News Letter 5849-033
14th day of the 7th month 5849 years after the creation of Adam
The 7th Month in the Fourth year of the third Sabbatical Cycle
The Third Sabbatical Cycle of the 119th Jubilee Cycle
The Sabbatical Cycle of Earthquakes Famines, and Pestilences

September 21, 2013

Shabbat Shalom Brethren and Happy Feast to you all,

From Charlotte N.C. & Fall Creek Falls, Tennessee,

I left at 3 AM Sunday morning to catch a flight to Charlotte where we began to work on the TV ads and the first of our Teaching series.

The border crossings into the USA have been a problem for me ever since I was turned back a couple years ago for bringing books into the USA.

I asked in my prayers that morning for Yehovah to pour out a blessing for this Feast that I would not be able to contain it all. I asked for quick passage through customs.

When I got the kiosk where you do your first check in I had someone help me, and it went very fast but the machine did not take my credit card for the checked bag. Another attendant came to assist me and then checked my bag and sent me to the front of the customs line. Two minute later the doors opened and we began to go through customs.

This is always anxious for me now when I go to the US. So I said another prayer for a friendly officer. I saw one officer joking and talking to this lady for what seemed to be a long time. Another one was giving someone the third degree, and the third one just looked grumpy. I ended up in the happy fellas cue. He asked why I was going to Charlotte. I said on business to make a commercial for the books I wrote. He said what did I write about. I said religion and prophecy. He asked me if I was a prophet, I said no I just tell people what the bible says about the end times. We talked for a few minutes and then he sent me on my way.

It was one of the fastest clearances I have ever had. Praise Yehovah.

I know most of you have no time right now for another News Letter.=, and many of you are already on your way or at a Feast site. But there are some who are at home and I have not forgotten you.

I would like to take this moment to share with you what has taken place this past week.

Early this summer we began to look for a videoaugrapher to record all the teachings that I am about to give at Sukkot this coming week. With in a week we had Joshua Schallenberger who has video taped the teachings of Passion for Truth and is now working for 119 Ministries. Two very reputable ministries and I could readily see the quality of work he does.

We talked and that day we made the agreement for him to come and do the job at Sukkot. He expressed to me at that time how much he likes the things I am teaching.

As I write this this Thursday afternoon in Charlotte, Joshua is on his way to Tennessee to begin to set up and get everything working in order to record this event. He is also doing interviews with people before they see the teachings, some for the first time and then after they have seen it to see what they think then. I am excited to see how much they retain.

The very same day I had agreed to take Joshua and use his talents, Keith Johnson of BFA Biblical Foundations Academy wrote me to suggest I try these people he was using and take my teachings to the TV air waves, which they deserve to be on.

I contacted the same people Keith is now using and after the discussion they agreed to work with me and I also agreed to work with them. These are the same people who had produced the Michael Rood Show and many of the DVD’s that he now uses.

So in one day Yehovah had provided me with two of the best in the industry who are in the business of promoting religious teachings. But they are also keeping the sighted moon and the barley calendar and I do not have to explain everything to them. They are already believers. I could not believe it and yet it was true and it was an answer to prayer, as I had been telling Yehovah that he had to warn the people before he sent the things that are coming and I needed a bigger voice if in fact He was warning them through me.

So we asked for donations for this cause and many of you responded that very next week. Many of you also believe this message needs to be heard on TV and to that larger audience. And in a week we had raised a considerable amount of money.

In order for Joshua to record these events we needed to get two cameras and audio equipment. Your donations have allowed me to do this and to hire Joshua. In order for this message to finally be recorded.

The next part was to get this message and go out to the world with it which is our target; First the USA and Canada and Great Britain and Australia and then the rest of the world; but in order to go out to he rest of the world we had to brand the sightedmoon.com web site. According to the group in Charlotte we had to package me and sightedmoon.

I thought it was already branded, but these guys at this company said it really was not. So they have taken my baby, sightedmoon.com and are now about to present it to you and the world in a more grown up fashion. For me it is like branding cattle. I understand that aspect of this. Everything we do from here on out will be identified with the web site and the logo. It was to be launched on Thursday but due to unforeseen problems will be launched possible during Sukkot.

So go to www.sightedmoon.com and if it is ready take a look at our new site. This is part of the packaging, which has many bells and whistles, which we will be using very soon.

We will soon be able to break each Newsletter down into sections and they will have headings and the music will not come on when you go to the site. I loved the music. And we will soon begin to have recorded audio teachings for you. We now have the team to help make this happen.

Also this week we have shot 5 30 sec ads. You would think that is a simple task. But it was one of the hardest things I have done and I became very frustrated with myself. In a room talking to a camera and no one else. I would get to this one point and could not for the life of me, remember what I was suppose to say next. I would get ¾ of the way and then draw a blank. And I did this 20 times. And that was just a 30 second ad. I was so frustrated.

Later in the day we were to take a 10 minute introduction and share a few things with the viewer. I was having a panic attack as I thought how hard the 30 sec one was. But I just pictured some of you in front of me and I spoke for 15 minutes and not on break and we did that in one take. It came from my heart. It was the same thing I had said to the wives at the super the night before and what I tell many people about just where we are exactly in the Jubilee cycle. Many think we have many years when in fact we do not have hardly any.

