Pesach In Hebrew Year 5772 / Gregorian Calendar 2012

     As Pesach (Passover) draws nearer, we find ourselves caught up in the busyness of clearing out the dust in our homes, and preparations for the evening meal and commemoration (seder).

At the back of our minds, we all know of the true meaning of Pesach – which is HaShem’s (The Name, or G-d) deliverance from bondage/sin to freedom and forgiveness. Yet, let us also not forget about the requirement of HaShem, according to His Torah (law/instructions), that almost all things were by blood cleansed. And that without the shedding of blood, basically the principle of a life in exchange for a life, there would be no forgiveness and freedom.

Hebrews 9:22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (New International Version ©1984)

Vayikra (Leviticus) 17:11 for the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar, to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood which maketh atonement for the soul. (Young’s Literal Translation)

Isaiah 53:5-12 …But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the L_RD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the L_RD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the L_RD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgresors. (King’s James Version)

     More Scriptures for reference (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Romans 3:25 & 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14, 20; Hebrews 13:12; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5).

     I would like to also include a little something taken from The Daily Spurgeon website, dated 27 March 2012:

Nothing But The Blood

That part of the line of battle which is most fiercely assailed by the enemy is sure to be that which he knows to be most important to carry. Men hate those they fear. The antagonism of the enemies of the gospel is mainly against the cross. From the very first it was so. They cried “Let him come down from the cross and we will believe in him.” They will write us pretty lives of Christ and tell us what an excellent man he was, and do our Lord such homage as their Judas’ lips can afford him; they will also take his sermon on the mount and say what a wonderful insight he had into the human heart, and what a splendid code of morals he taught, and so on. “We will be Christians” say they, “but the dogma of atonement we utterly reject.”

Our answer is, we do not care one farthing what they have to say about our Master if they deny his substitutionary sacrifice, whether they give him wine or vinegar is a small question so long as they reject the claims of the Crucified. The praises of unbelievers are sickening; who wants to hear polluted lips lauding him? Such sugared words are very like those which came out of the mouth of the devil when he said “Thou Son of the Highest,” and Jesus rebuked him and said “Hold thy peace, and come out of him.” Even thus would we say to unbelievers who extol Christ’s life: “Hold your peace! We know your enmity, disguise it as you may. Jesus is the Savior of men or he is nothing; if you will not have Christ crucified you cannot have him at all.”

My brethren in Jesus let us glory in the blood of Jesus, let it be conspicuous as though it were sprinkled upon the lintel and the two side posts of our doors, and let the world know that redemption by blood is written upon the innermost tablets of our hearts.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled “The Man Of One Subject,” delivered October 31, 1875.

     Lastly, as we look forward to this year’s Pesach, in honouring the Holy One of Israel in our lives, may we also be strengthened and encouraged by this beautiful reminder:

1 Corinthians 5:7-8 Purge out therefore the old leaven (chametz), that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ (Messiah) our passover (Pesach) is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (King’s James Version)

Happy Pesach and G-d bless you in King Messiah Yeshua (Jesus)!

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He is the G-d of Peace

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty G-d, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

כִּי־ יֶ֣לֶד יֻלַּד־ לָ֗נוּ בֵּ֚ן נִתַּן־ לָ֔נוּ וַתְּהִ֥י הַמִּשְׂרָ֖ה עַל־ שִׁכְמֹ֑ו וַיִּקְרָ֨א שְׁמֹ֜ו פֶּ֠לֶא יֹועֵץ֙ אֵ֣ל גִּבֹּ֔ור אֲבִיעַ֖ד שַׂר־ שָׁלֹֽום

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

יֵ֣צֶר סָמ֔וּךְ תִּצֹּ֖ר שָׁלֹ֣ום שָׁלֹ֑ום כִּ֥י בְךָ֖ בָּטֽוּחַ

My hope and prayer is that they will turn to G-d, not forget that G-d is their shield and fortress. It is no wonder our G-d is called the G-d of peace, and that when we trust Him, His peace will reign in our hearts through Messiah who indeed promised us that He has given us His peace

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

שָׁלוֹם אַנִּיחן לָכֶם אֶת־שְׁלוֹמִי אֶתֵּן לָכֶם לֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן הָעוֹלָם אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם אַל־יִבָּהֵל לְבַבְכֶם וְאַל־יֵחָת

Can We Save/Deliver Our Own Soul From Eternal Destruction?

