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 14, 2019

News Letter 5855-002
The 3rd Year of the 4th Sabbatical Cycle
The 24th year of the 120th Jubilee Cycle
The 8th day of the 1st month 5855 years after the creation of Adam
The 1st Month in the Third year of the Fourth Sabbatical Cycle
The 4th Sabbatical Cycle after the 119th Jubilee Cycle
The Third Year Tithe for the Widows and Orphans and Levites
The Sabbatical Cycle of Sword, Famines, and Pestilence

March 16, 2019

Shabbat Shalom to the Royal Family of Yehovah,

How are you all doing now after another controversial start to the New Year? I had to post that picture and joke to help ease the tension that some might be feeling about the two different conclusions from the same evidence. And this is why we continue to tell you to do your own research and PROVE ALL THINGS. You must do the work and figure it out. You cannot be a sheep.  You cannot just blindly follow men in your faith. That is why you left your former denomination to begin to learn the Torah. You must be a leader and or get ready to be one if you have any desires to serve in the Kingdom of Yehovah.

You cannot be a Preist in that Kingdom and not understand or not know how to determine when the Holy Days are. You cannot even be in that Kingdom if you are not going to keep those Holy Days of Lev 23 or the Sabbatical years of Lev 25. Those who do not and will not keep the Holy Days which are the 4th commandment do not know Yehovah. They are lawless and will be told;

Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

The Will of Yehovah is

1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

John 14:15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 14:21 Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”

John 14:23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him.

1 John 2:3 By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.

2 John 1:6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love.

1 John 2:3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Some have written to us and mock us for looking for the barley or the new crescent moon. They do not keep the commandments. They do not understand just how intimate each and every detail of the Passover service, the events of the Exodus are telling us about the death and resurrection of the Messiah. Yes, they can talk all about the New Testament but they are empty and know nothing about what they even say because they lack the understanding that comes from doing the laws.

James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Many people who believe in the New Testament claim to be saved by faith and yet they have zero works. They do not keep the Sabbath, which Hebrews shows you is a sign for the coming 7th Millennium. They do not keep any of the Holy Days which show you the entire plan of Salvation when you keep them. The word Salvation in Hebrew is Yeh Shua, Yehovah Saves. James says those without works but with faith only are dead. They are the walking dead.

So for those of you who are not dead and those of you who have just been raised up from the dead and are now walking in this new faith many are asking how do we keep the Passover and when? What do we do?

Last Sabbath I was up until 3 AM explaining to many people who are new and wanting to obey Yehovah by showing Him their works along with their faith. So let me show you what I do and have done at this time of year. I will also give you links to other subjects that we just will not have time to cover. But make sure you read them and get yourselves educated so that you can teach to others these truths.

You Will Know Them

Last week I asked you all to comment at the end of the article. I asked you to do this so that I could show those I was talking with your views and just how many were interested in the Barley and Aviv search. Thank you to all of those who made their post and comments. Thank you all very much. But there was and still is one bad post on another site that took the assinine award. Before we get to that post keep reading.

I want you all to read this one verse again.

Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

It does not matter how much you do in the name of Jesus, or God or Yehshua or Yehovah. If you are not obeying Him then He does not know you and you are going to be kicked out.

Above we have just covered the Will of Yehovah. And now I want to ask what has already been asked. What is the Greatest Commandment? and Yehshua said;

Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

That first commandment to Love Yehovah with your whole heart soul and mind is what we are to be saying each day as we do the Amidah which we taught you a few weeks ago. The second one IS A COMMANDMENT ALSO, that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. IT IS A COMMANDMENT.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.

1 John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

2 John 1:5 And now I urge you, dear lady–not as a new commandment to you, but one we have had from the beginning–that we love one another.

During WW II the Nazi war propaganda began to portray all Jews as dogs or rats or monkeys in order to rid the infestation and to be able to destroy them as they did with no remorse. This resulted in the death of 6 million Jews over the period of just 7 years, 1938-1945. Think about it. Words used to dehumanize human beings so that you could then kill them. And yet those Nazi soldiers that did this called themselves Christians. Are you who are calling yourselves followers of Yehovah using words to dehumanize others and to raise yourself above them?

Isaiah 5 has a whole section warning the wicked. I am just going to share the section starting in verse 18

Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood,
who draw sin as with cart ropes,
who say: “Let him be quick,
let him speed his work
that we may see it;
let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near,
and let it come, that we may know it!”
Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
and shrewd in their own sight!

The word iniquity is

From H5753; perversity, that is, (moral) evil: – fault, iniquity, mischief, punishment (of iniquity), sin.

Isaiah says these people pull this sin out with ropes and then start to call those they are attacking evil and themselves the good. Satan does the very same thing and Christianity has swallowed it hook line and sinker. And many Messianics have brought those same false narratives with them as they claim to be following Yehovah, but in truth, they are not. They are continuing to follow and work for Satan.

Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Paul talks of those who think they are serving Yehovah and yet are not working for Yehovah at all, but are working and doing the work of Satan. And I, like Paul, will continue to point out those who think they are serving Yehovah and boast of their work by condemning and demonizing the brethren.

2 Cor 11:12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

It has come to my attention of the following boast by one of the Aviv searchers this week. This ignorant and self-righteous post was shown to me in the midst of my talks with a number of parties in trying to come to a mutual resolution on the split that has come again this year.

You will know them by their love for one another. They come to us dressed like brethren and talk like brethren and say things that make them sound knowledgeable like brethren, but their actions betray their true heart. A heart that does not love the brethren whom they have seen.

On March 10 they posted the following report and lashed out. Just so you know he is speaking of Nehemia, Devorah, and Yoel by calling them, minions. You can read it at the link I just shared as I will not post it. And then on his home page, he posted the following post which was still there. No apologies or self-examinations which we are to do at this time of year as we remove the sin from us before Passover, which he also mentions.

Tuesday March 12, 2019
How long will you be thrashing and limping about between two opinions? If Yehovah your Elohim decided winter is over then follow that. If the imp of Baal has decided winter is still in place follow him.

Happy New Year in the peace offered to those who believe that our Savior is both Lamb and Wavesheaf in Fathers household.

I regret using this man’s report as part of my determination this year. I will not use it going forward nor allow it to be part of my process for learning about the Barley. If I have to I will go there myself and do my own search. If you cannot love the brethren, then you are not going to be in the Kingdom. And if he cannot love those other people who are actually doing the search then he has major issues with Yehovah. But as for Sightedmoon.com and myself, unless this man publicly apologizes and removes these posts, his testimony is as false as His love is.

Luke 15:11 The Parable of the Prodigal Son
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Who is the older son? Judah. Who is the dumb ass son? Israel or Ephraim, but mainly it is you.

Who is already with Yehovah? Judah. Who is not worthy to be called His son? Us. We had all better get humble and stop refusing the help that is being offered to us through Judah. Judah will never come to know the Messiah as we do with people like this man above who wants to insult them and demonize them. But I tell you in truth that those Jews who know the Torah, know the Messiah 100% better than any Christian and most Messianics.

The Calendar

Last week we offered you this gift but it may have gotten lost in all the news last week. We offer it again to help you and it is free.

Pauline Reardon has been working tirelessly on many projects here and one of them is a simple to use monthly calendar that you can fill is each month once you have sighted the new crescent moon.
Have a look at it and print it off and put it on your fridge or wall so that you can keep track of Yehovah time. Here is the Link

I posted the following on Facebook last week as well.

I was filling in our Holy Day Calendar. Got the new year 5855 from the creation of Adam. Done.
The first day of the year Gregorian date. Done
Day of the week- Shabbat -Done

Counting the days of each Holy Day is now laid out for me with little bits of information along the way.

Get your copy from Perpetual Calendar of YHVH and give it a moment to come up on your screen. Download it and then print it. It is free and you will then have an accurate record of counting the days.

Psalm 90:11 Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Return, O Lord! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

7th Day of the First Month

I am sharing this again this week as there is still time on this 7th day to do this. Friday March 15 is still the 7th day of the first month.

Last year I shared with you a teaching about the 7th day of the first month and have done so since 2013 when I learned of it.

I want to emphasize this important teaching once again this year as we approach the 7th day of the First month, with the new crescent moon having been sighted in Israel.

18 So says the Lord Jehovah: In the first month, in the first of the month, you shall take a bull without blemish, a son of the herd, and cleanse the sanctuary. 19 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the house, and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the gateposts of the inner court. 20 And so you shall do on the seventh of the month for each man who goes astray, and for the simple. So you shall atone for the house. (Ezekiel 45:18-20)

It is just seven days after this event until Passover when the blood is again placed on the door of the house for protection.

We all have spouses, children, parents and family who do not and will not have anything to do with Torah. Yet it is now the Torah that has become your way of life.

Many times you wonder why they do not get it – why you are the only one. All these years and they still make fun of your Sabbaths and Holy Days.

Here in Ezekiel we are told to pray for our household on the 7th day of the first month. “Thus says Yehovah…”

Why? I do not know why – but He said to do this, so I am going to do this again this year and we will see what happens afterwards. We are often instructed to pray and obey. This time you are being told to obey by praying.

do know that in the 7th month, on the 7th day of that month, is Shabbat Shuva- the “Sabbath of Return.” Is this a connection to that? I can only speculate, but look at the Scriptures you are to read on Shabbat Shuva (for the haf-Torah) and tell me this is not connected.