I have shared all of this with you so that you know I am working hard and continue to work hard to get this message out to the masses. I have been able to do these things this week and next at Sukkot only because some of you stepped up and sent me the needed funds with which to pay these people and to purchase what is needed. I can no longer support this work on my own. It has now grown beyond my ability to do so and I need the professional help that these people can offer.

Soon you will see the work they have produced as they add the special graphics and news items as I speak.

But by the time they have done that and I have paid them then the money that was sent in for this will be used up. This is not cheap and the work is not cheap looking. Take a look at what Keith Johnson is producing. And I am told sightedmoon will be even better.

So I am now forced to ask you to step up and help us with this job that we are now taking on. The job of bringing this message to the entire North American and Australian and European market.

We can produce enough teachings for 50 weeks. And we can also have those teachings on the air one or even as many as five times a week. These people have the connections and know how to do this. If you believe this is now the time to get this message out there then please do send us your help. Never neglect the power of prayer as again this is Yehovah’s message and these are His people. We are jus the tool He is using to do this through.

At our last meeting today I asked them just how much it would cost to get this out there and on the air for all 50 weeks in the year. For production and editing and the work and then the air time that needs to be purchased. The answer was roughly 2 Million. To reach that many people it only cost 2 Million. And that is just 1 dollar for each person who has come to the web site since it began.

So now the question is will we all reach out and do this? The answer is up to you. When you pray, ask Yehovah if this is the real deal. Ask Him what to do and then decide.

Again you are not supporting me. I do have a full time job. But once the funds are here, then I would have to go to Charlotte to do this full time. But right now none of your donations or the income from the book sales is used for me. It all goes into putting this message out there for you and those yet to come.

I thank those who have made this possible. I hope many others will now come forth and help us to go even further.

I will leave you and those of you who are at home this Sukkot with this article from a dear friend who has been a great help to me these past two year with this News Letter.

We are also beginning the new cycle of the 3 ½ year Torah reading cycle.

May you all have a great Feast.

Morning and Evening: To Stand in Perpetuity
by segulah

I have desired to share something with others for a while; maybe a year at least on this particular topic (I typically have about ten topics making their rounds in my head that I want to write about and share). This particular one is starting to really take shape after much prayer and actually doing the instruction which has opened my understanding a great deal which is the whole point by the way. I want to share my personal experience and would very much enjoy to challenge you, hear your thoughts, and read your experiences on this very same matter if any of you out there have been pressed upon like I have to accomplish this “word”

It began with a curiosity as I was reading about it in Scripture mostly having to do with prophecy. It appears to be one of those “markers” to look for as we near the end of the age. I am speaking of “that which is continual” and the fact that it is going to be “taken away”
If that which is continual is going to be taken away… then I was wondering: “What is it exactly?” and “Who is doing it?” and “Should I be doing it too?”

These were my initial questions.

So I set out to learn about the “morning and evening” and what it entailed the best way I know how today… and that is by DOING. So here is my quest and what I have come to understand so far.

The “what is it?” part always begins with Scripture study. I enjoy searching out all the times it is spoken of in Scripture, the context, the literal meaning, the metaphorical meaning, and the hidden meaning. I will lay that out for you now:

For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and set it apart. And the altar shall be most set-apart – whatever touches the altar is to be set-apart. And this is what you prepare on the altar: two lambs, a year old, daily, continually.

Prepare the one lamb in the morning, and the other lamb you prepare between the evenings, and one-tenth of an ephah of flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering, with the one lamb.

And prepare the other lamb between the evenings. And with it prepare the grain offering and the drink offering, as in the morning, for a sweet fragrance, an offering made by fire to YaHUaH – a continual burnt offering for your generations at the door of the Tent of Meeting before YaHUaH, where I shall meet with you to speak with you.

And there I shall meet with the children of Yisra’el, and it shall be set apart by My esteem.
And I shall set apart the Tent of Meeting and the altar. And Aharon and his sons I set apart to serve as priests to Me. And I shall dwell in the midst of the children of Yisra’el and shall be their Elohim. And they shall know that I am YaHUaH their Elohim, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, to dwell in their midst. I am YaHUaH their Elohim. Exodus 29:37-46

The next time this continual morning and evening offering is mentioned is in Numbers Chapter 28

And YaHUaH spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Command the children of Yisra’el, and you shall say to them, “Take heed to bring My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet fragrance to Me, at their appointed time,’

And you shall say to them, “This is the offering made by fire which you bring to YaHUaH: two male lambs a year old, perfect ones, daily, a continual burnt offering.

The one lamb you prepare in the morning, and the other lamb you prepare between the evenings, with one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil, a continual burnt offering which was offered at Mount Sinai for a sweet fragrance, an offering made by fire to YaHUaH, and its drink offering, one-fourth of a hin for each lamb. Pour out the drink to YaHUaH as an offering in the set-apart place.

And the other lamb you prepare between the evenings. As the morning grain offering and its drink offering, you prepare it as an offering made by fire, a sweet fragrance to YaHUah.

