The Second Commandment

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: Jun 29, 2012

News Letter 5848-018
9th day of the 4th month 5848 years after the creation of Adam
The 4th Month in the Third year of the third Sabbatical Cycle
The Third Sabbatical Cycle of the 119th Jubilee Cycle
The Sabbatical Cycle of Earthquakes Famines, and Pestilences
This is also the end of the Fourteenth week of this the Third Tithe Year for the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow Deuteronomy 26:12

 

June 30, 2012

 

Shabbat Shalom Brethren,

 

A great deal has been happening with the farm in Israel this past week. It would seem Yehovah has opened an awesome door for us. We hope to be able to write more about this in next week’s News letter.

There is so much happening I am not able to keep up with it all.

There is the flooding around the world, British Columbia and Florida and the Other Gulf States and in China, and the wild fires in New Mexico and Arizona and Colorado setting record destruction and a heat wave in India. And every day I get reports of more earthquakes around the world.

And then, and then on top of these things the EU monetary crisis has continued to crumple. First it was Ireland and then Greece and then Italy and Now Spain and Cypress are asking for huge amounts to save the banks. France too is in trouble. And on Friday they came to an arrangement.

And guess who you do not hear about, …. Yes the USA. Once again those things we have spoken about concerning the Sabbatical and Jubilee years and the Prophecies of Abraham are continuing to unfold on schedule and on time. Do you know how little time is left? If not then you should read the book.

Each time a Sabbatical year come up in the history of the past 300 years, there is a recession or depression that takes place around the same time. This current one began in the fall of 2008 after my warning of it in March of 2008, and has continued to bounce along since then until now. Expect things to take a real turn for the worst as we get closer to the next Sabbatical year in 2016. Look for all of this patch work of the banks to fall apart in late 2015 or after that in 2016. This time this crisis will lead to war. War is the curse of the 4th Sabbatical cycle which is to start in 2017.

This 4th Sabbatical cycle is when the middle of this current Shabua takes place in 2020. This is when Daniel’s 70 weeks shows us that the USA and UK countries will be cut off. In fact when you read the prophecy of Daniel in the original Hebrew it says they will be cut off as devastated so badly it will be as if they had never existed in the first place. Our destruction draws nigh! Are you ready, are you getting ready? Pray and Obey, Pray and Obey!!!

Last week we spoke in Sarnia to a small group and we explained in great detail the covenant of Daniel 9:27. Everyone there got it. They could see it clearly and understood just how deceitful this thing is and just how huge it is and how big a fight is in front of us.

Dear Joe,

Thank you for opening our minds into what is absolutely going on around us, and how the elite from these different organizations are trying to run the world. It is very sad that the general population is so in the dark and they are going to be the victims of their dominance over the world. You did present an excellent presentation and an enlightenment for all present. Thank you again. May Jehovah Bless you as you present these teachings to others.

Larry and Linda
Sarnia,On

Dear Joe,

Thank you for revealing the “Truth” once again. How big the enemy has gotten! How intertwined he has gotten into the hearts and minds of people in high places. How he has changed, not only our social base of morality, as though that weren’t enough, but now he’s into our environment!
Now under the guise of…not the Ten Commandments of honouring your True God and loving your neighbour as yourself, but the Commandments of Honouring “Gaia”, good ol’ Mother Earth!
This is such a forceful item, to get our property rights, eating rights, agricultural rights, how to live rights, etc. etc. And for what? The big “C” word….”CONTROL”!
It will only be a matter of time before “we all get it” Joe. How wonderful that you are giving us the “heads up”. This is a very strong teaching, to remind us of our repentance to our Jehovah, who loves us like crazy and wants us to get it “right”.
Do His Commandments…the Sabbath, the Feasts, the Sabbatical Years, the Jubilee Years, is this too much to ask?

Sheila
Sombra, On

The teaching last weekend on Agenda 21 and the Kyoto accord and the worship of Apollo and Gaia through environmentalism was on the very same weekend as the Rio +20 held in Rio de Janeiro by the UN on the environment. It also ties in extremely nicely with this weeks subject on the Second commandment.

We did video this presentation and should have it online soon.

 


The Second Commandment

 

“You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth, you do not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, ???? your Elohim am a jealous El, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, and showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands.” Exodus 20:4-6

What you see above is the second commandment given to us “as it is written.” When is the last time you saw this commandment displayed in this manner – anywhere, besides when you read it in your Bible yourself? This commandment has been shortened, dissected, changed, even eliminated by some “assemblies?” of “faith?” This is another instruction (covenant article) that we have completely nullified and made void! We must realize, at some point brethren, this activity cannot continue in the assemblies. We cannot continue changing our covenant articles and still expect to be the people of God. [On a side note, this is not to discuss the “numbering” of the commandments, but the actual “words” of them.]

Here is what is at stake for us in truly guarding or not guarding His Words: “And now, if you diligently obey My voice, and shall guard My covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession above all the peoples – for all the earth is Mine – and you shall be to Me a reign of priests and a set-apart nation.” Exodus 19:5-6. When the covenant is broken, His Covenant does not go away, it is eternal. Yehovah does not go away, He also, is eternal. What happens when the covenant is brought to naught in the lives and ears of people, is our position as His people is removed.

“Obey My Voice, and I shall be your Elohim, and you be My people.” Jeremiah 7:23

So let us get back to this commandment “as it is written” and see just how valuable it is for us and why we need to return to guarding it as we are charged with.

