Shalom to you all,

Mal’aḵi/Malachi 1:6 “A son esteems his father, and a servant his master. And if I am the Father, where is My esteem? And if I am a Master, where is My fear? said יהוה of hosts to you priests who despise My Name. But you asked, ‘In what way have we despised Your Name?’”

This verse struck me once again this week and as I meditated on the very clear questions being asked by our Father and Master, יהוה of Hosts, I realised that these questions are as relevant for us to hear today as it was back then, when Mal’aḵi received this message of the Word of יהוה that was to be given to Yisra’ĕl.

As we consider the piercing questions that are being asked here in Mal’aḵi/Malachi 1:6 we can still identify how these same questions are being asked today, and so, in a message called, “WHERE HAS THE ‘FEAR’ IN ‘THE FEAR OF יהוה’ GONE AND WHERE IS HIS ESTEEM?” let us recognise how critical it is for these words to be properly heard, so that the body of Messiah can truly walk in the fear of יהוה and bring the proper esteem that is due to Him, in Spirit and Truth!

The ‘name’ or ‘title’ that is given here of מַלְאָכִי Mal’aḵi – Strong’s H4401 means, ‘my messenger’, which comes from the word מַלְאָךְ malaḵ – Strong’s H4397 meaning, ‘a messenger, ambassador, envoy’.

There is some thought that this term מַלְאָכִי Mal’aḵi – Strong’s H4401 was used here as a title, rather than a name, as we take note that this word does not appear anywhere in Scripture as a proper name.

This word מַלְאָכִי Mal’aḵi (My Messenger) appears in this form 4 times in Scripture:

(Mal’aḵi/Malachi 1:1 // Mal’aḵi/Malachi 3:1 // Shemoth/Exodus 23:23 // Shemoth/Exodus 32:34)

What we are also able to take note of in Scripture, is that a Messenger of יהוה that speaks the Word of יהוה speaks with the authority of יהוה as if it is יהוה Himself speaking, and we are also able to take note from various accounts in Scripture, that while יהוה has certainly sent His Messengers to speak His Word, be it Messengers from above or appointed prophets, there are times in Scripture where יהוה is His own Messenger.

For more on this please see the article called, “THE MESSENGER OF יהוה!” on our site (Http://atfotc.com) under the ‘articles’ menu, or by clicking on the following link:

https://atfotc.com/index.php/2012-04-19-08-30-28/view/518-the-messenger-of

The reason that I am mentioning this, is to make it clear that any messenger of יהוה that speaks His Word is the same as if it is יהוה speaking Himself, directly to the ones to whom the message is directed and so we are able to recognise that all of His servants the prophets that He sent are also His messengers, yet so many do not listen!

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 7:25 “From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Mitsrayim until this day, I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them.”

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 25:4 “Moreover, יהוה has sent to you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear”

יהוה’s appointed prophets are His messengers and those who do not listen to His messengers are, in effect, not listening to יהוה. As we consider these words in Mal’aḵi/Malachi, we take note that it does not matter whether this was the physical name of a prophet who spoke the message of the Word of יהוה to Yisra’ĕl, but rather, what is more important to recognise is that this is יהוה’s message of His Word and therefore, it is יהוה who is speaking directly to Yisra’ĕl, be it by a messenger that He appointed for this task or by being done by Himself as His own Messenger!

The Hebrew word מַלְאָךְ malaḵ – Strong’s H4397 which means, ‘a messenger, ambassador, and envoy’ is used in:

Mal’aḵi/Malachi 2:7 “For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and they seek the Torah from his mouth, for he is the messenger of יהוה of hosts.”

From these words we are able to take note that the priest should guard knowledge and speak the Torah of Elohim, for he is the messenger of יהוה.

Sadly, in this book, we see severe rebuke being given in chapters 1 and 2 to the priests, as they had not guarded the covenant of the priesthood given to the tribe of Lĕwi and had corrupted the covenant and caused many to stumble.

In fact, both prophet and priest and scribes had acted in falsehood and defiled the Word and this is where the reality of there being no true fear of יהוה was being exposed and that they were not bringing the proper esteem due to His Name.

The priesthood had become defiled and in the redemptive work of our Master, we are able to see how the order of the priesthood was changed from Lĕwi to that of Malkitseḏeq, where Messiah is our High Priest who lives forever, as He renewed His covenant with Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah, in His own blood, and established His covenant of a set-apart priesthood, which we now are, in Messiah, to serve Him, in righteousness, forever!

There is a twofold lesson that we can take from these words in Mal’aḵi and that is, that we are to be on guard against false ear tickling teachers that twist and corrupt the Word for their own gain, while, at the same, time we are not to neglect the need to listen to and obey those that the Master has appointed in the body, for teaching, for reproof, for setting straight, for instruction in righteousness, so that the Body of Messiah can be equipped for every good work.

Sha’ul warned Timotiyos that there would be a time when people would not bear sound teaching, but according to their own desires, they will heap up for themselves teachers tickling the ear turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to myths.

That time is certainly upon us and many are being led astray by false teachers, while at the same time we also take note that because of the corruption that has happened there are those who refuse to submit to and obey the true given ones of the Master.

We are also therefore able to recognise that those that our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah, has appointed to teach and equip His body to maturity are His messengers (Eph’siyim/Ephesians 4:11-16); and those who do not listen to the given ones He has appointed to speak and teach His Word are in effect not listening to Him, which then reveals that those who are not listening do not have the fear of Elohim and are not bringing proper esteem to His Name!

Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 13:7 “Remember those leading you, who spoke the Word of Elohim to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their belief.”

Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 13:17 “Obey those leading you, and be subject to them, for they watch for your lives, as having to give account. Let them do so with joy and not groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

This book of Mal’aḵi/Malachi was written around 500 B.C.E. while Yehuḏah was back in the Promised Land by permission of the king of Persia, after having been in exile in Baḇelon.

After Ḥaggai and Zeḵaryah had encouraged and inspired the people to rebuild the temple under the leadership of Zerubbaḇel and after Ezra had brought back thousands more from exile, Neḥemyah had made some major reforms such as bringing justice to the poor, ending marriages to foreigners (no unequal yoking), reinstating the proper keeping of Sabbath and restored the proper bringing in of tithes and offerings.

It did not take long for these new reforms to be backslidden from, after Neḥemyah had returned to his post in Persia, which prompted him to come back and bring some necessary correction and strict rebuke.

While Neḥemyah was gone many of the priests had gone to find work in the fields as no tithes and offerings were being brought in, which caused the service in the Temple to be corrupted and almost non-existent, the poor were not being treated fairly and the Sabbath was not being kept and the feasts were not being kept as instructed which rendered them as being regarded as dung before Elohim and totally unacceptable.

It is around this time that the message of the word of יהוה to Yisra’ĕl by Mal’aḵi was given.

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘message’ in Mal’aḵi/Malachi 1:1 is מַשָּׂא massa – Strong’s H4853 and means, ‘bear, carry, support, tribute (which is carried or brought), a load, lifting’, which comes from the primitive root נָשָׂא nasa – Strong’s H5375 which we already looked at, at the start of this Torah portion, meaning, ‘to lift, carry, take, accept, accepted, arise, brought, bring forth, borne’.

When understood, in the context of the message of this prophetic book, we take note that this word can have the meaning of being a prophetical speech of a threatening character and is mainly a rebuke, hence it being regarded as a burden or something that is heavy to bear, but must be lifted up and delivered!

Yehuḏah had quickly backslidden into corrupt ways and these words were ‘heavy words’, that needed to be given in a severe rebuke for the lack of the fear of יהוה and the lack of the proper esteem that was to be given to His Name!

Despite the returning exiles being greatly inspired by Ḥaggai some years before, this once fervent Elohim fearing exiles had now digressed and had become complacent and mediocre, as they would typically just go through the motions of religious routines with no reverence or esteem for יהוה.

During the years of Ḥaggai, the people listened and responded, yet here, around 50 years or so later, the people didn’t listen and rejected true worship to יהוה and had become so disillusioned that they basically began to ask whether worship, family responsibilities and proper giving were really worth it anymore!

Sound familiar to what we see today?

Many people, that are disillusioned, are questioning whether true worship is necessary – I want to tell you it was necessary back then and it still is today. The problem that was at the heart of this backslidden Yehuḏah is that the fear of יהוה was gone and it is sadly the same problem that we see with so many today!

For the purposes of this message, I want us to look closely at verse 6, which I opened with, as we allow these same questions that were asked, by יהוה to a backsliding Yehuḏah, to be asked today to the body of Messiah, who is supposed to be making herself ready for His soon return!

Mal’aḵi/Malachi 1:6 “A son esteems his father, and a servant his master. And if I am the Father, where is My esteem? And if I am a Master, where is My fear? said יהוה of hosts to you priests who despise My Name. But you asked, ‘In what way have we despised Your Name?’”

יהוה is making a clear statement that the hearers would be able to identify with and not be able to deny its truth and then asks: “And if I am the Father, where is My esteem? And if I am a Master, where is My fear?”

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘esteems’ is the root verb כָּבֵד kaḇeḏ – Strong’s H3513 which means, ‘to be heavy, weighty or burdensome, to give high esteem and respect and honour’ and it is from this root verb that we get the noun that is translated as ‘esteem’ which is כָּבוֹד kaḇoḏ – Strong’s H3519 which means, ‘honour, esteem, reverence, splendid’.

The verb כָּבֵד kaḇeḏ – Strong’s H3513 is often translated as ‘praise’, that is to be given to יהוה and this word is used in the 10 Words (Commandments), where we are told to ‘respect’ our parents; and so, what is, in effect, being told to us here, is that we must carefully consider, and ‘give weight to’, the Word of Elohim and guard the Truth, in order that we may live long in the land which יהוה is giving us, and not be kept out or expelled as our forefathers were for disobedience and a lack of faith!

A son treats his father with much respect and considers him to be very important.

The opposite of this is to treat ‘lightly’ and give no honour to the instructions and discipline of a father. This question that יהוה was asking of Yehuḏah was clear-

“If I am the Father then where is My esteem?”

This is a question of identity!

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘if’ is אִם im – Strong’s H518 which is a conditional participle or primary conjunction which renders, ‘if, though, either, neither, when, whenever’.

The basic meaning is “if” and this meaning can be seen in most of its occurrences and usually occurs in conditional clauses, which we are able to see very clearly here!

If He is the Father… where then is His esteem?

Many people want to be identified as being children of The Most-High, yet they give no weight to His commands and cast aside the need to obey His Torah and instructions and, in the process, are unable to properly praise His Name!

Lots of people today, will even recite the words that our Master and Elohim taught, as a pattern of how we ought to pray, yet their lawlessness and compromised lifestyles reveal that they are not sons or daughters of Elohim.

Many will recite the following: Our Father who is in the heavens, let Your Name be set-apart – yet are not bringing esteem to His Name, as they do not take Him serious enough and have no clue what His word teaches about set-apartness!

Yisra’ĕl had no clue about how they were despising the Name of יהוה which is to be esteemed!

They did not see their compromised and corrupt worship and festivals as wrong, simply because the priesthood had been corrupted and no proper Torah was being taught.

Blemished offerings were being brought and they even called the Table of יהוה despicable!

The Hebrew root word that is translated as ‘despise/despised/despicable’ is בָּזָה bazah – Strong’s H959 which means, ‘to despise, despicable, contempt, careless, to be vile, worthless’; and the answer to the question of how they were despising the Name of יהוה is given, in the next verse:

Mal’aḵi/Malachi 1:7 “You are presenting defiled food on My altar. But you asked, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ Because you say, ‘The table of יהוה is despicable.’”