And on the Sabbath day two lambs a year old, perfect ones, and two-tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink offering, the burnt offering for every Sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering with its drink offering. Numbers 28:1-9
King Solomon spoke of the continual morning and evening: see, I am building a House for the Name of YaHUaH my Elohim, to set it apart to Him, to burn before Him sweet incense, and for the continual showbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, and on the New Moons, and on the appointed times of YaHUaH our Elohim. This is for Yisra’el forever. 2 Chronicles 2:4

Through these Scripture instructions and their context, I learned that the morning and evening daily and continual is in fact – an olah offering, a *wholly* burnt offering, A Lamb. Perfect lambs a year old and they were to be sacrificed and placed upon the altar of burning. They were a burnt offering which means they were an offering that resulted in a lifting up or rising smell within the resulting smoke. This was a “sweet savor” to YaHUaH Elohim. AND a very important part to the bringing of this offering was YaHUaH said that as this offering is brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting… He will meet with us there and speak to us.

olah {o-law’} or ???? `owlah {o-law’} f act part of 05927; TWOT – 1624c,1624d; n f AV – burnt offering 264, burnt sacrifice 21, ascent 1, go up 1; 289 1) whole burnt offering 2) ascent, stairway, steps

A continual “going up” and continual offering that is “going up” “ascending”
`alah {aw-law’} a primitive root; TWOT – 1624; v AV – (come, etc…) up 676, offer 67, come 22, bring 18, ascend 15, go 12, chew 9, offering 8, light 6, increase 4, burn 3, depart 3, put 3, spring 2, raised 2, arose 2, break 2, exalted 2, misc 33; 889 1) to go up, ascend, climb 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go up, ascend 1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat 1a3) to go up, come up (of animals) 1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation) 1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon) 1a6) to come up (before God) 1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary) 1a8) to excel, be superior to 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away 1b2) to take oneself away 1b3) to be exalted 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up 1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away 1c3) to bring up, draw up, train 1c4) to cause to ascend 1c5) to rouse, stir up (mentally) 1c6) to offer, bring up (of gifts) 1c7) to exalt 1c8) to cause to ascend, offer 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be carried away, be led up 1d2) to be taken up into, be inserted in 1d3) to be offered 1e) (Hithpael) to lift oneself

The primitive and basic meaning of this word “olah” is the idea of lifting “something” up over yourself (or something else) and placing that something on your neck or the neck of something else. It is the idea of “yoking.” It could be many things such as a shawl, a mist, leaves as in a covering, a necklace. Primarily in the ancient times, this “thing” was a shepherd’s staff:
The ayin and lamed literally express, “experience the staff” [Jeff Benner, Ancient Hebrew Research Center]
Some other very significant aspects of this specific morning and evening lamb offering are:
Wholly and completely burnt all except the blood.

Blood must be placed at the base or against the altar of sacrifice
Offering slaughtered not by the priest, but by the person bringing the offering.
There are other sacrifices which are burned but they are not called “olah” offerings because they are not wholly burned… therefore the fact that it is called olah because of the rising smoke does not express the reason it is called an “olah” offering. As we have already seen, it has more to do with the raising up of a necklace, chain, staff, or yoke upon the neck. So the key appears to be that alone among the sacrificial offerings… the olah is wholly burnt. Think about that for a moment. What does this say about this offering when it relates to Yahusha? To me? To you?

Thus, the whole animal is brought up to the altar and the whole is offered as a gift to YaHUaH. Did you see that? The “whole” is offered as a “gift” You see, it appears that yes, the offering is burnt but the burning, the smoke and all the rest that goes with this olah offering is very much secondary to the purpose. The primary picture and purpose of this offering that is continual and to stand in perpetuity morning and evening is that it is a GIFT that is given willingly and in its ENTIRETY. No one benefits from this offering in the form of food, clothing, or any other thing. Very important points to ponder as well.
Normally, a sacrifice was performed by the priest, but for the olah not so. It was essential that the blood be put on the altar. This lamb is killed by the worshipper him or herself beside the altar, after which the priest poured the blood against or upon the altar. Only after the worshiper had skinned and cut up the animal and washed the parts in water was the whole animal conveyed to the priest. He then takes it to the altar and arrages it there where it was wholly burned up.

The olah is offered for specific reasons. In times of joy and celebration, an olah is a gift to express that joy and to reverence YaHUaH. The olah is not associated with negativity or horrors of death. Common to the olah is the overriding awareness of the need to give honor and homage to the Elohim who is holy.

Another interesting aspect of this offering is what is brought with it: Grain, Oil, and Wine. When I was meditating on these items I received a wonderful understanding of these things. I am not saying that what I am about to share is the entire and only meaning… only that I felt like it was pretty fantastic to consider the concepts. The following is what was brought to my mind…
There are other items in the Torah that also receive the designation of: continual.

These are: The shewbread

The oil and light of the menorah

The incense upon the altar of incense.

Pondering all these I realized what they have in common is that they ALL were items that were kept in the Holy Place (The Set apart Place). Additionally, when we think about all these they have incredible symbolism when it comes to representing our Messiah Yahusha. He too — is continual. He is the beginning and the end, the Aleph Tav, He was – He is – He is to come. He most assuredly is continual and stands in perpetuity. Therefore it stands to reason that all these visible pictures in our seen realm represent Him… standing continually and in perpetuity. Add to these characteristics the perfect Lamb and it become obvious to me that this morning and evening continual and daily are pictures of Messiah and are related to Him intimately.