This commandment has tied to it a declaration of Yehovah’s character and how that character is made visible and real in the earth and His people. It is a characteristic that is born out of passion and possession. Yet most of the time, this plainly declared characteristic of our Creator is not found in the printing of this commandment or discussed in most conversations of those who pride themselves in memorizing the commandment. When it is recited, it is brushed through and stated as a simple “don’t do” and Yehovah is misrepresented in the misguided understanding.

 

His Character: “For I, YHVH your Elohim am a jealous El”

Isn’t this amazing? The Creator of the Universe tells His creation something of His character here directly. Does a statue do this? Is the sun, moon, or stars zealous for our affection and worship? What about a tree, or lotus flower? Of course not. These things have no life, for they are “things.” They are creation and not The Creator! What does it mean to us that He is a jealous El? This language speaks of possession and ownership over something
 namely His Bride, His people Israel. He could have said He is a ruling El, or a tyrannical El, or judging El. He could have said He is a mighty El, or a powerful El, or a punishing El. He didn’t, He said jealous. Zealousness and jealousy come out of passion and caring. Additionally, He knows who He is: the one true power and creator of all things, all powerful, all knowing, all merciful and all loving. Because He knows this, He will not stand for anything else to have His place in the hearts, minds, and souls of His people.

As an all knowing and all loving Creator, He is well aware of the “non-sense” in worshipping or serving any man-made image. Man made gods are dead and lead him to death. Man cannot create a god even if he believes he can. Sometimes mankind has worshipped things that are real, i.e. sun, moon, and stars
 or even trees and creation
 which are real, but have no power. Yehovah created these things also to serve Him. Yehovah, in His wisdom and love for us, gives this instruction to protect us from giving time and space of worship to dead things and things that do not prosper for us. Every moment we spend venerating or speaking to some image, memorial, or looking into the stars for our future
 its time spent away from Him. Because He has proclaimed Himself to be jealous, He will not stand for this and will take action upon our lives and intercede in our lives to bring us back to Him.

This commandment includes veneration by the way. It does not matter how veneration is packaged, it is unacceptable to Yehovah. Thesaurus synonyms for veneration: worship, adoration, reverence, honor, respect, admiration, regard
Every single one of these actions belong to God and God alone. Do not give them to statues, bones, memorials, images, icons, and the like. This includes statues of memorable people. Think about it. The person being “venerated” which means worshipped, is dead (asleep). They do not hear, speak, walk, or do any acts on your behalf. This activity comes out of Egypt and is worship of the dead and necromancy. Brethren, do not do this.

Scripture tells us quite plainly, “For there is one Elohim, and one Mediator between Elohim and men, the Man Messiah ?????.” 1 Timothy 2:5

Exodus 34:14 “for you do not bow yourselves to another mighty one, for ????, whose Name is jealous, is a jealous El – “
This jealousy characteristic is so much a part of who our God is, it is even proclaimed as His Name as above in Exodus 34:24. From the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament on this Hebrew word qanna for jealous:
This verb expresses a very strong emotion whereby some quality or possession of the object is desired by the subject. Although the term may be used to denote one of the characteristics of living men as in Ecclesiastes 9:6, or in a derogatory sense to denote hostile and disruptive passions as in Proverbs 27:4, or in a favorable sense to denote consuming zeal focused on one that is loved as in Psalms 69:9.

It is helpful to think of “zeal” as the original sense from which derived the notions
“zeal for another’s property” = “envy”
“zeal for one’s own property” = “jealousy”
qanna’ specifically with the jot at the end is the noun given for a Name of Yehovah – Jealous, His Name is Jealous. This noun, is used only of God and in the context of idolatry. It shows the parallel between adultery and idolatry. As a husband holds his wife to himself and is permitted to kill her and her illicit lover in the case of adultery, so God relates to his people. This consuming characteristic of the zeal our Elohim has for us will be revisited later in this work after we cover some more of the meaning of the commandment and its Words.

What is a carved or graven image? It is the Hebrew word pecel {peh’-sel} from 06458; TWOT – 1788a; n m AV – graven image 28, carved image 2, graven 1; 31 1) idol, image

 

In the likeness of:

Likeness is temuwnah {tem-oo-naw’} or ???? temunah {tem-oo-naw’} from 04327; TWOT – 1191b; n f AV – likeness 5, similitude 4, image 1; 10 1) form, image, likeness, representation, semblance

Heavens – stars, planets, galaxies, moon, sun, clouds, angels
Earth – animals, man, woman, trees, bushes, flowers, birds
Waters – fish, dolphins, sea creatures, sea shells, any shells, sharks

You do not bow down:

Bow down – shachah {shaw-khaw’} a primitive root; TWOT – 2360; v AV – worship 99, bow 31, bow down 18, obeisance 9, reverence 5, fall down 3, themselves 2, stoop 1, crouch 1, misc 3; 172 1) to bow down 1a) (Qal) to bow down 1b) (Hiphil) to depress (fig) 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to bow down, prostrate oneself 1c1a) before superior in homage 1c1b) before God in worship 1c1c) before false gods 1c1d) before angel

 

To serve them:

– abad {aw-bad’} a primitive root; TWOT – 1553; v AV – serve 227, do 15, till 9, servant 5, work 5, worshippers 5, service 4, dress 2, labour 2, ear 2, misc 14; 290 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve

Yehovah’s Words: “visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me”
Hold on to your boots here, because we are going to cover something about this word “visiting” that you may have never heard or read before. The word “visiting” is not necessarily a negative thing. Most usages of this word are in a positive light in scripture. It can be negative
 but to use the word punishment is the least acceptable translation.