This rebuke of how they were presenting defiled food and calling the table of יהוה despicable, is a clear rebuke as to how they were despising the Feasts of יהוה, and contaminating their worship through a corrupt mix of pagan rooted sun-worship practices that had caused their festivals to become defiled and unclean before the eyes of Elohim, as they showed no regard for the true Table of יהוה.

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘defiled’ comes from the root word גָּאַל ga’al – Strong’s H1351 which means, ‘to defile, stain, be unclean, be polluted, desecrate’.

In both of the accounts that are recorded in the books of Ezra and Neḥemyah, we take note that when a register was taken of those who had returned to Yehuḏah and Yerushalayim, there were some who sought their register among those who were counted by genealogy, but they were not found, so they were barred from the priesthood as ‘defiled’.

Those who are not grafted in to the Covenants of Promise by the Blood of Messiah will find that their names will not be found in His genealogy and will be barred from the priesthood as being defiled!

That is to say that those who rebel against the proper obedience to the Torah of our Master and Elohim defile themselves and will be rejected for being defiled!

In today’s terms, we can see this vivid display of many who say that the table of יהוה is despicable, simply by their refusal to keep the Feast of Pěsaḥ/Passover and Matzot/Unleavened Bread, while they continue in bringing defiled and abominable worship, in the form of the pagan feast of Easter/Ishtar.

Many falsely claim that they are worshipping Elohim, when they observe falsified sun-worship feasts and ‘present defiled food’, so to speak, as they eat yeast products during a feast where no leaven is commanded!!!

Hot cross buns and all the Easter eggs are defiled food, and when confronted about this, most Christians will refuse to hear the truth and will call the True Feast of Pěsaḥ/Passover and 7 days of Unleavened Bread/Matzot ‘despicable’, by their non-compliance, which is also from the root word בָּזָה bazah – Strong’s H959!

While we can recognise how false worship systems are clearly despising יהוה, we also must recognise how there are many who claim to be walking in the Truth and are ‘keeping the Torah’, so to speak, yet they too are despising the Table of יהוה by defiling it through the adherence of false rabbinic traditions and man-made customs that bring no esteem to יהוה whatsoever.

The word ‘despised’ is explained in the Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary as: ‘to look down on with contempt or aversion; to regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful’, and herein lies a very severe warning to those who regard the Torah as negligible, worthless or distasteful, and treat with contempt the Name of יהוה.

The choice is clear – fear יהוה and walk in straightness as true upright ones of the Most-High by waking in His Torah, or walk in your own ways and despise Him and face the fate of the wrong!

Mishlĕ/Proverbs 14:2 “He who walks in his straightness fears יהוה, but he whose ways are crooked despises Him.”

This parable highlights for us the clear problems that were being faced when the message of the Word of יהוה to Yisra’ĕl was given by Mal’aḵi – for Yisra’ĕl were not walking in straightness due to the lack of fear for יהוה as their ways were clearly crooked!

This teaches us a vital lesson that any departure from total straightness is a crooked way which despises יהוה rather than fears Him! What is being clearly contrasted here, is straightness with crookedness, and the resulting actions of one versus the other toward יהוה – you either fear Him or despise Him – there is no middles ground!

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘in his straightness’ is בְּיָשְׁרוֹ – ‘b’yashro’ which comes from the root word ישֶׁר yosher – Strong’s H3476 meaning, ‘straightness, uprightness, correctly, honesty’ and comes from the primitive root verb יָשַׁר Yashar – Strong’s H3474 meaning, ‘straight, right, pleasing, be level, upright, just and lawful’.

The poetic term ‘Yeshurun’ – which means ‘upright one’, is used as a symbolic term of all 12 Tribes of Yisra’ĕl serving together in unity!

The Hebrew wordיְשֻׁרוּן Yeshurun – Strong’s H3484 comes from the word יָשַׁר yashar – Strong’s H3474 which means, ‘straight, right, pleasing, be level, upright, just and lawfull’.

This is what יהוה has chosen Yisra’ĕl (His called-out Bride) for – to be straight and upright and walk in His Torah, shining the Light of His Besorah (Good News) amidst a crooked world.

The upright ones who walk in straightness fear יהוה!

This is what is being addressed here, in this message of the word of יהוה – where is His fear and esteem?

He not only uses the picture of how a son esteems his father, but also highlights how a servant esteems his master and then presents another conditions clause, by saying:

“if I am a Master, where is My fear?”

Is He Master or not?

If He is Master then where is His fear?

This is a sobering wake up call to many who claim to call Him Master, yet do not do what He says:

Luqas/Luke 6:46 “But why do you call Me ‘Master, Master,’ and do not do what I say?”

Mattithyahu/Matthew 7:21-22 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens. 22 “Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’ 23 “And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!’”

We also take note of the words of our Master and Elohim, in:

Luqas/Luke 16:13 “No servant is able to serve two masters, for either he shall hate the one and love the other, or else he shall cling to the one and despise the other. You are not able to serve Elohim and mammon.”

If He is The Father and if He is Master then where is His esteem and fear?

The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘where’ is אַיֵּה ayyeh – Strong’s H346 which comes from the word אַי ay – Strong’s H335 which means, ‘where, how, what, whether, why’.

This word אַיֵּה ayyeh – Strong’s H346 is used here as an interrogative adverb which means, ‘where’, with reference to position as part of a rhetorical question.

WHERE IS MY FEAR!

The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘fear’ is מוֹרָה morah – Strong’s H4172 which means, ‘fear, dread, terror, respect, reverence, what they fear, who is to be feared’ and comes from the root word – יָרֵא yare – Strong’s H3372 which means, ‘to fear, be afraid, be in awe, show reverence and respect’.

True obedience and set-apart servanthood, begins with the proper fear of יהוה, which was greatly lacking back then and is still lacking today!

The Hebrew root word יָרֵא yare – Strong’s H3372 is used in:

Qoheleth/Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the entire matter: Fear Elohim and guard His commands, for this applies to all mankind!”

This root word יָרֵא yare – Strong’s H3372 is used to describe the reverence and respect we ought to have for Elohim, by being dutiful in our obedience;, yet when one is disobedient this ‘fear’ is not out of reverence, but is rather a fear as a result of being afraid for being disobedient and the consequences of the punishment for disobedience that are due!

It is used in:

Berěshith/Genesis 3:10 “And he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid myself.”

Here Aḏam was afraid because he had sinned, however we see this same root word – יָרֵא yare – Strong’s H3372 being used in a positive sense in:

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 6:13 “Fear יהוה your Elohim and serve Him, and swear by His Name.”

The one that fears יהוה will refrain from doing that which is displeasing to Him.

Fear of Him does not cause us to shrink back, as one would from a fierce enemy or wild beast, but rather it causes us to draw near to Him and fills us with a reverent awe, with the urgent zeal and desire in doing our utmost to please Him in every way!

A proper fear of Elohim will lead to a proper service unto Him, revealing who His true set-apart servants are – which are those who guard His commands and hold fast and overcome!

Ḥazon/Revelation 21:7 “The one who overcomes shall inherit all this, and I shall be his Elohim and he shall be My son.”

Ḥazon/Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are those doing His commands, so that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city.”

While many may have claimed that they did indeed fear Elohim their actions said otherwise.

They had defiled the Table of יהוה and were bringing blemished offerings as we see in:

Mal’aḵi/Malachi 1:8 “And when you present the blind as a slaughtering, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Bring it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favourably?” said יהוה of hosts.”

These are clear rhetorical questions that are being given here, as a severe rebuke for the pathetic display of an assumed fear and esteem that they were bringing before יהוה.

Of course, it is evil to present the blind, lame and sick as a slaughtering:

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 15:21 “But when there is any defect in it, lame or blind, or has any evil defect, do not slaughter it to יהוה your Elohim.”

This speaks about not bringing to יהוה what is blemished!!!

What we can learn from this, is that when we understand that we are to be a living sacrifice, and as we are ‘in’ Messiah, who is the ‘firstborn’ among the dead, and of all creation, we must realise that we cannot bring unto יהוה a blemished or defective walk of faith!

A blemished offering is simply that which is not perfect, according to the Word and many are bringing a defective offering of their lives, as they are riddled with compromise and the constant justification for their disobedience and their lack of proper submission to guarding the Truth in fervent love!

If there is any defect in our daily walk, then we are unable to present our bodies as a living sacrifice!

So many people give their second best to יהוה, while they will ensure that they give their best to their employers and friends.

For instance, a simple example would be how many today have no regard for their care for proper time-keeping when it comes to the Feasts of יהוה, and will always have an excuse why they were either late or could not attend the commanded set-apart gatherings, yet they will never be late for a business meeting, in fear of them losing their jobs!!! Where then is the true fear of יהוה?

I think that many employers would be disgusted with the work ethic of their employees, if they compromised as much as they do with the lack of properly obeying the commands of Elohim – do not bring a defective worship to Elohim!!!

Why do people bring blemished offerings?

Because they do not fear יהוה!

Where has the fear of יהוה gone and where is His esteem?

This is a question that this message in Mal’aḵi/Malachi was asking back then and continues to ask the Bride of Messiah today!

We must have a proper reverence for our Master and Elohim and to do that we must also understand the fear of יהוה:

Mishlĕ/Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of יהוה is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Set-apart One is understanding.”

Mishlĕ/Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of יהוה is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

Mishlĕ/Proverbs 2:1-6 “My son, if you accept my words, and treasure up my commands with you, 2 so that you make your ear attend to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; 3 for if you cry for discernment, lift up your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as hidden treasures, 5 then you would understand the fear of יהוה, and find the knowledge of Elohim. 6 For יהוה gives wisdom; out of His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

We all want to understand the fear of יהוה and to do that I encourage you to please go through the notes of a message called, ‘THOSE FEARING ELOHIM LISTEN!’ which can be found on our site under the ‘sermons 2011/2012’ menu or by clicking on the following link:

https://atfotc.com/index.php/our-sermons/sermons-2011-2012/192-those-fearing-elohim-listen

I also encourage you to go through the commentary and word study of the Mishlĕ/Proverbs for more on the above verses that are quoted, which can also be fund on our site under the ‘proverbs’ menu.

We are told in:

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 8:13 “יהוה of hosts, Him you shall set apart. Let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.”

The Hebrew word used here for ‘fear’, in the above verse from Yeshayahu/Isiah 8:13, is מוֹרָה morah – Strong’s H4172 and the Hebrew word that is translated as ‘dread’, comes from the root verb עָרַץ arats – Strong’s H6206 which means, ‘cause to tremble, oppress, feel dread’, and here it is written in the ‘hifil’ verb tense, which is the ‘causative’ tense that can render the meaning, ‘to regard of treat with awe, to inspire with awe, terrify’.

What is clear is that we should be caused to be in awe and true reverent fear of יהוה, while at the same time realise the terror of not doing so!

We are to tremble at His Word so that we pay close attention to hearing as we should and do what is commanded so that we do not bring that which is defiled!

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 66:5 “Hear the Word of יהוה, you who tremble at His Word, “Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for My Name’s sake, said, ‘Let יהוה be esteemed, so that we see your joy.’ But they are put to shame.”

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘tremble’ is the adjective חֲרֹד ḥaroḏ – Strong’s H2730 which means, ‘tremble, fearful, afraid’ and comes from the root verb חָרַד ḥaraḏ – Strong’s H2729 which means, ‘trembling, to be terrified, frightened, afraid’.

