak up Russian production of oil and wheat to soften the blow to their “strategic partner”.

– This will again be through the Yuan-Ruble facility and at some point overtly-stated gold backing of that system by Russia and China.

– The West will of course declare those last two bullets as acts of global aggression and direct threats to the “world monetary system”.

– At this point that there will be a clear fracture of the world’s monetary system into 2 competing East/West structures, circling back to the initial point that the 50 year global petrodollar system has just officially been ended by Putin.

If the above analysis is indeed correct, then the threat 2 the petro – $ is no different 2 the time of Charles De Gaulle or Gaddafi, but on larger scale. They can’t remove Putin as easy as they did with previous leaders who challenged their fraudulent petro dollar monetary system.

Here is a reputable source that says China is considering partnering with Russia Gazprom.

China considers buying stakes in Russian energy, commodity firms

Any deal would be to bolster China’s imports as it intensifies its focus on energy and food security — not as a show of support for Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, sources said

Russian Banks Turn to China to Sidestep Cutoff From Payments Systems

Russian banks that have been cut off from global payments networks are turning to China’s state-owned UnionPay system as the country tries to sidestep boycotts by Western businesses for its invasion of Ukraine.


I would like to share an article from a few years ago as you approach Passover next week.

The Greatest Question

This week I was asked the greatest question about a scripture I have not paid much attention to.

Eileen Espinosa wrote me the following question this week. Let me tell you about Eileen and her husband. They came to the Feast in Falls Creek Falls when we recorded all those video teachings. Many people came up to me and wanted to talk to me. I could not remember names the first couple of days. About the 3rd or 4th day I saw this family at one of the group meals and I did not know them so I went over and began to talk to them.  It was general talk and then after a few minutes, like maybe 20 I clued in as to who this very quiet couple were.

They were one of our early supporters and I did not put two and two together. Eileen has written me many times with many questions and never included her email address. But this week she hit the gold mine of questions and just had my head spinning and then me jumping up and down in joy. JUST WOW.

Again now let me update those of you who may not know why this is so great a question.

We have been teaching about the Saints who came back to life on wave sheaf day when Yeshua came out of the Grave and led a host of Saints with Him. We then go on to explain how this is going to happen again at Shavuot in 2033.

Mat 27:50  And crying again with a loud voice, Jesus released His spirit. And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were sheared, and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose, and coming out of the tomb after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Hello, Joe!

Could this “young man” in be one of the resurrected saints from Matt 27:52-53?

Mark 16:5  As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

“Young man” is also found in these scriptures, so he seems to be a human and not a heavenly messenger:

Here is what Mark 16:5 says

Mar 16:5  And entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right, clothed in a long white garment. And they were frightened. And he said to them, Do not be frightened. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen, He is not here. Behold the place where they laid Him.  But go tell His disciples and Peter that He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see Him, as He said to you. And they went out quickly and fled from the tomb. For they trembled and were amazed. Neither did they say anything to anyone, for they were afraid.

The word for young man is G3495 and means a young man under the age of 40. IT does not say He was an angel but a young man. A MAN NOT AN ANGEL!!!!! And that this man was clothed in white clothing. The women were afraid because they saw a “ghost”. So here right in Mark is evidence of one of the Saints coming back to life and was given a white Robe after coming back to life from the grave. It was a Man after all and not an angel.

In Mathew, it says an Angel sat on the stone that was rolled away.

Mat 28:1  But late in the week, at the dawning into the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, a great earthquake occurred! For coming down from Heaven, and coming up, an angel of the Lord rolled back the stone from the door and was sitting on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And the keepers shook for fear of him and became like dead men. And the angel answered and said to the women, Do not fear, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

Then in Luke, we are told that there were two men in shining robes.

Luk 24:1  And on the first of the sabbaths, while still very early, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. And going in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And as they were much perplexed about it, it happened that, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. And as they were afraid, and bowed their faces down to the earth, they said to them, Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,  saying, The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again? And they remembered His words and returned from the tomb and told all these things to the Eleven and to the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and the rest with them, who told these things to the apostles. And their words seemed to them like foolishness, and they did not believe them. And Peter arose and ran to the tomb, and stooping down he saw the linens lying alone. And he went away wondering to himself at what had happened.

Go ahead and look up the word for man. It is not an angel!

Then when we look at John, he says there were two angels.

Joh 20:1  The first of the sabbaths Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, darkness still being on it, and she saw the stone taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him. Therefore Peter and that other disciple went forth and came to the tomb. So they both ran together. And the other disciple outran Peter and came first to the tomb. And stooping down he saw the linens lying, yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb. And he saw the linens lying there. And the grave-cloth that was on His head was not lying with the linens, but was wrapped up in one place by itself. Therefore, then, that other disciple also went in, the one who came first to the tomb. And he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to themselves.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

But Mary stood outside of the tomb, weeping. And as she wept, she stooped down into the tomb.  And she saw two angels in white sitting there, the one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they said to her, Woman, why do you weep? She said to them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him. And when she had said this, she turned backward and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, Woman, why do you weep? Whom do you seek? Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, Sir, if you have carried Him away from here, tell me where you have laid Him and I will take Him away. Jesus said to her, Mary! She turned herself and said to Him, Rabboni! (which is to say, Master!) Jesus said to her, Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, I ascend to My Father and Your Father, and to My God and your God.  Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had spoken these things to her.

So now you can decide. Was it Angels or men that were in the Tomb and spoke with the women?

Here is what revelation says about the white robes.

Rev 6:9  And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, Until when, Master, holy and true, do You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? And white robes were given to each one of them. And it was said to them that they should rest yet for a little time, until both their fellow servants and their brothers (those about to be killed as they were ) should have their number made complete.

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

Rev 7:9  After these things I looked, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palms in their hands. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb. And all the angels stood around the throne, and the elders, and the four living creatures, and they fell before the throne on their faces and worshiped God, saying, Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying to me, Who are these who are arrayed in white robes, and from where do they come? And I said to him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are the ones who came out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes, and have whitened them in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple. And He sitting on the throne will dwell among them. They will not hunger any more, nor thirst any more, nor will the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will feed them and will lead them to the fountains of living waters. And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.

This is what the Barley represented. It represented the Saints that would be raised from the grave on Wave Sheaf Day that same Sunday Yehshua rose and went to Heaven at 9 AM. This is so awesome and so amazing and we have here written records of MEN wearing white garments and, and, AND……

If you understand this then you will understand what the meaning of the next Wave Offering is that takes place at Shavuot when the First Fruits again will be offered up. I get so excited about this understanding. It is so amazing.


Taking Care of the Widows and Orphans

I wanted to let you all know that I have asked Dean & Patty Heckathorn along with Rose Treasure to help us serve our Widows and Orphans this upcoming year. 

In the past, I have told you what to do and I did my own thing myself. I did not and do not want to be the go-between you helping the widows and them receiving your help. I did not want to be a bank or exchange. I just do not have the time nor did I want to be responsible if the money got lost and did not get forwarded on. I left that up to each individual. But by doing this some have not been blessed.

But this is an important subject and we all need help to make sure it is done. And to ensure it is done equitably there is a need for sightedmoon.com to become involved. Donations sent to sightedmoon.com marked for the widows and orphans will be set aside for that purpose and then distributed amongst them all evenly. This way the first name on the list does not get all the funds from those just picking a name from a list. But each widow or orphanage must be registered with Rose.

At the same time, this will also protect the widows from having to declare their status over and over to strangers and sharing their information publicly. 

With the help of Dean, Patty, and Rose, we are here to assist you and we are going to do this together.

You can speak with myself or Dean Heckathorn at keystonegsd@cimtel.net or admin@sightedmoon.com

We want to take care of the widows and orphans that are part of our Shabbat services. You can still help those in your immediate family as well. I also want to ask those who are widows and anyone raising orphans to allow us to do this for them. I know you might not want to be reminded of the loss you have suffered, but we ask you to allow us to obey Yehovah’s commandments through you.


Are you Keeping the Third Tithe Year?

We have now begun the 1st month.  I want to remind and ask you all, just how many of you have remembered the widows and the orphans this year thus far?

2022 is the 6th year of the Jubilee cycle. And anyone who has been reading our website for any time will know how to prove beyond all doubt when the Sabbatical and Jubilee years are. Once you have done that then you will know when the 3rd and the 6th year of the Sabbatical Cycles are.

Deu 14:28  At the end of three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase the same year, and shall lay it up inside your gates. And the Levite, because he has no part nor inheritance with you, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are inside your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied, so that Jehovah your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

It is almost a guarantee that some smart as_ or should I say some clever person who does not want to obey Yehovah will write to me and say this is only speaking of the produce of the land. You are only to tithe of the produce that you grow. Since I am not a farmer I do not have to tithe.

So what they are saying is that only the farmers have to tithe, is that right?

Not one of these people has ever sent me ten bales of hay for every hundred they bailed. Nor have I ever received five bushels of tomatoes for the fifty they harvested. In fact, they never send me a tithe of their produce. They just send me their excuses for why they will not obey.

Let me say here right now, I have never considered myself or this ministry to be a Levitical priesthood. I have never considered it worthy of tithing to. Only the Levite is be given the tithes and they are given that tithe in order for them to maintain the Temple. We have no Temple today and we have no priesthood so you should not be tithing. But at sightedmoon.com we have expenses and goals and other ministries we are supporting in the Philippines and Africa and maybe soon India and Pakistan. So we do accept your donations to help do the work we are doing here. Recently we changed our position and said we are a legitimate source to tithe to as we are teaching you the Torah so that you can learn the laws of the Kingdom.

I also remember one year I brought my First Fruits offering to a local synagogue and presented it in front of the congregation. It was rhubarb and Asparagus. This was the only First Fruits I had at that time when Pentecost arrived that year. Everyone watching was wondering what was going on and the Rabbi also did not know what to think. But I presented my First Fruits offering as I was commanded.

What does this word “increase” mean?

H8393   (Brown-Driver-Briggs)   hawbt  tebu?’a?h

BDB Definition:

1) produce, product, revenue

1a) product, yield, crops (of the earth usually)

1b) income, revenue

1c) gain (of wisdom) (figuratively)

1d) product of lips (figuratively)

Part of Speech: noun feminine

A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H935

H8393   (KJC)   hawbt  tebu?’a?h

Total KJV Occurrences: 42

increase, 23

Lev 19:24-25 (2), Lev 25:7, Lev 25:12, Lev 25:20, Num 18:30 (2), Deu 14:22, Deu 14:28, Deu 16:15, Deu 26:12, 2Ch 31:5, 2Ch 32:28, Neh 9:37, Job 31:12, Psa 107:37, Pro 3:9, Pro 14:4, Pro 18:20, Ecc 5:10, Isa 30:23, Jer 2:3, Eze 48:18

fruit, 7

Lev 23:39, Lev 25:3, Lev 25:21-22 (2), Deu 22:9, Jos 5:12, Pro 10:16

fruits, 6

Exo 23:10, Lev 25:15-16 (2), Lev 25:22, Deu 33:14, 2Ki 8:6

revenues, 3

Pro 15:6 (2), Pro 16:8, Jer 12:13

revenue, 2

Pro 8:19, Isa 23:3

gain, 1

Pro 3:14

H8393   (Strong)  hawbt  tebu?’a?h  teb-oo-aw’

From H935; income, that is, produce (literally or figuratively): – fruit, gain, increase, revenue.

Total KJV occurrences: 42

As you can see from the scriptures below the same word Tebuah can and does also mean revenue.

Proverbs 15:6  In the house of the righteous is much treasure; But in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.

Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice.

Jer 12:13 (Darby)  They have sown wheat, and they reap thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and do not profit. Be ye therefore ashamed of your revenues, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah.

Proverb 8:19

(ASV)  My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; And my revenue than choice silver.

(BBE)  My fruit is better than gold, even than the best gold; and my increase is more to be desired than silver.

(Brenton)  It is better to have my fruit than to have gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.

(CEV)  What you receive from me is more valuable than even the finest gold or the purest silver.

(Darby)  My fruit is better than fine gold, yea, than pure gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

(DRB)  For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.

(ERV)  What I give is better than fine gold. What I produce is better than pure silver.

(ESV)  My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.

(ESV+)  My fruit is ?R16?better than ?R17?gold, even fine gold, and my yield than ?R18?choice silver.

(GNB)  What you get from me is better than the finest gold, better than the purest silver.

(Greek NT INT+)

(GW)  What I produce is better than gold, pure gold. What I yield is better than fine silver.

On my E-sword program, I am able to now pull up the Ancient Paleo Hebrew and for this word Tebuah which is as follows.

H7620   (Ancient Hebrew)
H7620 = AHLB# 2808 (d)
2808) Obs% (Obs% ShBAh) ac: Swear co: Oath ab: ?: Literally to seven oneself. A common practice was to make seven declarations when making an oath. This declaration can be making the oath seven times or doing seven things to show the sincerity of the oath. (eng: seven, an exchange of the s and sh)

H8393   (Ancient Hebrew)
H8393 = AHLB# 1024-J (i1)
1024) ab (ab BA) ac: Fill co: Void ab: ?: The filling of an empty space. This root is closely related to eb and ib.

A) ab (ab BA) ac: Enter co: Entrance ab: ?: To fill a space by entering it.

I want you to notice that in the Beit which is the house it is the Aleph of Yehovah that fills that empty space.

Nf1) Eab% (Eab% B-AH) – Entrance: [freq. 1] |kjv: entry| {H872}

J) Afb% (Afb% BWA) ac: Fill co: Entrance ab: ?: To come or go into a space is to fill it. A void within oneself that desires to be filled.

V) Afb% (Afb% BWA) – Come: To fill a void by entering it. This can be understood as to come or to go. [A generic verb with a wide application meaning to come or go as a filling of a void] [freq. 2577] (vf: Paal, Hiphil, Hophal) |kjv: come, enter, go| {H935}

am) Afbm% (Afbm% M-BWA) – I. Entrance: A place of entering. II. West: The place where the sun enters the underworld. [df: awbwm] [freq. 24] |kjv: going down, entry, come, entrance, enter, in, west| {H3996}

if1) Eafbt% (Eafbt% T-BW-AH) – Filling: An increase of produce, usually of fruit. [freq. 42] |kjv: increase, fruit, revenue, gain| {H8393}

With this understanding, we should easily be able to understand that it is Yehovah who fills our empty space with HIs presence and His increase.

kf1) Eafbm% (Eafbm% M-BW-AH) – Entrance: A place of entering. [freq. 1] |kjv: entry| {H3997}

We are addressing those who claim that fruits only means crops and does not mean income. If you made $50,000 last year in wages then a tithe of that would be $5,000 that would not be able to be deducted as a taxable write off. There are no receipts when you give to the widows or the orphans or the stranger or the poor of the Levite. There is the simple satisfaction that you have kept the Torah of Yehovah and in doing your little bit you have helped the overall function of the Kingdom.

“the overall function of the Kingdom” how is my little part a blessing for the Kingdom. Read what you are told in Deut 26 when you do this one commandment. It says not that you will be blessed for doing your tithe but the Kingdom will be, the Nation of Israel. “Look down from Your holy dwelling, from Heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land which You have given us, as You swore to our fathers, a land that flows with milk and honey. ”

Deu 26:11  And you shall rejoice in all the good which Jehovah your God has given to you, and to your house; you, and the Levite, and the stranger in your midst. When you have made an end of tithing all the tithes of your increase the third year, the year of tithing, and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow (that they may eat inside your gates and be filled), then you shall say before Jehovah your God, I have brought away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, and to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me. I have not broken Your commandments, neither have I forgotten. I have not eaten of it in my mourning, neither have I put any of it away for unclean use, nor have I given of it for the dead. I have listened to the voice of Jehovah my God, and have done according to all that You have commanded me. Look down from Your holy dwelling, from Heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land which You have given us, as You swore to our fathers, a land that flows with milk and honey. Today Jehovah your God has commanded you to do these statutes and judgments. You therefore shall keep and do them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have today said that Jehovah is your God, and that you would walk in His ways, and keep His statutes and His commandments and His judgments, and listen to His voice. And Jehovah has taken you today to be His peculiar people, as He has promised you, and to keep all His commandments, and to make you high above all nations which He has made, in praise and in name and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to Jehovah your God, even as He has spoken.

Here is a very severe warning from Yehovah to each of us.

Exo 22:21  You shall neither vex a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry. And My wrath shall become hot, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your sons fatherless.


One Tithe or Three Tithes? That is the Question.

I have come out of the Worldwide Church of God System where we were taught to have a 1st tithe for the work and a 2nd tithe just for you to keep the Feasts to their full with your family. I was also taught that you kept the 3rd tithe for the widows and orphans every three years. They did not have a specific year as they did not understand the Sabbatical year system

So as an individual do you keep 1 tithe and split that amongst all those involved or do you have 3 tithes, 30% to share between all those involved. I have done the 3 tithes which meant I was paying close to 60% in tithes and taxes. Even so, I managed to pay off my first house in just 6 years’ time.

Others say I have misunderstood this. I am going to share with you what I was sent that Nehemia teaches. You can then decide what you want to do. This is a selected transcript from Torah pearls.

 

Nehemia: So, we’ve got three passages that talk about tithing, and there are others, but three main passages. One is over in Leviticus, where it talks about giving the tithe to the Levite. The second one is verses 22 through 27, which talks about taking the tithe up to Jerusalem. And the third one is verses 28 to 29 of this chapter in Deuteronomy 14, or in mine it’s 28 or 29, which talks about at the end of every third year giving it to the poor, including the Levite, because he has no portion with you.

This has been interpreted in various ways. The rabbinical interpretation has been to say there are really two tithes. We’re talking about 20 percent – 10 percent goes to the Levite, the other 10 percent goes either for the pilgrimage, which is what it’s really talking about in verses 22 through 27. You have to appear three times a year for the pilgrimage, we’ll talk about that in the next chapter. You bring it to Jerusalem at that time, or wherever you come on the pilgrimage, and you spend it on your pilgrimage, on pilgrimage feasts. Then in the third year you give it to the poor and the Levites.

So that’s 20 percent, and the rabbis refer to that as the first tithe and the second tithe, and the second tithe essentially has a variation in the third year; it goes to an alternative purpose. There have actually been some groups who have said that no, it’s 30 percent every year, 30 percent – three tithes, 30 percent. And the third-year tithes, well, you just collect it for the first two years, and then at the end of the third year you give this accumulated three years’ worth of 10 percent to the poor and the Levite.

So those are two interpretations that are out there. A third interpretation, which is one I’m going to suggest here, is that all three are talking about the same 10 percent. To me, the proof that it’s all three are the same 10 percent is in verses 27 and 29, where it’s talking about the Levite, and it says, “For he has no portion and inheritance with you,” which is kind of strange because, according to the rabbinical interpretation, he sure does have a portion in inheritance; he’s got 10 percent.

Jono: Yeah.

Nehemia: In other words, why does he need my 10 percent that I use for my pilgrimage feasts if he’s got the 10 percent I gave him last week? Why does he need this part of the second 10 percent, if he’s already got the first 10 percent?