From THE NET Bible for the explanation of the Hebrew word for “visiting” which is the Hebrew word paqad:

The word dqP (paqad) is difficult to translate. It essentially means that God intervenes in the lives of people for blessing or for cursing. Some would simply translate the participle here as “punishing” the children for the sins of the fathers. That is workable, but may not say enough. The verse may mean that those who hate Yahweh and do not keep his commandments will repeat the sins their fathers committed and suffer for them. Deut 24:16 says that they will die for their own sins and not their father’s sins. It may have more to do with the patterns of sin being repeated from generation to generation; if the sin and the guilt were not fully developed in the one generation, then left unchecked they would develop and continue in the next. But it may also indicate that the effects of the sins of the fathers will be experienced in the following generations. God is showing here that his ethical character is displayed in how he deals with sin and righteousness. There is a justice at work in the dealings of God that is not there in the pagan world.

 

Tie this in with their note on the following phrase “to those who hate me”:

This is an important qualification to the principle. The word “hate” carries with it the idea of rejecting God and his word. To hate God means to reject him and to defiantly oppose him. Hating God is likened unto being His enemy. Such people are doomed to carry on the sins of their ancestors, and bear the guilt with them.

The actions of our parents can absolutely cause us to be born out of or cut off from God’s presence, and therefore His Teaching. If our earthly father lives as an enemy of God, he will find himself expelled from the presence, teaching, and tent of people of Yehovah. This tells us there will be no true divine guidance for the children, and there may be no blessings for them. Grandchildren may be greatly afflicted, walking in curses, and begin to wonder why things are so bad. There are many cases in which the children awaken in the fourth generation and return to Yehovah because of these truths. Yehovah sets forth this divine order and decree
 why? Because He is punishing or vengeful? No. He does it because He is a jealous El and He plainly told us prior to this action that is decreed. We are His possession and He will intervene into our generations on behalf of His Name’s sake. Would we prefer He leave us to die in exile? Would we prefer He leave us alone and never come after us as His people again so that we die in our ignorance and transgression forever?

This phrase is full of mercy and grace. To translate this word “visit” to be “punish” may be a miscarriage of our Creator’s character. To add weight to this position is the phrase that follows in this command, “showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands.”

Now, between “those who hate me” and “showing kindness to thousands” there is a single Hebrew letter and it is the letter “vav” – ?

This Hebrew letter “vav” can represent either the English word “and” or the English word “but.” If we use the word “and” we can see how this visiting of God upon the third and fourth generation is a positive and merciful action brought upon us by His jealousy for His possession. If we use the word “but” we see that because the latter phrase “showing kindness to thousands” is plainly positive
 that the contrasting word “but” causes us to see that the previous phrase “visiting the crookedness” as a negative.

This is a common thing in Scripture and it leaves the understanding to be one based upon our view and relationship with Yehovah. A believer who sees Him as a loving Father, ever merciful, kind, and forgiving will see the positive. A person who is angry, in transgression, not speaking to Him, etc
 may choose to see the negative. Both views are there in the reading, so it is a choice.

Here is more from the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament on the Hebrew word paqad for visiting, numbering, or appointing (some translations have punishing).
The basic meaning is to exercise oversight over a subordinate, either in the form of inspecting or of taking action to cause a considerable change in the circumstances of the subordinate, either for the better or for the worse.

It is said of the verb, which occurs more than 300 times in the Tanak (old testament): “There is probably no other Hebrew verb that has caused translators as much trouble as paqad. This verb occurs in the Akkadian language usually with the meaning of appointing a governor or other official.

Speiser considers the root of this word (pqd) to be “attend to with care” or “take note.” It is impossible to prove whether this is the actual origin, but the fact that at least half of the occurrences involve positive action by a superior in relation to his subordinates strongly suggests that such action is a vital part of the meaning of the word.

When translated “visit” as 57 times in the KJV, this word almost always has the sense of “making a visitation” and points to action that produces a great change in the position of a subordinate either for good or for ill. Speiser suggests a close parallel to the phrase “to raise the head,” used in Genesis 40:13,19. Pharaoh “lifted up the head” of both his servants the baker and the butler – one to restoration and the other to death.

The word paqad is similarly used in what might seem to be two opposite senses in Jeremiah 23:2 “Therefore thus said YHWH Elohim of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people, “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and have not tended (paqad) them. See, I am punishing (paqad) you for the evil of your deeds,” declares YHWH.

References in I Samuel 20:6, 18, 25, 27 to David’s seat being empty or to David being missed involve the idea of Saul’s oversight over his subordinate. The references to cattle or sheep not being missed in I Samuel 25:7, 15, 21 relate to David’s protection of Nabal’s flock. A similar reference to God’s oversight of his people and finding none missing is contained in Jeremiah 23:3-4
“Therefore I shall gather the remnant of My flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and shall bring them back to their fold. And they shall bear and increase. And I shall raise up shepherds over them, and they shall feed them. And they shall fear no more, nor be discouraged, nor shall they be lacking,” declares Yehovah.

This is “visiting”
 this is paqad in our commandment as Yehovah watches over us and will visit us in the third and fourth generation to make sure we can return to Him even if our fathers walk away from Him in concerning the adultery of idol worship.