The true remnant hears and comes trembling at His Word and brings the proper esteem that is due to יהוה of Hosts, while those that do not tremble at His Word, and have no fear of Elohim, will be swayed by every wind of teachings and doctrine of falsehood that tickle and soothe their ears to their own destruction!

This Hebrew word חֲרֹד ḥaroḏ – Strong’s H2730 is also the name of a place that Giḏ’on and his men had camped at:

Shophetim/Judges 7:1 “And Yerubbaʽal, that is Giḏ’on, and all the people who were with him rose up early and encamped by the fountain of Ḥaroḏ, so that the camp of Miḏyan was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.”

All who were with Giḏ’on, encamped at the ‘fountain of Ḥaroḏ’, which, in Hebrew is עֵין חֲרֹד En Ḥaroḏ – Strong’s H5878 which means, ‘spring or fountain of Ḥaroḏ’.

This comes from the two words:

1) – עין ayin – Strong’s H5869 which means ‘eye, sight, fountain’, and is often used to depict the spiritual faculties, as when Aḏam and Ḥawwah sinned, their ‘eyes’ were opened and they lost their innocence and were aware of their nakedness, both physical and spiritual.

Eyes can be blinded to the Truth of the Torah of Elohim through compromise and sin, and eyes can be opened by Elohim, and we are told in Tehillah/Psalm 19:8 that the commands of Elohim enlighten the eyes!

2) – Ḥaroḏ comes from the root word חָרַד ḥaraḏ – Strong’s H2729 which means, ‘trembling, to be terrified, frightened, afraid’.

Giḏ’on and his gathered army were at the fountain of Ḥaroḏ, the place where the first testing, or sifting, would take place – the place that would reveal those who were afraid of the task that was at hand!

Miḏyan was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh!

The term מוֹרֶה Moreh – Strong’s H4176 means, ‘teacher’, and this in itself carries a great encouragement for us, especially when we understand the full story of Giḏ’on, who overcame huge terrifying obstacles and frightening enemies, as he trusted in, and fixed his eyes upon, יהוה.

Here we recognise that, in the face of danger and terrifying circumstances, which in Scripture is often represented as coming from the north, we are able to face battles and struggles, as long as we have the hill of Moreh in our sights – meaning, that we have our eyes on our Mighty Teacher and His clear instructions, that gives us confidence and faith to stand and fight the good fight of faith!

In Hebrew the word for ‘north’ is צְפוֹן Tsephon – Strong’s H6828, which is from the primitive root – צָפַן tsaphan – Strong’s H6845 meaning, ‘to hide, treasure up, ambush, concealed’.

We have a Teacher of Righteousness – and as good, faithful students, we must take careful heed to hear, guard and do all He teaches us through His Word – then we will be equipped to face the tough battles in life – even those battles and struggles that may be hidden from our sights, causing us to not be in fear of what lies ahead, but be equipped to press on in fervent faith, as good soldiers of Messiah, as we put the proper fear back in the fear of יהוה, bringing esteem to His Name!!!

What I find extremely interesting, is that the word that is used for ‘fear’, as in ‘where is My fear’, which is מוֹרָה morah – Strong’s H4172 and the word used for ‘teacher’, which is מוֹרֶה Moreh – Strong’s H4176, are both spelt with the same letters, but have different vowel pointing; which can be a very important lesson, in terms of this message, or question of asking, ‘where is My fear?’; as we take note that when our eyes are truly fixed on our Teacher of Righteousness, and are properly guarding His Word, as we do not look to the left or the right, but meditate on His Word day and night, then we are walking in the true fear of יהוה.

Where are your eyes looking?

Are they fixed on the Good Teacher or do you find that they wander from side to side and find that your walk has become distracted by falsehood and deceit, which causes you to lose the proper fear of יהוה, rendering the attempts at bringing esteem to His Name, as being nothing but a blemished offering that is unacceptable in His eyes!

This can also be a reminder of being careful as to who you are allowing to teach you, as we take note that there will be many false teachers that will tickle ears, which most, who do not walk in the fear of יהוה, will gather around themselves to satisfy their compromised lifestyles that they are unwilling to change.

We also recognise, as mentioned that there are some who the Master and Elohim has given to teach, and to disregard those that He has given and appointed, is the same as disregarding the Master Himself, for they are His Messengers!

What is worth taking note of, as we consider the message of the word of יהוה to Yisra’ĕl by Mal’aḵi, is that we are constantly reminded in Mal’aḵi/Malachi Chapters 1 and 2 that it is a message from יהוה of Hosts!

The compound title יהוה צְבָאוֹת – ‘YAHWEH tseḇaoth’ means, ‘יהוה of Hosts’ and the Hebrew word that is translated as ‘Hosts’, comes from the root word צָבָא tsaḇa – Strong’s H6635 which means, ‘army, war, warfare, battle, conflict, host (of organised army)’, and this comes from the primary root verb צָבָא tsaḇa – Strong’s H6633 meaning, ‘to wage war, perform, fight, serve, mustered, gone to war’.

He is not only our Commander and Chief, who fights for us, He is also the one under whom we march and fight the good fight of belief.

The question you must ask yourself, is whether or not you are staying in the Master and have counted the cost of following Him and are serving as a faithful soldier in His army!

Bemiḏbar/Numbers 26:2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl from twenty years old and above, by their fathers’ houses, everyone going out to the army in Yisra’ĕl.”

The Hebrew word that is translate as ‘army’ in verse 2 is צָבָא tsaḇa – Strong’s H6635 which means, ‘army, war, warfare, battle, conflict, host (of organised army)’.

This was a count to see who was truly enlisted in the army of Elohim!

We take note that this root word צָבָא tsaḇa – Strong’s H6635 is also used, in the instructions given the Lěwites who were to ‘perform the service’ in Bemiḏbar/Numbers 4:23.

To perform the duty of the priesthood, is seen as a critical service of ‘fighting the good fight’.

We must remember that the Lěwites encamped around the Tabernacle and were camped between the Tabernacle and the rest of the tribes in order to ‘guard the duty’ lest the wrath of Elohim break out to the rest of Yisra’ĕl!

The Lěwites were no sissies but rather very strong and brave men who had to be fit and able to guard the charge of keeping the Tabernacle from defilement!

Timotiyos Aleph/1 Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of the belief, lay hold on everlasting life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession before many witnesses.”

We also take note that this root word צָבָא tsaḇa – Strong’s H6635 is used over 250 times in the Tanak, as a clear title or Name of our Elohim – יהוה צְבָאוֹת – ‘YAHWEH tseḇaoth’ – meaning, ‘יהוה of Hosts’.

Our Father and Master is our Elohim and King and He is our Commander and Chief, unto who all esteem is to be given and He is the One to be feared, as we walk in the fear of יהוה.

This word or message, ought to be a warning against complacency and blemished worship, so that the true hearers of this word can put back the fear into the fear of יהוה, by guarding to do all He has commanded us to do and, at the same time, bring the proper esteem to His Name, as we give weight and respect to His Trustworthy Word!

Many today do not have the fear of יהוה simply because they do not recognise, or acknowledge, who He is and they take His Word far too lightly, which causes them to not be able to properly trust in Him, as they find themselves fearing man:

Mishlĕ/Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in יהוה is set on high.”

What Shelomoh is addressing here is a major problem that we see today and that is that the fear of man is causing many to stumble in their need and ability to trust in יהוה.

So many are more afraid of what another man can do to them, than what יהוה can and will do to the disobedient and, in the process, many neglect to guard the Torah in the fear of offending a man.

There are so many who lack a true and proper trust in יהוה as they get gripped with the fear of a man; and a good example of this is seen how some will quickly neglect to obey the Torah when confronted by a threatening boss or family or acquaintance.

Many, in fear of losing their job, will be too afraid to approach their employer and tell them that they cannot work on a Sabbath and will end up working on the Sabbath if asked too, which is a snare that leads to death!

Instead of trusting יהוה to give them favour they fall prey to the fear of man and find that their ability to trust יהוה being hindered by the fear of man.

This is what Shelomoh is teaching us here, for when one has the fear of man, in any way, then the ability to trust in יהוה will be lacking!

To properly trust in יהוה is a blessing, for the fear of man does not grip, or affect, the one who makes יהוה their trust!

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 17:7-8 “Blessed is the man who trusts in יהוה, and whose trust is יהוה. 8 “For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and does not see when heat comes. And his leaf shall be green, and in the year of drought he is not anxious, nor does he cease from yielding fruit.”

Tehillah/Psalm 22:23 “You who fear יהוה, praise Him! All you seed of Ya’aqoḇ, esteem Him, and fear Him, all you seed of Yisra’ĕl!”

To give proper esteem that is due to יהוה, we must give weight and honour to guarding His presence and doing what He commands.

In other words, a true life of praise does not take lightly the need to obey what His word commands, and does not give in to compromise for fear of what others may say or think!

A כָּבֵד kaḇeḏ – Strong’s H3513 (esteemed) praise of יהוה, reflects a praise life that does not waver from complete set-apartness, and does not give in to the compromised standards of the world, or even to family members who do not walk in the Torah!

Is the weight of His easy yoke upon you, or do you buckle under the pressure of the lawless!

Does your life reflect true honour unto our Master and Elohim, or are there some dishonourable areas in your life, so to speak?

If there is compromise in your life, your ability to give esteem unto יהוה becomes greatly hindered and the fear of יהוה will be lost! Let us not ask ourselves the question that is being asked to many, which is:

WHERE HAS THE ‘FEAR’ IN ‘THE FEAR OF יהוה’ GONE AND WHERE IS HIS ESTEEM?

Let us all be urgent in rendering the proper fear and esteem unto יהוה as we should, as a called out and set-apart priesthood that has their eyes fixed on our One True Master and Elohim, who is The Good Teacher of Righteousness!!!

Let us make sure that the true reverent fear is put back into the fear of יהוה and let us not let the esteem of His Name be hindered in any way, as we love Him with all our heart, being and might!

יהוה bless you and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show favour to you; יהוה lift up His face to and give you shalom!

Shalom All,

Qorintiyim Bět/2 Corinthians 6:14-18 “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness and lawlessness? And what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 And what agreement has Messiah with Beliya‛al? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever? 16 And what union has the Dwelling Place of Elohim with idols? For you are a Dwelling Place of the living Elohim, as Elohim has said, “I shall dwell in them and walk among them, and I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says יהוה , and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you. 18 “And I shall be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says יהוה the Almighty.”

While this passage may be very familiar to many, I often wonder how many of those who are familiar with these words of Sha’ul are actually taking heed of what was being called for here in this letter to the assembly in Corinth and realise just how alive these words are for us today! The very clear call being given is simply this:

COME OUT AND BE SEPARATE!

As simple and clear as this is, it is a sad reality that we do not see people responding as they should; and when we all look into the mirror of the Word, we need to ask ourselves if we have responded to this clear call and command being given!

In these words of Sha’ul we are able to clearly recognise his referencing the same clear call being given to Yisra’ěl from the Tanak, as we take note of as follows:

“Come out from among them and be separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you.”

These words would be a clear reminder of the call given in:

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 52:11 “Turn aside! Turn aside! Come out from there, touch not the unclean. Come out of her midst, be clean, you who bear the vessels of יהוה.”