Today I read in Job (Iyov) 40 and wanted to share. Something important here to note.

¹Moreover the L_RD answered Job, and said:

² “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?
He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”

³ Then Job answered the L_RD and said:

⁴ “ Behold, I am vile;
What shall I answer You?
I lay my hand over my mouth.

⁵ Once I have spoken, but I will not answer;
Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

⁶ Then the L_RD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

⁷ “Now prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me:

⁸ “ Would you indeed annul My judgment?
Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?

⁹ Have you an arm like God?
Or can you thunder with a voice like His?

¹⁰ Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,
And array yourself with glory and beauty.

¹¹ Disperse the rage of your wrath;
Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him.

¹² Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low;
Tread down the wicked in their place.

¹³ Hide them in the dust together,
Bind their faces in hidden darkness.

¹⁴ Then I will also confess to you
That your own right hand can save you.

And there you have it, at verse 14. God is telling Job, that if Job can be like God is, do all God does, Him being Soveriegn Creator…then God will confess to Job that his own right hand can save him. So what does this tell us? That only God’s right hand can save us. Salvation comes only from Him! His way! Not our own way or methods! Doing good deeds do not nullify or remove one’s sin before God. No amount of our doing good deeds is ever going to pay off the penalty for our sins before a holy and just G_D.

¹⁰ let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Yeshua/Jesus Messiah/Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. ¹¹ This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’¹² Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” – Acts 4

Praise the L_RD!

G_d, our Provider.

Having read in Genesis 45, I could not help but notice some parallels between Joseph and Jesus (Yeshua).

4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.

7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

In verse 5, we see Joseph telling his brothers, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.“.

And then in verse 7, Joseph again explains to his brothers, “And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.“.

Finally in verse 8, Joseph reiterates that it is G_d who has sent him ahead. “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God:”

How does this seem to be a parallel to the L_rd Yeshua?

Yeshua was also sent by G_d, (to be precise, He came out forth from the bosom of the Father in Heaven. See below bible verses), and for the final work of redemption, to the saving of souls from eternal separation from the Holy One of Israel.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

It has always been G_d’s plan to reconcile sinful man back to Himself. G_d provided animal skins to cover over the sins of Adam and Eve.

Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

G_d provided Abraham the lamb for a burnt offering.

Genesis 22:7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Genesis 22:8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Genesis 22:9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

Genesis 22:10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

Genesis 22:11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.

Genesis 22:12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Genesis 22:13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

Genesis 22:14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Joseph was sent ahead by G_d in order to save the children of Jacob from starvation due to the severe famine in the region. We are told in the Scripture passages of Genesis that this famine was severe, and lasted 7 years. Later on, the temple system was given by G_d to Israel, for national covering of sins by the bloody animal sacrifices. The animals in and of themselves never took away sins, they served as covering, coupled with a repentant heart because only G_d can remove the stain of sin, only G_d can declare one forgiven and free of condemnation, reconciling man back to Himself.

Do you see a theme of G_d providing the sin/guilt offering? These are pictures, and patterns, pointing us ultimately to G_d’s righteous provision of salvation, reconciling man back to Himself. Today, we have peace with G_d in our hearts and an eternity with Him because of the provision of His only begotten Son, The Son of David, the Messiah Yeshua. It has always been by faith in G_d that one is counted as righteous before Him, as Abraham was.

Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

 

Messiah as seen in Chanukkah. Yeshua, He is the Light of the world.

Matthew 4:13-16 (NKJV) And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

Isaiah 9:2 (MKJV) The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; they who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, on them the light has shined.

Isaiah 42:1 (KJV) Behold My Servant; I will uphold Him; My Elect in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit on Him; He shall bring forth justice to the nations.

Isaiah 42:6 (NKJV) I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles,

Isaiah 42:7 (MKJV) to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Luke 2:30-32 (NASB) For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.

John 1:4 (MKJV) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 8:12 (MKJV) Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 10:22-42 (NKJV) Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”

Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” And many believed in Him there.