The second half of the phrase: “showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands,” doesn’t require much explanation. When we guard His commands, we show Yehovah we love Him and He pours out kindness and blessing upon us because we have allowed Him to do so according to the Ways of His Instructions.

“Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?” (Jeremiah 16:20).

Now to show some examples of what we have done to the second commandment to bring it down to a mere “thou shall not do” and missing out on the glorious whole meaning that you have just read.

From online sites teaching Judaism:

“You shall have no other gods besides Me
 Do not make a sculpted image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above
” — This commandment is a prohibition to believe in or worship any other deities, gods, or spirits. It is also a prohibition against objects like crucifixes, and any forms of paintings or artistic representations of God. (from http://www.templesanjose.org)

Prohibition of Improper Worship

This category is derived from Ex. 20:3-6, beginning, “You shall not have other gods…” It encompasses within it the prohibition against the worship of other gods as well as the prohibition of improper forms of worship of the one true G-d, such as worshiping G-d through an idol. (www.jewfaq.org)

The two paragraphs above have not included our wonderful Elohim’s character. Remember that picture of His being jealous for us? Where is it in the above teachings? And also
 where is the blessing and His kindness, and the blessing of His visitation upon our generations to return us to our Deliverance? This is surely violence to our Father’s Word indeed.

The Catholic Catechism has completely removed this commandment from their teachings. Completely omitted it. An outrage to be sure. This is why in every Catholic Church you enter, there are statutes everywhere. And you genuflect to them before you enter you pew. In other words you bow down to them. By removing this commandment they justify the worship of their statutes which they have done since the days of Nimrod.

 

The Episcopal Catechism: To put nothing in the place of God

(http://anglicansonline.org/basics/catechism.html#The%20Ten%20Commandments)

Nothing much needs to be said about the Episcopal teaching above, considering all that has already been covered thus far. So much is missing in this instruction, and the instruction is made void.

“You shall not make anything to be with Me — gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves.” (Exodus 20:23). He is a limitless, unseen, living Elohim.
“What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.'” (Ezekiel 20:32).

Isaiah 24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

Why should the nations say, “Where now is their Elohim?”
But our Elohim is in the heavens;
Whatever pleased Him, He has done.
Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they do not speak;
They have eyes, but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear;
They have noses, but they do not smell;
They have hands, but they do not handle;
They have feet, but they do not walk;
They make no sound through their throat.
The ones who make them, shall become like them –
All who trust in them.
Psalm 115:2-8

Deut. 4:15-18 “So watch yourselves CAREFULLY, since you did not see any form on the day YHVH spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, LEST YOU ACT CORRUPTLY and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below the earth…”

Psa 97:7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

Yeshua said, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.” (Jn 4:23) Notice it is only the “true” worshipers who are able to worship the Father in spirit and in truth. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. (Jn. 4:24)

The guarding of the second commandment will also have an impact upon those who will be living during the last days spoken of in the Book of the Revelation. “And he leads astray those dwelling on the earth because of those signs which he was given to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword, yet lived.” Rev. 13:14

Keeping the second commandment will keep us from this danger in times to come.

What are the blessings of Keeping the Second Commandment?

Isa 30:22 And you shall defile the covering of your graven images of silver, and the plating of your moulded images of gold. You shall throw them away as a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Be gone!” 23 And He shall give the rain for your seed with which you sow the ground, and bread of the increase of the earth. And it shall be fat and rich, your cattle grazing in an enlarged pasture in that day, 24 and the oxen and the young donkeys that work the ground eat seasoned fodder winnowed with shovel and fan. 25 And on every high mountain and on every high hill there shall be rivers and streams of waters, in the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall. 26 And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that ???? binds up the breach of His people, and heals the wound of His blows.

Eze 18:5 “But if a man is righteous and shall do right-ruling and righteousness, 6 if he has not eaten on the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Yisra’?l, nor defiled his neighbour’s wife, nor comes near a woman during her uncleanness, 7 if he does not oppress anyone, does return to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, does give his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, 8 if he does not lend on interest or take increase, turns back his hand from unrighteousness, executes right-ruling in truth between man and man, 9 if he walks in My laws, and he has guarded My right-rulings in truth – he is righteous, he shall certainly live!” declares the Master ????.

 

Curses of Breaking the Second Commandment

Deu 4:24 “For ???? your Elohim is a consuming fire, a jealous ?l. 25 “When you bring forth children and grandchildren, and shall grow old in the land, and shall do corruptly and make a carved image in the form of whatever, and shall do what is evil in the eyes of ???? your Elohim to provoke Him, 26 “I shall call the heavens and earth to witness against you on that day, that you soon completely perish from the land which you pass over the Yard?n to possess – you do not prolong your days in it but are completely destroyed. 27 “And ???? shall scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left few in number among the gentiles where ???? drives you. 28 “And there you shall serve mighty ones, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.

Psa 97:7 All are put to shame who serve carved images, Those boasting of matters of naught. Bow yourselves to Him, all you mighty ones.

Isa 42:17 “Those who trust in idols, who say to the moulded images, ‘You are our mighty ones,’ shall be turned back, utterly ashamed.

Isa 45:16 They shall be put to shame, and even be humiliated, all of them – the makers of idols shall go away together in humiliation.