Jono: Fair enough.

Nehemia: Also, in verse 29, that’s even more clear, that he’s along with the poor. He’s got nothing, right? So, you’ve got to give him of that 10 percent. What I argue is that actually all three are talking about the same tithe and different things that are being done with this tithe. It’s being used for the pilgrimage and then part of it is being given to the poor and part of that is being given to the Levite.

Torah Pearls #47 – Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17)

Neh 13:10  And I saw that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them; for the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each one to his field.

 

I am not going to debate and argue over this with you all now. Most of those who want to argue do so and never tithe a nickel. They just argue. If you believe you should take 10% and divi it up amongst the Levite and this work, the Widow, the Orphan and the poor, then great. Yehovah bless you for doing that. If on the other hand, you believe you are obligated to do a 1st, 2nd and 3rd tithe then do so and do not neglect your own family.

You are now keeping the Sabbath from Sunset Friday to Sunset Saturday. You are now keeping the  Holy Days of Lev 23 according to the Barley being Aviv to begin the year and the crescent moon to begin the month. And you are now letting the land rest in the Sabbatical years, storing food for that Sabbatical year and forgiving the debts of those who own you as well as releasing your slaves at sukkot in the Sabbatical year. You are doing all of this to be in sync with Yehovah and obeying Him so you can be part of His kingdom. You need to tithe for the education of others and feeding of those who are acting as or like the Levitical priesthood, even though they are not proven to be so at this time. You need to tithe in order for the Kingdom of Yehovah to operate. This is the restoration process of all things.

Please study it and make a decision as to which way you are going to act and then follow through and do it. I know the world is economically a very scary place right now, but I am throwing my hat into Yehovah’s system and trusting Him to take of me while the world goes into turmoil.

Some say they will try it for a week or two and then see if they get any blessings. And if they do not see a ten-fold increase right away they quit. Read again now how Yehovah will bless you if you obey. He does not say He is going to give you ten-fold.

Robbing God

Mal 3:6  For I am Jehovah, I change not. Because of this you sons of Jacob are not destroyed.

Mal 3:7  From the days of your fathers, you have turned aside from My statutes, and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you, says Jehovah of Hosts. But you say. In what way shall we return?

Mal 3:8  Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, In what have we robbed You? In the tithe and the offering!

Mal 3:9  You are cursed with a curse; for you are robbing Me, the nation, all of it.

Mal 3:10  Bring all the tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. And test Me now with this, says Jehovah of Hosts, to see if I will not open the windows of Heaven for you, and pour out a blessing for you, until there is not enough room.

Mal 3:11  And I will rebuke your devourer, and he shall not decay the fruit of your ground against you; nor shall your vine miscarry against you in the field, says Jehovah of Hosts.

Mal 3:12  And all nations shall call you blessed; for you shall be a delightful land, says Jehovah of Hosts.

Mal 3:13  Your words have been strong against Me, says Jehovah. Yet you say, What have we spoken against You?

Mal 3:14  You have said, It is vain to serve God; and, What profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked as mourners before Jehovah of Hosts?

Mal 3:15  And now we are calling the arrogant blessed. Not only are the doers of wickedness built up, they also test God, and escape.

Mal 3:16  Then those fearing Jehovah spoke together, each man to his neighbor. And Jehovah listened and heard. And a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared Jehovah, and for those esteeming His name.

Mal 3:17  And they shall be Mine, says Jehovah of Hosts, for the day that I will make up My treasure. And I will pity them as a man has pity on his son who serves him.

Mal 3:18  Then you shall again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God, and him who does not serve Him.

I also want to point out something that many of you may have read over. You have robbed Yehovah, in not just your tithes, but also your offerings.

Mal 3:8  Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, In what have we robbed You? In the tithe and the offering!

You are commanded to keep the Holy Days, and you are also commanded not to appear before Yehovah empty handed.

The Feast of Weeks

Deu 16:9  You shall count seven weeks to yourselves. Begin to count the seven weeks from the time you began to put the sickle to the grain.

Deu 16:10  And you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to Jehovah your God with a measure of a free-will offering of your hand, which you shall give according as Jehovah your God has blessed you.

Deu 16:11  And you shall rejoice before Jehovah your God, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your slave girl, and the Levite inside your gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, those among you, in the place which Jehovah your God has chosen to place His name there.

Deu 16:12  And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt. And you shall be careful to do these statutes.

The Feast of Booths
Deu 16:13  You shall keep the Feast of Tabernacles seven days after you have gathered in your grain floor and your wine press.

Deu 16:14  And you shall rejoice in your feast, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male slave, and your slave-girl, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow inside your gates.

Deu 16:15  Seven days you shall keep a solemn feast to Jehovah your God in the place which Jehovah shall choose. Because Jehovah your God shall bless you in all your increase, and in all the works of your hands, therefore you shall surely rejoice.

Deu 16:16  Three times in a year shall all your males appear before Jehovah your God in the place which He shall choose: in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles. And they shall not appear before Jehovah empty,

Deu 16:17  but each with his gift in his hand, according to the blessing of Jehovah your God, which He has given you.

Yehovah is asking you for a free-will offering. A freewill offering is an offering that is your choice—you decide what to give. Note: It is not called a free-will offering, because you have a choice on IF you are going to give or not give, but only because you are deciding WHAT you are going to give, at each of the Festivals or other times. Your gift should be in proportion to the blessing Yehovah has given you. You are to bring it to the place of worship with rejoicing—cheerfully and joyfully. You should be writing down all the blessings you have had over the course of the year to remind yourself of His kindness towards you. Of what Yehovah has done for you so that you can appreciate what He has done in your life.

Yehovah has instructed us to come and worship Him with our offering and to do it joyfully as we celebrate His feast days with Him.

Deu 16:15  Seven days you shall keep a solemn feast to Jehovah your God in the place which Jehovah shall choose.

The word, translated “solemn” here means:

H2287   (Strong)
חָגַג

châgag

khaw-gag’

A primitive root (compare H2283, H2328); properly to move in a circle, that is, (specifically) to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival; by implication to be giddy: – celebrate, dance, (keep, hold) a (solemn) feast (holiday), reel to and fro.

Yehovah promised—if you obey—to bless you in all your increase and in all the work of your hands. You are to give joyfully—in expectation of the upcoming blessing. Giving and joy go hand in hand.

Pay attention to  Verse 16 where Yehovah says, you should not appear before the Lord empty-handed. Do not come to worship Yehovah with nothing in your hand. You can’t give what you don’t have, but…
…every man (and woman) is to give as he/she is able, according to the blessing of the Lord.

I know some of you will think I am just trying to make a money grab. Awesome. Don’t send me a dime. But do send it to Nehemia’s website, or Keith Johnson’s or Michael Rood’s site. They all keep the Holy Days similar to us although we currently differ on what is Aviv barley. But do stop robbing Yehovah.


God’s Special Women

Widows By Rick Railston

Did you know that 1 million new widows will join our ranks in 2017 in the United States?

Did you know that half will not be attending the church they attended with their husbands one year after becoming a widow?

Did you know the average age is 56?

God’s Special Women—Widows

By Rick Railston
September 4, 2010

One of the things that strikes me in the last six months or so, maybe a little longer is that we’ve had several new widows created in the Church. You know Marie Di Salvo lost Joe and Carol Tychen, a lady in our hometown—she’s in a different fellowship—but lost her husband Gene. And then Joyce Rau lost Lauren. And another lady in our town, who can’t come to services but watches DVD’s, Carol Robey, lost her husband Duncan here just a very short time ago. So again, we’ve had four new widows in the last several months. And then obviously, we can look back in months priors to that and over the last several years, there have been many widows created over the last several years.

And many of those widows are not going to be able to make it to the Feast this year—and that’s a sad thing—either through health or other causes beyond their control. But if you put yourself in a widow’s position, not being able to go to the Feast, that’s not an enviable thing. And they obviously wish they could be at the Feast.

And the fact is that older people, who are alone, have a very, very difficult existence today, particularly women. If they’re alone in this society, it can be very, very difficult because many have been deserted by their families. And many, if not most, have been deserted by their government. And if their families are not there and they’re out in the world, it’s a very difficult situation and they don’t have a lot of safety nets to help them. But this was prophesied in the Bible to occur to Israel in the latter days!

Let’s go to Ezekiel chapter 22 and see this prophecy. Ezekiel 22 and we’re going to read verses 23 through 25. Ezekiel 22 talking about a prophecy regarding widows in modern day Israel. Ezekiel 22 verse 23:

Ezekiel 22:23. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
24) “Son of man, say to her: (KJV)

Now that’s referring to Israel up in verse 18.

Ezekiel 22:24b. [You are] the land that is not cleansed, (KJV)

And boy, our land is not cleansed! It is ugly and dirty.

Ezekiel 22:24b. nor rained upon in the day of indignation.
25) There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the [middle] thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured [lives]; they have taken the treasure and precious things; (KJV)

Notice this last phrase!

Ezekiel 22:25b. they have made her many widows in the midst thereof [referring to Israel.] (KJV)

We know prophecy is dual. There is an early fulfilment and a latter fulfilment. There’s a physical fulfilment and a spiritual fulfilment. And certainly in the Church today in modern Israel, there have been many widows created. The fact is that most men die before the woman. The fact is that most men work themselves to death and leave their wives alone and then some, in many cases in the world, destitute—shouldn’t be in the Church, but in the world.

And the fact is that in the Church, many widows feel that once their husband dies, once they’re no longer a couple, somehow they feel that they have no value anymore. And that somehow they’re a burden on the Church or on society. And now that they’re alone, they can no longer contribute to the Church or serve the Brethren or certainly give tithes or offerings or whatever. And in the Church, it’s sad to say that too many in the Church—and I’m speaking the greater Church now all over the world—ignore the widows and ignore their plight and don’t feel for the widows or even give it a second thought of what they are going through.

So what we’re going to do in the sermon today is we’re going to answer three questions about widows. The first one and the most important we’re going to ask the question and answer it.

I. How does God view widows? Are widows second-class Christians? Are they just kind of kicked to the curb? Or does God have something else in mind for them?

The second question we’re going to answer is:

II. What is our responsibility as Church members, as brothers and sisters, what is our responsibility toward widows in the Church? Do we have a responsibility toward them? What does God say about that?

And then the third question we want to ask and answer is directed at the widows.

III. What are the responsibilities of the widows toward others in the Church? Do they just get a free pass and just kind of soak up things? Or are they isolated and all alone and don’t have any responsibilities? Or does God want them to have a certain role and fulfil a certain role in the Church today?

We’ll answer those three questions. And what I hope when we finish and when we’re through with that, we will learn a lot about God, by the way, He wants the widows treated. We will learn a lot about the nature of God and God’s love by how He wants widows treated and how He views widows.

Okay, let’s start off with the first question.

I. How does God view widows?

The fact is that widows are very, very special to God. He doesn’t kick them to the curb. He doesn’t ignore them. They are very special. Let’s go to Psalms 68 and verse 5. In fact, they are so special to Him; God says that “I am going to take care of them! I’m going to look out after them.” Psalm 68 and verse 5, I’m going to read it out of the NIV. Notice what Christ, the God of the Old Testament, says:

Psalm 68:5. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. (NIV)

And God understands that the widow and the infant and the fatherless child are the three most vulnerable groups in the Church because they cannot defend themselves. They cannot in most cases provide for themselves—the infant, the fatherless child, and the widow. And you will see over and over again in the Bible that God talks about those three and puts them together. Now we’re going to focus on widows, but you’re going to notice that the fatherless child is there too. And in many cases, the stranger is there too, the stranger in the land.

Now let’s look back at ancient Israel and we’re going to see through the Scriptures we’re going to look at, that God raised widowhood to a higher level than any other society in the history of mankind. I’ll say it again: God raised the status of widows or widowhood to a higher level than any other society that has ever existed. God says that the widows are special to Him and if they cry out to Him, He is going to hear.

Let’s go to Exodus chapter 22 and we’re going to read verses 22 through 24. Exodus 22 verses 22 through 24, notice what God says. He is very emphatic about this. He doesn’t pull any punches. And we need to take heed to what He says. Exodus 22 verse 22, He says:

Exodus 22:22. [You] shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
23) If [you] afflict them in [anyway], and they cry [to] me, I will surely hear their cry; (KJV)

That’s a promise from God! Verse 24, notice what happens to somebody who afflicts the widow.

Exodus 22:24. And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; [to the point that] your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. (KJV)

God is that serious about taking care of the widows. And the widows who are listening to this, if you cry to God, you can rest assured that God will hear you!

God also says emphatically that He is going to provide for His widows. Let’s go to Deuteronomy chapter 24. Moses is giving Israel final instructions before they go into the Promised Land and before he dies. And in Deuteronomy 24, we’re going to read verses 19 through 22 and notice what he says, what Moses is instructing Israel to do regarding widows. Deuteronomy 24 verse 19:

Deuteronomy 24:19. When [you cut] down [your] harvest in [your] field, and [you have forgotten] a sheaf in the field, [He says, don’t] go [back to pick it up]: [He says, leave it there] for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: (KJV)

Those vulnerable three groups of people!

Deuteronomy 24:19b. that the Lord [your] God may bless [you] in all the work of [your] hands. (KJV)

If you allow some extra for the widow, God is going to bless you. That’s a promise! Verse 20:

Deuteronomy 24:20. When [you beat your] olive tree, (KJV)

We might relate it to apple trees out here today. He says:

Deuteronomy 24:20b. [you shall] not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. (KJV)

We have an apple orchard right across the street and those harvesters go through there and they will leave some apples on the trees. They’re just in a rush; they’re going fast. Lots of apples fall to the ground during the harvesting process. And we would be admonished today, “You don’t go back and go through it a second time. Just leave them.” Then the widows, the fatherless children can go through the fields and glean what’s left.

Verse 21:

Deuteronomy 24:21. When [you gather] the grapes of [your] vineyard, [you shall] not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
22) And [you shall] remember (KJV)

What are we supposed to remember?

Deuteronomy 24:22b. that [you were] a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command [you] to do this thing. (KJV)

So what He’s saying is “If you remember that you were in Egypt, what were you in Egypt? You were slaves.” And so God is drawing an analogy that the widow is like a slave. Meaning a slave is totally dependent on others for every aspect of their life. And widows are in that same category in many, many cases. That’s why those who have abundance need to set some aside or in the field leave some. Don’t go through the field a second time, but leave some to provide for the widows.

Let’s jump now to Psalm 146 and verse 9. Notice what He says. God’s attitude toward widows, how God views widows, and I hope the widows when they read these Scriptures are very encouraged by this. Psalm 146 verse 9, it tells us; it says:

Psalm 146:9. The Lord [preserves] the strangers [the foreigners]; he [relieves] the fatherless and widow: (KJV)

Now the word “relieve” is obviously translated “relieves” meaning to remove distress. But it also can be translated “restore.”

So what God is saying, He says: “I’m going to relieve the widows from any trouble. And I will restore them to what they need. I will provide for them.” He says:

Psalm 146:9b. but the way of the wicked he [turns] upside down. (KJV)

Widows have a very special place in the heart of God.

Now let’s go to Deuteronomy chapter 14 and here we read of something that God instituted in part directly just for widows! He cares about them so much; He loves them so much; He understands their plight so much that He has directed a special tithe for the widows. Deuteronomy 14, we’ll read verses 28 and 19.

Deuteronomy 14:28. At the end of three years (KJV)

Referring to what we commonly call the “Third Tithe.”

Deuteronomy 14:28b. [you shall] bring forth all the tithe of [your] increase the same year, and [shall] lay it up within [your] gates:
29) And the Levite, (because he [has] no part nor inheritance with [you],) and the stranger, and the fatherless, [and notice this] and the widow, which are within [your] gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; (KJV)

Now we know back in those days, the tithe was primarily in the form of produce or animals. And so, those were brought and distributed to the widows and the fatherless and the stranger. But just understand the widows were provided for because of the third tithe. And noting the end of that last verse, He says, “You do that”:

Deuteronomy 14:29b. that the Lord [your] God may bless [you] in all the work of [your hands] which [you do]. (KJV)

You want to be blessed, look after the widow. Take care of the widow and provide for the widow.

Now the third tithe provides for women with no husband so that they can rear their children at home. And the children then can be a benefit to society and not a detriment. Because we read all too often that there’s a single mom and this society forces her to work. And then she has latchkey children. And often as not, those children with nobody at home turn to gangs, turn to drugs, turn to alcohol, turn to crime, because there’s nobody there. And one of the benefits of the third tithe, it allows the mother, if she’s a younger widow, to stay at home and take care of her children.

And yet some widows feel guilty about taking the third tithe. They should not! It’s designed for them. It’s for them.

And the third tithe provides for elderly widows who can’t work, elderly widows who might be infirm. But these elderly widows have spent all of their lives contributing to society and so, therefore, it is not wrong for them to take some help and assistance from the society that they’ve contributed to or from the Church that they have contributed to could be for decades.

Now let’s look at an example in the Old Testament about the treatment of a widow. This is the example of Boaz in the Book of Ruth. Let’s go to Ruth now and we’re going to go to chapter 2 and we’re going to read verses 4 through 9 and then 15 and 16. I’m going to read it out of the New King James because it is easier to understand and more to the point. But understand that Ruth is a Moabitess. She’s not an Israelite. She came back to Israel with Naomi. Ruth 2 verse 4:

Ruth 2:4. Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to [his] reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered him, “The Lord bless you!” (NKJ)

So obviously this says something about Boaz. He is a man of God. He cares about his employees. He cares about his workers in the field. He pronounces a blessing on them and they care enough and love him enough to respond in kind.

Verse 5:

Ruth 2:5. Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?”
6) So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “[This] is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.
7) “And she said [referring to Ruth], ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ (NKJ)

She wanted to provide for her mother-in-law and herself.

Ruth 2:7b. So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.” (NKJ)

Now notice Boaz’s response. Verse 8:

Ruth 2:8. Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close [to] my young women. (NKJ)

That says Boaz was concerned that if she went to another field, you never know something might happen to her. But he was confident that if she stayed in his fields with his employees that she would not be harmed and she would be taken care of.

Verse 9, notice this!

Ruth 2:9. “Let your eyes be on the field which they reap [meaning his reapers], and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? (NKJ)

That could have been a problem in another field. He says:

Ruth 2:9b. And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.” (NKJ)

So he’s instructed the young men to give her water to provide for her.

Verse 15, remember she’s a Moabitess. She’s not a native Israelite. Verse 15:

Ruth 2:15. And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. (NKJ)

In other words, don’t just let her get the droppings, but let her go ahead and harvest right beside you and get some of the sheaves.

Verse 16:

Ruth 2:16. “Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.” (NKJ)

So Boaz is even going above and beyond to take care of Ruth and her mother-in-law. And that’s an attitude that all of us in God’s Church with God’s spirit, which is the spirit of love, would do well to emulate. Again, we’re talking about how God views widows.