Now, all these items that are brought with the morning and evening continual offering of the lamb could go into the Set Apart Place. The shewbread represented by the grain, the oil that provides the source of the light of the menorrah represented by the pure olive oil, the drink offering of wine is represented by the wine. All these can exist in the Set Apart Place. But the lamb and the blood do not go in. The lamb is wholly burned and the blood goes on the altar. Just as we are told by our Master Himself:

Yahusha therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Adam and drink His blood, you possess no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood possesses everlasting life, and I shall raise him up in the last day. For My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood stays in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Fahter, so he who feeds on Me shall live because of Me.” John :53-57

And also Paul tells us:
The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, earthy; the second Man is the Master from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the likeness of the earthy, we shall also bear the likeness of the heavenly. And this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood is unable to inherit the reign of Elohim, neither does corruption inherit incorruption. 1 Corinthians 15:46-50

So there we see the literal meaning of the morning and evening daily continual offering. It was a perfect male lamb and it was a gift of honor and thanks to Elohim and it was wholly burned. It was offered by a member of the Israelite community with fine flour, pure oil, and wine.

So there I was about 9 months ago praying and pondering how I was to accomplish this morning and evening daily and continual offering for my King. I received a limited understanding that the lamb was me. As I put on Yahusha, eat His flesh, drink His blood… we become one. I was to come to the altar in the morning and in the evening before YaHUaH, place His yoke upon my neck, and offer myself and a wholly burnt offering. I have the flesh, I am made from earth just as the grain is produce of the earth, I have the Spirit of Elohim in me which is the oil, and I have the wine which is my blood. This brought up even more questions.

What was I to do there? What times are the mornings and evenings? The entire idea was a big mystery to me and yet I was being instructed by the Set Apart Spirit to accomplish this. I knew from study that the third hour and ninth hour of each day holds significance and so I just started there. I stopped whatever I was doing at 9 AM and 3 PM each day, faced East and I did understand I am to offer something. But what did I have to offer????? I was confounded about this for a little bit and I truly was searching and praying for answers in this area. I had understanding to “be there” and I also had understanding that this was not a time for me to ask of YaHUaH favor and blessings of any kind, or healing, or anything like that. This…. *this* was different. I could sense that in my innermost parts.

Then… He told me. I am to bring the “Bulls of my lips.” Let me share with you the Scripture:
O Yisra’el, return to YaHUaH your Elohim, for you have stumbled by your crookedness. Take words with you, and return to YaHUaH. Say to Him, “Take away all crookedness, and accept what is good, and we render the bulls of our lips.” Hoshea 14:1-2

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a slaughter of praise to Elohim, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name. Hebrews 13:15
With each passing day and week I began to receive increased and greater understanding of what this offering is about. Along with this I want to share a confession. As I began to understand that this morning and evening, daily and continual offering was one of Praise, Honor, Thanksgiving, and Joy over Him… I soon realized that sadly, I did not know how to come to Elohim with Praise and Honor alone! How shamed I was. I was shamed but it was mixed with gladness too because I now have an opportunity to learn, change, and grow. I soon realized I do not know how to Praise my King. I was so accustomed to going to Him and asking Him for blessings, talking to Him about my known sin and transgression, asking for His forgiveness and help and giving thanks to Him. But what about all the honor, praise, glory, and esteem!!?? I had no clue!

So I spent some days in sadness, knowing my condition and not having an answer as to how to correct (quickly) my problem. Certainly it was not that praise and honor were not in my heart for Him but I NEEDED the WORDS on my lips and to come out of my mouth before Him. Then it occurred to me. Let me begin reading the Psalms of Praise of King David and let King David teach me how to properly Esteem my King. If anyone knew how to Praise YaHUaH, it was King David. So that is what I did. I would write down some lines of Psalms of Praise and learn them. I said them before my Father morning and evening. You know what? I can now Praise Him without hesitation. The words are there, they flow out of my lips. Many times I have begun to cry with joy with overwhelming emotion towards Him for all that He is. Now I don’t have enough words! I need more and more and more words to express how I love, adore, esteem Him and His Majestic Name! It truly is incredible what has happened to me on this journey that began nearly nine months ago. I am so very thankful too.

So I have learned the literal meaning of the morning and evening continual. I have learned some of the metaphorical meaning and some of the hidden meaning too. Lastly, I would like to return just for a few words concerning the “raising a staff and placing on the neck” — the meaning of Olah, and Olah Offering. In one simple word picture… it is a yoke. In this life, each and every one of us are yoked to something. And there are only two forces that exists whether we believe them or not. One force is YaHUaH’s Spirit and the other is the spirit of the adversary, the rebellious one. That is it. We are either Yoked to God or yoked to sin and transgression. We can look around us and see the yoke of the enemy and I will not even try to name them all here. The entire category could simply fall under bondage and death.

Here is the testimony of our Master of His Yoke:
All have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are burndened, and I shall gie you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you shall find rest for your beings.