Jer 50:35 “A sword is upon the Chaldeans,” declares ????, “and it is upon the inhabitants of Bab?el, and upon her heads and upon her wise men. 36 “A sword is upon the liars, and they shall be fools. A sword is upon her mighty men, and they shall be broken down. 37 “A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mixed peoples who are in her midst, and they shall become like women. A sword is upon her treasures, and they shall be plundered. 38 “A sword is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up. For it is a land of carved images, and they boast about their idols. 39 “Therefore the wild desert beasts shall dwell with the jackals, and the ostriches dwell in it. And it shall never again be inhabited, nor dwelt in, unto all generations. 40 “As Elohim overthrew Sed?om and Amorah and their neighbouring cities,” declares ????, “so no one would dwell there, nor would son of man sojourn in it. 41 “See, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation and many sovereigns stirred up from the ends of the earth. 42 “They lay hold of bow and spear, they are cruel and they show no compassion. They sound like the roaring sea, and ride on horses, set in array, like a man for the battle, against you, O daughter of Bab?el.

Eze 6:2 “Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Yisra’?l, and prophesy against them. 3 “And you shall say, ‘O mountains of Yisra’?l, hear the word of the Master ????!’ Thus said the Master ???? to the mountains, to the hills, to the ravines, and to the valleys, “Look, I Myself am bringing a sword against you, and I shall destroy your high places. 4 “And your altars shall be ruined, your sun-pillars shall be broken in pieces. And I shall make your slain fall in front of your idols, 5 and lay the corpses of the children of Yisra’?l in front of their idols, and scatter your bones all around your altars. 6 “In all your dwelling places the cities shall be destroyed and the high places deserted, so that your altars are broken and bear their punishment. And your idols shall be smashed and made to cease, and your sun-pillars cut down, and your works blotted out. 7 “And the slain shall fall in your midst, and you shall know that I am ????. 8 “But I shall leave a remnant, in that some of you shall escape the sword among the gentiles, when you are scattered throughout the lands. 9 “And those of you who escape shall remember Me among the gentiles where they have been taken captive, because I have been broken by their adulterous heart which has turned away from Me, and by their eyes which whored after their idols. And they shall loathe themselves for the evils which they have done in all their abominations. 10 “And they shall know that I am ????, and not for naught have I spoken to do this evil to them.” 11 ‘Thus said the Master ????, “Strike with your hand and stamp your feet, and say, ‘Alas, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Yisra’?l who shall fall by sword, by scarcity of food, and by pestilence! 12 ‘He who is far off shall die by pestilence, he who is near fall by the sword, and he who is left over and is besieged die by scarcity of food. And I shall complete My wrath upon them. 13 ‘And you shall know that I am ????, when their slain are among their idols all around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, under every green tree, and under every thick oak, wherever they offered sweet incense to all their idols. 14 ‘And I shall stretch out My hand against them and make the land a wasteland, even more waste than the wilderness toward Dib?lah, in all their dwelling places. And they shall know that I am ????.’ ” ’ ”

Eze 16:35 ‘Therefore, O whore, hear the word of ????! 36 ‘Thus said the Master ????, “Because your copper was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your whorings with your lovers, and with the idols of your abominations, and because of the blood of your children which you gave to them, 37 therefore, see, I am gathering all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved, with all those you hated. And I shall gather them from all around against you and shall uncover your nakedness to them, and they shall see all your nakedness. 38 “And I shall judge you with judgments of adulteresses and shedders of blood. And I shall bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy. 39 “And I shall give you into their hand, and they shall throw your arched place down, and they shall break down your high places. And they shall strip you of your garments, and they shall take your splendid adornments, and leave you naked and bare. 40 “And they shall bring up an assembly against you, and they shall stone you with stones and thrust you through with their swords, 41 and burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you before the eyes of many women. And I shall make you stop whoring, and no longer give gifts. 42 “So I shall bring My wrath to rest upon you, and My jealousy shall turn away from you. And I shall be calm, and no longer be vexed. 43 “Because you did not remember the days of your youth, but troubled Me with all this, so see, I shall also bring your way on your own head,” declares the Master ????. “And shall I not do this thought for all your abominations?

Rev 14:9 And a third messenger followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark upon his forehead or upon his hand, 10 he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim, which is poured out undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he shall be tortured with fire and sulphur before the set-apart messengers and before the Lamb. 11 “And the smoke of their torture goes up forever and ever. And they have no rest day or night, those worshipping the beast and his image, also if anyone receives the mark of his name.”

Rev 16:2 And the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and an evil and wicked sore came upon the men, those having the mark of the beast and those worshipping his image.

Brethren if you have pictures of Angels or statutes of angels in your home, crucifixes, or Buddha’s, if you have Stars of David or the Christian fishes such as those in Messianic circles with a triple image Menorah Star of David and fish, if you have statutes of Joseph and Mary and Jesus in your home all of these things need to be destroyed today and thrown out as a woman’s menstrual rag. Or you can expect the curses as written above to come and visit you and your family.

 


Triennial Torah Cycle

We continue this weekend with our regular Triennial Torah Reading

Num 8      Job 19-21      Hebrews 9

 

Separating the Levites for Tabernacle Duty (Numbers 8)

The system of sacrifices and offerings in the Old Testament often seems too complicated for us to grasp. Yet in this chapter another dimension is added—we see the Levites themselves being offered to God by Aaron as a wave offering—as if he lifts them up to present them to God for His acceptance. Indeed, waving overhead was the typical way of presenting something to God, who dwells above in heaven (compare Exodus 29:24, 26, 27; Leviticus 7:30, 34; 8:27, 29). We see that God does accept the Levites, stating that they are now His (Numbers 8:14).