I also want you to notice what the bullocks are. We have explained this in our video teaching on Daniel 9:

Return, O Israel, unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast stumbled in thine iniquity.  Take with you words, and return unto the LORD; say unto Him: ‘Forgive all iniquity, and accept that which is good; so will we render for bullocks the offering of our lips. (Hosea 14:1-2)

It is our prayers Yehovah is wanting; not the sacrifices of animals, but the sacrifices of our lips, symbolized by the bull itself.

Therefore let us go forth to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14  For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By Him, then, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, confessing His name. (Hebrew 13:13-15)

O Jehovah, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. 16  For You do not desire sacrifice; or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:15-17)

For I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)

Look at what happened in Acts chapter 11 when they prayed:

12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, not discriminating. And these six brothers went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he declared to us how he had seen an angel in his house, who stood and said to him, Send men to Joppa and call for Simon whose last name is Peter, 14 who will tell you words by which you and all your house shall be saved. 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the Word of the Lord, how He said, John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 17 If God gave to them the same gift as to us, they having believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to prevent God? (Acts 11:12-17)

Here we have Gentile believers receiving the Holy Spirit and the whole household was saved. Is this not what we all want for our families as well?

Yehovah has given us a specific date to meet Him; for us to plead for our families. Will you take Him up on this opportunity?

28 But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here. 29 Then asking for a light he rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And leading them outside, he said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, and your household. 32 And they spoke the Word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his household. 33 And taking them in that hour of the night, he washed from their stripes. And he was baptized, he and all his, immediately. 34 And bringing them up to the house, he set a table before them and rejoiced, believing in God with all his household. (Acts 16:28-34)

In both of these cases, it was just one person who believed and then the whole family was blessed. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around this. I cannot imagine having my whole family keeping this walk with me. How awesome would that be? I cry with joy if I think about it for too long.

If you are having trouble praying, here is one prayer that King David prayed that may help you get started:

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall rest under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of Jehovah, my refuge and my fortress; my God; in Him I will trust. 3 Surely He will deliver you from the fowler’s trap and from the destroying plague. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall trust. His truth shall be your shield, and buckler. 5 You shall not fear the terror by night; nor because of the arrow that flies by day; 6 nor for the plague that walks in darkness, of the destruction laying waste at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes you shall look and see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because You, O Jehovah, are My refuge; if You have made the Most High Your dwelling-place, 10 no evil shall befall You, nor shall any plague come near Your dwelling. 11 For He shall give His angels charge over You, to keep You in all Your ways. 12 They shall bear You up in their hands, lest You dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread on the lion and adder; the young lion and the jackal You shall trample underfoot. 14 Because He has set His love on Me, therefore I will deliver Him; I will set Him on high, because He has known My name. 15 He shall call on Me, and I will answer Him; I will be with Him in trouble; I will deliver Him, and honor Him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation. (Psalm 91:1-16)

If you keep the Commandments and are striving to walk them out; If you keep the Weekly Sabbath, the Annual Holy Days and are going to keep the coming Sabbatical Year (all of which are part of the 4th commandment) and if you are walking in Torah – then you are righteous. Even if you are not perfect.

If you are doing this, then you are considered one of the righteous. And if you are one of the righteous, then Yehovah will hear your prayers.

Jehovah is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous. (Proverbs 15:29)

15 The eyes of Jehovah are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. 16 The face of Jehovah is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry, and Jehovah hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 Jehovah is near to the broken-hearted; and saves those who are of a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Jehovah delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34:15-19)

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul. 17 I cried to Him with my mouth, and exaltation were under my tongue. 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, Jehovah will not hear; 19 Surely God has heard; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed is God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me. (Psalm 66:17-19)

When we do not keep the Torah, when we will not keep the Sabbath Holy, nor the Holy Days, when we will not keep the Sabbatical Years… then Yehovah will not hear our prayers and it is those who will not repent that are hurt:

1 Behold, Jehovah’s hand is not shortened so that it cannot save, nor is His ear heavy so that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have come between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, from hearing. (Isaiah 59:1-2)

Do you remember the Lord’s Prayer The Amidah we just studied? The prayer Yehshua offered to Our Father? In it, we confess our sins. This is what Solomon and Daniel did in their prayers. They confessed the sins of the nation and of themselves. It is then that Yehovah will turn and hear us where we are in our affliction and save us. Go, read these things and know He waits until you repent and then He answers.

11 Let him turn aside from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears open to their prayers. But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil. (1 Peter 3:11-12)

We are de-leavening right now, all in preparation for the Days of Unleavened Bread. It is symbolic of putting sin out of our lives. Do not cover up your secret sins, nor walk past the obvious elephants in the room. Take care of them and address them and turn back to the truth and have your prayers heard.

He who covers his sins shall not be blessed; but whoever confesses and leaves them shall have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

Who can understand his errors? Oh make me pure from secret faults; 13  and keep Your servant back from presumptuous sins; do not let them rule over me; then I shall be upright, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. 14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Jehovah, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:12-14)

Yehovah listens to those who fear Him, who stand in awe of His greatness, goodness and power. Ask Him to expose your secret sins that you do not want anyone to know about and those which you try to hide from even yourself. Get rid of them the same way you are doing now with the leaven in your homes. Get rid of it and do not bring it back in.

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. 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. 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. (Malachi 3:16-18)

16 Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much. 17 Elijah was a man of like passion as we are. And he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for the time of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth caused its fruit to sprout. (James 5:16-18)

Our Bibles are full of examples of people who prayed, and Yehovah heard their prayers and answered them. Repent of your sins and your secret sins and return to the Truth. Let your name be found in the Book of Remembrance as one whose prayers were heard and answered.

Take the time this year, at the appointed time, to pray for your family on Aviv 7, 5855. That falls on March 14, 2019, this year.

A Beit Din

Last week I shared with you a conversation I had with Brother Wilson.

Now almost two months ago I was talking to Wilson and the subject came up of forming a Beit Din. Having seen this come before and how those who do this do so in order to be in control, I was not interested in being a part of it. But I suggested to Wilson that he write up how we could form one.

I shared last week some of Wilson’s comments and this week I am sharing more of what he recently wrote to me.

Judah has already formed a Sanhedrin of Elders. Israel has no such thing.

The very last verse in the book of Judges is a very sad verse to read, especially after all we have just read of the many sad stories that Israel was going through after the death of Joshua. A time of about 300 years until Saul was made King.

The House of Israel needs a Beit Din. I know time is running out and doing so very fast. It does not change this fact. We need a body of Elders to lead in judging matters such as the barley and the sighting of the moon. They are needed to listen to those witnesses and to make a decision for the entire body. But then we need the body of the House of Israel to respect that authority and to obey it so long as it is in alignment with the Torah. They must use the crescent moon and the Barley for the Holy Day date which rules out the Hebrew Calendar people.

We all need to think about this. I encourage you to put your thought about this subject in the Comments below. Here is another report from Wilson about what I asked him to write about.

Hello Brother Joseph,

as per our phone conversation a number of weeks ago, here are a few thoughts I have on the two subjects that we discussed. The issues being, what does it mean to be Hebrew Roots, and the need for Judges for the community. These two are joined but separate. I would say this for starters. We have to crawl before we can walk, walk before we can run, and run before we can compete in a 26 mile marathon. We do need Judges in order to resolve issues that can not be resolved between brothers, but this is like signing up for the marathon while we are still crawling. How can we have Judges when we don’t have Elders? How can we have Elders when we don’t have Leaders in communities? How can we have Leaders in communities when we can’t agree enough to be in fellowship with the people that say they are Hebrew Roots in our own areas? I, of course see the need for a Beit Din (house of Judges) and have for a number of years. Having had fellowships break up because of issues, that in my view are simple, and outside of the walk of Hebrew Roots. For example, many years ago, two families started to send their children back to a youth group for teens at a church that specifically taught against some of the core tenants of the Hebrew Roots faith. Such as, there not being the need to eat clean, keep Sabbath or follow the ‘Law’ of Y—H, as do most all the churches in our area. This was after they had not gone for years. I began to see the steady erosion of the faith of the young people as they began to ask the same basic questions about why we keep TORAH and the confusion grew from there. When the parents were confronted, one family repented and quit sending their children. The other family said that they didn’t see it as a problem. They were told by two mature brothers in the group, that it was a problem, and not conducive to remaining in fellowship, that in fact, they were choosing a different path and they were choosing to leave the fellowship if they would not stop sending their children to church. They were upset and felt like they were being mistreated. They were told that if they felt the fellowship was in error, they should call a national leader in the Hebrew Roots movement to resolve the issue. I don’t believe they did, as we never heard them argue the decision, they just kept sending their children to that church. I share this story to give just one example, of many, for the need for those able to make righteous judgements between the brethren. Sadly, all of the children ended up rejecting TORAH or mixing it with other beliefs. These types of issues are not rare, underscoring some of the need for Judges. But we have to have some agreement on the rules before people will submit to a Judge. How do we start? How do we start to crawl?

About a year and a half ago, during the Days of Awe, I was impressed with this thought, the need for us in the Hebrew Roots faith to define what are the pre-requisites for fellowship. Or, what does it mean to be Hebrew Roots? What I realized is that all of the failed fellowship attempts were mostly because we did not establish what were the important areas of agreement BEFORE we started meeting as a multi-family fellowship. Most of this was due to ignorance and immaturity on everyone involved, mine included. I was zealous, but still in the church mindset of ‘everyone welcome’, we’ll figure it out as we go. This, I believe, was, and is a CRITICAL mistake! Y—H asks the question in Amos 3:3

‘How can two walk together unless they agree?’