As we consider these very striking words we need to have ears to hear and the courageous belief to obey and not find ourselves caught up in a corrupted and poisonous web of mixing that will cause one to be destroyed by a delusion of lawlessness. In Sha’ul’s letter to the believers in Corinth he was compelling them to take this call to come out and be separate seriously, by highlighting that true believers cannot be unevenly yoked with unbelievers, nor can they have any partnership with the lawless and that being called to walk in the light, believers should not have fellowship with darkness and must stay far away from idol worship.

To properly hear the call to ‘come out and be separate’ requires a bold and courageous strength and commitment, that is held fast to with great courage in the Master, and this involves a zealous and determined belief that does not waver when circumstances are not necessarily favourable, nor cause one to shrink back when the heat of trials or the pressures of life is turned up!!!

Being separated involves a ‘coming out’ from among that which is foreign and contrary to the set-apart way that the Torah of Elohim instructs a set-apart Bride to walk in! It is the ability to properly separate oneself from that which is common and that which profanes!

The Greek word that is translated as ‘come out’ is ἐξέρχομαι exerchomai – Strong’s G1831 which means, ‘depart, come out from, go forth’, and is the same word that is used in:

Ḥazon/Revelation 18:4 “And I heard another voice from the heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”

The Greek word that is translated as ‘separate’ is ἀφορίζω aphorizō – Strong’s G873 which means, ‘to mark off by boundaries, ostracise, separate, set-apart’ and this word comes from the two words: 1 – ἀπό apo – Strong’s G575 which is a preposition and primitive particle, meaning, ‘from, away from, against’ and 2 – ὁρίζω horizon – Strong’s G3724 which means, ‘predetermined, fixed, appointed, to mark off by boundaries’.

What is abundantly clear, all throughout Scripture, is that we are ‘called to come out and be separate’. If we do not heed this ‘call to come out and be separate’ then we may just find ourselves among those whom the Messengers of יהוה will ‘separate’ from the congregation!

Mattithyahu/Matthew 13:49-50 “Thus shall it be at the end of the age: the messengers shall come forth, and separate the wicked out of the midst of the righteous, 50 and shall throw them into the furnace of fire – there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

The choice is not a difficult one and in fact is a very clear choice: separate yourself from all foreign worship and its associated practices and separate yourself from all that profanes set-apartness or you will be separated for destruction and thrown into outer darkness!

Mattithyahu/Matthew 25:30 “And throw the worthless servant out into the outer darkness – there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

In Yeshayahu/Isaiah 52:11 the Hebrew phrase that is translated as ‘Turn aside! Turn aside!’ is written as follows: ס֤וּרוּ ס֙וּרוּ֙ – suru suru – and comes from the primitive root verb סוּר sur – Strong’s H5493 which means, ‘turn, turn aside, depart from a way, avoid, be removed from, put away’. With this being written twice in a row, it carries an intensity and urgency in the call to hear what is being commanded!

This Hebrew root word סוּר sur – Strong’s H5493 is used in Scripture in reference to ‘putting away’ that which we should not be associated with and ‘to put away’ or ‘turn aside’ would be ‘to turn aside from’ and ‘come out of’ that which is foreign to the Covenants of Promise.

There are many today who are looking from the side lines, so to speak, and in doing so they are like spectators who may like the view, yet are unwilling to ‘turn aside’ from the way in which they have been walking, based on the inherited traditions and dogmas of man! In their stubbornness and refusal to hear, guard and do the Word, yet desire all the blessings of the Word, they will use various excuses such as, “I will get there but…” or “I will eventually, I first must…” These, and many more like these, are just excuses to not fully come out and be separate as they actually find themselves comfortable with living in a mixed state, thinking that they can have what they deem as the best of both and not recognise the damaging nature of mixing with darkness and idolatry, while assuming that they are fine!

Turing aside and coming out requires a diligent response to clean up one’s life and get rid of all forms of defilement… and then keep clean and separated from that which defiles!

Qorintiyim Bět/2 Corinthians 7:1 “Having, then, these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, perfecting set-apartness in the fear of Elohim.”

The Greek word that is translated here as “cleanse” is καθαρίζω katharizō – Strong’s G2511 from which we get the term “catharsis” which is a cleaning-out.

The Greek word that is translated here as ‘defilement’ is μολυσμός molusmos – Strong’s G3436 meaning, ‘defilement, filthiness, an action by which anything is defiled and rendered unclean and unfit’ and comes from the word μολύνω molunō – Strong’s G3435 meaning, ‘to stain, defile, soiled’.

We are to keep our garments from being stained or soiled by sin and compromise and cleanse ourselves in the Blood of Messiah and obey His Word! Cleansing oneself from all defilement of the flesh entails a proper coming out of that which is not of us and separating ourselves from the things that can cause us to be filthy! We are not to cleanse ourselves from just some of the defilement of the flesh but from ALL!

So many refuse to accept, or simply ignore, the urgency of coming out and being separate and as a result they so quickly compromise the clear set-apartness that is to be pursued, simply because they do not ‘come out’ properly, as they continue to mix their ways with the twisted practices that present a form of reverence yet lacks proper power, proving by their compromised actions that they are actually lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Elohim!!

We are warned against such people as Sha’ul teaches us to turn away from these!

Timotiyos Bět/2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But know this, that in the last days hard times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, thankless, wrong-doers, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, haters of good, 4 betrayers, reckless, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Elohim, 5 having a form of reverence but denying its power. And turn away from these!”

There is no way to ‘sugar-coat’ the clear danger of not coming out and being separated unto Elohim and rightly so for those who turn their ears from this call, and refuse to be set-apart, are heading for destruction and the punishment of the ‘second’ death.

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘come out’ twice in Yeshayahu/Isiah 52:11 is צְא֣וּ – tse’u which comes from the root word יָצָא yatsa – Strong’s H3318 meaning, ‘to go or come out, brought, came, go forth, depart, go forward, proceed’ and highlights the clear concept of going with a purpose!

When this call to ‘come out from there’ and ‘come out from her’ is given, it is done with a clear purpose of coming out from the defilement of idolatry and corrupt mixing and the pursuit of set-apartness!

The Hebrew root word that is translated here as ‘touch’ is נָגַע naga – Strong’s H5060 which means, ‘to touch, strike, reach, cause to touch, join’; and the Greek word used in the LXX (Septuagint) is ἅπτομαι haptomai – Strong’s G680 which means, ‘touch, fasten oneself to, cling’ and is used to describe the practice of having no fellowship with pagan practices, as we see the clear command given in:

Qorintiyim Bět/2 Corinthians 6:17 “Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you.”

The Greek word translated as ‘not’ is μή mē – Strong’s G3361 which is a primary participle of a qualified negation, meaning, ‘not, know, neither, none’

We see Sha’ul warning the believers in Colossae with this too:

Qolasim/Colossians 2:20-22 “If, then, you died with Messiah from the elementary matters of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to dogmas: 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle” – 22 which are all to perish with use – according to the commands and teachings of men?”

In these words, we see Sha’ul saying not to touch, taste or handle that which is of the world and has been the construct of dogmas that have been enforced through traditions which are developed according to the command and teachings of men!

The reason that I am highlighting these words and its uses in various verses is to simply point out the wonderful work that our Master and Redeemer has done for us, as He was stricken for our transgressions, cleansing us from that which defiles and now, we are to makes sure we do not touch that which does not pertain to complete set-apartness!

Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 5:18 “We know that everyone having been born of Elohim does not sin, but the one having been born of Elohim guards himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.”

So many people may claim to be ‘saved’, so to speak, yet they continue to submit to dogmas of man-made traditions that have set aside the Torah of Elohim and enforced a form of reverence that lacks the proper power or empowerment of the Set-Apart Spirit!

Coming out and not touching must go hand in hand if one wants to purse set-apartness and be set-apart!

Letting go of the false is critical in being able to properly come out; and this is where many stumble and fall backwards. We are to cling to the Truth as we cling to the Word of Elohim, having a firm grip on the Truth in order to faithfully guard to do all that Elohim has commanded us! In the Hebraic mind-set one’s hands is symbolic of what one does, or the works of one’s life and clinging to the Word of Elohim emphasises our need to be doers of the Word and not hearers only!!! If one touches that which they should have come out from then their hands, that is their works, are defiled and as a result their assumed set-apartness is defiled!

What are you holding on to? Are you clinging to Elohim or are your hands still filled with muddied works of disobedience and compromise?

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 10:20 “Fear יהוה your Elohim. Serve Him, and cling to Him, and swear by His Name.”

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 11:22-23 “For if you diligently guard all these commands which I command you, to do it, to love יהוה your Elohim, to walk in all His ways, and to cling to Him, 23 then יהוה shall drive out all these nations before you, and you shall dispossess greater and stronger nations than you.”

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 13:4 “Walk after יהוה your Elohim and fear Him, and guard His commands and obey His voice, and serve Him and cling to Him.”

If we are not clinging to Him then our hands are not doing what is required and as a result we may find that are hands get bound to the futility of lawlessness and false traditions that defile!

The Hebrew word used here for ‘cling’ is דָּבַק daḇaq – Strong’s H1692 which means, ‘to cling, cleave, keep close, closely pursued, fasten its grip, joined, remained steadfast’. Clinging to יהוה expresses our total reliance upon Him – which is very opposite to independence that the world teaches and promotes! We are to be dependent upon יהוה, and we can be, as we know that He fights for us and His Word does not fail!

The Greek word that is used in the LXX (Septuagint – Greek translation of the Tanak – O.T.) for ‘cling’ is κολλάω kollaō – Strong’s G2853 which means, ‘to unite, associate, cling, join’, and comes from the word κόλλα kola which is the Greek word for ‘glue’, giving us a very clear understanding of what is being instructed here!

This root word κολλάω kollaō – Strong’s G2853 is used in:

Romiyim/Romans 12:9 “Let love be without hypocrisy. Shrink from what is wicked, cling to what is good.”

We are to be ‘glued’ to what is good, and be so stuck to what is good that we will not be able to let it go! When we understand this as giving reference to that with which you associate or join yourself to, we are reminded that we must not be joined to that which is wicked as we can be reminded of what happened to those who were ‘joined to Ba’al Peor’:

Bemiḏbar/Numbers 25:5 “And Mosheh said to the judges of Yisra’ĕl, “Each one of you slay his men who were joined to Baʽal Peʽor.”

Yisra’ĕl began to whore with the daughters of Mo’aḇ who enticed them to slaughter to and bow down to their false mighty ones, and the displeasure of יהוה burned. The leaders were hung before יהוה and the judges were told to go and kill anyone who were joined to Ba’al Peʽor!

It was straight after this that one of the Yisra’ĕlite men brought a Miḏyanite woman into the camp and took her to his tent. Pineḥas then stood up and took a spear in his hand and thrust both of them through and the plague that had come into the camp was stopped!

Why I am mentioning this is to highlight the need for us to cling to what is good and shrink from what is wicked and not the other way around!

Who or what do you associate with?

Who we interact with can have a huge impact and influence on our lives. While many may associate with various people in the work place and have dealings with various clients, I am not talking about that kind of association. What I am talking about is who or what do you get personally or intimately associated with?

Who are you closest friends?

What we must remember is that bad company corrupts good character, and if you find that you are closely associating with people who do not hold fast to the commands of Elohim, you are in severe danger of having the good character of Elohim in you being corrupted! When this happens, we tend to find that compromise has a way of creeping in to a person’s life in order to accommodate those to whom they are associating closely with, which can cause one, who was accustomed to clinging to what is good, to lose their grip, as the ‘glue of set-apartness’ begins to be ripped off, bit by bit.