Let’s understand too that God is going to punish Israel, is punishing Israel for ignoring or taking advantage of widows. And this government down through the years is more interested in getting politicians re-elected than taking care of the people that need it. And the whole country is paying a price for this, as we all know.

Let’s go to Deuteronomy chapter 10. We’re going to read verses 17 and 18. God is very explicit—and we’re only covering a fraction of the Scriptures—but God is very explicit that you don’t take advantage of widows. You provide for them. You look after them. Deuteronomy 10 verses 17 and 18, again Moses is giving his final message to the nation of Israel.

Deuteronomy 10:17. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which [regards] not persons, nor [takes] reward: (KJV)

God cannot be bribed. God is not a respecter of persons. Verse 18:

Deuteronomy 10:18. He [does] execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, (KJV)

The NIV says of verse 18:

Deuteronomy 10:18. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, (NIV)

That means God has to know about the widow and know about what she needs and know about her cause and once He does, then He will defend her if she needs defending. And we don’t want to be on the receiving end of God’s wrath. This nation is and will be more so as time goes on.

Let’s jump to chapter 27 and read verse 19. Again, we’re just hitting the high spots. There are many other Scriptures that we could read. I’m going to read this out of the New King James. Notice what God says. He pronounces a curse on those who would mess around with a widow.

Deuteronomy 27:19. ‘Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due [to] the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.’ (NKJ)

Justice, fairness, what is right! He said, “You are cursed if you pervert that!”

Deuteronomy 27:19b. And [then] all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (NKJ)

Now, what does He mean there? Well, after crossing Jordan, Israel came to a valley and there was a mountain slope on each slide. And six of the tribes went on one side; six of the tribes went on the other side. And Moses in this chapter has the Levites down in the valley and they will make a statement. And this is one of the statements they make.

Deuteronomy 27:19. ‘Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ (NKJ)’

And they would do that. And then you read later on in the chapter, one side would pronounce a curse and the people would say “Amen.” The other side would pronounce a blessing and the people would say “Amen.”

And God made it very clear to the people lining this valley, like an amphi-theatre, they had to repeat those words. And when they said, “Amen”, they meant “So be it.” We understand. We’re going to obey this.

And so, God, once again, brought widows into that mix because of his concern and his love for them. Look at Isaiah chapter 10. We’re going to read the first three verses and then verses 5 and 6. Our Congress would do well to read this! Isaiah 10 verse 1:

Isaiah 10:1. Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;
2) To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows [might] be their prey, and that they [might] rob the fatherless!
3) And what will [you] do in the day of visitation, (KJV)

There’s going to be a day of accounting. There’s going to be a day of reckoning. And he says:

Isaiah 10:3. And what will [you] do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will [you] flee for help? (KJV)

“The widows are looking to you for help. You’re not helping them. And I’m going to curse you and you’re going to have to answer for it. And when I do, who are you going to look to for help?” when the great God comes after you.

He says:

Isaiah 10:3b. to whom will [you] flee for help? and where will [you] leave your glory? (KJV)

Now I’ll just give you an example here of several years ago. We had a widow who when her husband was alive, they went to one of these certified financial planners and got their house in order and had a very comfortable retirement fund for both of them. Her husband had a stroke and died. And then once he died, this unscrupulous financial advisor came in while she was grieving, had her sign some papers that she didn’t read. She trusted in him. And he took every penny she had except for the house was paid for and a several year old car. Other than that she saw nothing!

Here this man did this—I got involved after the fact and was shocked to find out that this happened. And the family trusted this guy, but when he could not provide a monthly report of where the money was and where it was being used, all of a sudden red flags came up. And then the police were called in and ultimately the FBI was called in. And, as a result, this man spent several years in jail. He lost his wife; he lost his family; he lost his ability to work in that field forever. And frankly, that isn’t enough! And this world’s justice doesn’t do enough, but at least that man, at least in this life, started paying some of the penalty. Now he’ll have his chance later on.

And God provides for this widow to this day. She doesn’t live extravagantly, but she had a comfortable living as a widow.

But the fact is that the only conclusion you can draw from reading these Old Testament Scriptures is “Don’t mess with a widow!” And we need to all take that into account and into consideration. You don’t mess around with a widow. You want a curse, you want to have problems in your life, you don’t want to be blessed? Then start messing around with God’s widows because He’s going to get involved and He’s going to take care of them.

Now, what about the New Testament? What does the New Testament say? Did Christ say anything about widows?

Well, one of the very first examples is Christ praised a widow because He noted that she gave more than anybody else. I think you know the account. Let’s go to Mark chapter 12. If Christ didn’t love the widow, He would not pay attention to them. But He noticed right off a widow walking up to the place where they dropped in their money, this big metal bowl that rang and the more money you threw in the bottom of it, the more it would ring. And He noticed some important things. We’re going to read verses 41 through 44.

Mark 12:41. And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. (KJV)

You could hear the clanging and the banging and it was self-serving in that regard.

But notice verse 42:

Mark 12:42. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, (KJV)

Two mites today would be one-quarter of one penny. Now that’s not much. It says:

Mark 12:42b. [and it makes] a farthing. (KJV)

Verse 43:

Mark 12:43. And he called unto him his disciples, (KJV)

Because He took note of the widow!

Mark 12:43b. and [He said] unto them, [Truly] I say unto you, That this poor widow [has] cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44) For all they did cast [out] of their abundance; (KJV)

After all the blessings and the abundance that they have, but He said:

Mark 12:44b. she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. (KJV)

And so what He is saying is that widows should not feel like second-class Christians because they cannot give much. Even if they give a few cents or a few dollars, Christ said, “She cast in more, as a percentage of what she had, than all the rest of them combined!” God knows and God understands.

So this verse tells us a lot of things. It tells us Christ takes note of the widow. He understands what their plight is. He understands what their economic situation is. He understands what they’re giving. He understands their heart. And because of all that, He understands our widows today and He understands your plight and your situation. But please understand as Christ understands that because you can’t give much, that doesn’t mean anything! All it means is you’re giving of what little you have and Christ understands that and accounts for it accordingly. Christ knew back then and He knows today, He knows today of the widows’ plight and that the widows’ desire to give. So don’t feel like a second-class Christian if you can’t throw a pile of money into the pot or we put say our Holy Day Offerings back in the box at the back of the room. Don’t feel like a second-class Christian because you put in relatively speaking a little bit. Christ understands.

Now let’s also understand that widows in the New Testament Church were considered by God to be afflicted. Let’s go to James chapter 1 and read the very famous Scripture verse 27. James 1 and verse 27, James is getting across, he’s telling us “You want to know what pure religion is?” He says, “I’m going to tell you what pure religion is.” James 1 verse 27, he said:

James 1:27. Pure religion and undefiled (KJV)

Meaning: pure and clean!

James 1:27b. before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and [the] widows in their affliction, (KJV)

The New International says, “widows in their distress.”

The New King James says, “widows in their trouble.”

Because Christ and the Father and the apostles knew back then and we know today that being a widow is afflicting, is troublesome, can lead to great distress. Because widows, most often, can’t go out and earn a living. They have to rely on family. They have to rely on the government. They have to rely on the Church. And so, in many cases because of ill health, because of other circumstances, daily circumstances to them, daily chores to them are troublesome sometimes, distressing sometimes. We need to realize this and we need to act according.

If we visit the widows in their affliction, we will know what their afflictions are. We will be able, therefore, to help them and encourage them.

Because God was so concerned about the widows, he created an office just to look after them! Now this says a lot about God. He created an office to look out for the widows. Let’s go to Acts chapter 6. This is the account of the creation of the office of a deacon. Acts 6, we’ll read the first three verses. It says:

Acts 6:1. And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, (KJV)

And we all understand that in the early days in the Church, it was growing exponentially. Thousands sometimes were called at one time!

Acts 6:1b. the number … was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians (KJV)

Now what that means is it’s not talking about the Greeks. It’s talking about the Hellenists. And the Hellenists were Jews who adopted Greek culture and Greek language. So in Judah at that time and certainly in Jerusalem, the Jews were divided into two camps. Because you understand that the Greek culture spread through all the Middle East. The Romans conquered the Greeks. Jerusalem was conquered by the Romans. All of Judah was. And as a result, many Jews began to adopt Greek and Roman culture and to speak their language and to dress that way and to furnish their houses that way. And so they were in their lifestyle mimicked the Romans and the Greeks before them. Then there were other Jews that held to the traditions of the fathers.

And there were sometimes trouble between those two groups. The fact is that God called people out of both groups. So they come into the Church and now all of a sudden, the Jews and the Hellenists are rubbing elbows and there’s some friction. And so the complaint was:

Acts 6:1 continued. [there was murmuring of the Hellenists] against the Hebrews, because their widows [meaning the Hellenists’ widows] were neglected in the daily ministration. (KJV)

Meaning: passing out of food, passing out of clothing, looking after them. Verse 2:

Acts 6:2. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, [This isn’t a] reason that we should leave the [work] of God, and serve tables. (KJV)

Meaning: to pass out the food and to sort the clothes and all of that. Verse 3, we’re told, “‘Wherefore,’ because of this, we can’t devote ourselves to that but the need is there. There is a need to take care of the widows.”

Acts 6:3. Wherefore, brethren, look out [from] among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy [Spirit] and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. (KJV)

Or: to do this job, or to fulfil this responsibility toward the widows. And so, a whole office was created to take care of the widows. Does that sound like God doesn’t care about the widows? Or Christ isn’t concerned about the widows? Well, of course not!

There are—I counted just very briefly—fourteen different Scriptures in the Bible that are severe warnings about not oppressing widows. God is very concerned about this. I mean does this all sound like God doesn’t recognize or care for the widows? Well, obviously not!

I. So, how does God view widows?

Summing up the First Point:

God hears widows. He has said that. God provides for widows. He has promised that. God says He will punish Israel for ignoring or taking advantage of widows. And part of the punishment we see on this country and other countries today, Israelite countries today, are a result of their attitudes toward the elderly and the widows. Christ praised a widow who gave more than all the others. And He took note of that! A widow is considered by God to be in affliction or to be in trouble and He created an office to look after them for that very reason.

So Point Number One:

I. God views the widows in a very special way. And He has elevated their care to the highest of levels.

Now, let’s go to the Second Point. This applies to all of us.

II. What is our responsibility toward widows in the Church? Has God just not said much about it? Or is God very specific about our responsibility toward widows in the Church?

If you look at all the Scriptures, it’s easy. They fall into three different categories of all the admonitions if you go through them and study them about our responsibilities—three categories of responsibilities.

The first—if you like to outline—it would be Point A, is that:

A. We must pray daily for them, for the widows.

Let’s go to Matthew chapter 6 and look at the outline for the prayer, the outline that Christ gave about how we should pray every day. Now while it specifically doesn’t mention widows, it obviously refers to them by implication. Matthew 6, we’re going to read verses 9 through 13. It says—Christ says:

Matthew 6:9. After this manner therefore pray [you]: Our Father which [is] in heaven, Hallowed be [Your] name.
10) [Your] kingdom come. [Your] will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (KJV)

So the prayer starts off in verse 9 by exalting God. And it’s always good when you kneel down to pray to exalt God first because it sets the stage of who He is versus who we are. And it establishes the difference and allows us to pray with humility.

And in verse 10, the first thing we should pray for is that God’s will is done and not ours. I’ve said that before. We pray for that in the Church, in the Pacific Church of God. We pray for that in our lives that we don’t do our will, our notions. We want to do God’s will and we have to keep our mind open to what God’s will is and that’s how we start the prayer. We want God to reveal to us what His will is for the things that we pray about.

Verse 11, notice this. He’s saying to people, individuals, on how they should pray, but He says:

Matthew 6:11. Give us this day our daily bread. (KJV)

Now, why would He do that? “Give us this day.” If it was about an individual, you would say, “Give me this day my daily bread.” But Christ didn’t say that. He said, “Give us this day our daily bread.” That means that we have to pray for others who need daily bread. Now, who else would need it more than a widow? So this tells us our prayers have to be about other people in addition to ourselves.

Verse 12:

Matthew 6:12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (KJV)

Again, praying for other people! People who have sinned against us, people we have sinned against, people who might oppress a widow, or, hopefully, someone that maybe a widow sinned against.

Verse 13:

Matthew 6:13. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from [the] evil [one]: (KJV

We need to pray for others! And who would take advantage of a widow more than anyone but Satan? We know Satan in 1 Peter chapter 5—we won’t go there, but—we’re told that Satan our Adversary is a roaring lion. Now who does a lion go after? Goes after the stragglers. Goes after the weak. He doesn’t go into the middle of a gaggle of deer. He gets the ones who are weak and are straggling—the easy prey. The weak among God’s people, physically certainly, are certainly are widows. And we need to understand that and we need to pray for the widows that God would deliver them from the evil one, just as we pray for ourselves, and would deliver them from temptation or trial or test, just as we pray for ourselves.

And He goes on to say:

Matthew 6:13b. For [Yours] is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. (KJV)

“Us” means all of God’s children, but particularly the afflicted. Wouldn’t God want us to pray first for those who are in trouble or those who are afflicted? And He says throughout Scripture that the widows are considered to be afflicted. So we should pray for them as much, if not more, than any other category because of their affliction.

So the first thing we must do is pray daily for our widows.

Point B, the second we should do is:

B. We are commanded to fellowship with them.

We just read it in James chapter 1 verse 27. “Visit the widows and the fatherless in their affliction.” Now the reason that’s important is that widows tend to gather together. If there’s more than one widow in a Church area, they will often fellowship together, but widows need fellowship from people who are not widows. Widows need to be around young kids. Widows need to hold little babies. Widows need to talk to teenagers. Widows need to talk to young married couples. Widows need to talk to older couples, older individuals. They need contact with Brethren who are not like themselves. It opens their horizons and, as we’re going to see in a little bit that it blesses us because we can learn from widows. It’s very important.

Look at Job chapter 32 verse 7. A true saying! This relates directly about learning from older people, more experienced people. Job 32 and verse 7, this is a true saying.

Job 32:7. I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. (KJV)

People who have been around a long time, especially widows who have lost their mates, widows today many of them lived through World War II, lived through the depression. They have stories to tell that most of us have never experienced. And we can learn a lot from widows. Andy Rooney, the commentator on “Sixty Minutes”, said, “The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.” The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person because of their experience and their knowledge. And it is amazing! You talk to a widow what you find out, what you learn, the experiences that she has had! We can learn from their life’s experiences.

Now I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve gone to visit a widow with the object of cheering her up and encouraging her and 95% of the time, you’re the one that gets cheered up. You’re the one that gets encouraged and you come out bouncing away from the time with the widow feeling much more elevated, much more uplifted, much happier because you spent time with a widow. I gained more from the visit than they did! Happens all the time because they have so much to give and there is so much to learn from our widows. And you can do it on the Sabbath. You can do it at your place, or you can do it at their place, or you can do it over the telephone, but the point is that we have to fellowship with widows. It is very, very important. Do not leave them alone! Please don’t leave them alone.

And the third, Point C is:

C. We have to help provide for their needs.

Yes, the third tithe can help. Yes, the Church can help, but it’s on our backs too. Our responsibilities too to provide for whatever their needs might be. Let’s go to Isaiah chapter 1 and verse 16. God is condemning Judah here because they did not do that. Isaiah chapter 1 verse 16, this principle is about Judah but it still holds today. Isaiah 1 verse 16, it says:

Isaiah 1:16. Wash you, make you clean [Because they weren’t clean!]; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; (KJV)

In verse 16, he’s saying, “Okay I want you to stop doing evil.” But in verse 17, “I want you to go the other direction.”

Isaiah 1:17. Learn to do well; [to] seek judgment [or justice], relieve the oppressed, [provide justice for] the fatherless, [and] plead for the widow. (KJV)

Now this is addressed to the average Jew, but by principle, it’s addressed to the average Church member today.

The Hebrew word for “plead” is an interesting word. It literally means “to toss, to throw something.” And it would be used in a wrestling match. If you threw somebody to the ground in a wrestling match you would use this Hebrew word. It can mean “to grapple”, or by implication, it means “to defend.”

And it says, “You need to plead for the widow.” That means you need to go to battle for the widow. You need to fight for the widow. You need to struggle and grapple and wrestle for the widow. And, obviously, Judah did not do that and God was condemning them for that.

Now let’s go to 1 John chapter 3 and see a principle that applies to everyone but when we understand that widows are afflicted or in trouble, it should apply even more to them. 1 John chapter 3 verses 16 through 18, we’re told:

I John 3:16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: (KJV)

Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

Middle of verse 16:

I John 3:16b. we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (KJV)

That is a principle. Verse 17:

1 John 3:17. But whoso [has] this world’s good, and [sees] his brother (KJV)

Or we could say, “his sister, the widow”.

I John 3:17b. have need, (KJV)

And who has more need than a widow as we’ve already established?

I John 3:17 continued. and [shuts] up his bowels of compassion from him, (KJV)

John asks the question: How dwells the love of God in a person like that who looks on the needs of a widow and then just walks by? Doesn’t provide. How does the love of God reside in a person like that?

He goes on to say in verse 18:

I John 3:18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. (KJV)

In what we do! So don’t just call up a widow, find out she needs something, and then say, “Have a nice day,” and hang up the phone. We have to go provide for the needs of that widow. We demonstrate the love of God in us by how we take care of the widows. I’ll say it again: We demonstrate the love of God in us by how we take care of the widows and those who are in need!

So our job is to provide for the widows. We have a responsibility to pray for them, to visit them, and to help provide for them. All of us as individuals!

Now let’s go to the Third Question that we were going to ask and answer today. And that is directed towards the widows.

III. What are the widows’ responsibilities toward others in the Church?

Based on everything we read should the widows just be a sponge and kind of lay back and receive the service of others with nothing to do themselves, with no responsibilities? That’s not what the Bible says. Yet, and conversely, though, some widows feel that because they receive service that they’re a burden on the Church and that they can’t serve. And God says, “No, you need to serve and there are certain ways you can serve.” So that’s what we’re going to talk about now, what are the duties of a widow, what does God want a widow to be doing.

Again, we have three that we’re going to talk about, three areas.

The first, Point A is that:

A. You have to trust in God for everything. Trust in God for all your needs.

Because widows learn very quickly that their only unwavering hope is in God because they have to trust in God for everything. Look at Jeremiah 49 and verse 11. This is an admonishment to the widows to trust in God. Jeremiah 49 and verse 11, we’re going to focus on the last part of the verse where it says:

Jeremiah 49:11. Leave [your] fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; (KJV)

But notice the last part of Jeremiah 49 verse 11, it says:

Jeremiah 49:11b. and let [your] widows trust in me. (KJV)

Let’s understand that the bottom line when the rubber meets the road, the widows must trust in God because He is the only one ultimately that will take care of him. We trust in God more than any human being and widows need to trust in God more than anyone.