This is really at the heart of what I am saying. Here is a prime example. We are coming into the Passover season. Can anyone take part of the Passover Festival? In ignorance, I did before I should have. A well-intentioned fellow church brother had a Passover Seder at his house. I have come to understand that this as a covenant meal, that I am entering into a contract with my Maker by taking part. We had good intentions, but is that enough?  What are some of the requirements to eat the Pesach meal?

Exodus 12:48 ‘…let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.’

I know some, even in the Hebrew Roots say, ‘Don’t worry about it, no big deal, don’t you know what Paul says brother?’ Yes, I know what has been attributed to Paul, and I also know that Y—H says in Genesis 17:10-14 that circumcision is an ‘eternal’ sign in the flesh, and that any male that refuses is to be ‘cut-off’ from Israel. My point here is not to talk about circumcision, but I use it as an example because it can be such a divisive issue. It is also an issue that will come up EVERY year at Passover if we are following TORAH. If people that we think we can fellowship with are not at the place to except this as a requirement, among others (eating clean, keeping Sabbath- sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, etc.) then they are not ready for full fellowship. I would still meet with them and try to bring them along in their understanding, but that doesn’t mean they are ready to commit to covenant with Y—H. Didn’t Yeshua tell us to count the cost BEFORE following him? I know this is too harsh for some, but consider this in Mark 10:17-23

The Rich Young Ruler

17 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But at these words [a]he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

23 And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!”

So, what happened next? Did Yeshua run after the young man and plead with him to please follow Him? Did he say, ‘You know what, you are a really great guy, forget what I said, you can keep your stuff, the rules are different for you, as long as you love Y—H in your heart, just PLEASE come with me!’? No, He did not. The young man made a choice that the cost to follow Yeshua was too high, and Yeshua just let him walk away. There are minimums to follow Y—H, I just really want the body to think about what those are for them, based on Scripture. This would be ‘Getting ready to crawl’, if you will. At least then people would have a starting point to know if they are compatible enough to start to fellowship together. Or, at least, start the discussion, ‘This is my list, what is yours? And why?’.

These are some of my thoughts on where the body is now, and where we need to go. I know I only addressed one aspect of what we discussed. I plan to continue as time and the Spirit allows. Feel free to share as you see fit.

Shalom and Blessings, Wilson

 

Sivan 6 Controversy Explained

Joshua 5:10 While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.It is this very one verse that Judah uses to justify them keeping the Feast of Shavuot on Sivan 6. And this year of 2019 the exact same Spring Feast days are taking place.

This year the day of the Passover is taking place Friday evening and Saturday day. This is the 15th of the month of Aviv. It is the High Holy Day and the First day of Unleavened Bread. Most you realize that the Feat of Unleavened Bread moves from year to year. It can and does fall on any day of the week in other years. But this year it lands on the Sabbath exactly as it did when Joshua recorded this event in Joshua 5:10.

We are told in Lev 23 that we cannot eat anything until we make this wave Sheaf offering.

Lev 23:14 ‘And you do not eat bread or roasted grain or fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your Elohim – a law forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

And we are also told that they have to make this wave offering on the morrow after the Sabbath during the days of Unleavened Bread.

Lev 23:11  ‘And he shall wave the sheaf before Yehovah, for your acceptance. On the morrow after the Sabbath the priest waves it.

You are being told that Joshua and the Israelite made the wave offering on the 16th of Nisan, the month of Aviv.

So when was Passover?

Judah takes this information and then begins to count the Omer from the 16th of Nisan and they always arrive at Sivan 6 as Shavuot. they say Lev 23:11 is the morrow after the High Sabbath of Passover which takes place on the 15th. Those of you who keep Passover on the 14th should be scratching your heads about now. If not then go back and reread this article because you have missed it.

And they do just as they are told in Lev 23:15

And from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you shall count for yourselves: seven completed Sabbaths.

And if this was all there were for scriptures on this subject they would be correct but then Yehovah says one more thing. Let’s read it all in context.

Lev 23:15‘And from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you shall count for yourselves: seven completed Sabbaths.

And now verse 16.

‘Until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath you count fifty days, then you shall bring a new grain offering to Yehovah.

You are to count 7 Sabbaths and on the morrow after the 7th Sabbath is the day you are to keep for Shavuot.

Sivan 6 can end up on any day of the week in many years. Every once in while it lands on the right time as it does this year.

We have the Jews keeping Passover on the right day, the 15th and the Bible in Joshua 5 shows us it was the 15th because the morrow after is the wave sheaf day and this is the day they no longer had manna to eat but they ate from the produce of the land. But then they make this error and begin to count the omer from the 16th in every year.

Add to this the fact that over time they changed the fall Holy Days by postponing them by one or two days. This is the Hebrew calendar that many of you follow. If this is OK to keep then it is also OK to keep Sunday or Friday as the weekly Sabbath.  If it is wrong to change the Sabbath to other days then it is just as wrong to change the Holy Days to other days by counting wrong or by postponement rules or man-made Takanot & Ma’asim of the Pharisees.

The Takanot & Ma’asim of the Pharisees are the laws that have been added to the Torah by the Sages. And because of these rules, they have fallen away from keeping Shavuot and the Fall Feasts at the proper time. It is because of modern Takanot and Ma’asim that we have the current trouble with determining when the barley has to be Aviv by and now many brethren will keep the Holy Days for this whole year one month later.

Does it matter? After all, they have their heart in the right place. Again I ask this question that I have asked many times now. Why did Yehovah allow 6 Million Jews to be slaughtered in the Holocaust of WW II? I am saying it is because they were not keeping the Holy  Days at the proper time.

Why do people think Paul was talking about the laws of God?

Mark 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

It was the Takanot and Ma’asim that are added to the Torah, that was done to protect the Torah but in fact, cause the brethren to be led away from the truth.

Php 2:12  So that, my beloved, as you always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much rather in my absence – work out your own deliverance with fear and trembling,

Psa 2:11  Serve ???? with fear, And rejoice with trembling.

 

How Do I keep Passover

Last Sabbath with the declaration of the New Year I received many requests from new brethren who are just learning and want to keep the Holy Days for the first time this year.

How do you deleaven your home and how to keep the Passover and what is the foot washing. So I have sent this out early in hope to help some to understand this special time of year better. The thing to do is do your best and learn as much as you can. Yehovah will bless you with more understanding and next year you will grow in knowledge and understanding even more. But the most important thing is to take the first step and just do it.

Foot Washing Night

This year of 2019 or 5855 on Thursday evening of March 21, 2019,  is the customary night of washing each other’s feet and the drinking of wine and the breaking of bread in remembrance of the last supper Yehshua had with the Apostles. This is not the Passover meal.

Quick Overview of the events this Night.

After supper, Yehshua and His apostles went over to the Mount of Olives also known as the Mount of Offence where He prayed that this cup He was about to bear might pass from Him.

He was arrested this night and brought before the Sanhedrin and found guilty of blasphemy. They then brought Him to Pilot which is where the Dome of the Rock now is, who then sent Him to Herod which is up near where the Jaffa Gate now is, and Herod then sent Yehshua back to Pilot at what is now the Dome of the Rock, the Pavement. This all took place through the night and it is now the morning of the 14th day of Nisan. This year the 14th of the 1st month starts on Thursday evening at sunset and is also the day part of Friday, March 22.

Pilot gave in to the demands of the crowd and ordered Yehshua crucified. They then led Him and two other criminals back to the Mount of Offence, Calvary, Golgotha, the Skull or the place where the head count was done, where He was nailed to the wood that went across between His hands and then hoisted Him up and nailed Him to the Almond tree having already cursed the Fig tree so that He would not be nailed to it.

On Friday as you keep this year’s events remember that it is the 14th of Nisan and from about Noon to the ninth hour it was dark. At the ninth hour, Yehshua said it was finished just as the High Priest does when he has finished sacrificing the lambs that were to be slaughtered this day. And just as the sheep were slaughtered so was Yehshua as our Passover sacrifice at the exact same time 3 PM in the afternoon.

Once the lamb is sacrificed then the blood of the lamb is smeared on the doorpost and lintel. This is now the time to eat the Passover lamb as the sunsets and as the 15th day of Nisan begins. This is the night when the Death Angel passed over those who had placed the blood on the doors. But those who had not the blood on the doorposts lost the first born at midnight.

In the morning after all the firstborn of Egypt had been killed, it is then when Israel gets up and leaves. This is the first day of Unleavened Bread, the 15th of Nisan the first Holy Day of this New Year.

I have told you this for all the new people now starting to keep Passover and the rest of the Holy Days for the very first time. It is truly awesome to see so many going back to the Torah and the ways of our Ancestor who came out with Moses and crossed the Red Sea. These are the events as they took place chronologically in that order. It is important to know this as many today lump the whole thing together and call it Passover and then they get confused over the timing of events because they never bothered to sort them out.

Many are asking how do we do this? Most of those who call themselves Christian do not keep Passover even though Yehshua did.
Let me tell you what I do. It is not the end all be all way. It is what I try to do. You may develop your own customs.

This year Thursday evening is the Memorial of the foot washing. This is not the time for social gathering or small talk. I treat this evening with great sobriety and respect and do not socialize. It is the night our Savior is betrayed because of our sins.