For My yoke is gentle and My burden is light. Matthew 11:27-30

I can say with certainty these Words are sure and true. I *know* this without a doubt. Not by reading, studying, or writing or thinking; but by doing and experiencing it in my life. This is Hebraic Faith, it is action, proving, doing, learning. Walking out the lifestyle and path of Torah.
Father YaHUaH said the same thing through the Prophet Jeremiah:

Thus said YHUH, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and find rest for yourselves…” Jeremiah 6:16
So many of the patriarchs speak to us concerning yokes, and also Paul:

In the freedom with which Messiah has made us free, stand firm, then, and do not again be held with a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
I am sure there are loads more to be revealed on this topic and I will share what I learn as I learn more and more. Please share if this article has sparked something in you. Are you accomplishing your morning and evening daily continual olah offering? Yes, it could mean a death sentence upon us in these coming and last days of this age. But what a way to go out, huh? Praising and honoring our King with His Great Esteem on our lips. Worthy is the Lamb.

Triennial Torah Cycle

We continue this weekend with our regular Triennial Torah reading

Gen 2    Josh 5-7     Ps 2-3     Mat 2:19-4:25

The Creation of Man and Woman (Genesis 2:4-25)

In Genesis 1, God’s acts of creation are presented in outline fashion. The intent is to provide a panoramic view of God’s creative activity. The creation of man occurs on the sixth day, but nothing is stated about the manner of the creation or how the creation of men and women are related in time or nature. In Genesis 2, God’s specific acts in creating man are detailed, thus providing a focus on the events of the sixth day.

Verse 7 says God “formed” and “breathed into” the man. “Formed” generally indicates the personal handling of the thing being made, as with one’s hands, shaping it with the fingers. “Breathed,” which is perhaps better translated “blew,” indicates a forceful expulsion of air into the man, rather like the force of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation-a sharp and deep exhalation of air. The creation of mankind, therefore, appears very different from the creation of all other things in Genesis 1, for in the other cases we only see God speaking to bring them into life. With man’s creation, however, “formed” and “breathed into” indicate a hands-on and personally intimate involvement. Not only were human beings created in a special way, but God had planted a special garden for them to dwell in and tend. So we see a special act of creation producing a special creature, which is then placed into a special environment and given a special work to perform. All these details are intended to impress upon us the loving and intimate involvement of God with man.

Despite the special nature of the creative act involved in creating man, man was created from the dust of the ground and “became a living soul.” The words “living soul” are translated from the Hebrew nephesh chaih, which means “creature living” or “living creature.” In fact, Genesis 1:20-21 and verse 24 translate nephesh as creature when referring to sea creatures and land animals, and thus man is just another kind of creature, in this respect no different from the beasts of the earth.

This brings out another interesting aspect of the accounts of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. Throughout the two chapters there is a subtle tension between expressing the special nature of man while at the same time emphasizing man’s connection to the earth and his distinction from God. For example, to emphasize his earthiness man is created from the same elements as all the beasts and he receives a similar command to multiply; but to emphasize his superiority man is the last creature created and he is given dominion over all others. To emphasize his earthiness man is created from the dust of the ground; but to emphasize his uniqueness man is created in an especially intimate manner.

Of course, there is another important difference between animals and human beings. Human beings have a spiritual component to their existence. Not to be confused with the false concept of an immortal soul, this spirit is not conscious of itself but, rather, empowers the physical brain with human intellect. This “spirit in man” or “human spirit” is mentioned in a number of verses in both the Old and New Testaments. Interestingly, both the Hebrew word for spirit, ruach, and its New Testament Greek equivalent, pneuma, also convey the sense of “wind” or “breath.” So it would make sense that when God breathed into Adam physical life, he also “spiritually breathed” the human spirit into him. It is this spirit that enables man to have a mind in the image of God’s, to make moral choices and to have a genuine relationship with God.

The final act of God’s love in these verses is the creation of woman. God had provided marvelously for the physical needs of the man He had created. There was never a more healthful climate, a more pleasant environment, a more secure home or a more invigorating work than that within the garden. Yet God had fitted the man with an emotional and intellectual nature that could only be satisfied by companionship. Indeed, God had made man in His own image, desiring the man to experience life within a family-a type of the God-plane family relationship. Thus, God created a suitable companion for the man. (The phrase “help meet” in the King James Version of 2:18 should be understood as “meet help” or “fit helper”-”meet” simply being an archaic adjective meaning fit or suitable. The NKJV better translates this as “a helper comparable to him.”) And out of this companionship would come human reproduction to expand the family.

Before creating Eve, though, God seems to have decided to make the man aware of this need for emotional and intellectual companionship. God directed the man to name the various creatures He had made, thereby indicating the man’s leadership. (Throughout the Scriptures the bestowal of a name by one upon another indicates the former being over the latter in some sense-as in God naming Adam, Adam naming his wife Eve, God giving new names to Abram, Isaac and Jacob, Pharaoh renaming Joseph, Nebuchadnezzar renaming Daniel and his friends, God naming Jesus and Jesus naming Peter.) Yet at the same time it impressed on the man his own loneliness and need for a companion. God, it must be stressed, was not allowing Adam to seek a mate from among the animals. Rather, in examining the animals, Adam would see their pairings and realize his need for a companion like himself. God then took one of the man’s ribs and from it made (the Hebrew is, literally, “built”) a woman.