Some people who have found themselves in a place where they are doing their best at doing what is right, while trying to accommodate compromise at the same time, are in a very dangerous place of being led astray by deceptive ways, becoming blinded by sin and risk being thrown onto the same bed as the adulterous whore and be destroyed along with her!

Just as we are to cling to יהוה, we must at the same time be on our guard to not allow anything that is not from Him to cling to us:

Tehillah/Psalm 101:3 “I set no matter of Beliya’al before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it does not cleave to me.”

Clinging to יהוה is not just a stiff literal obedience; but it also involves and earnest seeking of His face in doing our utmost to know Him and therefore embrace His commands as that which separates us and identifies us as His. It is not a matter of “I have got to obey”, but rather it is a “I get the privilege to obey and show my love”

If one tries to do things their own ways then they are unable to cling to יהוה!

In the ancient pictographic alphabet, the word דָּבַק daḇaq – Strong’s H1692 which means, ‘to cling, cleave, keep close, closely pursued, fasten its grip, joined, remained steadfast’.is written as:

Dalet – דָּ:

In the ancient script this letter is pictured as , which is a ‘tent door’. It can also have the meaning of a back and forth movement, as one goes back and forth through a tent door and so speaks of an access point. It can also carry the meaning of ‘dangle’ or hanging as the tent door would hang from the roof pole of the tent. It speaks a great deal in terms of understanding the door of the tent of appointment as the only means of access. We also recognise that יהושע Messiah is The Door, and whoever enters through Him, shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and find pasture.

The commands are also commanded to be put on our doorposts as a continual reminder that we are to guard His commands, as we go out and come in, submitting under the authority of The Door, through which we have been given access to being built up as a spiritual House for Elohim.

Beyt – בַ:

In the ancient script this letter is pictured as , pictured as a ‘tent floor plan’, and means, ‘house’ or ‘tent’. It represents ‘family’ and the importance of those who are inside the tent as opposed to the tent structure itself. We, as living stones are built up in the Master, and are the Dwelling Place of Elohim.

Quph – ק:

In the ancient script this letter is pictured as , a ‘horizon’ and depicts the elements of ‘time’, as it pictures the sun in its rising and setting. It therefore carries the meaning of ‘circle’ or ‘to go around’, representing for us both, appointed cycles or times as well as eternity. This can very well picture for us ‘consistency’ in guarding the commands without compromise, as we do not neglect to adhere to the commands of the House!

These 3 pictographic letters can render for us:

THE DOOR OF THE HOUSE CONTINUALLY!

As we consider this word דָּבַק daḇaq – Strong’s H1692 which means, ‘to cling, cleave, keep close, stick to, follow closely, stay with, joined to, joined together’, in the ancient lettering, we can clearly recognise how we are to be steadfast in our complete commitment in guarding the rules of the House, so to speak, being faithful ‘doorkeepers’ that guard the commands of Elohim, who is The Door!!!

Another way of expressing this call to cling to what is good could best be given as:

HOLD FAST TO WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE MASTER!

If one done not come out and be separate then the ability to hold fast will be non-existent as compromise will cause one to lose whatever assumed grip they thought they may have had!

In teaching us that we are to be presenting our lives as a daily living offering, that is set-apart and well pleasing to Elohim, Sha’ul was making it very clear to us what reasonable worship is and what it is not, and in the process of being transformed by the renewing of our minds, we must be sober in our thinking and get rid of all selfishness. When we do this, we will realise how we are all uniquely different parts in the body of Messiah, and each has a unique function, yet we are all members of each other. For a body to function as it should, all parts should be functioning as they should. Therefore, as the Bride of our Master and Elohim, we can learn from these words of Sha’ul as he tells us to make sure that we let love be without hypocrisy!

The Greek word that is translated as ‘without hypocrisy’ in Romiyim/Romans 12:9 is ἀνυπόκριτος anupokritos – Strong’s G505 which means, ‘unhypocritical, without hypocrisy, unfeigned’, and therefore can render the understanding of being, ‘sincere, genuine’. Let love be without hypocrisy can also be understood as saying ‘let love be genuine’! This Greek word is a construct of two words:

1) α alpha – Strong’s G1 used as a negative prefix, and

2) ὑποκρίνομαι hupokrinomai – Strong’s G5271 which literally means, ‘to answer, reply, on a stage, pretend’. This is also made up from two words:

1) ὑπό hupo – Strong’s G5259 which means ‘under’ and further means ‘to be controlled by or in subjection to’; and

2) κρίνω krinō – Strong’s G2919 which means, ‘to judge, decide, conclude, determine’. One who is not without hypocrisy is a hypocrite which in the Greek is the word ὑποκριτής hupokritēs – Strong’s G5273 which means, ‘one who answers, pretender, actor, dissembler (one who hides under a false appearance)’; and a ‘hypocrite’ referred originally to “one who judged from under the cover of a mask” thus, assuming an identity and a character which he was not. This term was typically referred to the actors on the Greek stage – that is one who took the part of another, giving the appearance of a false identity in order to indulge the fantasies of the audience.

Understanding this we can therefore see that Sha’ul is clearly telling us to not put up false appearances and indulge the fantasies of others! There are many hypocrites in the faith today as they are indulging the fantasies of those to whom they think they need to impress or please or follow, and are no different to an actor who must learn lines have been scripted for them. Hypocrite believers do not necessarily think for themselves, but will rather immerse themselves in learning the lines of a false identity and in doing so assume that identity in every aspect, becoming unable to properly discern what is truth and what is fiction! In the appeal for the believers to not be conformed to this hypocritical world, but rather be transformed by the renewing of minds, he is making an urgent plea for true believers to stop being hypocrites that are merely putting on a show for others, but rather be sober in one’s thoughts and start meditating on the Truth and let go of the false traditions and teachings that have been held on to for so long, thinking that they gave one an identity! To do that, he tells us to shrink from what is wicked and cling to what is good!

This is very important to understand as many are unwilling to shrink from what is wicked, rendering their hands being too weak to cling to what is good!

The Greek word used for ‘shrink’ is ἀποστυγέω apostugeō – Strong’s G655 which literally means, ‘to abhor, hate, be totally against’, and by implication this means to make sure you have no part with that which is wicked!

If one is not shrinking from that which is wicked then it is clear that they have not come out and are not separating themselves, nor are they cleansing themselves from all defilement of the flesh!

COME OUT and BE SEPARATE!

To come out and be separate means that one must be clean, and as we see in Yeshayahu/Isaiah 52:11, the call to turn aside and come out comes with the clear command to not touch the unclean and the command to come out from ‘her’, which is a clear metaphor to come out from all whoring and ‘be clean’!

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘be clean’ comes from the primitive root verb בָּרַר barar – Strong’s H1305 which means, ‘to purify, cleanse, select, choose, purge’.

Those who have turned to the Master and have been immersed in Him have been purged from all sin and lawlessness. By His spoken Word, given through Mosheh and revealed through His life, death and resurrection, we have been chosen in Him and have been purged of all our lawlessness and sin and are therefore called to stay clean and stay set-apart, so as to not fall back to defiling ways, because of not coming out and be separate as we should!!

This command to turn aside, come out and be clean, was given to ‘you who bear the vessels of יהוה’!

We are vessels that are being refined by our Master and we must do our utmost to live set-apart lives and allow His word to cleanse us from all dross that defiles.

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘vessels’ is כְּלִי keli – Strong’s H3627 which means, ‘article, utensil, vessel, armour, weapon, tool for labour’, which comes from the root verb כָּלָה kalah – Strong’s H3615 which means ‘finished, completed, come to an end or accomplished’ and is very similar to the root word כַּלָּה kallah – Strong’s H3618 which means ‘a bride’, which carries a wonderful picture for us of a bride prepared – a bride who has made herself ready and presents herself as one prepared, before Her Husband and Redeemer!

Sha’ul wrote to Timotiyos and encouraged him to do his utmost to present himself approved to Elohim, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of Truth, and to keep away from that which defiles and he then uses the analogy of vessels and tells him the following:

Timotiyos Bět/2 Timothy 2:19-21 “However, the solid foundation of Elohim stands firm, having this seal, “יהוה knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the Name of Messiah turn away from unrighteous-ness.” 20 But in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some unto value and some unto no value. 21 If, then, anyone cleanses himself from these matters, he shall be a vessel unto value, having been set apart, of good use to the Master, having been prepared for every good work.”

Anyone who cleanses himself from the dross of sin and lawlessness and rebellion will be a set-apart vessel unto value and of good use to the Master!

The Greek word used here for ‘vessels’ is from the root word σκεῦος skeuos – Strong’s G4632 which means, ‘vessel, implement, goods, article, jar’, and is used in:

Tas’loniqim Aleph/1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 “For this is the desire of Elohim: your set-apartness! – that you should abstain from whoring, 4 that each one of you should know how to possess his own vessel in set-apartness and respect, 5 not in passion of lust, like the gentiles who do not know Elohim, 6 not to overstep and take advantage of his brother in this matter, because the Master is the revenger of all such, as we indeed said to you before and earnestly warned. 7 For Elohim did not call us to uncleanness, but in set-apartness.”

The Greek word used for ‘value’ in the expression ‘vessel unto value’ is τιμή time – Strong’s G5092 which means, ‘(to value, honour), a valuing, price, honour, honourable use, mark of respect’, and is used in:

Qorintiyim Aleph/1 Corinthians 6:20 “For you were bought with a price, therefore esteem Elohim in your body and in your spirit, which are of Elohim.”

We were bought with a price and therefore must reflect that in our daily lives as we are valuable vessels in our Master’s hand!

Qorintiyim Bět/2 Corinthians 4:7-10 “And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power might be of Elohim, and not of us – 8 being hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; being perplexed, but not in despair; 9 being persecuted, but not forsaken; being thrown down, but not destroyed; 10 always bearing about in the body the dying of the Master יהושע , that the life of יהושע might also be manifested in our body.”

Our Master has covered us with the pure silver of redemption, through His own blood, and purchased for us a redemption that we could not buy for ourselves! Our response to His purchasing us is that we make sure that we allow His Word to be that which cleanses us and teaches us how to flee the lusts of the flesh, doing our utmost in presenting ourselves approved to Elohim as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of Truth!

What I find very interesting, is that the Greek word used here for ‘treasure’ in Qorintiyim Bět/2 Corinthians 4:7 is θησαυρός thēsauros – Strong’s G2344 which means, ‘treasure, storehouse, magazine, repository’, and refers to, ‘the place in which good and precious things are collected and laid up’.

The English word ‘thesaurus’, in general use, is a reference work that lists words grouped together according to similarity of meaning (containing synonyms and sometimes antonyms). The main purpose of such reference works is to help the user “to find the word, or words, by which [an] idea may be most fitly and aptly expressed”.

Do you see what treasure we have been given – it is not just some random words, but the very living Words of our Master that He has put in us, in helping us ‘find’ the proper words and actions that can be most fitly applied to every situation!

He has put His thesaurus in us, so to speak!!! His Word is so powerful that it enables us to rightly divide and discern the Truth so that we can behave and live as true set-apart ones in complete righteousness, even whilst we are in exile, and are faithfully enduring, looking for the blessed expectation and esteemed appearance of our great Elohim and Saviour, יהושע Messiah!