I remember talking to a widow. She died a couple of years ago. And we were talking in her living room one time and she said—we were talking about getting groceries and how she gets her groceries and all. And she says, “You know I worry about things that I never used to worry about.” She was in her eighties and she could still drive. She was very careful when she drove but she could still drive. And I said, “Well, can you get your groceries okay?” And she says, “Well, I always go on Wednesday, but I start worrying about the weather several days before. And I worry especially if it’s in wintertime. You know can I get out? Are the roads going to be slick? Or is it going to snow the night before? Or is it going to be windy?” She says, “I worry and I stew and sometimes I don’t even sleep the night because I’m worried about the weather going out and doing my shopping. And then I worry about falling if it’s in the wintertime. And I worry about parking the car and is it going to get hit? Or is it going to get stolen? And then I worry is my house going to be okay when I come home?”

You know when we were young; you never used to worry about that. But as we get older, people generally tend to worry about things that they didn’t worry about before in part because they’ve had so much experience. They know that life can blow up in your face and they’ve seen it before!

But widows who are totally alone worry a lot about that. And the bottom line, we were talking about I said, “God is your only hope. When you’re out there in the car and all of a sudden you start skidding on the ice, God is your only hope. You can’t have a Church member come and magically appear at that moment in time.” And she says, “No, I’ve learned to trust in God for everything! Everything!”

And so, under Point A, widows learn very early on that for financial needs, for health, for transportation, for getting to Church, all of that, they trust in God. They have to trust in God.

Now the Church can help and should help. Let’s go to 1 Timothy chapter 5 and we’re going to read the first ten verses because Paul is instructing Timothy about serving the needs of widows.

And the King James calls them “widows indeed”. Modern translations say “widows who are really widows” and we’ll get into that distinction as we read this. I’m going to read it out of the New King James.

Understand Paul is writing to Timothy who is a young elder and he’s dealing with people who are old enough to be his parents and grandparents. And he’s giving him some instruction. Verse 1:

1 Timothy 5:1. Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, (NKJ)

And then he says:

1 Timothy 5:1b. [Exhort] younger men as brothers, (NKJ)

And he says in verse 2:

1 Timothy 5:2. [By implication, do not rebuke an] older [woman but appeal to her or exhort her as a mother], younger as sisters, with all purity. (NKJ)

In other words, have a clean mind and a clean heart. You’re there to serve them. You’re not there to get something from them.

Verse 3, notice what he says.

1 Timothy 5:3. Honor widows who are really widows. (NKJ)

The King James says:

1 Timothy 5:3. Honor widows that are widows indeed. (KJV)

Now what is he talking about? We’re talking about how the Church can help. He says:

1 Timothy 5:4. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home [meaning the children and the grandchildren] to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God. (NKJ)

So, let’s understand that the first line of defence in the aid of a widow should come from her very own family—from her children, and, if she’s old enough, from her adult grandchildren. That’s what he’s saying here. So, he says if widows have family, then they’re not really widows indeed or really widows as far as the Church is concerned because we’re going to see the Church looks at a widow as somebody who is desolate, who has no family.

Verse 5:

1 Timothy 5:5. Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, (NKJ)

Meaning she doesn’t have family nearby.

1 Timothy 5:5b. trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. (NKJ)

Now we’re going to note this because it says, “A widow who is alone is forced to trust in God and to get down on her knees and ask God for help night and day.”

He says:

1 Timothy 5:6. But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. (NKJ)

Meaning, if the widow is there just to take and take and take, and is looking after only pleasure, he said, “She’s already going in the Lake of Fire. It’s just a matter of time before she gets there.”

Verse 7:

1 Timothy 5:7. And these things command, that they may be blameless. (NKJ)

Verse 9:

1 Timothy 5:9. Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, (NKJ)

Now what is he talking about? He’s talking about the number of widows that the Church supports through third tithe, the number of widows who get aid from the Church. He says, “Don’t take somebody into that number who is under sixty.” Now we’re talking about widows. He says:

1 Timothy 5:9b. and not unless she has been the wife of one man,
10) well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, (NKJ)

Meaning: humble, not afraid of menial tasks.

1 Timothy 4:10b. if she has relieved the afflicted [served others], if she has diligently followed every good work. (NKJ)

So he says that widows indeed can come into the number if they’re above a certain age if they are truly alone and don’t have family and if they have a history of doing good works. So the Church then will help. But understand that as we read earlier on here that they’re on their knees day and night trusting in God because God is their ultimate hope.

And I’m here to tell you that we have had widows in the Church who have been the objects of theft by their children and by their grandchildren. That is horrible! The children and grandchildren weren’t in the Church. The widow was. And the widow calls up and says, “My son did this,” or “My grandson did that,” or “My granddaughter did this, took this from me, stole this from me.” And it’s sad. It is just unbelievable to think that near family would do that! It’s amazing!

But what I’m saying here in Point A that widows learn to trust God with everything, for everything. And they become much closer to God because their daily needs are provided by Him.

So, the first responsibility that a widow has is to trust in God. That means being close to God, praying, studying, fasting, being close to God.

The second one, Point B is:

B. Widows have an obligation by God to teach by their example.

To teach by their example! We just read it in verse 10. “Reported to do good works, brought up children, lodged strangers, washed saints’ feet, relieved the afflicted, diligently followed every good work.” Widows have a responsibility to set an example.

Now let’s go to Titus chapter 2 and we’re going to read verses 3 through 5. Paul is giving Titus some advice on widows and older women. Titus 2 verses 3 through 5, he’s talking about older women. Notice in verse 3:

Titus 2:3. The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as [becomes] holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4) That they may teach the young women to be sober, (KJV)

Now that’s not teaching the women not to drink. The word “sober” means to be sound-minded. In other words, don’t be flighty; don’t be frivolous. Be mature; be sound-minded.

Titus 2:4b. to love their husbands, to love their children,
5) To be discreet, chaste [not lewd], keepers at home, (KJV)

Not flitting around to the mall doing this and that; ignoring your family, ignoring your home.

Titus 2:5b. good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (KJV)

So widows by their example should be teaching that to others. And it’s not wrong for a widow to come up to a younger woman and put her arm around her and give some advice. It’s not wrong for that at all. But what it does, you see, is it gets the widows’ mind off themselves and their affliction and onto others how they might help.

Because I’m telling you if a widow—and I’ve seen this happen, not often—but if a widow gets her mind on herself and is home alone and is not reaching out and serving others, they can become selfish. They can become spoiled. They can become gossips. They can become judgmental and critical of others. And the net result is the widow is miserable! And that’s what happens to any of us when we turn inward. And particularly with widows, since they’re alone, there is a danger of just focusing on yourself and your problems and God is telling us, “Get your mind off yourself and serve other people. Teach by your example.”

That was Point B.

Point C is:

C. You need to dedicate yourself to spiritual service.

A widow needs to dedicate herself to spiritual service. And you could say, “Well, how can I spiritually serve? I can’t be a minister. I don’t have the health to go out and do all this other stuff.” Well, the one thing widows have is time. Widows have a lot of time.

Let’s go to 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 34. Notice a principle here. 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 34, Paul is saying:

1 Corinthians 7:34. There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin [one who has not been married]. [He says,] The unmarried woman [cares] for the things of the [Eternal], (KJV)

Now a widow is an unmarried woman.

1 Corinthians 7:34b. The unmarried [cares] for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: (KJV)

Because she has the time and she doesn’t have a husband.

1 Corinthians 7:34 continued. but she that is married [cares] for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. (KJV)

So, widows, by definition, have the time and the focus to care for the things of God and to be holy in both body and in spirit.

Now let’s jump to Luke chapter 2 and look at the example of a prophetess whose name was Anna. We’re going to read verses 36 and 37 of Luke chapter 2. How would you like to be a widow and have your name written in Scripture to be there for an eternity? This woman did because of who she was and what she did. Luke 2 verse 36:

Luke 2:36. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of [Asher]: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; (KJV)

Typically they married in their late teens. And so she married somewhere sixteen to twenty—nineteen in there. And then she lived with this husband for seven years. Verse 37:

Luke 2:37. And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, (KJV)

She’d been a widow for eighty-four years! Now you add eighty-four to the sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, plus the seven she was married to her husband. She was well over a hundred years old! But notice he said:

Luke 2:37. And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. (KJV)

She was at least a hundred and three! And she went to the Temple and she fasted and she prayed.

And so the spiritual service widows can render is this: All widows have the time to pray. Lots of time to pray! Widows should get in more prayer than just about anybody. Widows have the time to fast. Widows should fast often to stay close to God and to beseech God. Widows, because they don’t have a mate, now have this time and they can spend the time in fasting and in prayer. And if they’re eyes are good enough and their mental focus is good enough, obviously in study.

Many women—as some of us do even now—say, “I read a Scripture and five minutes later I can’t remember what I read.” And that’s common to a lot of us. And that means that there’s an extra burden to make sure that you focus your mind when you study. We talked to a widow last week and we’re getting her one of those giant Bibles with huge print because she just can’t see anymore.

And widows have the time to fast and to pray and to study. That is their spiritual service. They can teach. They can fast. They can pray, but above all, their job is to trust in God for everything they have. That is a widow’s responsibility.

So in conclusion—let’s wrap it up here—what we’ve learned is that widows are here and they are a benefit to the Church because of their spiritual service, but because we also have the opportunity to serve them and to obey God in doing so. There are tremendous opportunities for widows.

You set an example of faith. If widows have to trust in God for everything, what an example that is for the rest of us to see a widow trusting in God totally!

And widows can display great wisdom in their conversations with the rest of us—great wisdom, great knowledge—because we can learn a lot by their example and by what they’ve been through, by their history.

And we can learn from them by how they devote themselves to God and how they serve God and serve the Church in prayer and fasting and concern for the Brethren. We can learn a lot from widows.

So widows, understand you have a great potential for spiritual service.

We are here to learn from the widows, to serve the widows, and to honor the widows. And shame on us if we don’t! We need to do that. Taking care of a widow gets to the heart and core of our Christianity. If we can’t take care of widows, we can take care of anybody!

And so, certainly in the Pacific Church of God, we need to make it a mission, an absolute mission to take care of the widows in the Church.

We’ll close with two Scriptures here. Let’s look at a command from God—one more command about taking care of the widows. Let’s go to Zechariah chapter 7 and we’re going to read verses 8 through 10, a command from God concerning widows. Zechariah 7 verse 8:

Zechariah 7:8. And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, (KJV)

Okay, this is God speaking directly to Zechariah. Zechariah’s writing it down. Verse 9 of Zechariah 7:

Zechariah 7:9. Thus [speaks] the [Eternal] of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment [or justice], and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother [or sister]:
10) And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother [or sister] in [his] heart. (KJV)

So we cannot oppress them. In fact, we have to do just the opposite.

Then God says if you ignore the widow, if you don’t take care of the widow, there’s going to be a severe penalty for you. Look at Malachi chapter 3 and verse 5, one final Scripture. Malachi 3 and verse 5, there is a day of reckoning coming and we don’t want to be on the wrong side of the reckoning. Malachi 3 verse 5:

Malachi 3:5. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against (KJV)

Now notice who God’s going to be a witness against. Not that He hasn’t been before but at the end of days, it could be even worse.

Malachi 3:5b. [I’m going to be a swift witness against] sorcerers, against the adulterers, against [those who lie] false swearers, against those that oppress the [following groups:] the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and [do not] fear me, (KJV)

He says those that oppress the widow, He says, “I am going to call you to judgment. You will pay”—nations, peoples, tribes, clans, churches, and individuals.

So the important thing, as we read here, is God places the oppression of widows right up there with breaking the Ten Commandments! He says, “False swearers, adulterers, sorcerers,” and so on. Oppressing a widow is right up there with them. We wouldn’t think of being a sorcerer, but oppressing a widow is right at that same level in God’s mind. So we need to heed.

And it also says how God feels about widows. He’s saying, “You oppress one of my ladies, you oppress one of my elderly widows, you start screwing around with them, I look at you as I would a sorcerer. I look at you as I would a murderer or somebody that’s just reprobate morally.” So we need to take heed about that.

So, what we’ve seen today, I hope, is a more clear picture of our great God. Because if we examine how God views widows, what does that say about God? It tells us that God really cares for those who are helpless. God really cares for those who are oppressed. God really cares for those who can’t help themselves. And He has set up mechanisms and offices and commandments to take care of those.

Well, what does that say about the love of God? It says that God has His mind off of Himself and on others! God cares about His children and He especially cares about the children that are the most vulnerable, that are the weakest, and the most helpless as we’ve seen—fatherless children, infants, but especially the widow!

So what does it teach us about God? A lot about God’s love for His Family and His children! And so, what we need to do is be thankful that we have a God that loves and provides for this special, special group of people in the Church—our widows!

Transcribed by kb October 19, 2010


The Fast of the First Born

& The Last Supper

The Redeemer

I had almost completed this week’s News Letter when my friend Donald McGrew began to write me on facebook wanting to talk about Passover being on the 13th instead of the 14th. I was busy packing books and DVDs for overseas and for the prisons that had requested them and answering other emails at the same time. So I was in truth not paying much attention to the discussion Donald was trying to have with me. It is a big subject and one that I have devoted many newsletters to and really did not want to have at this time.
Now Donald has come to my first teaching in Eastern Kentucky when I was there in I think 2010. He later came to our teaching a year or so later in Missouri. And he also attended our Sukkot in 2013 where we made the videos of the Sabbatical and Jubilee years teachings, which was the first time I was able to explain in detail the whole matter over the course of 8 days.

This Donald with his granddaughter in Jericho on tour with me in 2016 for Sukkot.
In 2013 after each of my presentations all the people would rush out and head back to the campsite. I had felt they were eager to leave these long teachings and go and have fun. There were over 100 people there and few stuck around to ask questions. So at night when I would walk around the camp, I would see Donald and about 6-10 others sitting around the campfire all studying their bibles. When they saw me they would shout out a question and wait for me to answer then go back to studying.

When I joined them to ask what they were doing they all said they had to prove the astounding things I had taught them that day whether it was true or not. They had never heard such things before. And they were proving what I said was indeed true and they were dumbfounded they had never seen it before. And as I walked around the camp to other groups most of them were doing the same or discussing the day’s lessons. It was pretty awesome for me to see this. But it was Donald and his group that I have never forgotten and one other lady sitting under the Succah alone going over everything as well. Those are some my sweetest memories of that Sukkot. Until I saw Donald’s group studying, I was under the impression no one was interested in what I had to say.

What I am telling you is, that Donald is a true Berrean.

Back to our facebook conversation. After a bit, Donald wrote me something in the conversation he was mostly having and the same one I was not paying much attention to. And it was like Yehovah had hit me across the side of the head with a 2 x 4 and said wake up and look at this. Donald had switched his position about the time of the Passover meal and was now agreeing with me that it was at the end of the 14th, the start of the 15th. But how he arrived at that was stunning. It was the very thing I was writing about in this News Letter and was about to wrap up.
Now thanks to Donald I have to rewrite this week’s News Letter and share these juicy truths with you all.

In Christian theology, Jesus is sometimes referred to as a Redeemer. This refers to the salvation he is believed to have accomplished, and is based on the metaphor of redemption, or “buying back”. Although the Gospels do not use the title “Redeemer”, the word “redemption” is used in several of Paul’s letters. Leon Morris says that “Paul uses the concept of redemption primarily to speak of the saving significance of the death of Christ.”[1] The English word redemption means “repurchase” or “buy back”, and in the Old Testament referred to the ransom of slaves (Exodus 21:8).[2] In the New Testament, the redemption word group is used to refer both to deliverance from sin and freedom from captivity.[3]

When I searched the word Redeem I found the following;

40 verses found, 56 matches

Exodus 4 verses found 8 matches
Leviticus 12 verses found 17 matches
Numbers 3 verses found 4 matches
Ruth 2 verses found 8 matches
2 Samuel 1 verse found 1 match
1 Chronicles 1 verse found 1 match
Nehemiah 1 verse found 1 match
Job 2 verses found 2 matches
Psalms 8 verses found 8 matches
Isaiah 1 verse found 1 match
Jeremiah 1 verse found 1 match
Hosea 1 verse found 1 match
Micah 1 verse found 1 match
Galatians 1 verse found 1 match
Titus 1 verse found 1 match

The word Redeemer

18 verses found, 18 matches

Job 1 verse found 1 match
Psalms 2 verses found 2 matches
Proverbs 1 verse found 1 match
Isaiah 13 verses found 13 matches
Jeremiah 1 verse found 1 match

The word Redeemed

61 verses found, 62 matches

Genesis 1 verse found 1 match
Exodus 2 verses found 2 matches
Leviticus 10 verses found 10 matches
Numbers 5 verses found 5 matches
Deuteronomy 6 verses found 6 matches
2 Samuel 1 verse found 1 match
1 Kings 1 verse found 1 match
1 Chronicles 1 verse found 1 match
Nehemiah 2 verses found 2 matches
Psalms 7 verses found 8 matches
Isaiah 13 verses found 13 matches
Jeremiah 1 verse found 1 match
Lamentations 1 verse found 1 match
Hosea 1 verse found 1 match
Micah 1 verse found 1 match
Zechariah 1 verse found 1 match
Luke 2 verses found 2 matches
Galatians 1 verse found 1 match
1 Peter 1 verse found 1 match
Revelation 3 verses found 3 matches

I can only see 9 times the word redeem or one related to it is used in the New Testament. All the rest are found in the Old Testament.

According to Talmudic tradition, the first-born acted as officiating priests in the wilderness, until the erection of the Tabernacle, when the office was given to the tribe of Levi (Num. iii. 12, 13, 45-51; Zeb. 112b; compare Onelos to Ex. xxiv. 5). In consequence of the deliverance from the tenth plague, when “the Lord slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt” but spared the first-born of the Israelites, the following commandment was given: “Sanctify unto me all the first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine” (Ex. xiii. 2), which is explained in greater detail in verses 12-15. The first-born of clean beasts were thus made holy and were unredeemable, while the first-born of unclean beasts and of man had to be redeemed from the priests (Num. xviii. 15-18; Deut. xv. 19-22; compare Neh. x. 37).

The concept of the redeemer is used in the Book of Ruth to refer to the kinsman-redeemer, and in the Book of Isaiah to refer to God, the “Redeemer of Israel”.
In Job 19:25, Job makes the statement, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.”

This passage mentions an unnamed man who was the guardian-redeemer for Naomi and Ruth. Other Bible translations call him a family guardian or kinsman-redeemer. This description comes from the Hebrew word go’el, meaning “redeemer.” A go’el was a male relative who was responsible for caring for a deceased relative’s possessions, including land, houses,
livestock, and even the widow. If the deceased had debts, the go’el would pay them. If the deceased was childless, the go’el would marry the widow and produce offspring who would carry on the name and family lineage of the deceased man. When they came of age, those children would inherit the deceased man’s property. The possessions and people who were cared for by a go’el were said to be “redeemed.” The go’el’s responsibility, then, was supremely sacrificial: He invested much in supporting his deceased relative’s estate and family but
received little to nothing in return. Israel’s social system and survival as a people depended on men who performed their duty as a go’el. So important was this role that Isaiah 43:14 describes God as Israel’s go’el or redeemer, a concept that carries over to the New Testament understanding of Jesus’ life and ministry.