Interestingly, the High Priest today, Jesus Christ, also “lifts” His servants—His priesthood the Church (see 1 Peter 2:5, 9)—to present them before God the Father as if a wave offering. We find this in Ephesians 2:4-7: “God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together [out of spiritual death and into God’s presence], and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (emphasis added).

Of course, “the ages to come” is what we are really waiting for, when we will be perfected and sinless and given God’s Kingdom. But we are “raised up” and “waved” before God for Him to accept us right now. And He does—thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that covers our sins. We find this portrayed in the ceremony that took place in ancient Israel on the Feast of Pentecost, when two leavened loaves of the firstfruits of the wheat harvest were waved before God. These “wave loaves” represented God’s converted followers of Old and New Testament times, the “firstfruits” in God’s plan of salvation (compare Romans 8:23; James 1:18; Revelation 14:1-4; Hebrews 12:23). The leaven shows that these firstfruits are not yet perfect and still beset with sin (see Leviticus 2:11-12; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; and highlights covering the grain offering in Leviticus 2). Yet the loaves were accepted because a sin offering was waved with them (see Leviticus 23:16-20). The same is true today. When Christ presents His followers before the Father, His perfect sacrifice is presented with them—and they are accepted.

Returning to the Levites, there was a training period of five years, a sort of apprenticeship, for them before they assumed their full duties at age 30 (verse 24; 4:3). After age 50, it seems they went into a kind of semi-retirement with limited duties (8:25-26; 4:3).

The purpose of the laying on of hands, mentioned here, is to set someone apart for a specific purpose such as in ordinations and healings. The first mention of laying on of hands in the Scriptures is when Israel (Jacob) placed his blessing and name on Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:13). In this case of the Levites, we see representatives of all Israel laying on their hands to set the Levites apart for the special service of the tabernacle (verse 10). The laying on of hands, according to the book of Hebrews, is one of the basic doctrines of the Bible (6:1-2).

 

“For I Know That My Redeemer Lives, and…I Shall See God” (Job 19)

The words of Job’s friends do not bounce right off him. They wound him deeply—leaving him shattered—on top of what he’s already going through. His friends have wronged him with all their accusation and lack of pity and comfort (verses 1-3).

Job’s response to their using the disgrace of his disease to plead the case that he is guilty of sin is to say that God has wronged him (verses 5-6). Perhaps softening this accusation is the fact that the word translated “wronged” could also be rendered “overthrown,” as it is in the earlier King James Version and in Green’s Literal Translation. Either way, while it is true that God bears responsibility for what is happening to Job, Job’s understanding of what is occurring is gravely mistaken. Furthermore, as has already been stated, people in great suffering often blurt out things they don’t fully mean. The great God of perfect compassion understands.

Job goes on to relate more of his unrelenting sufferings—unable to comprehend why God would afflict him with these things. Verse 9 shows him stripped of glory and crown—demonstrating that Job was probably a king (see also Job 29).

In 19:20, after Job says, “My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh,” we see words that have become an idiom in the English language for a narrow escape: “I have escaped by the skin of my teeth” or, as it is more properly rendered in the earlier King James Version, “with the skin of my teeth.” The idea that a narrow escape is meant here is probably incorrect. In context, perhaps he is simply saying that of all his bones, his teeth alone do not cling to skin—as they have no skin. On the other hand, some see the skin of the teeth as meaning the gums—and that Job is saying that only his gums are unaffected by his illness. John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible offers this intriguing possibility: “Some have thought that Satan, when he smote Job from head to feet with ulcers, spared his mouth, lips, and teeth, the instruments of speech, that he might therewith curse God, which was the thing he aimed at, and proposed to bring him to, by getting a grant from God to afflict him in the manner he did.”

Suffering as he does, having described his abandonment by friends and family (verses 13-19) and seemingly by God, he cries out from his isolation to his three visiting friends for pity (verses 21-22).

Then in verses 23-24 Job wishes that his words would be written down, engraved as a permanent record. His thought here was the same as in 16:18, where he asked that the earth not cover his blood when he died—that it would remain as a witness. Bildad had warned how death would remove the memory of Job from the earth (18:12). The amazing fact is that Job’s words have remained for all time—preserved through this book of Job we are now reading.

Surprisingly, in the midst of his despair, we learn that Job is confident that God will not forget him. He looks forward to the far future when his “Redeemer”—the divine Kinsman who would buy him back from suffering and death and ultimately vindicate him—would at last stand on the earth (verse 25).

Job seems immediately to relate this to his own resurrection at that time. The NKJV says: “And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God” (verse 26). The last clause here is disputed. As The Expositor’s Bible Commentary notes, “The debate centers around whether it is ‘in the flesh’ or ‘apart from the flesh’ that Job [will have] this experience. The Hebrew could go either way” (note on verses 25-27). The Holy Scriptures translation by the Jewish Publication Society (JPS), renders it: “Then without my flesh shall I see God.” Many insist that the meaning here must be “in my flesh” because Job mentions his eyes then beholding God (verse 27), which is only possible with a body. The truth of the matter, however, is that it is possible to have a body that is not made of flesh. Indeed, 1 Corinthians 15 explains that the resurrection bodies of the saints will be composed of spirit, as “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (verse 50; compare verses 45, 49).