His Good and established Word He has put in us, in order that we may be fit for every good work, as we stay in Him and exercise proper reverence! However, our Master makes it clear to us that you cannot put your hand to the plough, look back and think that you are fit enough! Our eyes must constantly be fixed on the Prince and Perfecter of our faith, not turning to the right or to the left but pressing on with great endurance as fit ones of the Most-High!

The heart of this message that I am giving here is clear:

COME OUT and BE SEPARATE!

Now, while this is obvious, I must make it clear that we all need to make sure that we look intently in to the Word of Elohim and not forget what we look like, but become doers of the Word, as we cling to our Master and serve Him in spirit and truth!

This call to come out and be separate needs to be made loud and clear… once again… for many are still clinging to false ways and are leading compromised lifestyles because of mixing falsehood with the Truth, even though they think that they are not! Many who have come to walk in the Torah, keeping the Sabbath and calling on the True Names, still may find themselves clinging to Rabbinic teachings and traditions, and in the process, they do not realise that they are joining themselves with works of darkness and teachings that deny that יהושע Messiah has come in the flesh! Many who have begun to walk in the Truth have not properly come out as they still hold fast to Christian traditions and theologies, and will not let go of false titles and false names and think that they can somehow mix the two and be ok!

I could certainly spend a great deal of time expanded on many passages of Scripture, in relation to this topic, yet what I simply am trying to do is make the call to come out and be separate a loud one!

It is time for mixing to stop…be it with the falsehood of old ways and teachings of Christianity or with the mystical luring of ancient Rabbinic sources that appear to be valid yet are false!

As I have already mentioned… if one cannot let go of the inherited lies of corrupted traditions of man, then the ability to cling to our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah, will not be able to be done correctly!

As you hear the repeated call that is given to us in Scripture, how are you responding? As you hear the following, what do you hear and what do you do?

COME OUT and BE SEPARATE!

Are there any areas or workings in your life that you are finding it difficult to be separated from, in order to properly cling to יהוה with your all? Don’t let that which corrupts and compromises cause your attempt and pursuit of set-apartness cripple your ability to be properly clinging to our Master and Elohim!

COME OUT and BE SEPARATE!

Do not be like those who are becoming more wrong and more filthy, but rather be one who is being more righteous and more set-apart! And if you are asking how you can do this, then the answer is clear – dig into the Word, look intently into the mirror of the Word and meditate day and night on the Torah of Elohim, holding fast to the true and narrow way, clinging to Elohim with both hands, so that you become stronger and stronger, perfecting your set-apartness before the face of Elohim!

His day draws near, for He is speedily coming with His reward, to give each according to his work! How will you be found by Him?

Mishlĕ/Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.” 

How is your path shining? Is your path shining brighter and brighter or has it become dull due to a decline in being diligent in hearing, guarding and doing the word of Elohim, as a result if compromise and mixing due to not having properly come out and be separate? Hear the clear call of our Master and respond in true belief!

It is time to:

COME OUT and BE SEPARATE!

יהוה bless you and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show favour to you; יהוה lift up His face upon you and give you shalom!

Shalom all,

Tehillah/Psalm 95:1-3 “Come, let us sing to יהוה! Let us raise a shout to the Rock of our deliverance. 2 Let us come before His face with thanksgiving; Let us raise a shout to Him in song. 3 For יהוה is a great Ěl, And a great Sovereign above all mighty ones.”

This Psalm carries a clear call for us to come and worship יהוה, because of who He is!!! This is a call to raise a shout to the Rock of our deliverance – and do so with much joy and praise unto Him and Him alone, for He is our Great Sovereign and He is Ruler of all creation!!!

This, along with other psalms that follow (96-99), has been considered by many as an ‘enthronement psalm’, as it celebrates the sovereignty of יהוה over all creation and is believed to have been sung in worship during the Feasts of יהוה, especially during Sukkoth/Feast of Tabernacles, which celebrates the completed deliverance of our great King who sits enthroned on High!

I often wonder if most believers grasp the importance of the proper praise that is to be given unto יהוה, for when a true recognition of the significance of the much-needed praise that is to be brought to our Mighty Master, Saviour and Elohim is understood and rendered correctly, with a continued set-apart obedience in all we do, then the effect of His equipping joy, that strengthens us to stand, will be realised and lived out in the fullest measure of a true zealous life of abundant praise for our Great Deliverer and King!!!

In this message, called ‘REVELATION OF PRAISE!’ I want to take a closer look at the wonderful accounts of praise that is given unto יהוה our Saviour and King, as found in the Book of Ḥazon/Revelation!

The book of Ḥazon/Revelation is a book filled with praise and is often overlooked due to a lack of understanding, or rather a lack of the proper revelation of who our Master, Saviour and Elohim is, which this book clearly reveals to us!

The Greek word that is translated as ‘revelation’ is ἀποκάλυψις apokalupsis – Strong’s G602 which means, ‘an uncovering, revelation, revealed’, and comes from the root word ἀποκαλύπτω apokaluptō – Strong’s G601 which means, ‘to uncover, reveal’ and is constructed from two words:

1) ἀπό apo – Strong’s G575 which is a preposition and participle that means, ‘from, away from, at, in, to’ and

2) καλύπτω kaluptō – Strong’s G2572 which means, ‘to cover, concealed, veiled’.

This ‘revelation’ of Messiah is an ‘uncovering of the veil’, revealing His clear identity as our Elohim and Saviour, for He is Master of Masters and Sovereign of Sovereigns! Many today are still veiled in their understanding and recognition of who He is as the veil of deception remains over their eyes, simply because they refuse to turn to Him and walk in complete obedience to His Word and as a result lack the ability to understand the importance and application of praise that is due to Him, and Him alone!

Qorintiyim Bět/2 Corinthians 3:16 “And when one turns to the Master, the veil is taken away.”

The Hebrew word חָזוֹן ḥazon – Strong’s H2377 which means, ‘revelation, vision’, is the word that is used for the Book of the Revelation of Messiah and comes from the primitive root verb חָזָה ḥazah – Strong’s H2372 which means, ‘to see, behold, have a vision, prophesy, perceive, to see by experience’. The book of Ḥazon/Revelation is a clear book of prophesy that reveals to us very clearly who our Saviour, Master and Elohim is!

Understanding this then, can certainly helps us understand that we ought to be able to see a revelation of the just and due praise that is to be given to Him.

As I have already mentioned, the book of Ḥazon/Revelation is a book filled with praise, yet it is also filled with a lot of warfare and wrath being unleashed upon the wicked and disobedient! What we are able to recognise, through many patterns or pictures that we find in Scripture, is that more often than not:

PRAISE PRECEDES WARFARE AND JUDGEMENT!

While there are many examples of this, where we see the Lěwites leading the charge into battles, with the sound of the shofar and a resounding shout of praise for יהוה El Shaddai, let me quickly remind you of Yeriḥo:

Yehoshua/Joshua 6:2-5 “And יהוה said to Yehoshua, “See! I have given Yeriḥo and its sovereign, mighty brave men, into your hand. 3 “And you shall go around the city, all the men of battle going around the city once. Do this for six days. 4 “And let seven priests bear seven shopharot of the yoḇelim before the ark, and on the seventh day go around the city seven times while the priests blow with the shopharot. 5 “And it shall be, when they make a long blast with the horn of a yoḇel, and when you hear the voice of the shophar, that all the people shout with a great sound. And the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

Yehoshua/Joshua 6:20 “And the people shouted when the priests blew the shopharot. And it came to be when the people heard the voice of the shophar, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. And the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.”

We see in another account in Scripture, where Yehuḏah was being surrounded the children of Mo’aḇ and Ammon, that Yehoshaphat sought יהוה and proclaimed a fast in the land, and all came to inquire of יהוה.

יהוה gave them full assurance that it is He who fights for them and that they should not be afraid but stand still and see the deliverance of יהוה with them. The Lěwites then stood and told the people to be steadfast and trust in יהוה … and then we see the following:

Diḇre haYamim Bět/2 Chronicles 20:21-22 “And after consulting with the people, he appointed those who should sing to יהוה , and who should praise the splendour of set-apartness, as they went out before the army and were saying, “Give thanks to יהוה , for His loving-commitment is everlasting.” 22 And when they began singing and praising, יהוה set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Mo’aḇ, and Mount Sě‛ir, who had come against Yehuḏah, and they were smitten.”

Can you see from this passage the power of a proper praise, esteem and thanks being given unto יהוה?

Ok, while I could continue with many such examples, I simply wanted to highlight the power and effect of praise, in order for us to grasp the revelation of praise as we continue our exploration of abundant praise that is found in the Book of Ḥazon/Revelation. Let us now therefore expand on the praise that we find in this powerful book of the revelation of Messiah!

The first account of praise that I want us to take a look at, here in Ḥazon/Revelation, is in Chapter 4:

Ḥazon/Revelation 4:8-11 “And the four living creatures, each having six wings, were covered with eyes around and within. And they do not cease, day or night, saying, “Set-apart, set-apart, set-apart, יהוה Ěl Shaddai, who was, and who is, and who is coming!” 9 And when the living creatures give esteem and respect and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and bow before Him who lives forever and ever, and they cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “You are worthy, O יהוה , to receive esteem and respect and power, for You have created all, and because of Your desire they are, and were created.” 

In this above passage we are able to see two sets of praise being given unto יהוה. Firstly, we have the 4 living creatures, that do not stop declaring the set-apartness of יהוה, giving Elohim ‘esteem, respect and thanks’!

ESTEEM:

Here we are able to see the heavenly host proclaiming continual praise and esteem unto Elohim and when seeing this I am reminded of the esteem that was given to Elohim when Messiah was born in the flesh:

Luqas/Luke 2:13-14 “And suddenly there was with the messenger a crowd of the heavenly host praising Elohim and saying, 14 “Esteem to Elohim in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased!” 

The Greek word used here for ‘esteem’ in Ḥazon/Revelation 4 and Luqas/Luke 2 is δόξα doxa – Strong’s G1391 which means, ‘honour, esteem, splendour, majesty, praise’. Giving esteem to יהוה ascribes to Him His full recognition of who He is and the weight of His Mighty presence.

The equivalent Hebrew word that is translated as ‘esteem’, in the Tanak (O.T.), is the root word כָּבוֹד kaḇoḏ – Strong’s H3519 which means, ‘honour, esteem, reverence, splendid’, which comes from the root verb כָּבֵד kaḇeḏ – Strong’s H3513 which means, ‘to be heavy, weighty or burdensome, to give high esteem and respect and honour’.

Mal’aḵi/Malachi 1:6 “A son esteems his father, and a servant his master. And if I am the Father, where is My esteem? And if I am a Master, where is My fear? said יהוה of hosts to you priests who despise My Name. But you asked, ‘In what way have we despised Your Name?’”

יהוה was making a clear statement that the hearers would be able to identify with and not be able to deny its truth and then asks: “And if I am the Father, where is My esteem? And if I am a Master, where is My fear?”

The verb כָּבֵד kaḇeḏ – Strong’s H3513 is often translated as ‘praise’ that is to be given to יהוה and this word is used in the 10 Words (Commandments) where we are told to ‘respect’ our parents; and so what is, in effect, being told to us here is that we must carefully consider and ‘give weight to’ the Word of Elohim and guard the Truth in order that we may live long in the land which יהוה is giving us, and not be kept out or expelled as our forefathers were for disobedience and a lack of faith!

“If I am the Father then where is My esteem?”