Ruth 4:1-12

1 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. 2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. 3 Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said. 5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” 6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”
7 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.) 8 So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal. 9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!” 11 Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah. Boaz was a well-to-do farmer who owned land and crops and had numerous employees. Why would he be interested in a poor Moabite widow such as Ruth, despite Jewish law forbidding intermarriage with Moabites? It so happens that Boaz was a fifth generation descendant of Perez, who was the son of a Canaanite widow named Tamar. Tamar’s first two husbands died. They were both sons of Judah, one of the great-grandsons of Abraham himself, the father of the Jewish people. Judah promised to give her his third son, but he neglected to fulfill that promise. So Tamar used some loopholes in the law, plus a little trickery, to get Judah to father twin sons, one of whom was named Perez. (Genesis 38 has the full details.) Thus, Tamar provided for her future security and family line. Perhaps this was why Boaz was sensitive to the plight of disadvantaged foreign widows such as Ruth. And he was brave enough to ignore social stigma to follow through on his promises to care for her.

The Hebrew word for redeem is used 22 times in Ruth and 104 times throughout the Old Testament. It means to restore, repair, or avenge. God is the ultimate redeemer (Isaiah 49:26).

In the Old Testament, God redeemed people from slavery (Exodus 6:6), disobedience (Isaiah 44:22), harm (Genesis 48:16), enemies (Psalm 107:2), captivity (Isaiah 43:14), and death (Hosea 13:14). In the New Testament, God sent Jesus to provide redemption for all people: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24).


The Pidyon Ha’bon

Why did Yehovah have to pay a redemption price and to whom?

To redeem the firstborn is called The Pidyon Ha’bon
The source for an Israelite’s obligation to redeem his firstborn son through giving the kohen (priest) specifically five shekels is the Book of Numbers (18:15-16): “You shall redeem the firstborn of man . . .the redemption [shall be performed] from the age of a month, according to the valuation, five shekels of silver.”
Several explanations are given for the specific amount of silver shekels used for the pidyon haben. The following is from the Talmud:
Joseph – Rachel’s firstborn son – was sold by his brothers for twenty silver pieces, the equivalent of five shekels. This established that the standard “price” for a (firstborn) human is five shekels, which are given to the kohen, God’s representative, to redeem the child.

Genesis 37:26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime. Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed.  So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.

A pidyon haben, or “redemption of the [firstborn] son,” is a ceremony wherein the father of a firstborn male redeems his son by giving five silver coins to a kohen(a priestly descendant of Aaron), thirty days after the baby’s birth.

What is the reason for this procedure?

Exodus 13 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.”
:13And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck: and all the first-born of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem.
And it shall be, when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand Jehovah brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that Jehovah slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast: therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb, being males; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem. And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand Jehovah brought us forth out of Egypt.

The first place we see the word redeem is in Exodus 6:6

Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments: and I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God, who bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

Originally, the Israelite firstborn were the sanctified priestly class. They were inducted into God’s service when they were spared from the Plague of the Firstborn that struck Egypt. However, when Israel—firstborn included—served the Golden Calf, the firstborn forfeited their status. The priesthood was transferred to the tribe that did not participate in the Golden Calf hoopla—the Levites, and particularly the children of Aaron.
Now we have 20 pieces of silver being the price for Joseph being redeemed from the cistern. That amount equalling 5 shekels as we were just told. Joseph represents the northern 12 tribes. It is upon his children that the name of Israel is given. Let my name Israel be carried on in them.

Gen 48:15 “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys;
and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

We have another interesting story that we can also connect to this and to the redemption of Israel. That is the story of Hosea. Hosea represents Yehovah seeking His wayward bride who has gone a whoring after other men. Hosea, Yehovah is redeeming Israel.

Hosea Brings His Wife Back to Himself
3 The Lord said to me, “Go. Show your love to your wife again. She is loved by another man. And she has committed adultery. But I want you to love her just as I love the people of Israel. They turn to other gods. And they love to offer raisin cakes to Baal and eat them. In spite of that, I love my people.”
2 So I bought Gomer for six ounces of silver and 430 pounds of barley. 3 Then I told her, “You must wait for me for a long time. You must not be a prostitute. You must not have sex with any man. And I will be faithful to you too.”
4 So the people of Israel will live for a long time without a king or prince. They won’t have sacrifices or sacred stones. They won’t have sacred linen aprons or statues of family gods. 5 After that, the people of Israel will return to the Lord their God. They will look to him and to a king from the family line of David. In the last days, they will tremble with fear as they come to the Lord. And they will receive his full blessing.

Now 6 ounces is equal to 170.1 Grams of Silver.  And 1 shekel is equal to 100 grams. So gomer is being bought or redeemed for about 10 shekels of silver. And Gomer represents Israel (Ephraim and Manasseh) who have gone a whoring after other gods.
The question we are addressing this week is Why did Yehovah have to pay a redemption price? And to whom did He pay it?
We are told in Exodus 4:22-23

Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”

In The Prophecies of Abraham, we have shown you many times how Egypt represents the end-time whore.
When Abraham and Sarah go down to Egypt Pharaoh takes Sarah for his wife. This is similar to Egypt taking the children of Israel for slaves and in the end time how the Great end time Whore will take the remnant of Israel for captives. You are this very day witnessing the same events of the children of Israel living in Egypt and the tables being turned to make them slaves. Today the UN and the EU whores are fighting everything the US is doing under Trump. And now Trump is cutting off funding to the UN and so is the State of Isreal and the UK is pulling out of the EU agreement. The BREXIT divorce. The USA has pulled out of the Paris Agreement.

When you step back from the banter of the headline news you should be able to see that in each of these cases, the EU and the UN stand to lose billions of potential income that the USA and the UK were providing to these various causes.

The EU and the UN will soon turn their forces upon the USA and the UK and turn what is left of them after the wars, (The remnant) into slaves.
It is during this time that the two witnesses will act and cause all sorts of plagues to fall upon this great whore in the same way Moses and Aaron did in the Exodus story.
Now again I ask you ‘Why does Yehovah have to pay anything at all.” I can see Hosea paying for Gomer who is owned by her new lover.

Oops, I think I just learned something Gomer was owned by the one she had given herself to, the other lover. Gomer represents Israel, who has gone after all sorts of other lovers who do not love her. Hosea or Yehovah loves Israel, who is His firstborn. Meaning Yehovah will have other nations as HIs children at some point in time.
Paul has this to say in Romans 6:12:

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Slaves to Righteousness
What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

When we give into sin then we submit ourselves to Satan. We submit ourselves to the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The very same tree Adam and Eve submitted themselves too and the rest of mankind. Just imagine if you can, that each time you sin, all of your descendants that come from you from that point on will be enslaved by Satan for your sins.
And yet we have sinned and we have submitted ourselves to our new lord Satan.
In Matthew, we read how he has the authority to give kingdoms to whomever he chooses.

Mat 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

We also read in the letters from both John and Paul how Yeshua Himself admits that there is one who rules this earth now and it is not Yeshua.

John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
John 14:30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
John 16: 7-11 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment because the ruler of this world is judged.
1 Corithians 10:18-22 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
Eph 2:1-3 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
1 John 5:19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
Rev 9:11 They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon..
Rev 20:1-3 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

Now getting back to the Exodus story we can need to understand that Yehovah did not destroy the firstborn of Egypt. But Yehovah protected Israel from the destroyer who was at this time killing all the firstborn in Egypt.

Exodus 12:23 says that when God passed over the doors of the houses which had been marked with the blood of the Passover lamb, He would not allow the destroyer to enter into the house to kill the firstborn of that house.

So it was not Yehovah who struck down the firstborn sons of Egypt, but a being referred to as “the destroyer.”
Yehovah’s primary activity in the tenth plague was not in killing the firstborn sons of Egypt, but in protecting people from the destroyer that had come to kill all things.
Yehovah paid a price to this destroyer and that price was Egypt.
Isa 43:3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

The Se’udat-Siyum

We now need to take another look at what took place on the night Yehshua was betrayed and relook at the events of this night. I have not seen this until Donald tipped me off whether or not he realized it.
Nisan13 was Tuesday. Do not forget the day begins with sunset. Tuesday is the day before the preparation day for Passover. At the end of this the 13th  of Nisan, and the start of the 14th, which is the start of the preparation day, that the disciples had the special meal that we call The Last Supper.

There was a tradition which in Hebrew is called, seudah maphsehket; this translates essentially to “last supper”. This last supper was about remembering that it was indeed not ALL Hebrews who were in danger from death at God’s hand in Egypt, but ONLY the firstborn sons. So a special nighttime meal was adopted whereby this meal would be eaten and then there would be a 24 hour fast that followed……thus the name “last supper”. The next meal to be eaten was the Passover meal after the 14th had passed and the start of the 15th of Nisan was just beginning.

It is at the start of the 14th day of Nisan at this seudah maphsehket that Yeshua says to commemorate this day by drinking wine that symbolizes His blood that establishes the New Covenant, and by eating unleavened bread that symbolizes His body.

After having the last supper, the next event is that Judas betrays Him and shortly after midnight Yeshua is arrested. It is still The Preparation day. In the wee hours a little before sunrise, He is tried and convicted of blasphemy by the Sanhedrin. It is still Preparation Day. After the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, confirms his death sentence Yeshua is scourged and then nailed to the tree by Roman soldiers. It is still The Preparation Day, Wednesday, Nisan 14, 31 C.E.

When Yeshua dies at 3 pm in the afternoon on this Preparation Day, it is the exact same time the slaughter of the Passover Lambs begins in the Temple grounds. Somewhere around ¼ million sheep will be killed and their blood collected between the hours of 3 pm and 6 pm. It is still Preparation Day because the sun has not yet set and after sunset then the Passover meals are eaten with these lambs which have just been killed and roasted in the Temple area.

The Fast of the First Born

Let’s understand one thing very clearly: The final meal Yeshua had with his disciples was NOT THE PASSOVER! The Passover was very plainly not yet come. John, in describing this final meal Yeshua had with his disciples, said, “Now BEFORE the feast of the Passover” (John 13:1). He plainly shows this meal or banquet was BEFORE the true Passover, which was scheduled to be eaten and observed the next night, Nisan 15 (John 18:18). The next day the Jews would still be “preparing” for the Passover (John 19:14, 31). Therefore, what exactly WAS this “last meal”?

What few have realized, not being familiar with Jewish customs of the time of Yeshua, is that this meal could not have been the Passover, since Passover lambs would not be slain until the following afternoon, and then eaten in the homes of the Jews on the night of the actual “Passover” — when YEHOVAH God slew the firstborn in the land of Egypt and “passed over” the Israelites — Nisan 15. Yet obviously, this final meal was very important — a meal of close fellowship and spiritual significance.

A Jewish Look at the Last Supper

Says David H. Stern, in the Jewish New Testament Commentary:

“The Last Supper is considered by most scholars to have been a Passover meal or Seder. Many Pesach themes are deepened, reinforced and given new levels of meaning by events in the life of Yeshua the Messiah and by his words on this night. However, Joseph Shulam has suggested that it may not have been the Seder but a se’udat-mitzvah, the CELEBRATORY ‘BANQUET accompanying performance of a commandment’ such as a wedding or b’ rit-milah.

“Here is the background for his argument. When a rabbi and his students finish studying a tractate of the Talmud, they celebrate with a se’udat-mitzvah (also called a se’udat-siyum, ‘banquet of completion,’ i.e., graduation). The Fast of the Firstborn, expressing gratitude for the saving of Israel’s firstborn sons from the tenth plague, has been prescribed for the day before Pesach, Nisan 14, at least since Mishnaic times. When it is necessary to eat a se’udat-mitzvah, this takes precedence over a fast. With a modicum of foresight a rabbi can plan to complete a tractate on Nisan 14 and thus avoid having to fast; doing so is not construed as cheating, and in fact it has become the custom. “The tradition of the Fast of the Firstborn dates at least from Mishanic times. But, Shulam reasons, if it goes back a couple of centuries more to the time of Yeshua, and if the si’udat siyum custom applied in the first century to the completing of any course of study, then Yeshua might have arranged to have himself and his talmidim [students, disciples] finish reading a book of the Tanakh on Nisan 14. Or, since Yeshua knew he was going to die, he may have regarded it as appropriate to complete his disciples’ earthly ‘course of study’ with a BANQUET. This solution would also resolve the perceived conflict between Yochanan [John] and the Synoptic Gospels over the timing of the Last Supper” JNT, p. 77).

In other words, there is much more to this passage in I Corinthians 11, and its meaning, than we have supposed. Although there is no doubt that Yeshua the Messiah presented the new meanings of the bread and the wine as representing his broken body and shed blood, given on our behalf, at the last supper, and that these symbols are directly involved in the Passover Seder, held on Nisan 15, it is also a fact that this final meal was ONE DAY before the Passover. It is also a fact that Yeshua did not tell his disciples that they should institute a NEW COMMANDMENT, or a new “holy day,” and begin observing Nisan 14, at the eve, as a memorial of this “last supper.” However, he was having a “final banquet” with them — a special and unique “fellowship meal” with them, where all were relaxed, reclining, at ease, and experiencing a very close oneness with each other. This was similar to a Passover Seder in some respects — but yet different.

The Greek Word “Artos”

Interestingly, when Yeshua held this final dinner with his disciples, the word John used to describe it was diepnon, which means “supper, the principal meal, dinner.” It is used of the last supper Yeshua held with his disciples, and other main meals of the day (see Mark 6:21; Luke 14:12, 16, 17, 24; 22:20; John 12:2; 13:21, 4; I Cor. 11:20-21; Rev. 19:9, 17). This word is NEVER used of an annual Festival, or of the Passover. However, it simply refers to the MAIN MEAL of the day, usually at evening.

Furthermore, at this final dinner or banquet, there is no mention of a lamb being eaten — which would have been necessary if this were the Passover. The gospel accounts would hardly have neglected to mention such an important feature.

But even more interesting is the fact that Jewish custom of that time, and always, has dictated that UNLEAVENED BREAD was not to be eaten during the days before the FEAST of Unleavened Bread, so that the Feast would be set apart as distinct and real. For unleavened bread to have been eaten BEFORE the Festival would have diminished its importance during the Feast itself! Therefore, if Yeshua and his disciples had eaten “unleavened bread” on the night of Nisan 14, they would have violated Jewish custom and practice. It is very interesting, therefore, to notice that when Yeshua sat down at dinner, at that final meal with his disciples, “as they were eating, Yeshua took bread, and blessed it [many Greek copies have, “gave thanks”], and brake it, and gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body” (Matt. 26:26). The word for “bread” here is artos, and means, “bread (as raised), a loaf.” This same word is used in Matthew 4:3-4, “man does not live by bread alone,” in Matthew 6:11, “our daily bread,” and Matthew 16:12,”the leaven of bread,” etc. This word is often used of LEAVENED BREAD!

Generally, whenever UNLEAVENED bread is meant, this word is preceded by the Greek word for “unleavened,” which is azumos, meaning “unleavened, uncorrupted.” But in the three synoptic gospel accounts of the last supper of Yeshua and his disciples, Matthew 26:26, Mark 14:22, Luke 22:19, the writers always use ONLY THE WORD ARTOS, meaning BREAD — without the modifying word azumos to designate “unleavened.” Therefore, the clear indication is that AT THE LAST SUPPER YESHUA USED NORMAL LEAVENED BREAD, when he blessed and broke it, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body”!

Here is further proof that this dinner was not and could not have been the PASSOVER!

The Real Bread at the “Last Supper”

Further proof that Yeshua and his disciples did NOT and could not have eaten the “Passover,” with its unleavened bread, at the “last supper” on the eve or beginning of Nisan 14, is plain and simple Jewish law (halakha) of the time. It is a historical fact that when the Scriptures use the expression “kept the Passover” (Ezra 6:19) it refers strictly to the slaying of the Passover lamb, on the 14th of Nisan, whereas the expression “eat the Passover” was fulfilled the coming evening of Nisan 15 which was the beginning of the eating of unleavened bread on “the night to be much observed.” The reason why this evening was called “the night to be much observed” was because the Passover meal was always eaten as the first meal in the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Also, according to Jewish law of the times (halakha), it was absolutely forbidden to eat unleavened bread during the 24-hour period prior to the first night of Unleavened Bread! This was a distinction made by law to sanctify (set apart) the sacred meaning of the Feast from whatever they may have eaten for bread on the previous days. This means that Yeshua and the disciples could not have eaten unleavened bread the evening prior to the “night to be much observed”!

Also, the gospels indicate that Yeshua was keeping the Fast of the Firstborn during the daylight hours of the crucifixion day — this was a daytime fast observed by all firstborn Jews on the Preparation Day in remembrance of YEHOVAH God protecting the firstborn of Israel while killing the firstborn of Egypt; this also explains Yeshua’s remark in Matthew 26:29, “I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Obviously, Yeshua did not drink any wine the following day. Furthermore, this explains why he refused to accept the vinegar mixed with gall mentioned in Matthew 27:34. The Hebrew text of Matthew’s gospel written by the Spanish Jewish scholar Shem-Tov ben-Shaprut (c. 1380 A.D.) reads: “and gave him wine mixed with gall. But when he began to drink it he perceived and would not drink it.” Yeshua must have remembered he was observing the Fast of the Firstborn. The Greek word for “taste” used in this verse produced a false impression. Yeshua remembered before he drank and swallowed.

Clearly, then, the “bread” which Yeshua broke and gave to his disciples during the beginning portion of Nisan 14, in the evening, at his final “supper” with them, must have been and indeed was LEAVENED BREAD!

But can this be? Can leavened bread, as well as unleavened bread, represent the body of Yeshua the Messiah?

The answer is a resounding YES!

In Leviticus 23:17, regarding the feast of Pentecost, we read: “Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be BAKEN WITH LEAVEN; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.” Leaven, in this case, certainly does not represent SIN, as nothing “contaminated” or “sinful” could ever be offered to YEHOVAH God. To offer “sins” to YEHOVAH would be sacrilegious — blasphemy — like offering swine’s flesh (Isa. 66:3, 17).

Notice, therefore, what the Jamieson, Faussett and Brown Commentary has to say on this passage in Leviticus 23:

“These loaves were made of “fine” or wheaten flour, the quantity contained in them being somewhat more than ten pounds weight. As the wave-sheaf gave the signal for the commencement, the two loaves solemnized the termination of the harvest season. They were the first-fruits of that season, being offered unto the Lord by the priest in name of the whole nation (see on Exo. 34:22). The loaves used at the Passover were UNLEAVENED, those presented at Pentecost were LEAVENED — a difference which is thus accounted for, — that the one was a memorial of the bread hastily prepared at their departure, while the other was a TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE TO GOD for their daily food, which was leavened…” (vol. 1, p.498).