Yet there is another possible translation of this passage that does allow for “in my flesh”—and fits in context with Job’s lamenting. Note it in the new JPS translation: “But I know that my Vindicator lives; in the end He will testify on earth—this, after my skin will have been peeled off. But I would behold God while still in my flesh, I myself, not another, would behold Him; would see with my own eyes” (verses 25-27, Tanakh). In other words, this translation sees Job as basically saying, “I know I will see God at the resurrection, but I would really like to face Him right now—to confront Him with my situation.”

Job ends in verses 28-29 with a warning to his friends. Rather than be all concerned with trying to establish the fact of his sin, they should be worried about their own wrong in how they are dealing with him. For they are right about one thing—a judgment is coming.

 

“I Have Heard the Rebuke that Reproaches Me” (Job 20)

Zophar now speaks for the second and last time. He “took Job’s words, especially [Job’s] closing words in 19:28-29, as a personal affront. Job had dared to assert that on Zophar’s theory of retribution Zophar himself was due for punishment. To Zophar such could only happen to the wicked. Zophar was the most emotional of the three; and he was not about to let Job’s rebuke go unanswered, though in chapter 19 Job had earnestly pled for a withdrawal of their charges. Here he had nothing new to say to Job but said it with passion. The speech is full of terrifying imagery” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, note on verses 1-3).

Indeed, Zophar’s speech is utterly scathing. Where Job had asked the earth to not cover his blood and stated that he had a witness in heaven (16:18-19), Zophar says that the earth would rise up against the wicked—meaning Job—and that heaven would reveal his sin. In fact, Zophar said that the wicked person would perish forever like his own dung (verse 7), which is buried in the earth.

It is staggering to witness the steeply escalating excoriation and threatening warnings in the speeches of Job’s friends. As he scrapes at his painful boils and struggles in agony to understand what is happening to him, crying out to his friends ever more fervently for caring pity and comfort, they instead hammer and bludgeon him worse than before.

 

“Why Do the Wicked Live and Become Old…?” (Job 21)

Job makes another attempt to answer his friends but believes they will just keep mocking him as they have been (verses 1-3). He responds to their notion that the wicked always get what they deserve in this life in short order with observations of just the opposite—that they usually seem to live out their lives pretty comfortably.

In verse 19, he anticipates a response of, “Well, at least their children will pay for what they’ve done.” But how, he asks, would that be justice when the wicked themselves are left unaffected—when they won’t even know what their children are experiencing because they’ll be dead? (verses 19-21).

The translation of verse 30 is disputed. In the New King James Version, the meaning seems to be that the wicked will ultimately get theirs on the final day of judgment—implying that most of them have smooth sailing until then. Yet other versions render this as the wicked being kept from any present day of judgment—being brought out in escape from current calamity.

In verse 22, Job seems to admit that he is not worthy or capable of instructing God on what is righteous and just, but he just has to question what God is thinking here. It is a hard matter, and Job thinks his friends are ridiculous for thinking they have it all figured out—especially when he is here shredding their arguments, showing their answers to be empty and false (verse 34).

In actuality, their arguments bore a kernel of truth. The apparently idyllic life of the wicked is often an outward façade. Sin does carry consequences in the here and now. Automatic penalties for faithlessness and disobedience are often at work in the lives of the wicked, denying them true happiness and fulfillment. However, Job’s friends were completely mistaken in thinking that sinful living would result in almost immediate direct retribution from God. They also denied the obvious fact that the wicked did not live in constant terror and agony. And further, they were completely wrong in their assumption that those who faithfully serve God never experience terror and agony except when they stumble and sin.

 

Hebrews Chapter 9

1 Now the first [covenant] indeed had regulations of worship and the earthly set-apart place.
Right away we can note that Sha’ul is talking about the PRIESTHOOD, not the covenant. As anyone can plainly see – covenant was not in the original text – but was added. That is why it is in italics. So let us read it as it was written: “now the first indeed had regulations of worship and the earthly set-apart place.” What had regulations of worship? The priesthood. What had the earthly set-apart place? The priesthood, called out assembly, and the tabernacle. And then Shaul goes on to describe more of the earthly, made with hands, tabernacle.

2 For a Tent was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, and the table, and the showbread, which is called the Set-apart Place.

3 And after the second veil, the part of the Tent which is called Most Set-apart,

4 to which belonged the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that held the manna, and the rod of Aharon that budded, and the tablets of the covenant,

5 and above it the kerubim of esteem were overshadowing the place of atonement – about which we do not now speak in detail.

6 And these having been prepared like this, the priests always went into the first part of the Tent, accomplishing the services. The set apart place was entered into by the priests daily for themselves and the people, to fulfill the instructions of our Father. Has anything changed for today or should anything have changed for us today? Let’s read some verses concerning this from the Messianic Writings.

Acts 3:2 “And a certain man, lame from his birth, was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the Set-apart Place which is called Yaphah (Beautiful or Lovely), to ask alms from those entering into the Set-apart Place.
Acts 5:42 “And daily in the Set-apart Place, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and bringing the Good News: Yeshua the Messiah!”

Acts 17:11 “Now these (Beroia) were more nobel than those in Thessalonike, who received the word with great eagerness, and searched the Scriptures daily, if these [words] were so.

We can liken the set apart place of the tent, as our inner man (person) where we are to daily light our spirit with Messiah to keep our lamps burning. The table of showbread – the nourishment of His Word daily to keep us on the right path. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for sins of ignorance of the people, Here is a reading from the Torah concerning sins of ignorance and the loving instruction given on how to deal with this type of sin or missing the mark – which is ONLY shown to us by His Torah (Instructions and Guidance).