This is a question of identity! The Hebrew word translated as ‘if’ is אִם im – Strong’s H518 which is a conditional participle or primary conjunction which renders, ‘if, though, either, neither, when, whenever’. The basic meaning is “if” and this meaning can be seen in most of its occurrences and is usually occurs in conditional clauses, which we are able to see very clearly here! If He is the Father… where then is His esteem? Many people want to be identified as being children of The Most-High yet they give no weight to His commands and cast aside the need to obey His Torah and instructions and in the process are unable to properly praise His Name!

Lots of people today will even recite the words that our Master and Elohim taught as a pattern of how we ought to pray yet their lawlessness and compromised lifestyles reveal that they are not sons or daughters of Elohim. Many will recite the following: Our Father who is in the heavens, let Your Name be set-apart – yet are not bringing esteem to His Name as they do not take Him serious enough and have no clue what His word teaches about set-apartness! Yisra’ĕl had no clue about how they were despising the Name of יהוה which is to be esteemed! They did not see their compromised and corrupt worship and festivals as wrong, simply because the priesthood had been corrupted and no proper Torah was being taught.

The 4 living creatures know who יהוה is and they bring Him the proper esteem that is due, giving weight to the full recognition of His Mighty Presence!

RESPECT

Not only do the 4 living creatures give esteem to יהוה, they give Him ‘respect’ and the Greek word that is translated as ‘respect’ is τιμή time – Strong’s G5092 which means, ‘(to value, honour), a valuing, price, honour, honourable use, mark of respect’. This root word carries the understanding of value or the value that is paid for something!

The first time that we see this root word being used in the Renewed Writings is in:

Mattithyahu/Matthew 27:6 “And the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not right to put them into the treasury, seeing they are the price of blood.” 

Here in this verse the Greek word τιμή time – Strong’s G5092 is translated as ‘price’, where the 30 pieces of silver that Messiah was betrayed for, was reckoned as the price of blood! What is worth taking note of is that this price of 30 pieces of silver was the evaluation price of a female from 20 to 50 years old, when separating a vow unto יהוה, according to Wayyiqra/Leviticus 27:4.

What is a very powerful picture for us here, in understanding how we have been redeemed by Messiah, is that He paid the Bride Price for our redemption! 30 sheqels for a woman to be separated unto יהוה!

This was the price that the High Priest determined for the value of יהושע’s life on the night He was betrayed. The payment was given to the priest but not put into the temple treasury and יהושע remained silent! He freely paid our redemption price of sin and death according to יהוה’s will and governing principles.

Mattithyahu/Matthew 27:9 “Then was filled what was spoken by Yirmeyahu the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him who was pierced, on whom they of the children of Yisra’ĕl set a price.”

Zeḵaryah/Zechariah 11:12-13 “And I said to them, “If it is good in your eyes, give me my wages. And if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 And יהוה said to me, “Throw it to the potter,” the splendid price at which I was valued by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the House of יהוה for the potter.”

The most valued thing in all creation is the Blood of Messiah, for it is only by His Blood that we can be redeemed and cleansed and set-apart as a Bride unto Him forever!

With the 4 living creatures giving respect to יהוה we are able to see that they gave the proper value of Elohim, in praise – which is all!!! All esteem and respect (value) is given to The One who shed His blood for us, so that we could be redeemed! That is certainly something to give Him the just and due praise for!

THANKS

The Greek word that is translated as ‘thanks’ in Ḥazon/revelation 4:9 comes from the root word εὐχαριστία eucharistia – Strong’s G2169 which means, ‘thankfulness, giving of thanks, grateful, gratitude’, and comes from the root word εὐχάριστος eucharistos – Strong’s G2170 meaning, ‘thankful’ which is made up of two words:

1 – εὖ eu – Strong’s G2095 which is an adverb meaning, ‘good, well done’ and 2 – χαρίζομαι charizomai – Strong’s G5483 meaning, ‘forgive, deliver, to show favour, give freely’ from the primitive root word χάρις charis – Strong’s G5485 meaning, ‘grace, favour, kindness’.

Tas’loniqim Aleph/1 Thessalonians 5:18 “in all circumstances give thanks, for this is the desire of Elohim in Messiah יהושע for you.”

For more on giving thanks to יהוה, please see the notes of the following messages:

‘GIVE THANKS TO יהוה!’ which can be found on our site (https://atfotc.com) under the sermons 2016/2017 menu or by clicking on the following link:

https://atfotc.com/index.php/our-sermons/sermons-2016-2017/674-give-thanks-to-psalm-136

‘GIVING THANKS IN ALL IS MORE THAN JUST THE WORDS FROM OUR LIPS!’ which can be found on our site (https://atfotc.com) under the sermons 2016/2017 menu or by clicking on the following link:

https://atfotc.com/index.php/our-sermons/sermons-2016-2017/684-giving-thanks-in-all-is-more-than-just-the-words-from-our-lips-psalm-100

True thanks can only be given when the true and proper value of Elohim is understood, as well as the proper esteem being given unto Him. When a proper esteem and respect is had for Elohim, thanksgiving is found in abundance!

The second picture of praise that we see here in Ḥazon/Revelation 4, flows immediately after that which is brought by the 4 living creatures!

The 24 elders give יהוה praise immediately after the praise that is brought by the 4 living creatures. There is an extremely powerful picture that we can learn from this, and that is that true praise for Elohim inspires others to praise too! And it is contagious too!!! Praise is contagious, but guess what? So is grumbling, therefore be warned!

Give praise and do no grumble!

After Miryam had anointed the Master’s feet with costly perfume, much grumbling began, as we see in the following 3 accounts:

Mattithyahu/Matthew 26:8-9 “And when His taught ones saw it, they were much displeased saying, “To what purpose is this waste? 9 “For this perfume could have been sold for much and given to the poor.” 

Marqos/Mark 14:4-5 “But there were some who were much displeased among themselves, and said, “Why was this perfume wasted? 5 “For it could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they were scolding her.”

Yoḥanan/John 12:3-6 “Then Miryam took a pound of costly perfume of nard, anointed the feet of יהושע, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 Then one of His taught ones, Yehuḏah from Qerioth, son of Shim‛on, who was about to deliver Him up, said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 And he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and he used to take what was put in it.”

As you will notice from these 3 accounts, in two of them we are told that there were some, or all, of the taught ones that were ‘much displeased’, possibly as the result of Yehuḏah’s grumbling over her praise! What we can learn from this is that even earnest praise for Elohim can cause others, whose hearts are far from Elohim, to grumble and complain and be contagious in doing so! The question that must be asked is this: ‘What are you spreading?’

Grumbling or praise!

What we are able to recognise is that whatever is spread grows and so too can we see how the 4 living creatures praise incited the 24 elders to praise and this continues as we go through Ḥazon/Revelation!

The 24 elders declare that יהוה is ‘worthy’ to receive ‘esteem and respect and power’!

They too give the declaration of the esteem and respect that is due to יהוה, along with the ‘power’ that is due to Him!

POWER

The Greek word that is translated here as ‘power’ is δύναμις dunamis – Strong’s G1411 which means, ‘power, might, strength, ability, miraculous power, wealth’, and comes from the root word δύναμαι – ‘dunamai’ Strong’s G1410 which means, ‘to have the capacity or ability, to be capable or have the power to’.

This is a clear recognition of the complete capability of Elohim – a miraculous capability that is endless and beyond any created being! All power belongs to Elohim and when we can recognise this, in our life of praise, then our ability to praise would be greatly enhanced as we put all our trust and hope in the All-Powerful One and are not afraid of the evil that surrounds us as we stand firm in Him whom we praise and give all power to!

WORTHY

The Greek word that is translated here as ‘worthy’ is ἀξιόω axioō – Strong’s G515 which means, ‘to deem worthy, consider, deserve, desire’ and this comes from the root word ἄξιος axios – Strong’s G514 which means, ‘worthy, due reward, befitting, deserving’

The 24 elders acknowledged and declare that it is only יהוה who is worthy to receive esteem, respect and power…there is no other worthy enough to receive these!!!

In our life of praise, when we recognise who it is that we are praising and that there no one other Elohim who is worthy to receive the just and due praise, then we will be joyfully equipped to render all praise to Him!

The recognition of the worthiness of Elohim is highlighted in the words that follow, as the 24 elders declare that יהוה created all because of His desire!!! All that exists is because יהוה desired it to be and therefore that which He desired He created! This in itself is a huge thing to recognise!

Yoḥanan/John 1:3 “All came to be through Him, and without Him not even one came to be that came to be.”

Qolasim/Colossians 1:16-17 “Because in Him were created all that are in the heavens and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or rulerships or principalities or authorities – all have been created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all, and in Him all hold together.”

Neḥemyah/Nehemiah 9:6 “You are יהוה, You alone. You have made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that are on it, the seas and all that are in them, and You give life to them all. And the host of the heavens are bowing themselves to You.”

Can you grasp the reality of the worthiness of יהוה? Because if you do, then you too, like the 24 elders with give Him the proper esteem, respect and power!

The next passage of praise that we see in Ḥazon/Revelation is seen in Chapter 5:

Ḥazon/Revelation 5:11-12 “And I looked, and I heard the voice of many messengers around the throne, and the living creatures, and the elders. And the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb having been slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and respect and esteem and blessing!” 

What you will hopefully notice here is that as we go progressively through these passages in Ḥazon/Revelation is that praise multiplies! Now we have here the voice of many messengers, the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders collectively giving praise to יהוה. The number of this great multitude that were around the throne praising יהוה was ‘myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands. A myriad is a term used to describe 10 thousand and can also signify and indefinite number!!! WOW – can you see the multiplication of praise? From 4 to 24 to an indefinite number!!!

Once again, we are able to see a bold declaration of praise for the One who is worthy!!! Worthy is the Lamb who was slain! The One who shed High highly valued Blood for all is worthy to receive ‘power, riches, wisdom, strength, respect, esteem and blessing!!!

In this phrase of praise, we are able to see a 7-fold praise being given to the Lamb who was slain, representing for us the completeness and totality of praise being given to our Master, Saviour and Elohim!

This praise given by an indefinite number highlights a powerful revelation of Messiah – for He, the Lamb that was slain – is Elohim – for He is יהוה our Saviour!!! And the indefinite number rendering this praise highlights the result of the complete revelation of Messiah!

As we consider the words of praise used here in Ḥazon/Revelation 5:12, we can see some more words being expressed in declaring the worthy praise that is given by all to The Lamb! We have already discussed power, respect, and esteem, and so let us take a look at the rest of the words used here:

RICHES

The Greek word that is translated here as ‘riches’ is πλοῦτος ploutos – Strong’s G4149 which means, ‘to flow or abound in wealth and riches’ and herein emphasises that our riches are in Messiah, the Lamb who was slain and His richness toward us can only but cause us to praise as we recognise that HE alone is worthy of all riches – for all is His! And so, just as the indefinite number that is praising here emphasises the limitless praise that is given to Elohim, so too do we recognise that nothing compares to the richness and riches of Elohim, as the depth of such is limitless and unsearchable!

Romiyim/Romans 11:33 “Oh, the depth of riches, and wisdom and knowledge of Elohim! How unsearchable His judgments and untraceable His ways!” 

Eph’siyim/Ephesians 1:7 “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of trespasses, according to the riches of His favour”

Pilipiyim/Philippians 4:19 “And my Elohim shall fill all your need according to His riches in esteem by Messiah יהושע.” 

Can you see what is being declared here – we have all we need and all our needs will be met according to the riches of Messiah! According to His riches – this assures us that there is always sufficiency and that ought to give us the ability to not worry and express a joy-filled praise unto our Mighty Elohim!