However, even “leavened bread” is a TYPE of the body of the Messiah, and represents “his flesh” which he gave for the sins of the world. To the Jews, unleavened or flat bread represented affliction and poverty, as when the Israelites came out of Egypt; but leavened loaves of bread, as were sacrificed at Pentecost to the Lord (Leviticus 23:17), typify ABUNDANCE, richness, wealth. The typology should be clear. The Messiah crucified was in affliction, flatness, abject, beaten, bruised, pierced, pummeled — the perfect type being unleavened bread. The Messiah as the richness of the abundance of life, life-giving bread, is pictured by the leaves of beautiful, sweet-smelling leavened bread! Don’t all of us enjoy a beautiful loaf of home-made leavened whole wheat bread straight out of the oven steaming? Therefore, the richness of leavened bread also symbolizes Yeshua the Messiah, the “bread of life.” Notice!

“The BREAD of Life”

In John chapter 6, when Yeshua fed the multitude from a few loaves of bread and a few fishes, he declared,

“For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world….I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believth on me shall never thirst….

“I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

“I am the LIVING BREAD which came down from heaven: if any man eat of THIS BREAD, he shall live forever: and the bread which I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world….

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

“This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever” (John 6:33-58).

Yeshua, then, is the “bread of life.” This is a reality. This is not just Passover. Throughout the year, every day, day in and day out, Yeshua the Messiah remains and IS the “bread of life” which came down from heaven! We should be eating of this “bread” DAILY as we study the Scriptures! Yeshua went on to declare:

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

Thus even regular bread is a type of the richness of the life-giving bread of Yeshua the Messiah! In this sense, the leaven represents fullness and abundance. True Christians, as members of the body of the Messiah, also are “one bread” IN the Messiah!

 

30 Pieces of Silver

Now with everything you have been shown thus far consider the following.

Zech 11:10-14 And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter. Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

In Mathew, we learn how Judas has agreed to betray Yeshua.

Mat 26:14-16 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.

Next, we read about the betrayal of Yeshua in John 13:21-30

After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

We then read the rest of what Judus has done in Mat 27:3-10

Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”

I will share next what is commonly said about this transaction and then share my thoughts on it.

In Zechariah 11:12–13, 30 pieces of silver is the price Zechariah receives for his labour. He takes the coins and throws them “to the potter”. Klaas Schilder notes that Zechariah’s payment indicates an assessment of his worth, as well as his dismissal.[18] In Exodus 21:32, 30 pieces of silver was the price of a slave, so while Zechariah calls the amount a “handsome price” (Zechariah 11:13), this could be sarcasm. Barry Webb, however, regards it as a “considerable sum of money.”[19]
Schilder suggests that these 30 pieces of silver then get “bandied back and forth by the Spirit of Prophecy.”[20] When the chief priests decide to buy a field with the returned money, Matthew says that this fulfilled “what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet.” Namely, “They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me” (Matthew 27:9–10). Although many scholars see Jeremiah’s name as included in error,[21] Jeremiah’s purchase of a field in Jeremiah 32 may indicate that both prophets are in mind.[22] Craig Blomberg argues that Matthew is using typology in his quotation, rather than “any kind of single or double fulfillment of actual predictive prophecy.” According to Blomberg, Matthew is telling his readers that, “like Jeremiah and Zechariah, Jesus attempts to lead his people with a prophetic and pastoral ministry, but instead he ends up suffering innocently at their hands.”[23] William Hendriksen argues that Matthew is referring to Jeremiah 19.[24]
Blomberg also suggests that Matthew may also be saying that “Jesus’ death is a ransom, the price paid to secure a slave’s freedom,” and that the use of the blood money to buy a burial ground for foreigners (Matthew 27:7) may hint at the idea that “Jesus’ death makes salvation possible for all the peoples of the world, including the Gentiles.”[25]
The 1877 Handy Book for Bible Readers states that “Argurion, argenteus, denarius. This word occurs in two passages–(A) the account of the betrayal of our Lord for “thirty pieces of silver” (Matt. xxvi. 15; xxvii. 3, 5, 6, 9). These have usually been considered to be denarii, but on no sufficient ground. The parallel passage in Zechariah (xi. 12, 13), is translated “thirty [pieces] of silver”; but which should doubtless be read, “thirty shekels of silver”, whilst it is observable that “thirty shekels of silver” was the price of blood to be paid in the case of a servant accidentally killed (Exod. xxi. 32). The passage may therefore be explained as “thirty shekels of silver”, not surrent shekels, but tetradrachms of the Attic standard of the Greek cities of Syria and Phoencia. These tetradrachms were common at the time of our Lord, and of them the stater was a specimen.”

Slave-Captives-Death-Redemption

There is something very special about this Fast of the First Born and the money paid to redeem the firstborn. And then when we actually see it played out in real time at the crucifixion we should be able to draw understanding from it. But we do not because of so much confusion about the events and because we have not obeyed for over 2700 years. So we have lost much understanding.
Yehovah had to pay the ruler of this world, Satan the destroyer, for those whom Yehovah was redeeming the same as Hosea did for Gomer his adulterous wife whom he bought back.
The price of redeeming the firstborn was set at 5 shekels. The price for Gomer was equivalent to about 10 shekels. The 30 Silver coins …

The word used in Matthew 26:15 (???????, argyria) simply means “silver coins,”[9] and scholars disagree on the type of coins that would have been used. Donald Wiseman suggests two possibilities. They could have been tetradrachms of Tyre, usually referred to as Tyrian shekels (14 grams of 94% silver), or staters from Antioch (15 grams of 75% silver), which bore the head of Augustus.[10] Alternatively, they could have been Ptolemaic tetradrachms (13.5 ± 1 g of 25% silver).[11]There are 31.1035 grams per troy ounce. At spot valuation of $17.06/oz (the closing price on Monday, December 12, 2016), 30 “pieces of silver” would be worth between $185 and $216 in present-day value (USD).
The Tyrian shekel weighed four Athenian drachmas, about 14 grams, more than earlier 11-gram Israeli shekels, but was regarded as the equivalent for religious duties at that time.[12] Because Roman coinage was only 80% silver, the purer (94% or more) Tyrian shekels were required to pay the temple tax in Jerusalem. The money changers referenced in the New Testament Gospels (Matt. 21:12 and parallels) exchanged Tyrian shekels for common Roman currency.[13][14]

I am trying to say that the redemption price is connected to the 30 pieces of Silver. Exactly how I will leave for you to ponder.
This day called the Fast of the firstborn is directly connected to the Fast of the Day of Atonement. As we showed you last week, the goat that represented Yehovah was killed on the Day of Atonement. This is the sacrifice that shows us we will be killing Yehovah. We were to kill the goat that represented Him, the same as we were to take the other goat, that looks just like the one that represents Yehovah, and cast it into the wilderness with all the guilt from our sins placed upon it. This Goat represented Satan the destroyer.
So because of these two Holy Days are connected in that the lamb that is killed also represents Yehovah at Atonement, so we are to fast at this time. It is the Fast of the Firstborn.
But although we have the symbolism here in the redemption of the firstborn, and we have it already stated that the 30 pieces of silver were to be used to buy the potters field as graves for the strangers. It has been stated that this field represents the rest of the gentile world.
Now let us go back once again to Genesis 15.

Gen 15:17-21 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”

Yehovah made this blood covenant by Himself. He swore by His own life. There is no higher authority than He.
Then at Mount Sinai Yehovah again reaffirms this covenant with all of Israel whom He had just bought with the lives of the Egyptians from the destroyer. In Exodus starting in chapter 19 and going all the way to 34 is the covenant with all of Israel and we all agreed to obey it. Now, this too was a blood covenant which means that if either party breaks those things they have agreed to in it then they would pay with their lives.

Israel did break this agreement and is guilty of sin and thus must pay for this with their lives.
But Yehovah has shown us just how much He loved Israel and not just Israel, but all of mankind, by giving His own life as payment for us breaking the covenant of Mount Sinai.
He has redeemed us with His own blood. The redemption price of the firstborn as shown to us each time we keep the Pidyon Ha’bon and again each year we keep the last supper not as the Passover meal which is the next night but as this special night in which He paid for us on this day by His own blood.
We know this is what He did because of the fact that the dead who were held prisoners by Satan up until that time had not and had never come back to life from the grave until Yehshua came out of the grave at the end of the Sabbath.

This is the first time other than Lazarus, that anyone has come out of the grave.

Mat 27:50-53 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

This was the first chag of Unleavened Bread. It is the first wave offering and it is the first time any of the Saints were brought back to life.
Paul tells us how Yehshua led the captives.

Eph 4:8 Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
1 Cor 15:20-26 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

This event that took place after the payment had been executed is the redemption of mankind from the grave. It took place on the wave sheaf day. It is what the wave sheaf represents. Those Saints who obeyed were brought back to life on wave sheaf day. All of those from the time of Adam until this day in 31 C.E. were brought back to life and then ascended to heaven at 9 AM that Sunday morning with Yehshua.
Those captives were those who were held by Satan in death. They are now free and ascended with Yehshua to heaven.
The next wave offering to take place happens at the end of the tribulation on Shavuot when the next wave offering of two loaves of bread are waved. This is the one that all those since 31 C.E. until that time who have died and even those who are alive will be brought back to life and or changed in the twinkling of an eye and rise to meet Him in the air.

1 Cor 15:50-57 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Again death is captivity and captivity means to be a captive of Satan. What is to be thrown into the lake of fire in the end?

Rev 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Rev 20:4-6 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

I do hope I have been able to convey this new to me and some of you, understanding. I hope you can see the Great and mightiness of Yehovah in everything He is doing. Yehovah is our redeemer and Yehovah is the one who paid the redemption price with His own blood for us and for all mankind.

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

Isaiah 41:14 “Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you,” declares the LORD, “and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

Jeremiah 50:34 “Their Redeemer is strong, the LORD of hosts is His name; He will vigorously plead their case So that He may bring rest to the earth, But turmoil to the inhabitants of Babylon.

Amos 4:13 For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, The LORD God of hosts is His name.

Isa 43:14-15 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”

Isa 44:6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.

Isa 49:26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine. Then all flesh shall know that I am the Lord your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Look at this verse above again and note what it is saying to you. ‘I am Yehovah Yehshua and your Redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob’.

Isa 54:5 For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.
Isa 43:3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

Let me show you this scripture in the Hebrew. And I want you to think on it some over this coming week.

Isa 43:3 For I am Yehovah, the Holy One of Israel, your Yehshua. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you..
Jer 31:10-11 “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’
For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
Jer 50:33-34 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: The people of Israel are oppressed, and the people of Judah with them. All who took them captive have held them fast; they refuse to let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name. He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon..


Ben Ha Arbayim or Between the Evenings

I did not realize when I posted the Newsletter for this Shabbat how many were confused by the chronology of Passover and when it is to be eaten. I have had phone calls and many emails, all of them stating I am wrong; All of them basing their position on the Ben Ha Arbayim or between the evenings understanding. Or should I say misunderstanding? I have also received many thanking me for making the chronology of the events of Passover very plain.

It is my desire that we all keep each feast as we are commanded in Torah. But over time Satan has confused and muddied many of the scriptures.

Let me say right here I am not going after any one person or group. I feel it is of utmost importance to keep the Passover. And to keep the Memorial that Yehshua established. But we are warned by Paul in 1Co 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. 29 For the one who is eating and drinking unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Master. 30 Because of this many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we were to examine ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Master, that we should not be condemned with the world.

When an issue such as this comes up it forces me to again double-check my understanding. And then to search for the reason why so many have it another way and which one is right.

And because of the importance of the issue, I have felt compelled to issue this Newsletter before next Shabbat to give those who need it time to sort out this issue before Passover comes at the end of this coming week.

We are commanded to go and tell our brother when we see him sinning in both the Torah and Brit Chadasha, New Covenant.

Lev 19:17 ‘Do not hate your brother in your heart. Reprove your neighbour, for certain, and bear no sin because of him.

Mat 18:12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, would he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, going to seek the one that is straying? 13 “And if he should find it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 “Thus it is not the desire of your Father who is in the heavens that one of these little ones should be lost. 15 “And if your brother sins against you, go and reprove him, between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 “But if he does not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word might be established.’ 17 “And if he refuses to hear them, say it to the assembly. And if he refuses even to hear the assembly, let him be to you like a gentile and a tax collector.

Let us now read in Clark’s commentary what these two verses actually mean.

Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible

Thou shalt not hate thy brother – Thou shalt not only not do him any kind of evil, but thou shalt harbor no hatred in thy heart towards him. On the contrary, thou shalt love him as thyself, Leviticus 19:18. Many persons suppose, from misunderstanding our Lord’s words, John 13:34, A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another, etc., that loving our neighbor as ourselves was first instituted under the Gospel. This verse shows the opinion to be unfounded: but to love another as Christ has loved us, i. e., to lay down our lives for each other, is certainly a new commandment; we have it simply on the authority of Jesus Christ alone.

And not suffer sin upon him – If thou see him sin, or know him to be addicted to any thing by which the safety of his soul is endangered, thou shalt mildly and affectionately reprove him, and by no means permit him to go on without counsel and advice in a way that is leading him to perdition. In a multitude of cases timely reproof has been the means of saving the soul. Speak to him privately if possible; if not, write to him in such a way that himself alone shall see it.

Luke 17:3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
1 John 2:9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.
1 John 2:11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.
1 John 3:15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

If we do not tell our Brother of their sins when we see it, it is the same as hating our Brother and walking in darkness and the same as if we had murdered him.

In the 613 Mitzvot this command to warn your Brother is found in Mitzvot #30

(30) Do not cherish hatred in your heart. “You shall not hate your brother in your heart.” (Leviticus 19:17) Could it be that the rabbis actually got one right? This is apparently a no-brainer, the converse of #26, “You shall love your neighbor as you do yourself.” But look at what follows: it almost sounds like a contradiction: “You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.” In light of this close contextual connection, we shouldn’t automatically assume Moses has moved on to a different subject. Actually, I believe the second phrase defines what it is to “hate your brother.” And the truth that emerges if we make this connection has stunning relevance for us today: we are not to be tolerant of false teaching, but are rather to “rebuke” those in error—to neglect this correction is to hate our brother. Remember the rabbinical mitzvah (#27) that said Do not stand by idly when a human life is in danger? This is the practical outworking of the principal: if your brother is in spiritual error, if he espouses doctrines that Yahweh’s Word says will kill him in the end, then to withhold rebuke and admonition is to hate him. By tolerating his heresy, you are sending him to hell, like indulging a diabetic’s sweet tooth.

What does it mean to “bear” sin? The Hebrew word is nasa, meaning to lift, or carry. It is “used in reference to the bearing of guilt or punishment for sin” leading to the “representative or substitutionary bearing of one person’s guilt by another.” (B&C) Yahweh did not want false teaching tolerated in Israel because the guilt—and thus the punishment—incurred would eventually be borne by the entire nation. He would have spared them that pain. He would spare us that pain.

This ought to shed new light on Yehshua’s confirmation of the principle that loving Yehovah and our fellow man is the path to life.

“One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: ‘Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?’ Jesus replied, ‘What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?’ The man answered, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘Right!’ Jesus told him. ‘Do this and you will live!’” (Luke 10:25-28 NLT) Friends don’t let friends fall prey to false teaching.

I am going to let you read from someone who has done the research on this subject that I am not able to explain satisfactorily. Please forgive me for my inability to explain this to those whom I have been communicating with. May Yehovah guide us all into the truth. Please read this in order to understand and not to argue and fight.
http://www.hope-of-israel.org/arbayim.htm

Hope of Israel Ministries (Ecclesia of YEHOVAH):

The Mystery of Ben Ha Arbayim —

When Was the Passover Killed?

Some proponents of observing the Passover insist that the Hebrew expression Ben Ha Arbayim — translated literally as “between the two evenings” — has to refer to dusk or twilight, the period of time after sunset and before dark. The Jews and orthodox Judaism, however, maintain that this expression refers to the period between noon and sunset. Which is the truth? Since the Passover lamb was killed “ben ha arbayim,” this question is of vital importance in determining when Passover should be observed! Let us lay aside the opinions of men, and tradition, and prove from the Scriptures exactly when the Passover was to be killed!

In Exodus 12:6, YEHOVAH God commands Israel, “And you shall keep it [the Passover lamb] up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.” Many have been perplexed by this expression, “in the evening.” The margin of my National Bible says, “from the ninth to the eleventh hour.” In Israel, the day had twelve hours, beginning around 6:00 AM our time as the first hour. Therefore, the ninth to the eleventh hour would have been from 3:00 PM in the afternoon till 5:00 PM.

However, another Bible I have has a marginal rendering of this expression, saying, “Hebrew, between the two evenings.” The question is, does this period of time refer to the afternoon of Nisan 14, especially from 3:00-5:00 PM? Or does it refer to the BEGINNING of Nisan 14, which begins about 6:00 PM the previous evening, from the time the sun sets until dark sets in — a period of about forty minutes or so?

Some who observe “Passover” at the beginning hours of Nisan 14, shortly after sunset, claim this expression means twilight, between sunset and dark. Is this really true?

In his book entitled The Christian Passover, Fred R. Coulter, former minister of the Worldwide Church of God, asserts that this expression is “the vital key to understanding.” He claims that the Scriptural meaning of ben ha arbayim is the period of time after sunset, normally referred to as dusk or twilight — definitely NOT “late afternoon”! Coulter simply rejects out of hand Jewish explanations and exegesis on this expression, as well as the studies of most scholars. Coulter claims that the traditional Jewish explanation of this term, such as that of Rabbi Rashi, a renown scholar of the Torah, simply contradicts Exodus 12:8, which, he says, shows that the entire Passover was to be kept on the 14th of Nisan, and the Passover lambs were to be eaten on the night of the 14th, not the 15th!

These are very strong words. Coulter claims that Exodus 16 is the KEY PROOF that he is right, and all the rabbis and scholars are wrong. He accuses various scholars, including Robert Kuhn and Lester L. Grabbe, formerly with the Worldwide Church of God, of “either ignoring or overlooking the plain commands of God which were given in the original Passover and which have been preserved in His Word” (p. 28, The Christian Passover ).

What is this “proof” which he refers to?

The Mystery of the Word “Evening”

Asserts Fred Coulter, the Hebrew term generally translated “evening,” or “even” — ba erev — means “sunset.” Therefore, according to him, all the common Bible translations are in error, as well as Strong’s Concordance and every Hebrew lexicon in existence! Coulter does not bother to “prove” that ba erev should be translated “sunset.” He simply asserts it is so, saying so dogmatically, without providing any evidence whatsoever. Coulter declares that “the meaning of ba erev is without controversy,” and further says it means “sunset.”

But is this really true?

The apostle Paul says that we are to “prove ALL things” (I Thess.5:21). Otherwise, slick, oily, and imperious deceivers will twist Scripture and have us believing white is black and sweet is sour, truth is error and error is pure truth! Isaiah the prophet warns,

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20-21).