To begin with I read

1Co 11:23 For I received from the Master that which I also delivered to you: that the Master Yehshua in the night in which He was delivered up took bread, 24 and having given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat, this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the renewed covenant in My blood. As often as you drink it, do this in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Master until He comes. 27 So that whoever should eat this bread or drink this cup of the Master unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Master. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.

This is why we do the de-leavening of our homes and of ourselves. We are examining ourselves and finding out that we are guilty of sin and need this Passover sacrifice. We do not take part in it halfheartedly.

It is a somber time. This is not a night to be talking about this or that. It is the memorial of the night Yehshua was betrayed and then killed. And the more you think about it the more somber the night is.

Without this first step pictured by the Passover, there would be no hope for humanity. But because Yehshua gave His life as our Passover sacrifice, we have a potential beyond human imagination! All the Holy Days as told to you in Lev 23 explain this great potential

I myself will watch again the Passion by Mel Gibson and the Ten Commandments.

If you’re in a group then explain briefly why you all are here and set the tone for the night.

I begin in

Mathew 26:26 And as they were eating, Yehshua took bread, and having blessed, broke and gave it to the taught ones and said, “Take, eat, this is My body.” 27 And taking the cup, and giving thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 “For this is My blood, that of the renewed covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 “But I say to you, I shall certainly not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on till that day when I drink it anew with you in the reign of My Father.” 30 And having sung a song, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

This is briefly the outline for the evening.

We begin with the foot washing.

Notice this is before Passover and after the super, they were gathered for, had taken place. So this is not and was not the Passover meal as some teach.

I then read

John 13:1 And before the Festival of the Passover, Yehshua knowing that His hour had come that He should move out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 And supper taking place, the devil having already put it into the heart of Yehudah from Qerioth, son of Shimon, to deliver Him up, 3 Yehshua, knowing that the Father had given all into His hands, and that He had come from Elohim and was going to Elohim, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, and having taken a towel, He girded Himself. 5 After that He put water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the taught ones, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 And so He came to Shimon Kepha, and he said to Him, “Master, do You wash my feet?” 7 Yehshua answered and said to him, “You do not know what I am doing now, but you shall know after this.” 8 Kepha said to Him, “By no means shall You wash my feet, ever! “Yehshua answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Shimon Kepha said to Him, “Master, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” 10 Yehshua said to him, “He who has had a bath does not need to wash, except his feet, but is clean altogether. And you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would deliver Him up, so He said, “You are not all clean.” 12 So when He had washed their feet and taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 “You call me Teacher and Master, and you say well, for I am. 14 “Then if I, Master and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 “For I gave you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 “Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is an emissary greater than he who sent him. 17 “If you know these teachings, blessed are you if you do them.

I have had the distinct pleasure of doing this with a couple of men on the Mount of Olives one year and another friend the year before. It surely has a very special meaning to me now having done this there at this place at this time.

After reading this part of John we would then go and wash each other’s feet; Men doing the men’s feet and women doing the women’s feet. If you’re with your own family you can do each other. In your own family, this will help to teach the children to serve each other in love and not to always think of themselves. This is a very humbling thing to do, especially as a father to allow your son to do your feet or you do his. It can be emotional as you submit in humility. Tremendous lessons learned in doing this one exercise.

I think it is worth considering the events that occurred on the night of the Last Supper, particularly the foot washing. What does it mean for us? Is it just something we do on the night of the 14th or is it something that represents the way we strive to be all year round?

The foot washing is not simply an act of humility, as has often been taught in churches that do the foot washing, but it is the ultimate act of UNITY!  Let’s look at the ceremony and see why I say it is about unity and not just humility.

Joh 13:1 The Messiah’s love for the disciples is stated with the idea that the following would confirm this reality
Joh 13:2 Judas had already determined to betray Yehshua prior to the foot washing
Joh 13:3 John confirms that Yehshua knew that he had been given all things by the Father
Joh 13:4-5 He begins to wash their feet
Joh 13:6-8 Peter refuses but the Messiah says a most profound statement that I believe we have often ignored “Unless I wash you, you have no share (part, portion) with me.” Therefore when we wash one another’s feet we are saying the same, we are saying that this person has a share with me.

Joh 13:9-11 Peter asks for a body wash but the Messiah rebukes him demonstrating the spiritual nature of what he was doing, as in he was expressing a desire and intent to spiritually clean his disciples. Despite knowing what Judas was about to do Yehshua got down on his knees and expressed a desire for Judas to be spiritually cleansed and to share a part with him. Judas’s rejection of it was not conditional to Yehshua’s desire to clean or offer a portion to him. The Messiah, through the act of foot washing, was saying “I desire to do whatever I am able to do to spiritually clean this person, even if that means my death” indeed this is what he gave. So too when we get down on our knees to wash one another’s feet we are saying “I desire to do whatever I am able to do to clean this person, even if that means my death”. Furthermore when we have our feet washed we are recognizing that we are taking a share or portion with the one who is washing our feet. We are willing to have them wash us which means willing to have them exhort us as ones that looks out for our spiritual well being, our spiritual cleanliness. We are not in this alone we are united with the people that we wash and the people that wash us, we are all sharing in each others portion and the Messiahs portion.

That is worth thinking about for a while. NB: of course our death cannot save the way the Messiah’s does however our desire and intent must still be the same as his because it is the ultimate act of love.

Joh 13:12-17 The Messiah commissions us to follow his example showing how even more important it was that we should wash one another’s feet seeing as he, the Messiah had washed the disciples feet.

Joh 13:34-35 Just as Joh 13:1 started the story of the foot washing with the concept of love so the Messiah ends it with a clear instruction to love one another. He goes even further and states that their love will be a sign to those outside that they were his disciples. The Messiah states that it is our love for one another that determines the proof of following him. How sad is it that the reality of this scripture has not become our core essence.

Joh 13:36-38 Yehshua asks Peter this question, will you lay down your life for me?

Will you lay down your life for one another? Laying down one’s life for another is the ultimate act of love. You cannot have love without unity and you cannot have unity without love.

This teaching is speaking of something that we all should listen to. At Sukkot each year many of us gather together and we all do not agree on everything. Some keep the Conjunction moon and others the sighted and as such the Holy Days do not always line up together. But we all come together knowing what it is like to be disfellowshipped for our beliefs. We can argue all we want the rest of the year but at the Feast times we come together and work together.

The breaking of the Bread

After the foot washing, we come back and read the next section with the Bread.

As you break the bread in front of your group listen to the breaking of each piece. Know and understand this represents Yehshua’s body being ripped apart for you, Because of your sins.

Mathew 26:26 And as they were eating, Yehshua took bread, and having blessed, broke and gave it to the taught ones and said, “Take, eat, this is My body.”

Heb 10:10 By that desire we have been set apart through the offering of the body of Yehshua Messiah once for all. 11 And indeed every priest stands day by day doing service, and repeatedly offering the same slaughter offerings which are never able to take away sins. 12 But He, having offered one slaughter offering for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of Elohim,

Again what is sin?

1Jn 3:4 Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

1Pe 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we, having died to sins, might live unto righteousness1 – by whose stripes you were healed. Footnote: 1Rom. 6:2, 1 Peter 4:1-2.

Joh 6:48 “I am the bread of life. 49 “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they died. 50 “This is the bread which comes down out of the heaven, so that anyone might eat of it, and not die. 51 “I am the living bread which came down out of the heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever. And indeed, the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

1Co 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Messiah? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Messiah?

Now let me ask you when is the lamb ever beaten as Yehshua was? The answer is it never is. So what is beaten? It is the barley which is beaten to give up the grain which is then roasted as a grain offering on the wave sheaf day which is the day after the weekly Sabbath during the days of Unleavened bread, or in other words the first day of the week. The Sunday that comes during the days of Unleavened Bread.

This same grain is made into bread which is what Yehshua represents; The Bread of life.

Yehshua said the bread represented His body, which He voluntarily gave to be beaten and to die as part of His complete sacrifice for us. He suffered that He might take our infirmities and bear our sicknesses;

Mat 8:16 And when evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be filled what was spoken by Yeshayahu the prophet, saying, “He Himself took our weaknesses and bore our sicknesses.”

Yehshua is our Healer. Bread is also associated with life, and Yehshua is the Bread that makes eternal life possible as we allow Him to live in us.

Gal 2:20 “I have been impaled with Messiah, and I no longer live, but Messiah lives in me.1 And that which I now live in the flesh I live by belief in the Son of Elohim, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Footnote: 1Rom. 8:10, 2 Cor. 6:16, 2 Cor. 13:5, Eph. 3:17, Col. 1:27, 1 John 4:4.).

And the fact that His followers all partake of this symbol of Him highlights the unity He wants us to have.

Isa 53:2 For He grew up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or splendour that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should desire Him – 3 despised and rejected by men, a man of pains and knowing sickness. And as one from whom the face is hidden, being despised, and we did not consider Him. 4 Truly, He has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains. Yet we reckoned Him stricken, smitten by Elohim, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our crookednesses. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, went astray, each one of us has turned to his own way. And Yehovah has laid on Him the crookedness of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, but He did not open His mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, but He did not open His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment. And as for His generation, who considered that He shall be cut off from the land of the living? For the transgression of My people He was stricken. 9 And He was appointed a grave with the wrong, and with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was deceit in His mouth1. Footnote: 1See 1 Peter 2:22. 10 But Yehvoah was pleased to crush Him, He laid sickness on Him, that when He made Himself an offering for guilt, He would see a seed, He would prolong His days and the pleasure of Yehovah prosper in His hand. 11 He would see the result of the suffering of His life and be satisfied. Through His knowledge My righteous Servant makes many righteous, and He bears their crookednesses.12 Therefore I give Him a portion among the great, and He divides the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His being unto death, and He was counted with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Once you have broken the bread share it with everyone and let them think about this the body of Yehshua as you wait until everyone has taken a piece and eaten it and give it some thought.