Numbers 15:15-28 “One law is for you of the assembly and for the stranger who sojourns with you – a law forever throughout your generations As you are, so is the stranger before ????. One Torah and one right-ruling is for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you. And ???? spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Speak to the children of Yisra’el, and say to them,’When you come into the land to which I bring you, then it shall be, when you eat of the bread of the land, that you present a contribution to ????. Present a cake of the first of your dough as a contribution – as a contribution of the threshing-floor you present it. Of the first of your dough you are to give to ???? a contribution throughout your generations. And when you sin by mistake, and do not do all these command which ???? has spoken to Mosheh, all that ???? has commanded you by the hand of Mosheh, from the day ???? gave command and onward throughout your generations, then it shall be, if it is done by mistake, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall prepare one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet fragrance to ????, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the right-ruling, and one male goat as a sin offering. Then the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Yisra’el, and it shall be forgiven them, for it was by mistake. And they shall bring their offering, an offering made by fire to ????, and their sin offering before ????, for their mistake. And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Yisra’el and the stranger who sojourns in their midst, because all the people did it by mistake. And if a being sins by mistake, then he shall bring a female goat a year old as a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for the being who strays by mistake, when he sins by mistake before ????, to make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

8 the Set-apart Spirit signifying this, that the way into the Most Set-apart Place was not yet made manifest while the first Tent has a standing,
The sons of Israel and the mixed multitude at this time knew that what they were doing, how they were doing it, and when they were doing it – was a pattern of that which was in heaven! Father had already given the pattern to Mosheh and Mosheh gave the pattern to the assembly. So much of what they were doing, they were doing through faith and faith alone. They were doing it – because Father said to do it. The first part of the tent (the Set-apart place) was entered daily by the priests. They went in and they went out, taking care of the lighting of the menorah, the table of shewbread, the incense. But this Most Set-apart Place, they knew was different because the of “special” instructions that went along with being able to ‘enter into it.’ A perfect ‘mystery’ of the gift The Messiah.

9 which was a parable for the present time in which both gifts and slaughters are offered which are unable to perfect the one serving, as to his conscience,
“
.. as to his conscience,” why does Shaul separate out these specific words? We will see below in the next verse that he will explain that much of the rituals that the mediators (earthly priests) went through for service, were to obtain cleansing/sanctification of the “bodies” —- the vessels for service. The administration and administrators were pictures of what is in the heavens, the throne room and the tabernacle.

10 only as to foods and drinks, and different washings, and fleshly regulations imposed until a time of setting [matters] straight.

In the wilderness tabernacle and thereafter – a teaching and picture had to be accomplished. The teachings, doings, and pictures had to answer questions like: who is ????? what is He like? What does He require of us? What does He consider unrighteousness? What does He call clean or unclean? What is His heart? These teachings and pictures rested upon the shoulders of the priests until the occasion of restoration of the true heavenly picture of Messiah as High Priest would come to pass. The entire NATION were to be priests if we remember, but transgression happened.

11 But Messiah, having become a High Priest of the coming good [matters], through the greater and more perfect Tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation,

12 entered into the Most Set-apart Place once for all, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, having obtained everlasting redemption.

13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the defiled, sets apart for the cleansing of the flesh,

Clearly, Sha’ul re-affirms the necessity of the Instructions from ???? concerning the requirement of cleansing of our flesh in verse

13. The blood of bulls and goats, the ashes of the red heifer, sprinkling of the ashes mixed with water onto those who had been in contact with the dead did cleanse the flesh. These instructions were given by our Creator and He declared that they did cleanse us, so that we could approach Him and not be destroyed by His Holiness.

14 how much more shall the blood of the Messiah, who through the everlasting Spirit offered Himself unblemished to Elohim, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim? “Renewing of the mind

.”

15 And because of this He is the Mediator of a renewed covenant, so that, death having taken place for redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called might receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance.

Clearly we see that the Aharonic and Levitical Priesthood were mediating THE covenant between ???? and us in all the earthly vessels as instructed through Mosheh, and Messiah is mediating the covenant, THE SAME COVENANT that is now in fleshly vessels!

16 For where a covenant is, it is necessary for the death of the covenanted one to be established.

17 For a covenant over those dead is firm, since it is never valid while the covenanted one is living.

Beloved, this is why it is a “Blood” Covenant. 18 Therefore not even the first [covenant] **remember, we are still talking about the priesthood or type of mediation here, don’t get fooled*** was instituted without blood.

19 For when, according to Torah, every command had been spoken by Mosheh to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which Elohim commanded you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with blood both the Tent and all the vessels of the service. 22 And, according to the Torah, almost all is cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 It was necessary, then, that the copies of the heavenly ones should be cleansed with these, but the heavenly ones themselves with better slaughter [offerings] than these.

24 For Messiah has not entered into a Set-apart Place made by hand – figures of the true – but into the heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of Elohim on our behalf, 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters into the Set-apart Place year by year with blood not his own.

Yom HaKippurim, Day of Atonement or Coverings. We are privileged to rehearse this day each and every year according to the instructions given to us by ???? in Leviticus chapter 23. It is a rehearsal to prepare us for a very, very important time and day coming to us in the future. To obey the instruction is to be blessed. In doing this – we prepare for our deliverance when our Messiah comes. 26 For if so, He would have had to suffer often, since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the offering of Himself. 27 And as it awaits men to die once, and after this the judgment, 28 so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to those waiting for Him, unto deliverance.

0 Comments

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.