The Jews and rabbis most emphatically do NOT agree with Coulter’s claim that ba erev should be translated “sunset.” This is a blatant untruth. Therefore, his assertion that his statement that ba erev means “sunset” is “without controversy” is simply amazing, to put it mildly. According to the Jewish rabbis and all scholars, the term ba erev simply means “evening,” in a general sense. Notice! Here is the proof to back up my statement:

Says the Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon of the Old Testament, of the term erev,

“(1) evening (m. and fem., I Sam. 29:5) . . . at evening . . . Dual, arbayim, the two evenings; only in the phrase, ben ha arbayim, between the two evenings, Exodus 16:12; 30:8, used as marking the space of time during which the paschal lamb was slain, Ex. 12:6; Lev. 23:5; Num. 9:3; and the evening sacrifice was offered, Ex. 29:39, 41; Num. 28:4 . . .” (p. 652).

Gesenius shows that the word erev simply means “evening,” and makes no mention at all of its meaning “sunset.” However, he points out that the expression ben ha arbayim, “between the two evenings,” is controversial.

“…according to the opinion of the Karaites and Samaritans…the time between sunset and deep twilight. The Pharisees, however (see Josephus Bellum Jud. vi. 9, par 30), and the Rabbinists considered the time when the sun began to descend to be called the FIRST EVENING (Arabic ‘little evening’; when it begins to draw towards evening); and the SECOND EVENING to be the REAL SUNSET” (p. 652, emphasis mine).

Coulter, having asserted that ba erev means “sunset,” then proceeds to the next step in his explanation: He states that there is a “legitimate, Biblically sound, chronologically defined, Scripturally documented way to prove, beyond any shadow of doubt whatsoever, that ben ha arbayim originally meant the time period from sunset to dark” (p. 37). He says this “proof” is in Exodus 16. Let’s take a look.

The Mystery of the Quail

Coulter quotes Exodus 16:6, “And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, AT EVEN, then shall ye know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt.” Coulter inserts in parentheses, after the words “AT EVEN,” the following interpolation: “ba erev, or sunset-ending that Sabbath on which this message was given” (page 41, The Christian Passover). Notice! He defines ba erev as “sunset.”

Coulter is building a “case.” Once he gets the reader to accept this “re-definition” of the expression ba erev, he has the reader at his mercy. For he then refers to verse 8 of Exodus 16. Notice, once again: “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, AT EVEN [Heb. ben ha arbayim, “between the two evenings”] ye shall eat flesh . . .” (verses 11-12). “And it came to pass, AT EVEN [ba erev ] the QUAILS came up, and covered the camp” (verse 13).

Coulter says YEHOVAH God sent the quail at ba erev, which he says is “sunset.” Therefore, since the quails came at sunset, and were EATEN at ben ha arbayim, “between the two evenings,” Coulter reasons that this “proves” that ben ha arbayim must refer to the time after sunset, or dusk!

The problem with this interpretation is that ba erev does not mean “sunset,” as a point in time, but means “EVENING”! Therefore, this passage in Exodus 16, which Coulter admits is the “KEY” to the whole question, turns out to be an argument based solely on his own personal definition of ba erev. Therefore, Coulter’s case falls flat on its face! He has proved nothing.

Says The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible:

“It [the daylight portion of the day] was divided into morning, noon, and evening (Psa. 55:17; cf. Dan. 6:10)” (“Day,” p. 214).

This authority adds:

“The festival [Passover] began on the 14th of Abib at EVENING, that is, in the beginning of the 15th day, with the sacrificial meal (Lev. 23:5-6). A lamb or kid was slain between the evenings, that is, TOWARD SUNSET (Exo. 12:6; Deut. 16:6; cf. between the 9th and 11th hours . . .” (“Passover,” p. 705).

In the remainder of this article, we will prove beyond any reasonable doubt that this authority is correct — and that the Jewish tradition is correct. Rather than be misled by Coulter’s definition of “at even,” let’s see what the Scriptures themselves tell us about this expression. And, afterward, let’s see how the Scriptures themselves interpret the expression “between the two evenings.”

Letting The Bible Interpret “At Even”

Can the term ba erev mean later afternoon? Coulter says it means “sunset.” However, if you look in a Bible Concordance such as Strong’s, you will find this expression is translated “evening” 49 (7 x7) times in the Old Testament! It is never translated “sunset.” Let us notice some of the places where it is used, and how it is used.

In Genesis 24, Abraham sends his faithful servant to find a wife for Isaac back in his own original country, so he will not marry a Canaanite woman. When the servant travels back to the land of Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor, he stops. We read:

“And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the EVENING, even the time that the women go out to draw water” (Gen. 24:11).

What time would women go out to draw water? This would refer to late afternoon, not after sunset when it is getting dark outside. Women would not wait until it is growing dark, or till dusk or twilight, before getting their water from the well. Remember, these were communal wells, and supplied water for the entire community, and would have been used by many women. They would certainly allow themselves plenty of time so that they would not be lined up at the well, in the dark, waiting their turn to draw water.

Let’s look at another example. Turn to the story of David and Goliath. Notice:

“And there went out a a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span…And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us….

“And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days” (I Samuel 17:4-16).

When did Goliath approach the Israelite army, to utter his defiant challenge? Do you think he waited until sunset, or twilight, the period after sunset, to make his boast? Logically, this challenge would have been uttered before the Israelite army mid-morning and mid-afternoon — long before sunset!

Jeremiah the prophet, however, makes it very plain that the term “evening,” or ba erev in the Hebrew language, can mean afternoon. Notice his words!

“Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out” (Jeremiah 6:4).

When are shadows lengthened or stretched out? At high noon, there is no shadow cast. As the sun goes toward the western horizon, the shadows are lengthened out. As the sun nears the horizon, the shadows become their longest. But after sunset, there are no shadows cast at all — for it is the sun which casts shadows. Therefore, here we find proof positive that the term ba erev or “evening” refers to the time of late afternoon, before sunset!

Now then, with this understanding, notice how this word is used to denote the beginning and ending of a “day.”

The Day of Atonement and Passover Week

In Leviticus 23:27 we read: “Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement . . .” There is no question that the Day of Atonement is the tenth day of Tishri — nobody argues otherwise. But now notice how YEHOVAH God Himself delimits and defines this period of time! Notice how YEHOVAH God uses the term “at even” to refer to the END of a day rather than the beginning hours!

In Leviticus 23:32 we read, “. . . in the ninth day of the month AT EVEN, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath [the Day of Atonement].” The expression “at even” here is obviously used to mean the ENDING portion of the ninth day. Thus the Day of Atonement starts after the concluding portion of the ninth of Tishri. It lasts until the concluding portion of the tenth of Tishri. The “evening” of the 9th would be the afternoon, up until sunset; the evening of the 10th would be the afternoon of the 10th, until sunset. A grade school student could see that principle. The Day of Atonement begins at sunset, when the 9th day of Tishri ends, because the Day of Atonement IS the “tenth day” of the month!

However, in stating this fact, the Bible says the Day of Atonement, the 10th of Tishri, begins “in the ninth day of the month, AT EVEN . . .” Clearly the “AT EVEN” here has to refer to the ending of the ninth day, NOT ITS BEGINNING! If this expression referred to the twilight portion of the day, beginning the day right after sunset, then the Day of Atonement would be the 9th day of Tishri!

Another Biblical example of this truth is found in the instructions YEHOVAH God gives on when to keep the days of Unleavened Bread. Notice! We read: “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month AT EVEN, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even” (Exodus 12:18). If “at even” here meant the beginning of Nisan 14, then this verse would be saying the 14th of Nisan is the first Day of Unleavened Bread, and we should therefore be observing the Feast from Nisan 14 to Nisan 20 — not from Nisan 15 to Nisan 21! Obviously, “on the fourteenth . . . AT EVEN,” refers to the END of Nisan 14! And the 21st day “at even” refers to the ENDING of the 21st day of the month! Even those who argue that Passover should be observed at the beginning of Nisan 14 admit that the Feast of Unleavened Bread is from Nisan 15 to 21. They admit that the “even” mentioned in Exodus 12:18 refers to the END of the day. Logically, then, the same should be true, in speaking of the Passover (Exodus 12:6)!

Letting the Bible interpret the Bible, then, “on the fourteenth day AT EVEN” plainly means at the END of the fourteenth — as Exodus 12:18 says. The Bible is consistent. YEHOVAH God does not contradict Himself. “The Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). Therefore, the rule of consistency proves that the term “even” or “evening” as used in both Exodus 12:18 and Exodus 12:6 means the same thing in both verses — that is, the word “even,” as used in verse 6, which deals with the slaying of the Passover lambs, also means at the ENDING PART of Nisan 14. However, since the actual expression in Exodus 12:6 is a variation of the term “evening” in Hebrew — a term which would technically be translated as “between the two evenings,” let us see just how this term relates to the term “evening” in the Scriptures.

Evidence from Deuteronomy

When, then, was the Passover to be killed? Before or after sunset? Let’s understand!

Notice Deuteronomy 16:4. This verse shows that the Passover is a part of the days of Unleavened Bread, leading right into them. We read: “And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day AT EVEN, remain all night until the morning.” Here the 14th of Nisan is called “the first day.” That is because it is the late afternoon of the 14th that the Passover was sacrificed, leading right into the First Day of Unleavened Bread that same sunset!

This shows, too, that the “first day” when all leaven was to be put out of the houses of the Israelites was Nisan 14 (Exodus 12:15; compare Deut.16:4 and Exodus 12:18-19). From the end of Nisan 14 they ate unleavened bread until the end of the 21st day of Nisan.

Now, notice verse 6 of this chapter. Here is the solution to the problem! Here Moses is told by YEHOVAH God, “But in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the Passover AT EVEN, at the GOING DOWN of the sun . . .”

Letting the Bible interpret the Bible, then this expression ba erev or “evening” when the Passover was killed, and the expression ben ha arbayim, which also denotes the time the Passover lambs were killed, was the same moment or time period described as “the going down of the sun.” Literally, the expression “at the going down of the sun” can only mean when the SUN IS IN THE PROCESS OF DESCENDING IN THE WESTERN SKY! That is, from the time the sun BEGINS to DESCEND, at high noon, until SUNSET — when it has completed its descent to the point where it is below the western horizon and has disappeared from sight!

Notice! It is the “going down” — present progressive tense — showing the action of the sun moving down in the western sky. This period of time must be, has to be, by logical, careful analysis, from the moment after NOON, at the earliest, lasting until the sun disappears behind the horizon, or the actual moment of SUNSET! Once the sun has “set,” it is no longer “going down” — it has, rather, “GONE DOWN”!

The expression “at the going down of the sun” means “as the sun goes down” — showing it was during the action of the sun moving down in the sky toward the western horizon. In English, this is the present progressive tense. If YEHOVAH God had meant to convey the idea that the lambs were to be killed AFTER the sun went down, that is, after sunset, then He would have stated it differently. He would have said, “AFTER the sun goes down,” or, “After the sun HAS GONE down.” The sun “goes down” until it “sets.” After it “sets,” it has technically “gone down.” YEHOVAH God commanded that the lambs be slain as the sun sinks in the western sky — not after it has already plunged beneath the horizon! The Jews have always faithfully done this, as long as the Passover was sacrificed, throughout their history.

The Septuagint makes it perfectly clear. We read:

“Thou shalt not have power to sacrifice the Passover in any of the cities, which the Lord thy God gives thee. But in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, to have his name called there thou shalt sacrifice the Passover at even AT THE SETTING OF THE SUN . . .”

The command is plain that the lambs had to be slain ON THE FOURTEENTH of Nisan, in the late afternoon, BEFORE the sun had set! But if the lambs were not slain till AFTER SUNSET of the 14th, they would have been slain on the FIFTEENTH! That would have been a violation of the commandment! Also, if they were slain at the beginning of the 14th, after sunset of the 13th of Nisan, that would not have been during the “going down” or “setting” of the sun.

Could anything be plainer? Even a small child can understand this truth! Why is it that so many cannot grasp these plain and simple Spiritual, Biblical truths?

“The Going Down of the Sun”

This same expression is used elsewhere in the Old Testament. “And when the sun was going down . . .” (Gen. 15:12). The Hebrew Scriptures state: “AS THE SUN WAS ABOUT TO SET . . .” Clearly, this expression refers to the time BEFORE SUNSET, not afterward!

“And afterward Joshua smote them (the Canaanite kings), and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees UNTIL THE EVENING. And it came to pass at the TIME OF THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain unto this very day” (Josh. 10:26-27).

The Septuagint also makes this verse clearer. Notice!

“And Joshua slew them and hanged them on five trees; and they hung upon the trees until the evening. And it came to pass toward the setting of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, and cast them into the cave into which they had fled for refuge, and rolled stones to the cave, which remain until this day.”

This event shows that the expression “going down of the sun” refers to the time right up until sunset or sundown, but not after. The Israelites were commanded, in the law of YEHOVAH God, not to allow the dead bodies of criminals to hang on a tree at night. God told Moses, “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall BURY HIM THE SAME DAY” (Deut. 21:22-23). Since each day begins and ends at SUNSET, to bury such a criminal “THE SAME DAY” means he had to be buried PRIOR TO SUNSET! Thus, we read again of Joshua who slew the king of Ai. “And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree UNTIL EVENING; and AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree. . .” (Joshua 8:29, RSV)

This same expression is used in the Bible of the death of king Ahab. As Ahab was fighting the Syrians, he was struck by an arrow from a bowman and was sorely wounded. “And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and DIED AT EVEN: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot. And there went out a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country” (I Kings 22:35-36).

The Hebrew Tanakh, or “Holy Scriptures,” has this verse, “as the sun was GOING DOWN . . .”

Again, the reference is to the time just prior to sunset or sundown, as the sun’s disk begins to move toward the horizon and set in the west.

YEHOVAH God’s Covenant with Abraham and the 400 Years

After YEHOVAH God brought Abraham out of the land of the Chaldees, He made a covenant with him, promising him that his children would someday be innumerable like the stars of heaven. Then, that afternoon, YEHOVAH had Abraham sacrifice a heifer of three years age, a she goat of three years, and a ram of three years, and a turtledove, and a pigeon. These sacrifices were a type of the coming sacrifice of Yeshua the Messiah, who became a Son of God at his resurrection. His ministry lasted exactly three years, which is the age of the sacrificed heifer, she goat, and ram. After he completed the sacrifice, Abraham drove away the birds that attempted to alight on the carcasses of the sacrifices (Gen. 15:1-11). Then we read:

“And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell over Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward they shall come out with great substance…In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land . . .” (Gen. 15:12-18).

Why did a “horror” or a “nightmare” come over Abraham, as the “sun was going down”? This is the same expression we have just been studying. This “horror” came over Abraham at the same time the future Passover lambs would be slain — at the identical time when Yeshua the Messiah our Passover would be slain for us! No wonder Abraham felt this sense of horror — the innocent “lamb of God” would be slain at the very time the Son of God would die upon the tree of crucifixion!

These sacrifices pictured the Messiah, and they were performed in the late afternoon, as the sun was going down, and descending in the sky. Four hundred years later, on the very same day, YEHOVAH God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt!

“Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations. And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the Passover . . .” (Exo. 12:40-43).

What Abraham was permitted to preview, some 400 years earlier, to the very self-same day, was the ordinance and sacrifice of the Passover! Therefore, for the typology to be complete, just as these sacrifices he performed were done in the afternoon, at the going down of the sun, before sunset, even so the Passover lambs some 400 years later would be slain in the afternoon of Nisan 14, and eaten on Nisan 15 — the very night of the Passover, when the LORD “passed over” the children of Israel, and slew the firstborn of the Egyptians — the very night YEHOVAH God freed His people from slavery and bondage by the act of the “Passover”!

A New Look at “Between the Two Evenings”

Since the term ben ha arbayim, “between the two evenings,” is so controversial, let us see how this expression is used in the Scriptures. According to the Word of YEHOVAH God, there were four things which were to be performed at the time period known as “between the two evenings” — it was the time the Passover was to be killed, the time of the evening sacrifice, the time the lamp-stand in the Temple was lit, and the time the incense was offered.

Notice, now, how this expression denotes the time of the “evening sacrifice.”

In the book of Numbers YEHOVAH God gives instructions concerning the daily sacrifices which were to be offered before Him. YEHOVAH God commanded, “And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot DAY BY DAY [Heb. ‘IN A DAY’], for a continual burnt offering. The one lamb shalt thou offer IN THE MORNING, and the other lamb shalt thou offer AT EVEN [Heb. ben ha arbayim, or between the two evenings] . . .” (Num. 28:3-4).

Notice carefully! Both these offerings were to be offered DAILY, “day by day,” “IN A DAY” — that is, WITHIN THE SAME DAY! The first one is the morning sacrifice, and the second one is the EVENING sacrifice. In order for the evening sacrifice to be offered the SAME DAY as the morning sacrifice, it had to be offered BEFORE SUNSET! Otherwise it would have been the NEXT day! What could be clearer? Thus, here we find incontrovertible, inexorable, yet simple proof that “between the evenings” has to refer to the period of time BEFORE SUNSET, not after sundown, as the Samaritans taught!

Notice it again! In this plain passage of Scripture, we are told that the DAILY SACRIFICE involves both a morning and an “evening” sacrifice, and the “evening” sacrifice occurs “between the two evenings.” Yet this passage says plainly that these two sacrifices were “IN A DAY.” The morning sacrifice, which was done first, was in the SAME DAY as the “evening” sacrifice, which was made that same day, “between the two evenings”! Since the day ENDS at sunset, this expression ben ha arbayim HAS to refer to late AFTERNOON! If it referred to dusk, or twilight, after sunset, as some claim, then it would be THE NEXT DAY!

How clear it all is, when we simply let the Bible interpret the Bible! It’s really NOT complex at all. It’s simply a matter of following the Bible and not a man, even if that man happens to some self-anointed “scholar” or swaggering minister who is “wise in his own eyes” and a “legend in his own mind.” The question is, will we follow the INSPIRED WORD OF YEHOVAH GOD — or will we follow the opinions of a man?

Lighting of the Lamp, and the Incense

The lighting of the Lampstand in the Temple, and the incense offering, both also occurred at ben ha arbayim, or “between the two evenings.” Interestingly, at the time of the morning sacrifice, which was offered at 9 o’clock in the morning, the Temple lamps were “dressed,” and incense was also offered, together with the morning sacrifice (Exodus 30:7). Then at the time of the evening sacrifice, we read:

“And when Aaron lighteth [Heb. “setteth up” or “causeth to ascend”] the lamps at even [“between the two evenings”], he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations” (Exo. 30:8).

Therefore, the daily sacrifice, the incense offering, and the lamp lighting and trimming, was done every day, throughout the generations of Israel, as long as there was a Sanctuary or a Temple, at the appointed time called “between the two evenings.”

Can we establish this as being in the mid-afternoon, or about 3:00 o’clock, by another approach to the subject?

The Appointed “Time of Prayer”

The daily sacrifice was a time of “prayer” at the Temple, and the daily sacrifice and incense were physical types of prayer and sacrifice of ourselves to the service of YEHOVAH God. The apostle Paul speaks of prayer as “the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Heb.13:15). David declared, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2).