The Wine

We now move on to the wine part of this service.

Luk 22:14 And when the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve emissaries with Him. 15 And He said to them, “With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering, 16 for I say to you, I shall certainly not eat of it again until it is filled in the reign of Elohim.” 17 And taking the cup, giving thanks, He said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, 18 for I say to you, I shall certainly not drink of the fruit of the vine until the reign of Elohim comes.”

Luk 22:20 Likewise the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the renewed covenant in My blood which is shed for you.

The 4 glasses of red wine that are drunk during the Seder symbolize Yehovah’s four statements of redemption in the Torah:

1. “I took you out”
2. “I rescued you”
3. “I liberated you”
4. “I took you to Me for a people”

The wine represents redemption. Although this meal Yehshua is eating is not the Passover meal he is showing them what the symbols of that meal mean.

The cup of Elijah derives from a problem in Talmudic Law. The problem is not knowing exactly how many cups of wine to drink at the Seder, four or five. The number of cups is based on the four expressions of deliverance, but there is actually a fifth expression of deliverance.

So, the rabbis came up with the perfect Jewish compromise. We fill the fifth cup, but we don’t drink from it. And since Elijah will precede the Messiah, who will be able to tell us whether four or five cups are correct, we make the fifth cup of wine Elijah’s cup.

In some Seder services, each person at the Seder contributes some wine to the fifth cup, symbolizing everyone sharing in the messianic hope. At other Seder services, wine from the cup of Elijah is mixed with the fourth cup.

You can learn more about the 4 or 5 cups at http://www.sichosinenglish.org/cgi-bin/calendar?holiday=pesach10474

Now notice what Yehshua said after the meal;

Luk 22:20 Likewise the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the renewed covenant in My blood which is shed for you.

Is this not the 5th cup that Judah had a problem figuring out?

“This cup is the renewed covenant in My blood which is shed for you.

Heb 9:13 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, 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?

Heb 10:16 “This is the covenant that I shall make with them after those days, says Yehovah, giving My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I shall write them,”1 Footnote: 1Jer. 31:33, Heb. 8:8-12. 17 and, “Their sins and their lawlessnesses I shall remember no more.”

Heb 10:19 So, brothers, having boldness to enter into the Set-apart Place by the blood of Yehshua, 20 by a new and living way which He instituted for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the House of Elohim, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in completeness of belief, having our hearts sprinkled from a wicked conscience and our bodies washed with clean water.

The wine of the New Testament Passover represents Yehshua’s shed blood. His sacrifice made the forgiveness of our sins and the removal of our guilt possible. He paid the debt that we were supposed to pay. That debt required our life for breaking the Covenant. This opened the way for the New Covenant that Yehovah makes with believers, writing His laws on our hearts. We make this covenant when we are baptized and renew it each year at the Passover. This is why Passover and Atonement are tied together.

At this time you should all drink a small amount of wine.

After the wine, we close the evening with the following readings.

Joh 13:18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but that the Scripture might be filled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 19 “Now I say to you, before it takes place, that when it does take place, you shall believe that I am. 20 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send, receives Me. And he who receives Me, receives Him who sent Me.” 21 When Yehshua had said this He was troubled in spirit, and witnessed and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you shall deliver Me up.” 22 The taught ones looked at one another, doubting of whom He spoke. 23 And one of His taught ones, whom Yehshua loved, was reclining on the bosom of Yehshua. 24 Shimon Kepha then motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. 25 And leaning back on the breast of Yehshua he said to Him, “Master, who is it?” 26 Yehshua answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Yehudah from Qerioth, son of Shimon. 27 And after the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Yehshua, therefore, said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the table knew why He said this to him, 29 for some were supposing, because Yehudah had the bag, that Yehshua was saying to him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give somewhat to the poor. 30 So, having received the piece of bread, he then went out straightaway, and it was night.

To help show that this was not the Passover meal I have said in the past that the bread Yehshua was leavened and not Matzos because Matzos does not soak up the sauce. Others will argue this point differently so I bring it to your attention. Also note that Judas was thought to be going out to buy things for the Feast. If they were keeping Passover then it would already be the Feast and He could not purchase anything at that time. So the Feast was still coming after this meal was eaten.

We continue to read in John;

Joh 13:31 When, therefore, he went out, Yehshua said, “Now the Son of Adam has been esteemed, and Elohim has been esteemed in Him.32 “If Elohim has been esteemed in Him, Elohim shall also esteem Him in Himself, and straightaway esteem Him. 33 “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek Me, and as I said to the Yehudim, ‘Where I am going, you are unable to come,’ I now also say to you. 34 “A renewed command I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this shall all know that you are My taught ones, if you have love for one another.” 36 Shimon Kepha said to Him, “Master, where are You going?” Yehshua answered him, “Where I am going you are unable to follow Me now, but afterwards you shall follow Me.” 37 Kepha said to Him, “Master, why am I unable to follow You now? I shall lay down my life for You.” 38 Yehshua answered him, “Shall you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock shall not crow at all until you have denied Me three times.

Joh 16:1 “These words I have spoken to you, so that you do not stumble. 2 “They shall put you out of the congregations, but an hour is coming when everyone who kills you shall think he is rendering service to Elohim. 3 “And this they shall do to you because they did not know the Father, nor Me. 4 “But I have said these words to you, so that when the hour comes you remember that I told them to you. And these words I did not say to you at the beginning, for I was with you. 5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and not one of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 “But because I have said these words to you, grief has filled your heart. 7 “But I say the truth to you. It is better for you that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you at all, but if I go, I shall send Him to you. 8 “And having come, He shall reprove1 the world concerning sin,2 and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment – Footnotes: 1Or confute or prove wrong. 22 Chr. 24:20, Neh. 9:30, Ezek. 36:27, Mic. 3:8, Acts 28:25-27. 9 concerning sin because they do not believe in Me, 10 concerning righteousness because I go to My Father and you see Me no more, 11 concerning judgment because the ruler of this world1 is judged. Footnote: 1See Lk. 4:6. 12 “I still have many words to say to you, but you are not able to bear them now. 13 “But when He comes, the Spirit of the Truth, He shall guide you into all the truth. For He shall not speak from Himself, but whatever He hears He shall speak, and He shall announce to you what is to come. 14 “He shall esteem Me, for He shall take of what is Mine and announce it to you. 15 “All that the Father has is Mine. That is why I said that He takes from what is Mine and announces it to you. 16 “A little while, and you do not see Me, and again a little while, and you shall see Me.”17 Therefore some of His taught ones said to one another, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you do not see Me, and again a little while, and you shall see Me,’ and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?”

18 So they said, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.” 19 Yehshua, therefore, knew that they were wishing to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘A little while, and you do not see Me, and again a little while, and you shall see Me’? 20 “Truly, truly, I say to you that you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice. And you shall be grieved, but your grief shall become joy. 21 “The woman has grief when she is in labour, because her hour has come, but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the affliction, for joy that a man was born into the world. 22 “And you, therefore, have grief now, but I shall see you again and your heart shall rejoice, and no one takes your joy away from you. 23 “And in that day you shall ask Me none at all. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My Name He shall give you. 24 “Until now you have asked naught in My Name. Ask, and you shall receive, in order that your joy might be complete. 25 “These words I have spoken to you in figures of speech, but an hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I shall declare the Father plainly to you. 26 “In that day you shall ask in My Name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father on your behalf, 27 for the Father Himself does love you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from Elohim. 28 “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.” 29 His taught ones said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and not using figure of speech! 30 “Now we know that You know all, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from Elohim.” 31 Yehshua answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 “See, an hour is coming, and has now come, that you are scattered, each to his own, and leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.33 “These words I have spoken to you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you have pressure, but take courage, I have overcome the world.

Joh 17:1 Yehshua said these words, and lifted up His eyes to the heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come. Esteem Your Son, so that Your Son also might esteem You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give everlasting life to all whom You have given Him.

3 “And this is everlasting life, that they should know You, the only true Elohim, and Yehshua Messiah whom You have sent. 4 “I have esteemed You on the earth, having accomplished the work You have given Me that I should do. 5 “And now, esteem Me with Yourself, Father, with the esteem which I had with You before the world was.6 “I have revealed Your Name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have guarded Your Word.1 Footnote: 1See Ps. 138:2. 7 “Now they have come to know that all You gave to Me, is from You. 8 “Because the Words which You gave to Me, I have given to them. And they have received them, and have truly known that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. 9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 “And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I have been esteemed in them. 11 “And I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Set-apart Father, guard them in Your Name which You have given Me, so that they might be one,1 as We are. Footnote: 1See 10:30. 12 “When I was with them in the world, I was guarding them in Your Name which You have given Me, and I watched over them, and not one of them perished except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be filled. 13 “And now I come to You. And I speak these words in the world, so that they have My joy completed in them. 14 “I have given them Your Word, and the world hated them because they are not of the world, as I am not of the world. 15 “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the wicked one. 16 “They are not of the world, as I am not of the world.