The Salvation of God to the world, Mashiach Yeshua, came through Israel. A miracle of God

Isaiah 66:7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.

Isaiah 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

Isaiah 66:9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

Isaiah 66:10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

Isaiah 66:11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

Isaiah 66:12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

ישעיהו פרק סו 66

בְּטֶרֶם תָּחִיל יָלָדָה; בְּטֶרֶם יָבוֹא חֵבֶל לָהּ וְהִמְלִיטָה זָכָר׃ ⁸ מִי־שָׁמַע כָּזֹאת, מִי רָאָה כָּאֵלֶּה, הֲיוּחַל אֶרֶץ בְּיוֹם אֶחָד, אִם־יִוָּלֵד גּוֹי פַּעַם אֶחָת; כִּי־חָלָה גַּם־יָלְדָה צִיּוֹן אֶת־בָּנֶיהָ׃ ⁹ הַאֲנִי אַשְׁבִּיר וְלֹא אוֹלִיד יֹאמַר יְהוָה; אִם־אֲנִי הַמּוֹלִיד וְעָצַרְתִּי אָמַר אֱלֹהָיִךְ׃    ס ¹⁰ שִׂמְחוּ אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְגִילוּ בָהּ כָּל־אֹהֲבֶיהָ; שִׂישׂוּ אִתָּהּ מָשׂוֹשׂ, כָּל־הַמִּתְאַבְּלִים עָלֶיהָ׃ ¹¹ לְמַעַן תִּינְקוּ וּשְׂבַעְתֶּם, מִשֹּׁד תַּנְחֻמֶיהָ; לְמַעַן תָּמֹצּוּ וְהִתְעַנַּגְתֶּם מִזִּיז כְּבוֹדָהּ׃    ס ¹² כִּי־כֹה אָמַר יְהוָה, הִנְנִי נֹטֶה־אֵלֶיהָ כְּנָהָר שָׁלוֹם וּכְנַחַל שׁוֹטֵף כְּבוֹד גּוֹיִם וִינַקְתֶּם; עַל־צַד תִּנָּשֵׂאוּ, וְעַל־בִּרְכַּיִם תְּשָׁעֳשָׁעוּ׃

My Lord Yeshua loves Israel

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone believing into Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. –John/Yochanan 3:16

And in that day I will cut a covenant for them, with the beasts of the field, and with the birds of the heavens, and with the creeping things of the ground. And I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. –Hoshea 2:18

And I will betroth you to Me forever. Yea, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. –Hoshea 2:19

I will even betroth you to Me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD. –Hoshea 2:20

And I will sow her to Me in the earth. And I will have mercy on No-mercy. And I will say to Not-my-people, You are My people. And they shall say, My God. –Hoshea 2:23

He Is The Way, The Truth, And The Life

Luke 10:25 An expert in Torah stood up to try and trap him by asking, “Rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?” 26 But Yeshua said to him, “What is written in the Torah? How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “You are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your understanding; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 “That’s the right answer,” Yeshua said. “Do this, and you will have life.”

29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Yeshua, “And who is my `neighbor’?” 30 Taking up the question, Yeshua said: “A man was going down from Yerushalayim to Yericho when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him naked and beat him up, then went off, leaving him half dead. 31 By coincidence, a cohen was going down on that road; but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levi who reached the place and saw him also passed by on the other side. 33 “But a man from Shomron who was traveling came upon him; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. 34 So he went up to him, put oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Then he set him on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day, he took out two days’ wages, gave them to the innkeeper and said, `Look after him; and if you spend more than this, I’ll pay you back when I return.’ 36 Of these three, which one seems to you to have become the `neighbor’ of the man who fell among robbers?” 37 He answered, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Yeshua said to him, “You go and do as he did.”

G-d’s Word is Truth and Salvation For The Soul

Matthew/Mattityahu 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Deuteronomy/D’varim 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Mi Hu HaMashiakh?

Mi Hu HaMashiakh? Yeshua Hu HaMashiakh. (Who is He the Messiah? Jesus He is the Messiah)

Psalm 22:1, 14-16, 29, Zechariah 12:10, Isaiah 53 and Isaiah 7:14