Why did God take a rib? Why not simply fashion the woman from the dust of the ground too? There may have been several reasons, although we can only speculate. First, to fashion the woman from the dust of the ground might have invited argument over whether Adam’s dust was different from or superior to Eve’s dust-that maybe he was made from rock and she from sand, or something like that. Instead, the making of the woman from the rib of Adam emphasized fact that woman was of the very same essence as man. Second, fashioning man Adam’s intended wife from his own flesh would serve as a reminder that neither man nor wife can be whole without the other-that they are a part of each other.

Circumcision at Gilgal (Joshua 5:2-15)

Upon their arrival at the camp in Gilgal, God instructs Joshua to prepare the Israelites to observe the first Passover that a sizeable percentage of them have ever been allowed to participate in. Apparently, as part of Israel’s rejection, the people in the wilderness did not circumcise their sons (verses 2-7). And keeping the Passover in the wilderness would have required the exclusion of these uncircumcised sons (Exodus 12:43-49). Still, it seems likely that the Passover would have been kept by the nation of Israel all through the wilderness wanderings—by all those who came out of Egypt and then, after the older generation died out, by Joshua, Caleb, all the males of the first generation who were under 20 at the time of the Exodus and, presumably, the women. (It should be noted that even the uncircumcised males would have observed God’s festivals in general—along with the rest of Israel.)

Now, on the 10th day of the month on which Israel came up from the Jordan (Joshua 4:19), the day the Passover lambs were chosen in Egypt (Exodus 12:3), God confirms that He has chosen the Israelites as His people. The Bible elsewhere explains that physical circumcision is a type of spiritual circumcision “of the heart” (Deuteronomy 30:6; Romans 2:29), which entails repentance from past sin and obedience to God. In literal circumcision, there is a rending of a veil of flesh and a shedding of blood that is reminiscent of sacrifices. Egypt is a type in Scripture of the sinful life we have left behind.

All of this is most interesting when we consider the words of Joshua 5:9: “Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.’ Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.” As The King James Study Bible notes: “A play on words occurs here. Gilgal (’Rolling Away’) marks the place where God rolled away the reproach of Egypt. Israel’s era of shameful captivity [and rejection] now came officially to an end. The inheritance of Canaan lay ahead (compare 1:6; 21:43-45). The same verbal root marks the New Testament site of Golgotha, the place where mankind’s captivity by sin [and resultant rejection] was ended [that is, for those who have repented and obtained forgiveness]. There man’s sins were rolled away and rolled onto the person of Jesus Christ, so believers might enter God’s spiritual inheritance” (note on 5:9). And this, of course, requires our spiritual circumcision. Indeed, it is only through being spiritually circumcised that we are allowed to partake of the bread and wine of the New Testament Passover.

The Israelites take a few days to heal (compare 5:8), and undoubtedly many of them are still sore when they keep the Passover a few days later, on the 14th of Abib (verse 10), and when they start their processions around Jericho, which apparently begin the next day.

This next day, Abib 15, was the First Day of Unleavened Bread. It was on this Holy Day that Joshua encountered the “Commander of the army of the Lord” (verse 14), who proved to be none other than God Himself, since Joshua was permitted to worship Him (compare Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9) and since Joshua was commanded to remove his sandals in this Being’s presence, just as Moses was commanded to do before God at the burning bush (verse 15; compare Exodus 3:5-6). In both cases, it should be noted, this was the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ and not God the Father (compare John 1:18; 6:46; 1 Corinthians 10:4; see our free booklet Who Is God?).

God—that is, the pre-incarnate Messiah—made His appearance to Joshua on this occasion to provide encouragement for the task ahead, of taking the land. Yeshua’s instructions to Joshua immediately follow in the next verses (6:2-5).

And the Walls Came Tumblin’ Down (Joshua 6)

It is apparently on the First Day of Unleavened Bread that Joshua receives instructions from the pre-incarnate Moshiach—”the Commander of the Lord’s army” (5:15)—about how Jericho is to be taken (6:2-5). Their first march around the city seems to have occurred later that day. The city being only a mile away and their march around it measuring about another mile, this would not have taken long. The subsequent marches begin early in the morning (verses 12, 14). The seventh day, the Last Day of Unleavened Bread, though a Holy Day, was not especially restful for them that year. God had His work for them to do. They rose at dawn and marched around the city seven times before giving a great shout with the trumpet blasts. So far, this was about eight miles of marching, but God’s work was not yet done. At the sound of the trumpets and shout, the walls of the city “fell down flat,” or, literally, “fell under itself,” and permitted the Israelite soldiers to scramble up and over the debris, entering the city from all directions (verse 20).

Many archaeologists have pointed to Jericho as an instance in which the biblical account is unsupportable from evidence found at the site. However, this is based primarily on a misdating of a particular destruction layer by British archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon in the 1950s. According to archaeologist Bryant Wood: “She concluded that the Bronze Age city of Jericho was destroyed about 1550 bc by the Egyptians. An in-depth analysis of the evidence, however, reveals that the destruction took place around 1400 bc (end of the Late Bronze I period), exactly when the Bible says the Conquest occurred” (”The Walls of Jericho,” Creation, March-May 1999, p. 37).