17 “Set them apart in Your truth – Your Word is truth.1 Footnote: 1See Ps. 119:142, 151. 18 “As You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. 19 “And for them I set Myself apart, so that they too might be set apart in truth. 20 “And I do not pray for these alone, but also for those believing in Me through their word, 21 so that they all might be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, so that they too might be one in Us, so that the world might believe that You have sent Me. 22 “And the esteem which You gave Me I have given them, so that they might be one as We are one, 23 “I in them, and You in Me, so that they might be perfected into one, so that the world knows that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24 “Father, I desire that those whom You have given Me, might be with Me where I am, so that they see My esteem which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 “O righteous Father, indeed the world did not know You, but I knew You, and these knew that You sent Me.26 “And I have made Your Name known to them, and shall make it known,1 so that the love with which You loved Me might be in them, and I in them.” Footnote: 1See v. 6, Ps. 22:22, Heb. 2:12.

Joh 18:1 Having said these words, Yehshua went out with His taught ones beyond the Qidron torrent, where there was a garden, into which He and His taught ones entered. 2 And Yehudah, who delivered Him up, also knew the place, because Yehshua often met there with His taught ones. 3 Yehudah, then, having received the company of soldiers, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, and torches, and weapons. 4 Yehshua, then, knowing all that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered Him, “Yehshua of Natsareth.” Yehshua said to them, “I am.” And Yehudah, who delivered Him up, was also standing with them. 6 When, therefore, He said to them, “I am,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Once more He asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Yehshua of Natsareth.” 8 Yehshua answered, “I said to you that I am. If, then, you seek Me, allow these to go,” 9 in order that the word might be filled which He spoke, “Of those whom You have given Me, I have lost none.” 10 Then Shimon Kepha, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. And the servant’s name was Melek. 11 Then Yehshua said to Kepha, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” 12 Then the company of soldiers and the commander and the officers of the Yehudim seized Yehshua and bound Him, 13 and they led Him away to Hanan first, for he was the father-in-law of Qayapha who was high priest that year.

All that we have just read was the night before Yehshua was arrested. Pray after this evening and think about what you have just experienced and then what Yehshua was going through this whole night.

We may very well be praying this in the very same garden Yehshua did on the Mount of Olives this year. We wait to see

Exo 12:5 ‘Let the lamb be a perfect one, a year old male. Take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 ‘And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then all the assembly of the congregation of Yisrael shall kill it between the evenings. 7 ‘And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.

We are to put the blood on the door post. Note what you are told in

Joh 10:7 Yehshua therefore said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

Also, note that the name Silwan which is the name of the town on the Mount of Offence means ‘Post’ in Arabic. It was at the top of this town where Yehshua was killed. The top of this twon is the Mount of Offence.

Exo 12:12 ‘And I shall pass through the land of Mitsrayim on that night, and shall smite all the first-born in the land of Mitsrayim, both man and beast. And on all the mighty ones of Mitsrayim I shall execute judgment. I am Yehovah. 13 ‘And the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I shall pass over you, and let the plague not come on you to destroy you when I smite the land of Mitsrayim. 14 ‘And this day shall become to you a remembrance. And you shall observe it as a festival to Yehovah throughout your generations – observe it as a festival, an everlasting law.

We are to remember forever this night when Israel left Egypt and how it came about and we are also to remember all the symbols which point us to Yehshua.

1Co 5:7 Therefore cleanse out the old leaven, so that you are a new lump, as you are unleavened. For also Messiah our Passover was offered for us.

Joh 1:29 On the next day Yohanan saw Yehshua coming toward him, and said, “See, the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world!1 Footnote: 1Mt. 1:21, Titus 2:14, 1 John 3:5 & 8.

1Pe 1:18 knowing that you were redeemed from your futile way of life inherited from your fathers, not with what is corruptible, silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Messiah, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless,

Yehshua fulfilled the symbolism of the Passover lamb. Indeed, all the sacrificial sin offerings represented and were fulfilled by Yehshua

Heb 9:11 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. ).

Having now shared with you what I do on the Night of the foot washing before Passover I would like you all to do some more research and learn the meaning of the Door and the Threshold and the Blood of this covenant.

For the week leading up to Passover, I have removed all bread products and yeast and baking soda from my house. I vacuumed the upstairs and down stairs and check the freezer and between the cushions of the couch and in the duct vents and I did the windows at the same time. I also clean the inside of my truck and the backhoe I work in. I also do my lunch pail and then take all of these crumbs out of the vacuum and out to the garbage so they are not on my property when Passover comes.

I have now shared with you the night of the foot washing. The evening and the day of the 14th.

Passover

Passover in 2019 will begin on the Friday evening after the sun has set March 22 and Saturday, March 23 during the day. It is the first day of Unleavened Bread and it is a High Holy Day.

On Passover, we read each of the chapters of Exodus and divided it up and let people make short comments on each chapter as we enjoy the Passover meal. We let the children read too so that all at this special night are involved.

You could do this and or watch the Ten Commandments. Passover is one of the most important holidays, and the Seder is the meal that kicks off the entire celebration. This is a meal that is eaten in haste with your shoes on and staff in your hand ready to flee.

It is a rehearsal of a future flight we will have to keep. After the meal, many people stay up all night singing and talking about the Exodus. Some of us are not up to that but it is up to you to make this your Feast by the way your family keeps it.

Some have asked who can come. I say anyone who is a believer and or those who are learning and not argumentative. I will defend this position by the follow two links:
http://www.gentiles-and-circumcision.info/exodus-12-48-passover-gentiles-circumcised.html
http://www.gentiles-and-circumcision.info/acts-10-cornelius-gentiles-baptised-without-circumcision.html

It is not just for those who are circumcised.

I also believe you are to eat unleavened bread for all seven days so have a box of matzos handy and do attempt to eat some each day. It will remind you of what the Israelites were doing this week. And yes you should think about this as if you were with them fleeing pharaoh and then on the last day of unleavened bread they crossed the red sea.

For those of you who are new do the best you can with what you understand. Get together with others of like mind and share this Holy Day season with them. May Yehovah bless your understanding and knowledge as you grow closer to Him this week pregnant in meaning and rich in teaching lessons.

You now have just a few days left to de-leaven your homes cars and workplaces.

 

20 Comments

  1. Ross

    Shabbat Shalom from Cambodia,
    What an amazing newsletter! Thank you Joseph. This all brings such clarity and awe!
    I will be celebrating Passover alone but, you have shown me how. I am not worthy to even know these things but by the Grace of Yehovah and your hard work, I have come to understand. I am so grateful.
    Yet at the same time, I am deeply saddened that none of my family or friends cares to learn. In the Christian community people remember and celebrate the day of the week that Yeshua was resurrected. By focusing on that one day they don’t get this profound knowledge. They miss so much! It’s baffling! People who I have always thought were better than I am don’t want to know. I’m left asking myself, “why me?” Why is it that I can learn these wonderful truths and they think it’s all just nonsense???
    This Passover I will be sharing in spirit with my sightedmoon family. May all of you be blessed and come closer to Yehovah. May he rain down Manna upon you so that you are filled with the Bread of Life!

    Reply
  2. Henry Mate

    Hi Joe, this is the best piece of knowledge I will cherish for ever.
    I knew the bread Yehshua broke with his talmadim was not passover but a communion one,and was leavened.Trying to reason with my Messianic brethren was futile. I had to leave.
    Thanks to Yehovah for his Love.
    Joe,the newsletter is supper.Every Torah observant needs to have it.
    Could you please simplify it and give us for use in the festive week.Its wonderful.
    Yehovah bless you.

    Reply
  3. Frank Smyth

    Shalom Joseph,
    The new people are blessed to have this clear teaching. We’re also blessed with ever more clarity as we face the week ahead having read this again!
    I’m looking forward to seeing how Yehovah blesses our families this year in response to our prayers for them on Aviv 7th.
    Yehovah bless you good Joseph.
    Frank

    Reply
  4. josephine

    L shana tova beloved Joseph
    I bless the day when in march 2015 you came to Switzerland to teach us Pessah…your last word spoken to me were : if you love me, says Yeshua, keep my commandements, And here i stand 4 years later to study Torah. Alone unfortunately, but at least with a proper understanding of the Father, and His AGENDA / Moadim, in which the plan of Salvation/Yeshua is revealed.
    You are often in my prayer blessing Yehovah for your service to HIM/and the least of those…
    May you/we obey and persevere until …the end ! for His Name Sake and Gouvernement of Righteousness to come and for wich you teach with an humble and right spirit ! Amen
    Tks to stand in the gap … l
    NB : hope will soon be equipped/able to translate your study in french/italien

    Reply
  5. Jan

    Joe, in this newsletter you mention Yeshua being hung on an almond tree. Can you explain how you got that? I’ve always thought of Mt. of Olives in reference to all those enormous olive trees overlooking Jerusalem. I know it mentions he is hung on a tree, but how are you distinguishing that it may have been an almond tree rather then an olive tree? I did find this:
    Jer 1:10  “See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the reigns, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” 
    Jer 1:11  And the word of ???? came to me, saying, “What do you see, Yirmeyahu?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” 
    Jer 1:12  And ???? said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to do it.” 
    I see from the equating of Yeshua as the chosen branch to an almond tree. Is this what you use? If so, it still doesn’t point to the Romans using almond trees to crucify people. Am I still missing something all these years? Wouldn’t be the first time. Won’t be the last either.
    Jan