In the book of Revelation, we read:

“And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand” (Rev. 8:3-4).

Thus it is clear that “incense” and the time of prayer are connected in the Word of YEHOVAH God. They are connected with each other, and with the time of the “evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2). What is this “time”? Is it after sunset, or before? Is it after dark, or during the afternoon? Let us continue.

It was customary for the people of Israel to be at the Temple, and to pray, at the time of the offering of the incense, and the evening sacrifice. We read in the book of Ezra, Ezra the priest declared:

“And at the evening sacrifice I rose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God” (Ezra 9:5).

Likewise, Elijah the great prophet of YEHOVAH God, at the time of the evening sacrifice, prayed to YEHOVAH, and fire came down from heaven and devoured his offering atop Mount Carmel. The scene was Mount Carmel in northern Israel. The prophets of Baal have been crying out to their god to bring fire down from heaven to consume their sacrifices. But nothing happens. We pick up the story:

“And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any answer, nor any that regarded. . . . And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God” (I Kings 18:29, 36-39).

Here again, prayer to YEHOVAH God is connected with the evening sacrifice — it is the time of “evening prayer.” As David said in the Psalms, “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:17). Daniel also prayed three times a day to YEHOVAH, at the hours of prayer (Daniel 6:10). One of these times was the time of the evening sacrifice — as Daniel records:

“Yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation” (Dan. 9:21).

This custom continued into New Testament times. Luke records of Zecharias, the father of John the Baptizer:

“According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of the incense” (Luke 1:9-10).

When Was the “Time of Prayer”?

Thus the time of incense, the time of the daily sacrifices, morning and evening, was the time of prayer. But when was the “hour of prayer”? Does the Bible tell us elsewhere when the appointed, traditional, customary “time of prayer” at the Temple occurred? Yes, it does! The book of Acts, in the New Testament, gives us the literal, undeniable answer:

“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the NINTH HOUR” (Acts 3:1).

“And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard . . .” (Acts 10:30-31; also 10:1-4).

The ninth hour of the day, Jewish time, would be 3 o’clock in the afternoon, our time. This was therefore the time of evening devotions, the evening sacrifice, the evening incense offering, the time of the lighting of the lamps in the Temple — and it is the time called “between the two evenings,” or ben ha arbayim!

The morning time of devotion and prayer, was the time of the morning sacrifice, the morning incense, and morning lamp trimming in the Temple. It was the time Peter and the disciples went to the Temple, to worship, on the Day of Pentecost, in 31 A.D. At that time of prayer, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven and lighted on the disciples, like a flame of fire, and enabled them to speak in many different languages, miraculously (Acts 3:1-13). Peter said to the assembled multitude, worshipping at the Temple:

“But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day” (Acts 3:14-15).

What is the real significance, then, of these times of prayer — 9 o’clock in the morning and 3 o’clock in the afternoon? We read in the gospel of Mark:

“And it was the third hour [9:00 AM], and they crucified him. . . . And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? . . . And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Mark 15:25, 34-38).

Yeshua the Messiah was nailed to the tree of crucifixion, at 9 o’clock in the morning, where he remained all day, suffering, until 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when he died. Thus he was nailed to the tree as the “morning sacrifice,” and died at the same time as the “evening sacrifices” were normally killed. He died at the very time of ben ha arbayim, or “between the two evenings.” But there is even more to the story. Yeshua the Messiah died at the very time of the Passover sacrifices in Jerusalem, which also were offered at ben ha arbayim — in the afternoon, before sunset!

During the Time of the Messiah — an Eye-Witness Speaks

During the time of the Messiah, the Jews were slaying their Passover lambs at the Temple of YEHOVAH God — about 250,000 lambs at each Passover celebration during the first century. We are not told precisely how so many lambs were killed during the afternoon of Nisan 14, but undoubtedly hundreds of priests were conscripted into service, so that the logistics of the problem could be met. Additional areas on the Temple Mount, including the sacred area of the Mount of Olives, where the red heifer sacrifice was performed, may also have been drafted into service to accomplish the task. However it occurred, Josephus the Jewish historian who lived during the first century, relates:

“So these high priests, upon the coming of their feast which is called the Passover, when they slay their sacrifices, from the ninth hour to the eleventh, but so that a company not less than ten belong to every sacrifice . . . and many of us are twenty in a company, found this number of sacrifices was two hundred and fifty six thousand five hundred: which, upon the allowance of no more than ten that feast together, amounts to two million seven hundred thousand and two hundred persons that were pure and holy” (Wars of the Jews, Book VI, 9:3).

Josephus, the Jewish historian of the first century, used Jewish time reckoning, so when he says the lambs were killed from the “ninth to the eleventh” hour, he means from about 3 o’clock in the afternoon until about 5 o’clock.

Yeshua the Messiah — Perfect Passover Lamb, Perfect Proof!

Yeshua the Messiah was killed at 3:00 PM in the afternoon of Nisan 14, according to Scripture. At the ninth hour, when the Jews began killing their Passover lambs, Yeshua himself hung on the tree.

Matthew’s gospel states, “Now from the sixth hour [noon] there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour [3:00 PM]. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabach-thani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias [Elijah]. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost” (Matt. 27:45-50).

Yeshua, the Saviour and Messiah, YEHOVAH God’s Anointed One, the “Lamb of God” (John 1:36), IS YEHOVAH’s suffering servant who gave his life for the sins of the world, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah, who wrote:

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are HEALED.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a LAMB to the slaughter [the Passover lamb!], and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was CUT OFF from the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

“And he made his grave with the wicked [the two robbers slain with him], and with the rich in his death [he was given Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb]; because he hath done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make HIS SOUL [LIFE] AN OFFERING FOR SIN, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days [be resurrected!], and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:4-10).

As Paul put it plainly: “For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (I Cor. 5:7-8). Yeshua the Messiah fulfilled the symbolism of the ancient Passover lambs perfectly. He was YEHOVAH God’s “lamb without blemish.”

The Perfect Proof

Certainly the Messiah, the Passover Lamb, had to be slain at the proper time! Those who claim that the Passover is to be observed at the BEGINNING of Nisan 14, and admit that the lambs were slain in the afternoon of Nisan 14, have a very serious problem. According to their chronology, Yeshua was therefore not slain until some twenty or twenty four hours LATER than the time they claim the Passover is to be observed!

On the other hand, those who claim that the Passover lambs were slain after sunset of Nisan 13, during the dusk or twilight of the beginning of Nisan 14, have an even greater problem. According to their reckoning, the Messiah died about 20 hours AFTER the Passover lambs were to be slain, at the beginning of Nisan 14 — thus invalidating and compromising his claim to being our Messiah! By their reckoning, his death was at the wrong time, and did not therefore perfectly fulfill the Passover typology!

If that were the case, then the Messiah could not truly have been our Saviour, YEHOVAH God’s Passover Lamb — he would be a fake, a fraud, an impostor, a counterfeit!

But thank YEHOVAH God, the Messiah was the PERFECT fulfillment of the Passover. Therefore, he was slain at the VERY MOMENT the Passover lambs were being slain at the Temple of YEHOVAH God! He was slain at the VERY TIME YEHOVAH God commanded for the Passover to be killed — “between the two evenings”!

Even as these sacrificial lambs were being slaughtered at the Temple, in 31 A.D., YEHOVAH God’s own True Passover Lamb, Yeshua the Messiah, was being slain for all of us who accept his shed blood for the forgiveness of our sins (II Cor. 5:20; I Cor. 5:7-8). Thus Yeshua the Messiah fulfilled the TYPE of the Passover lambs PERFECTLY — RIGHT ON TIME, exactly on schedule!

If the lambs were sacrificed the previous evening, as come claim, then Yeshua missed the correct time by twenty hours — and did not fulfill the type of the Passover perfectly! If that were true, then he could not be our SAVIOUR! He would be an impostor! But Yeshua fulfilled EVERY Scripture that prophesied of his coming TO THE MOST INFINITE DETAIL, in every respect — PERFECTLY in all points!

Now, let’s look at this question from the reverse angle. We know the Messiah was our Passover lamb (I Cor. 5:7). Therefore, we know that he must have died at the right time, when the Passover was to be killed. The fact that the gospels plainly show that Yeshua was killed at precisely 3:00 PM on the afternoon of Nisan 14, then, PROVES that the original Passover lambs were to be killed at that same time! This is further proof, then, that ben ha arbayim has to mean the late afternoon!

Here, then, is the ultimate proof — the example of Yeshua the Messiah himself, our Passover lamb! HE was slain at 3:00 PM in the afternoon; he HAD to fulfill the commandment to be slain “between the two evenings” (Exodus 12:6). Therefore, ben ha arbayim, “between the two evenings,” MUST refer to a time which includes 3:00 PM in the afternoon!

What More Proof Do We Need?

If the Pharisees were wrong in sacrificing the Passover in the late afternoon, then Yeshua would have been wrong to say they sit in Moses’ seat and that we are to follow their interpretation of the Law (Matt. 23:1-3). If they were wrong in the time they sacrificed and observed the Passover, then Yeshua would have been derelict in his duty as the Son of YEHOVAH God and the one “greater than Moses” for never chiding or faulting them for such a heinous error of the greatest magnitude.

If the Pharisees were wrong, then the apostle Paul, who said he was a Pharisee, and that he kept the law of YEHOVAH God “blamelessly” as a Pharisee (Phi. 3:6), would have been a liar. But both Yeshua, and Paul, endorse the teachings of the Jews, and the Pharisees, as the correct teachings concerning the time of killing the Passover, and observing the Passover. They never faulted the Pharisees on this teaching.

To know and understand the truth of YEHOVAH God is a wonderful blessing. To obey YEHOVAH God is even better! The times of ignorance YEHOVAH has winked at, but now commands all who learn the truth to repent of error, and to correct their mistakes.

It may not seem to men to be a very important thing as to when they observe Passover, or how they keep it. But it is important in the sight of YEHOVAH God. YEHOVAH God Himself sets the parameters of true worship — not men, ministers, priests, or other human beings. Will we obey YEHOVAH in this matter? Or will we follow men? Will we serve YEHOVAH God? Or follow Baal?

I know that many have gone through traumatic changes, in recent years, concerning church doctrines, teachings, and fellowship. Some don’t want to see any more “changes” for a long time — even if they happen to be wrong! But isn’t the truth of YEHOVAH God worth more than all the accolades of men? Isn’t fellowship with YEHOVAH God the Father and Yeshua the Messiah, by observing His Passover at the correct time — which He appointed “for ever” (Exo. 12:14-16), and He does not change (Mal. 3:6) — worth far more than fellowship with erring, sinning, human groups and churches which are too traumatized or too intransigent, to face this truth honestly?

Thank YEHOVAH God for His wonderful, inexpressible, glorious Truth!

— Edited By John D. Keyser.

Hope of Israel Ministries — Preparing the Way for the Return of YEHOVAH God and His Messiah!

Hope of Israel Ministries
P.O. Box 2186
Temple City, CA 91780, U.S.A.
www.hope-of-israel.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 Comments

  1. Sombra

    Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again? And they remembered His words and returned from the tomb and told all these things to the Eleven and to the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and the rest with them, who told these things to the apostles. And their words seemed to them like foolishness, and they did not believe them.

    If these are men, resurrected men, how would they know what Yeshua said to the disciples in Galilee? Will our resurrected bodies have full knowledge of everything that has happened in history? Will we be omniscient?

    Reply
  2. Sombra

    My son performed the Pidyon HaBen when my first grandson was born, he purchased those silver sheckles and gave them to his Rabbi, who forwarded them to someone in Israel. (i don’t know who)

    Reply
  3. Lucinda Robinson

    Joseph,

    This is wonderful news that the widows will be taken care of! I have wondered about this necessary corporate concern for some time.

    Lucinda Robinson

    Reply
    • Joseph F Dumond

      Shabbat Shalom Lucinda, we have always promoted the third tithe years since we learned the Sabbatical and Jubilee years in 2005. This will be the 6th one since we discovered these awesome truths. I want to encourage everyone to take part in them so as not to be cut off from reaping the blessings of obeying them.
      Many look for and want to claim the double portion in the 6th year but they neglect this obligation that they are to perform which is also in the 6th year. The blessings come in many forms and are not always preceded by a dollar sign.

      Reply
      • Proclaim Liberty

        Greetings Joseph. I’ve always wondered why the Scriptures say just “the third year” and not “the third and sixth years” for giving the Third Tithe. I realize this was the teaching of the WCG and similar groups: that both years were meant. How do the Karaites interpret this. I came out of an organization in which the office staff were considered “modern-day Levites.” Sadly, it seems most of the Third Tithe it collected ended up being used to give them bonuses, whereas poor widows and orphans went neglected.

        Reply
        • Joseph F Dumond

          Shabbat Shalom Steve, It has been a long time. Glad to see you back again. I am not like those groups that like to line their pockets. I have paid my own way since day one. And for many years I funded this work with my own funds when there were no donations. I never asked for tithes until this year. And I only suggested we tithe faithfully to fulfill the command to build the Kingdom.

          To lump me in with what others do in this world is not fair. To paint every as evil because some have abused this before. For that purpose, we have asked for three other people to monitor and look after this and for it to be out of my hands in part.

          Let’s look at where we are told the 3rd year.

          Deu 14:28 At the end of three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase the same year, and shall lay it up inside your gates.

          Deut 26:12 When you have made an end of tithing all the tithes of your increase the third year, the year of tithing, and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow (that they may eat inside your gates and be filled),

          Amo 4:4 Come to Bethel and transgress; to Gilgal and multiply transgressing at Gilgal. And bring your sacrifices for the morning, your tithes for three years.

          As you know we count a Sabbatical Cycle as 7-years, which repeats, in another 7-year count. So when I read it to count every three years then I read it as counting 3 years and then counting the next three years in a series of 7. So for me, it says every 3rd and 6th year in a Sabbatical Cycle.

          What do the Karaites do? I do not know. Most of them believe the Sabbatical Cycle is only for in the land of Israel and when others do that, they then relieve themselves of any responsibility of looking after the widows.

          So if I am wrong in my understanding of every 3rd year, then I hope to err on being generous, rather than being found cheap and not taking care of the widows.

          People do not have to send us the tithe for the widows. They can give it directly to them themselves. Just do it. I am only offering a facility to give and to protect the widows from having their information out their for undesirables taking advantage of it.

          Do keep in touch.

          Reply
      • Niel de Villiers

        Shalom Joe – thank you for interesting topics this week
        Question : when we read the description of those in heaven – seen by John – both groups represent matyrs. Must admit i never saw this until a few months ago .
        Now we have been taught that all believers would rise at the last trump , described by Paul – first the dead , then we who are alive .
        In my understanding of end times , i’m sure those still alive at the last trump , would as true believers , be matyrs in the tribulation .
        But what i also never saw , is what John tells us further about these matyrs . Rev 20 : 4 they came to life – and reigned with Yahusha for a thousand years . 20 : 5 THE REST OF THE DEAD , DID NOT COME TO LIFE UNTIL THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE COMPLETED .
        How do you see this . Is the matyrs rewarded by given the chance to reign with Yahusha during the 1000 years ?
        I’m truly pleased to have been blessed by the Sabbatical year teaching – always wondered when to start , and turning 66 this year – Yahuah has blessed me in thst this would be my 22nd cycle .
        Take care and God bless .

        Reply
        • Joseph F Dumond

          Shabbat Shalom Niel, our book The Mystery of the Jewish Rapture deals with this subject. In fact, we have many articles on our site that address this.
          There are the 144,000 and the innumerable multitude who will serve Yehovah day and night. There are those who will rule here on this earth for the millennium under King David. There are also those who survive the tribulation but are not yet called who will have to come to learn torah. These need to be taught by those who will be in the King Davids realm. There are also the Gog and MAgog people who will rise up at the end of the 7th Millennium to fight against King David and Jerusalem.

          There is enough here to debate and study for the next 1000 years. But for now, my job is just to educate the people about where we are in the Jubilee cycle and about what is now coming.

          Reply
        • Proclaim Liberty

          Greetings again. I’m by no means suggesting you would wrongly use tithe funds sent to your ministry. Im sorry if you misunderstood me.

          Sadly, not all ministries desire to serve YHWH first, and one must be discerning in these matters. I know of a “Torah observant” group that requested that its members turn in any excess 2nd Tithe funds at the end of Sukkot. Seems to me that group revealed where its true love lie: with the love of money. For shame!

          Reply
  4. Adam

    Its very sad thing widows orphans and foreigners. How does an individual tithe directly to these people? They are in every city, how can tithing to some website that doesn’t offer physical services benefit them? I am asking sincerely not being disrespectful to any website.

    Reply
    • Joseph F Dumond

      Shabbat Shalom Adam, If you have widows in your own family then take care of them. We are urging that that those who do not have widows or orphans that you know of then, send your tithes for them to us and we will distribute them to the Widows in our group who attend Sahbbat with us. We will also send the tithes to those orphans which we are also attached to through our teachings to them for the past number of years.

      Yes they are in every city and around the world. Yet they are not taken care of by society. So we are attempting to do it with those in our faith in our own group. We will start here and we hope our example will spread to other groups and to the whole world. But we know this will only happen when Yehovah’s Kingdom is set up. We are called to be preist and Kings in that Kingdom. As such we must begin to practice and begin to keep and teach those laws NOW while we can.

      If you do not have widows or orphans in your own family then send your tithes for them to us clearly marked as tithes for the widows and we will spread it to our list of people that we have in our group today.

      Reply
  5. Ella H Morgan

    Wow, not just a semester but more than a years worth of teaching in this newsletter! Great truths and explanation. I’m excited about keeping Passover again and praying for Fathers guidance as to whom to share with. Very thankful for the care you give to the widows and orphans and sad that I don’t know of any churches or ministries that are caring for their own or others. Bless you Bro Joe.

    Reply
  6. Jayson

    Shabbat Shalom!

    I am in agreement with you about the meal Yeshua had with His disciples being a “last supper” (seudah maphsehket) instead of the Passover meal.

    I didn’t read the following addressed in this newsletter so I will ask it now. How does one explain the passages in Matt 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22 in which they all three use language such as “go and prepare the passover” and “so that we may eat the passover”?

    Matt 26 and Mark 14 even goes so far to say that the disciples came to Yeshua on the first day of Unleavened Bread (15th of Aviv) to ask Him “where do you want us to prepare the passover so you can eat?”

    This seems to bring confusion.

    Reply
  7. Steven Smith

    What a great blessing to read about the information given about the Saints who rose with Yeshua this week. It is so easy to read over things in scripture when we already have preconceived ideas of what we think is given in them already. Seems that likely YeHoVaH is giving these things for our faithfulness to His calendar. So timely seeing the season we are in presently. Love this carrot. Very exciting
    It does seem that the more truth is revealed to us, the further it separates us from the other groups. So be it.
    Great article. Thank you, Joseph.
    Love out to the brethren from NS Canada

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.