Indeed, findings from this destruction layer are remarkable. For instance, there was an upper (inner) and lower (outer) mudbrick city wall, the lower one resting on a retaining wall that held the earthen embankment beneath the city in place. Along with many buildings, the city wall did collapse and fell “beneath itself” to the base of the retaining wall, the debris creating a virtual ramp up into the city from all directions—all except one, that is. A short stretch of the lower city wall on the north side did not fall—and there were houses built against that wall, as Rahab’s house is described! Moreover, this area, on the outer embankment, would have been a poorer area, just where a prostitute at the time would be living. There is also clear evidence of the city being burned, but only after the “earthquake” did its damage, again confirming the biblical account.

More remarkable still, “both Garstang [a 1930s excavator] and Kenyon found many storage jars full of grain that had been caught in the fiery destruction. This is a unique find in the annals of archaeology. Grain was valuable, not only as a source of food, but also as a commodity which could be bartered. Under normal circumstances, valuables such as grain would have been plundered by the conquerors. Why was the grain left at Jericho? The Bible provides the answer. Joshua commanded the Israelites that the city and all that is in it were to be dedicated to the Lord (Joshua 6:17, lit. Heb.)…. [Also] such a large quantity of grain left untouched gives silent testimony to the truth of yet another aspect of the biblical account. A heavily fortified city with an abundant supply of food and water [as Jericho had, having a spring within it] would normally take many months, even years, to subdue. The Bible says that Jericho fell after only seven days. The jars found in the ruins of Jericho were full, showing that the siege was short since the people inside the walls consumed very little of the grain” (p. 39). The Bible tells us that “by faith the walls of Jericho fell down” (Hebrews 11:30). And the amazing evidence that this event really did happen can strengthen our faith that God will crumble any “walls” that stand in our way as we strive to live Christian lives before Him.

As with Egypt and Sodom, Jericho was a symbol of sin that God was destroying (verses 17-18). And, as already noted, Jericho was apparently destroyed on the Last Day of Unleavened Bread, a fitting symbol of the ultimate victory over sin. Forty years earlier, the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea, and God brought the waters of the sea down on Pharaoh’s army, granting the Israelites victory and escape from the bondage of Egypt, symbolizing the final release from bondage to spiritual Egypt and death. The Red Sea crossing appears to also have been on the Last Day of Unleavened Bread, as Jewish tradition attests. Additionally, there is reason to believe that the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah may well have been during the Days of Unleavened Bread, too (compare Genesis 19:3). This gives us three great victories over sin to remind and encourage us in our attempts to replace sin with God’s way of life during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

In verse 26, Joshua pronounced a curse on anyone who would rebuild the city of Jericho. The site was sporadically occupied after this (Joshua 18:21; Judges 3:13; 2 Samuel 10:5), but never to any real extent. Joshua’s curse, however, actually would be fulfilled in 1 Kings 16:34, when a man named Hiel actually laid new foundations and rebuilt the city gates. Many centuries later another city was built nearby and also named Jericho. This later city is the Jericho mentioned in the New Testament.

Defeat at Ai Because of Achan’s Sin (Joshua 7)

The Israelites had been forbidden to claim any of the spoils of the city (6:17-19). But one man thought he could be an exception. The Hebrew word translated “a disgraceful thing” in verse 15 “denotes a blatant and senseless disregard for God’s will” (Nelson Study Bible, note on 7:15-16). Sometimes one man’s sin can adversely affect others who apparently had nothing to do with it. Thankfully, only 36 out of a few thousand men were lost (verses 3-5). Though tragic, the repercussions could have been much worse—as God declared the nation as a whole “doomed to destruction” (verse 12) until the sin was removed from its midst.

The King James Study Bible notes: “Achan is referred to as ‘Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the accursed thing’ (1 Chr. 2:7). He was stoned to death for violating the ‘ban’ during the conquest of Jericho (v. 1). Achan stole 200 shekels of silver, a Babylonian garment, and a wedge of gold weighing 50 shekels and hid them in the earthen floor of his tent (v. 21). The sin of Achan was imputed to the whole nation (vv. 11, 12), and thus they were soundly defeated in the battle of Ai (vv. 4, 5). Israel learned the hard way that what one person does could affect the well-being of the whole nation. He was buried in the valley of Achor (’trouble,’ v. 26). Achor is used in a figurative sense in Isaiah 65:10 and Hosea 2:15 to describe the messianic age or the time of restoration that would result for the nation of Israel only after they passed through trouble.” Indeed, like in this example, the Great Tribulation will come upon Israel in the end time not because every single individual is in complete and total rebellion against God. Rather, because of the terrible sins of some—in fact, of many—that are not rooted out of Israel, suffering will come on all.

Ironically, if Achan had only waited until the very next battle with Ai, he would have been allowed to take spoil for himself (8:2). But his greed got the better of him—and brought about his downfall.

Psalm 2 is a royal psalm that speaks of David and His descendants reigning in Jerusalem—ultimately pointing to Moshiach’s millennial rule on the earth. “I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion…I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession” (verses 6,  . “Israelite kings and priests were anointed with oil when they took office. The ‘Anointed One’ probably originally meant ‘king.’ It came, however, to stand for more. The Hebrew word is masiah, which became Messiah and is translated into Greek as Christos or Christ. This psalm was understood in the New Testament as referring to Jesus—for no Old Testament king ever gained the control of the nations implied here” (Zondervan New Student Bible, note on verse 2).