    Reply
    • Joseph F. Dumond

      The gospels record the odd story about Yehshua cursing the fig tree. (Mk. 11:12-14 & 20-25) The gospels portray it as a lesson in faith, but there is a deeper meaning which is revealed by learning about Jewish traditions of the time.
      In the garden of Eden, there were two trees. We think of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil as an apple tree, it was not. In ancient Jewish tradition, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was the fig tree.
      You remember that Adam and Eve made loincloths out of fig leaves. the very same tree from which they had sinned.
      Gen 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
      When Yehshua curses the fig tree during Holy Week, therefore, he is giving a sign that echoes more deeply than just a lesson in having faith. When he says, “may no one will ever eat of you again” he is indicating that he will defeat the old curse of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good Evil. He will curse that curse as he curses the fig tree.
      Mark 11:12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
      So that is the tree of good and evil and now what is the Tree of Life?
      What tree was inside the ark?
      The word for “almond” is shakeid ?which comes from a root that means to “watch” or “wake” i.e., shakad. ?The almond tree is among the first trees to “awaken” from its winter sleep. In the Scriptures, there is a play on words regarding the use of “almond” and Yehovah’s “watchfulness” (i.e., faithfulness): “And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘Jeremiah, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see an almond branch. ?Then the LORD said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it'” (Jer. 1:11­-12). The blooming branch of an almond tree is breathtakingly beautiful ­so much so that Yehovah decorated the Menorah with oil cups ?in the shape of almond blossoms (Exod. 25:33-34? 37:19­-20). Indeed, the Menorah itself is a symbol of the “Tree of Life”.
      Aaron’s rod the staff he used to perform signs and wonders during the Exodus was made from a branch of an almond tree. During the incident of Korach’s rebellion, Aaron’s rod budded, flowered and produced almonds overnight (Num. 17). Just as Aaron’s lifeless rod miraculously brought forth life, Yeshua who was hung on an Almond tree was brought back to life one what was represented as the tree of Life.

      Reply
  6. Ross

    These 2 links are dead. I get a page not available message error 404

    Reply
    • Joseph F. Dumond

      Yes nothing I can do about these two, They are old and you will have to google them to find the subject and do your own search.

      Reply
  7. Jan

    It appears you may be looking for more feedback about the possibility of forming a Beit Din. I’ll give some thoughts that come to my mind. I’m not saying I’m for it or against it. These are just concerns I have about doing this and yes, they do tend to be on the negative side.
    FIRST – In Egypt, Moses had elders he refers to.
    Exo 3:15-16,18 And Elohim said further to Mosheh … “Go, and you shall gather the elders of Yisra’?l together, and say to them, ‘???? Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of A?raham, of Yits?aq, and of Ya?aqo?, appeared to me, saying, “I have indeed visited you and seen what is done to you in Mitsrayim; … 18 “And they shall listen to your voice.
    Then, presumably those same elders are still in place when Moses’ father-in-law arrives:
    Exo 18:12 Then Yithro, the father-in-law of Mosheh, brought an ascending offering and other slaughterings unto Elohim. And Aharon came with all the elders of Yisra’?l to eat bread with the father-in-law of Mosheh before Elohim.
    Exo 18:18-22 “Both you and these people with you shall certainly wear yourselves out. For the matter is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by yourself. 19 “Now listen to my voice. Let me counsel you and Elohim be with you: Stand before Elohim for the people, and you shall bring the matters to Elohim. 20 “And you shall enlighten them concerning the laws and the Torot, and show them the way in which they should walk and the work which they do. 21 “But you yourself, seek out from all the people able men, who fear Elohim, men of truth, hating unfair gain. And place these over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22 “And they shall rightly rule the people at all times.
    We now have judges in addition to the elders.
    But what happens right after the Covenant and the scouting out of the land?
    They all fell into fear and didn’t have the faith and trust in YHVH that Moses and the people thought they had.
    Due to lack of faith, all these elders and early judges are killed by Yehovah Himself! Only Caleb, Joshua, and Moses survived along with that next generation. Those elders and judges weren’t what we expected of them.
    Always at the forefront of my mind are the 12 tribes with their leaders. Even Judah and Ephraim failed to follow their own leader. The entire group under Moses failed to follow Moses and YHVH other then Caleb and Joshua. This makes me very fearful of the danger of leaders over us. Is it still too early to do this?
    Are we truly ready to set elders and judges over us and then force us to obey them? None of us is Moses at this time. We think and do our best to interpret and judge at this time. Seeking advice and pondering It as we should.
    SECOND – We are all still learning and that includes those of us who have been doing this for 15+ years.
    The moon is vital. We need to all be responsible to learn as much as possible and it is just too easy to sit back and watch others do it. Since none of us truly are witnesses unless we live in Yisra’?l, I’m thinking we need to just continue with an emphasis to get everyone involved for their own sake to learn as much as possible. Myself included. We all need to be involved with watching the reports coming out of Yisra’?l and watching our calendars to learn the day to begin watching. This way, more of us will be in a position to watch when the going gets tough and we don’t have Internet to keep tabs on Yisra’?l .
    THIRD – Let’s look at the groups we have so far that I know of all top of my head.
    Judah uses Hillel calendar that is predetermined. Aviv barley and the sighting of sliver of the New Moon are irrelevant. This also includes the determination of a leap year, which is based on the 19-year Metonic cycle. This is such a year. They did not call the new year because it is among those years that predetermine a leap year. Not all of Judah, of course, just those falling the Hillel calendar, which is Judah overall.
    Most Hebrew Roots teachers follow Judah. They believe it is more important to be in unity with Judah then with Yehovah’s laws. So why did they come out of unity with Christianity? They’re out. This would cause division.
    Conjunction Moon – They do not follow the sighted moon. They’re out. This would cause division.
    Lunar Calendar / Enoch Calendar – They don’t even believe Saturday is the Sabbath. They’re out. This would cause division.
    Christians – Don’t follow any Sabbaths nor Torah at all. They’re out. This would cause division.
    That’s all I know of except for this group. The group that follows the Sighted Moon and Abiv Barley to set the New Year and all its Moedim. Now, we have two groups within this group.
    One group follows a Karaite leader who requires a percentage of a field as needed for Abiv to be called and it must be available in time for the sighted moon. Due to this, we follow different Moedim. The leader of that group still rejects Yeshua, who was our First Fruits and not our Last Fruit of the harvest. . They still add to Scripture and fail to see Yeshua. They’re out. This would cause great division.
    The second group believes only an Omer of wild barley is needed in time for the First Fruits/Wave Sheaf offering. I think some believe the 10th while others believe the evening after the 14th. And, of course, the sighting of the New Moon.
    Well, this isn’t straight forward either.
    There are some in this group that follow a sunrise to sunrise as a day. At least two major groups teach this. This means we don’t even agree with Sabbath. Can we be in unity? Can we have mixed judges over us from both of these beliefs? They’re out. This would cause great division.
    So now, I think we’re down to sightedmoon.com as the group along with another like-minded group such as truthontheweb.org. And when I say your group, I’m referring to those in your group who actually believe as you teach, having researched things out for themselves. As you know, there are a multitude of people in “your group” that rebel against The Word of Torah as well as many who still follow different calendars and therefore different Moedim.
    Are we now in unity to have judges over us? I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. We seem to agree on most things, but I’m not sure about the Sabbatical year timing and keeping thereof. Expanding outside sightedmoon.com allows bringing in other sources that are experts in the New Moon and Abiv Barley, but if we disagree on other matters, then how do we have them as judges over us???
    FOURTH – Many of us are on different levels. Is it really good for newer people to have a “Sanhedrin” to go to or should they be forced into being accountable to learn for themselves and not follow anyone? In other words, the more people “set” in leadership positions, tends to result in less “self-ownership”. Accountability is reduced. And that goes for newer folks AND long-term Torah followers. It does more to set up people as followers and not independent. It may also breed more rebellion.
    The times we are in are so horrifically serious that we must ALL be “independent” in the sense that we search and seek for ourselves to confirm the best we can who we should have as leaders over us. Study, Seek, Ask questions, Learn, Come to conclusions with what we believe. We shouldn’t be in a state where we are still ‘blowing in the wind’ with whatever any leader says.
    At this point in time, we should all be making sure of what we believe such that unity is possible when TSHTF.
    FIFTH – Is Yehovah finished revealing things to us? Far from it. Is He going to call out people in the future, according to His choosing, with gifts of prophesy, healing, teaching, and more? I think so. This can and will change the dynamics.
    SIXTH – What happens when we actually flee? Who will actually do it? Just like those elders and judges who fell into fear back then, I see this happening big time in the near future. How many pre-selected elders and judges will decide to stay behind? Who will flee to their off grid cabin with 5 years of stored up supplies and their pre-selected neighbors for protection? The BBB mentality (Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids).
    SEVENTH – Assigning any of us as elders or judges can only allow arrogance and pride to set in. This is the last thing we want to happen to any of us. Let’s wait for Yehovah to have a say in who is on this panel and when we establish this panel. Let’s wait for personal interaction play into this when we’re all living too close for comfort. Lol. That’s when the right people will rise up and those seemingly right people will realize they really don’t want this task or aren’t fitted for it.
    Conclusion…
    I’m thinking, we are too early for this. Learning about the sighting of the New Moon, should just continue to be emphasized for all to take part in. Learning how to do this without knowledge of was it seen in Yisra’?l . And how to do it if 5 months of smoky skies. Learning Torah from every perspective needs to be an individual matter along with seeking help from other knowledgeable people. By that I mean, simply people that have risen to a knowledge level that they can help answer questions. This can be done simply by seeking out people for ourselves. I have seen long-term followers of sightedmoon.com still question and seek out truth for themselves, i.e. not ready to commit to what is taught. That is great. That’s exactly what we should be doing clear up to the point we FLEE and come into CLOSE KNIT community physically, where we have to put up with each other face to face.
    WHEN that time comes, THEN people need to be with your group because they have ALREADY done their research and determined they most align with what you’re teaching. That is when order has to be established. That will be the time when those following something else that brings division into the camp, cannot be tolerated. One does not want to be in that division because they waited till then to start learning.
    Right now, it’s okay for people to question as long as they go do their research and come to a conclusion. Time is running out to determine which “camp” you want to be in. But, absolutely know, division will come. We all have our life-times of independence and that is going to be squashed whether we’re ready or not. Won’t be pleasant at all. The transition into that environment, coupled with grief and fear of what’s ahead, is going to be quite difficult.
    When that time comes, we MUST have leadership in place. Leadership in leading. Leadership in teaching. And maybe even a group to help in transition….the emotional issues that will afflict many of us.
    I’m actually thinking of an initial set of temporary leaders after we come into physical community and then over the course of a couple of months or whatever, permanent leaders chosen. Can we pre-determine a potential, initial team ahead of time. Probably. I tend to think Joseph Dumond is in the best position to determine names with backup names. There are others in a position to offer up names, but Joe knows most of us best to do that choosing of initial leaders and backup names.
    Just my thoughts at this time. I may be totally wrong on this.

    Reply
    • Joseph F. Dumond

      Thanks Jan, you have brought up many of the concerns I have had had. Thank you. I hope others with wisdom and foresight will also contribute.

      Reply
    • E

      The “Shanah Tovah-ers” and “Adar Bet-ers” shall love one another (Joh 13:35), because in reality the scriptures do not say exactly when to call the barley aviv. However, calling the month at the crescent (without knowing 100% sure if the barley will be ready by Wave Sheaf) seems necessary in order to proclaim (Lev 23:4) the 1st day (Eze 45:18), the 7th day (Eze 45:20), the 10th day (Exo 12:3), and the 14th day (Exo 12:6).
      And they prayed and said, “You, Yehovah, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles (Act 1:24-26).

      Reply
  8. Steven Smith

    Greeting everyone. I really love this peace of instruction this newsletter has within it. Not sure if maybe I read over something. I do not remember reading about the Fast of the First born. Last year was first year I observed it. I broke the Fast late afternoon so I wouldn’t be hungry during the Passover memorial the 14th day of 1st month. I am a first born sibling and found it brought so much extra understanding during the Feast of Unleavened Bread days I do not plan on missing the opportunity of humbling myself before the Passover ever again lol.
    I am so grateful to have this to use this coming Unleavened Bread season. It very straight forward and easy to understand. Thank you Mr. Dumond. I will use this again and again when I have opportunity to share.
    Love out to all the brethren from NS., Canada
    Shabbat Shalom

    Reply
  9. Peter Smith

    Brother Joseph:
    Your amazing weekly teachings just keep coming!
    Though some will disagree with you that this is the first month, and your keeping Passover, AS I DO, yet I must respect your decision for you. Others will (in the Hebrew Roots movement, or what ever we call ourselves) curse you, and digitally scream “False teacher” or worse. We need a Sanhedrin. Judah has one. We need one. Interestingly Rico Cortes has been saying this for years. Blessings to you.
    From the wind and rain swept Oregon coast – Peter

    Reply
    • Jan

      So you really believe we should sit under one teacher / group with Rico of course leading it, and that group follows every tradition that Judah does. NOT in Scripture. And the reason Judah has a 13th month is NOT due to the Barley. It is due to the Hillel Metonic 19 year cycle. MORE traditions. If we end up sitting under a Sanhedrin such as that, you can bet we will be the Caleb and Joshua that survive while the millions die following their traditions. I use to be part of the HRM and Rico and Brad for 10 years. I learned nothing but fluff and traditions. I understand they READ Joe’s books and couldn’t come up with anything wrong with them. BUT, they won’t teach it because people want to hear fluff and not scary truth. Notice they don’t teach prophecy. Notice they sell their teachings. Notice the money from big conferences. Rico keeps speaking of the need for pure Torah and yet he follows and teaches traditions. FAR from pure Torah. NEVER sitting under a Sanhedrin of Orthodox Jews nor HRM. okay, if we were forced too, we’d be cast out as rebels. That’d be a good thing. NOW, I also suggest you go listen to this teaching because back around 2016 or so, Neheniah changed the rules he himself use to follow.
      This teaching brings in EVERY argument, EVERY scripture, and TONS of ancient sources in Talmud, Gamaliel, Josephus, and more. Get a more balanced teaching.
      This is the full audio PowerPoint teaching.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiysYuMeLmQ&feature=youtu.be
      This is the PowerPoint only. You will still learn a ton even without audio.
      http://www.truthontheweb.org/web20…/slides/slides_031619.pdf

      Reply
      • Joseph F. Dumond

        Peter Jan wrote to me privately not to post this. She felt she was too aggressive. So please do not regard it as an attack. SO I am sharing this because she does raise some points.

        Reply
      • Joseph F. Dumond

        Brian in this video is justifying the Equinox and the Metonic cycle. Strongly, very strongly disagree with this part of his presentation. He is telling you what the Rabbis used to start the new year or to add a 13th month. But the Torah says when the Barley is Aviv and nothing else. It does not say to use the lambs or the storks or the fig trees. Exodus 12:2 is the only reference we have.

        Reply
  10. Glenn Caron

    Thank you, Joseph, for sharing your Way with us. Many of us are doing what we think is right and actually are not sure about the process. Your rendition of keeping the Footwashing and Unleavened bread is very helpful in getting us to think as we walk it out ourselves. With regard to the “elders” being in a group to ascertain the Barley ripeness and then sightings and anything associated with the calendar is a good idea. Some of us NEED leaders to set an example for those who do not know how to do these things or are shy to be leaders themselves. I think that a leadership panel would be very helpful and through practice, will show the world how we learn these things and set an example for them as best can be done. These leaders would NOT be forcing anyone to do anything. It would be a great place for questions to be answered and to have many look upon them as the “authority” in knowledge and practice. Many do not have the time to do these things nor KNOW the scriptures enough to have a conviction on these details. Those who look on the panel’s choices will still have their own will to do what they feel is right IF it does not seem that the panel is walking scripture properly. GOD has not ordained these panelists anyway and they would still just stand as A united group who seem to agree on the WAY! I can’t wait to see this come together and become a reality. I think it would definitely remove MUCH of the STRIFE associated with many different Torah followers and calendar issues we see today. God bless all of you for your time and input in these things.
    Peace.

    Reply
  11. Jan

    Joe, Here is my interpretation of why we wash our feet at the Last Supper.
    Exo 30:17 And ???? spoke to Mosheh, saying,
    Exo 30:18 “And you shall make a basin of bronze, with its stand also of bronze, for washing. And you shall put it between the Tent of Appointment and the slaughter-place, and shall put water in it.
    (We see here the Bronze basin stood between the Ten of Appointment and the slaughter-place. The Priests had to wash their hands and feet before entering the Tent of Appointment or make an offering by fire.)
    Exo 30:19 “And Aharon and his sons shall wash from it their hands and their feet.
    (We wash our hands as we wash the feet of others or ourselves if alone.)
    Exo 30:20 “When they go into the Tent of Appointment, or when they come near the slaughter-place to attend, to burn an offering made by fire to ????, they wash with water, lest they die.
    (The Tent of Appointment is now our own bodies and the indwelling of Yehovah’s spirit. We are cleansed with His Living Water and His Spirit in us. We are reenacting His death at the slaughter-place by eating the bread representing His broken body and the wine representing His blood. Therefore, we wash our feet prior to “this offering” just as the Priests were required to do.)
    Exo 30:21 “And they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die. And it shall be a law forever to them, to him and his seed throughout their generations.”
    (Next, we see here the consecration of the Priests (Aaron and his sons) included unleavened bread.)
    Consecration of Aaron and His Sons
    Lev 8:1 And ???? spoke to Mosheh, saying,
    Lev 8:2 “Take Aharon and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread,
    Lev 8:3 and assemble all the congregation at the door of the Tent of Appointment.”
    Lev 8:6 So Mosheh brought Aharon and his sons and washed them with water,
    (Here we see that we, Yehovah willing, will be priests in His Kingdom.)
    Rev_20:6 Blessed and set-apart is the one having part in the first resurrection. The second death possesses no authority over these, but they shall be priests of Elohim and of Messiah, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
    (This is how I make the connection that we are to wash our feet and even the unleavened bread becomes part of coming into this priesthood. We’re “priests in training”. The anointing oil is the Ruach HaKodesh in us. Yeshua is the ram. The bull is the offering of our lips.)
    Joh_13:8 Kepha said to Him, “By no means shall You wash my feet, ever!” ????? answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
    Joh_13:10 ????? said to him, “He who has had a bath does not need to wash, except his feet, but is clean altogether. And you are clean, but not all of you.”
    Do you think this is accurate Joe? If not, please explain what I said or interpreted erroneously.
    Thanks!
    Jan

    Reply
    • Joseph F. Dumond

      Very interesting. I like it.

      Reply

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