Considering that God announced His plan and has all power to fulfill it, the psalmist wonders at the audacity of plotting against Him. To take counsel against God and His Anointed is a vain thing. God laughs scornfully at the long history of human insubordination (verse 4). Kings and leaders have been warned in advance. They should “wise up” and serve the Lord in fear and trembling (verse 11; Deuteronomy 10:12-13). At the end of the age, a union of nations will mount another rebellion against God—this time an attack on the returning Yeshua. With all power at His command, Christ will destroy the rebel armies and commence to rule the nations “with an iron scepter” (verse 9; Revelation 2:27; 12:5, NIV).

“You are My Son, today I have begotten You” in Psalm 2:7 “is the public proclamation that the Son is to inherit the kingdom from His Father…establishing the Son’s right to rule over God’s kingdom” (The Bible Reader’s Companion, note on verse 7). God has not said this to His angels (see Hebrews 1:5). He reserved this for Jesus (Acts 13:33) as well as other human beings who would be spiritually begotten as God’s children (see Hebrews 1-2).

“Kiss the Son” (verse 12) is perhaps meant “as a sign of submission (see 1Sa 10:1; 1Ki 19:18; Hos 13:2…). Submission to an Assyrian king was expressed by kissing his feet” (Zondervan NIV Study Bible, note on Psalm 2:12). The New Testament shows kissing on the cheek as a means of greeting, which would signify welcome and acceptance. The Tanakh translation renders the entire phrase “pay homage in good faith,” leaving out the word “Son”—perhaps with some concern over Christian interpretation—but declaring the Hebrew uncertain in a footnote. It is true that the word for “son” would here be the Aramaic bar rather than the Hebrew ben. However, as Expositor’s states in its footnote on verse 12, “In favor of the traditional translation [’Son’]…are the context of the psalm (submission to the Lord and to the anointed), the proposal by [commentator] Delitzsch that the sequence bar pen (’Son, lest’) avoids the dissonance of ben pen…and the suggestion by [another commentator] that the usage of the Aramaism may be intentionally directed to the foreign nations”—as Aramaic was the common language of the entire ancient Middle East. Interestingly, it would also be the language of the Jews when Jesus the Son actually came among them.

“You Have Relieved Me in My Distress” Psalms 3

Psalm 3 begins a thematic grouping of 12 of David’s psalms (3-14), as we will later see in conjunction with Psalm 8 and Psalm 14.

We read Psalm 3 earlier in the Bible Reading Program. It is the lament David composed when he fled from his son Absalom (see the Bible Reading Program comments on 2 Samuel 15:1-16:14 and Psalm 3). Driven by ambition to become king himself, Absalom turned the hearts of the people away from David. David despairs that so many have turned against him (verse 1). They no longer believe God is with him to help him (verse 2).

The phrase “lifts up my head” (verse 3) expresses David’s belief that God will raise him up from the humiliation he suffers. In 2 Samuel 15:30 we read of the sad occasion of David being driven out of Jerusalem: “So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up.”

In spite of intense enemy opposition, David is able to sleep without fear, “for the Lord sustained me” (verses 5-6). The KJV and NKJV translation of verse 7 says that God has come to David’s defense before. However, the NIV translates verse 7 as a present request for God to “strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.” Even if the latter is correct, God has indeed intervened for David before and will certainly do so again—just as He will for all of us who place our trust in Him.

Mathew 2:19 – 3

Joseph and Mary receive word that Herod had died and it was now safe for them to return to the Holy Land from Egypt. They were given this information by a messenger in a dream. They returned to Galil instead of Bethlehem because of the wickedness of Archelaos who was reigning in Judah. This is why they were in Nazereth along with most of the descendants of King David.

Matthew 3

John the Immerser was active during this time proclaiming the Kingdom of Elohim and the need for repentance. He wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather girdle around his waist. He was out in the wilderness as the “true” high priest and in security for his life as a child growing up. His father Zecheriah was slaughtered because of him and the rulers fearing him. The Pharisees and Sadducees came out to see what all the fuss was about because many Judaeans went out to meet John, repenting and being immersed in water by him. John prophesies even unto them warning them of the coming Kingdom and that neither their birth nor their position will deliver them.

Then Yeshua comes unto John to be immersed because it was the demonstration of the instruction and commandment. Yeshua did not require immersion but He did it because of the love He had for Elohim’s Word and instruction. A voice out of the heavens spoke, “This is My Son, the Beloved, in whom I did delight.”

Matthew 4 – 4:25

Yeshua is immediately led into the wilderness by the Spirit and is tried by the Adversary. Having fasted 40 days and 40 nights, He was hungry. The adversary first tempts him with the desires of the flesh to turn stones to bread. Yeshua defeats Him with the written Word of Elohim.

Then the adversary temps Yeshua with pride. Yeshua once again defeats him with the Word of Elohim.

The adversary tries one last time and tempts Yeshua with power. Yeshua Once Again defeats the adversary with the Word of Elohim. Then the adversary left Him and the messengers came and tended to Him.

Yeshua began then to travel around and also proclaiming “Repent!” He calls Peter and Andrew to Him from their fishing. Then later also James and John. He went all about proclaiming the Kingdom, repentance, and healing the sick.