WISDOM

The Greek word used for ‘wisdom’ is σοφία Sophia – Strong’s G4678 meaning, ‘wisdom, skill, cleverness, learning’, and comes from the root word σοφός Sophos – Strong’s G4680 meaning, ‘skilled, wise, wise men’.

Sha’ul tells us in Eph’siyim/Ephesians 1 that our Master has, by the riches of His favour, lavished on us every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Messiah in all wisdom and insight, leaving us no excuse to not have the inner rooms of our beings filled with the knowledge of Elohim, in order that we be the fragrance of Messiah in every place!

The Lamb is worthy to receive all wisdom, for the Lamb is wisdom personified, as Messiah came to teach us how to walk as wise and not be foolish and when we recognise that He is the only true source of wisdom then we will not be fooled by the wisdom of this world but seek out the wisdom that is from above!

Ya’aqoḇ/James 3:17 “But the wisdom from above is first clean, then peaceable, gentle, ready to obey, filled with compassion and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

With the praise being given to The Lamb, declaring that He is worthy to receive wisdom, highlights a declaration of submission and obedience to the Wise Master and Elohim!

Yehuḏah/Jude 1:24-25 “And to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you blameless before the presence of His esteem with exceeding joy, 25 to the only wise Elohim, our Saviour, be esteem and greatness and might and authority, both now and forever. Aměn.”

STRENGTH

The Greek word that is translated here as ‘strength’ is ἰσχύς ischus – Strong’s G2479 which means, ‘strength, might, power, ability’.

Eph’siyim/Ephesians 6:10 “For the rest, my brothers, be strong in the Master and in the mightiness of His strength.”

In a psalm of praise, Dawiḏ declares:

Tehillah/Psalm 24:8 “Who is this Sovereign of esteem? יהוה strong and mighty, יהוה mighty in battle.”

Knowing that our Master is worthy to receive strength gives us the full assurance of His ability to fight for us and cause us to stand in victory! He is mighty in battle and there is none compared to Him!

BLESSING

The Greek word that is translated as ‘blessing’ is εὐλογία eulogia – Strong’s G2129 which means, ‘praise, blessing, flattering speech’. What is worth taking note of here is that with the Lamb being worthy to receive blessing then we best make sure that the words of our mouths are pleasing to Him and that in our blessing Him with our lips, our hearts are in sync with complete obedience!

Qorintiyim Aleph/1 Corinthians 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?”

I am highlighting this verse to emphasise our readiness to be completely obedient in both words and deeds, so that we become doers of the Word, blessing our Master with the set-apartness that He has called us to!

True praise encompasses a proper ability to give the blessing due to our Master by walking in the blessing of His riches and favour and compassion and not walking contrary to His Word!

Ḥazon/Revelation 5:13 “And every creature which is in the heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, “To Him sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb, be the blessing and the respect and the esteem and the might, forever and ever!”” 

As we progress from the praise of the indefinite number we see how praise multiplies to every creature in the heavens, in earth and under the earth!!! This is a powerful progression that we see here, which highlights the clear fact that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that יהושע Messiah, The Lamb, is the One who sits on the Throne, for He is Master of all!!!

All blessing He is worthy to receive! Are you blessing our Master and Elohim at al times? If you have any compromise in your life then you are not! Many expect to be blessed by Him all the time yet they do not bless Him, as they walk in the stubbornness and pride of doing things as they fit in their own eyes!

Tehillah/Psalm 134:1-3 “Come, bless יהוה, all you servants of יהוה, who are standing in the House of יהוה by night! 2 Lift up your hands in the set-apart place, and bless יהוה. 3 יהוה, Maker of the heavens and earth, does bless you from Tsiyon!”

The title of this Tehillah/Psalm 134 is – שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת – ‘shiyr hama’alot’ – which is best translated as ‘A song of degrees’. Tehillim/Psalms 120-134 all have this title in the Hebrew text and is translated as ‘A song of degrees’ or ‘A song of ascents’ and these Tehillim/Psalms are believed by many scholars to have been songs that were sung by those who travelled to Yerushalayim each year to the Feasts of יהוה. The two root words are – שִׁיר shir – Strong’s H7892 which means, ‘song, music, musical’ and מַעֲלָה ma’alah – Strong’s H4609 which means, ‘what comes up, steps, high degree, ascends, stairway’, and comes from the primitive root verb עָלָה alah – Strong’s H5927 meaning, ‘to go up, ascend, climb, approach, go’; and when one also recognises how a derivative of this root verb is the word עֹלָה olah – Strong’s H5930 meaning, ‘whole burnt offering, ascent, staircase, stairway’, then we are able to understand why this collection of Tehillim/Psalms cold be sung by those who journeyed ‘up’ to the Feasts of יהוה. The ‘olah offering’ represents, ‘a giving totally of oneself to יהוה’, and these songs express the true worship of true worshippers of Elohim who confidently place their trust in Him, and offer up their entire lives as a living sacrifice, having the sound of continual songs of praise on their lips, declaring their steadfast trust in יהוה. 

This short song of degrees issues a call for the servants of יהוה who re standing in the House of יהוה by night, to come and bless יהוה. This song was either spoken by the worshippers to the priests who were doing their duties or was a call given by the priests to all those who were present, with the full assurance given that יהוה blesses those who exalt Him and serve Him in Spirit and Truth!

The call to come is one that demands the attention those to whom it is given, as we take note that the Hebrew word that is translated as ‘come’ is הִנֵּה hinneh – Strong’s H2009 which means, ‘Lo! Behold! Look! See!’, which is the prolonged form of הֵן hen – Strong’s H2005, and is used as an interjection that demands attention and is mainly used to emphasise the information that follows.

This Tehillah/Psalm 134 is one that ought to catch our attention, reminding us that we are to be blessing יהוה in all we do and this is something that we all, as called out, set-apart and chosen servants of Elohim, ought to be doing every day. While this may be one of the shortest songs it is certainly packed with a huge reminder of what we are to be doing in our reasonable worship before Elohim. Sha’ul call us to remembrance of this too, as we see in:

Romiyim/Romans 12:1-2 “I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.”

The Hebrew word that is translated in Tehillah/Psalm 134 as ‘bless’ is בָּרֲכוּ – baraḵu which comes from the primitive root verb בָּרַךְ baraḵ – Strong’s H1288 and means, ‘to abundantly bless’ and literally carries the meaning, ‘to kneel or bow down, to show respect, to bring a gift to another while kneeling out of respect’. It is written here in the ‘piel’ verb tense which usually expresses an intensive or intentional action. A life of praise is seen in the respect that we give unto our Elohim, and this word depicts the action of showing true reverence, implying a continual consciousness of the presence of our Master and Elohim, which results in a continual ‘bowing’ in obedience.

Dawiḏ said the following when he was driven from Aḇimeleḵ, after he changed his behaviour:

Tehillah/Psalm 34:1 “I bless יהוה at all times; His praise is continually in my mouth.”

No matter who might be against you, never stop living a life of praise unto our Master and Elohim, and bless Him at all times!

Back to Ḥazon/Revelation 5:

At this point I just want to remind you that praise is not silent matter! Praise is heard! In verse 12 we are told that the voice of the indefinite number said with a loud voice that the Lamb is worthy!!

When Yoḥanan was given these visions, he heard the powerful expression of praise being given unto Elohim!

Can your praise be heard? Are you joining in with the myriads and thousands? Are you joining in with the declaration of the heavenly host? Let your life of abundant praise be heard…not simply by the volume of your voice, but also in the manner in which you live! I am not saying that you must go and be an irritating gong, but let the true love for the Master be echoed in all creation, as your obedience resonates a sound of true praise! Use your voice too!!!

Let us now take a look at the next passage of praise that we see being given in Ḥazon/Revelation, which we find in Chapter 7:

Ḥazon/Revelation 7:9-12 “After this I looked and saw a great crowd which no one was able to count, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, and palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Deliverance belongs to our Elohim who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the messengers stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped Elohim, 12 saying, “Aměn! The blessing, and the esteem, and the wisdom, and the thanksgiving, and the respect, and the power, and the might, to our Elohim forever and ever. Aměn.” 

Here, in this passage, there are two separate sets of praise. The first is that which is being given by an innumerable crowd – which are those who have been delivered from the distress and have been washed by the blood of the Lamb! Their declaration of praise is clear: Deliverance belong to Elohim who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!

This is not a declaration of praise being given to 2 different people but is rather an emphasis of the declaration of praise made by a people who have the revelation of Messiah made complete in the deliverance and their praise acknowledges that The Lamb is Elohim who sits on the Throne – for He is our deliverer!

The Lamb – יהושע Messiah – is our Master and Elohim – He is יהוה our Saviour/Deliverer!

the Greek word that is translated as ‘deliverance’ in Ḥazon/Revelation 7:10 is the word σωτηρία sōtēria – Strong’s G4991 which means, ‘deliverance, salvation’, and comes from the word σωτήρ sōtēr – Strong’s G4990 which means, ‘a saviour, deliverer’, which is from the word σῴζω sōzō – Strong’s G4982 which means, ‘to save, restore, make whole, heal’.

This word σωτηρία sōtēria – Strong’s G4991 is used in

Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 5:9 ““And having been perfected, He became the Causer of everlasting deliverance to all those obeying Him”

This verse is speaking of our Deliverer – יהושע Messiah, who became the ‘causer’ of everlasting deliverance – to who???

ALL THOSE OBEYING HIM!!!

This is a very important statement of truth being made here – it is only to those who are obeying Him, that He actually becomes the ‘causer of everlasting deliverance’ to!

In other words, we clearly see from the Greek, the one who obeys the Master, is one who is in subjection to the hearing of His commands, and diligently gives heed to obey and understand, by making sure his ears are open to hear the Master’s voice!

Yoḥanan/John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

The ‘Causer of Life and Deliverance’ has spoken, and His Word stands forever – the question that ought to be asked today, is whether the sheep are listening and obeying, or are they putting off what is being instructed, for another day!

The ‘Causer of deliverance’ is יהוה!

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 45:17 “Yisra’ěl shall be saved by יהוה with an everlasting deliverance. You are not to be ashamed nor hurt, forever and ever.”

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 63:7-8 “Let me recount the loving-commitments of יהוה and the praises of יהוה, according to all that יהוה has done for us, and the great goodness toward the house of Yisra’ěl, which He has done for them according to His compassion, and according to His many loving-commitments. 8 And He said, “They are My people, children who do not act falsely.” And He became their Saviour.”

Can you see the Good News being declared here? יהוה declares that He ‘became their Saviour’!

Messiah ‘became’ the ‘Causer of everlasting deliverance’ – to who? To those who obey and do not act falsely!!!

The Greek word translated as ‘became’ is γίνομαι ginomai – Strong’s G1096 which means, ‘to come into being, to happen, to become, accomplish, begin to be, come into existence’.

What we clearly recognise here is the wonderful prophetic language of Yeshayahu being fully proclaimed in the letter to the Hebrews, in clearly declaring who the ‘causer of salvation’ is. There is only ONE ‘Causer’ of Salvation/Deliverance!!!

After this declaration and praise for the causer of deliverance who sits on the throne, all the messengers stood around the throne, along with the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures, and they all fell on their faces and worshipped Elohim. The Greek word that is translated as ‘worshipped’ is προσκυνέω proskuneō – Strong’s G4352 means ‘to kneel down before as an act of reverence’ and comes from two words – πρός pros – Strong’s H4314 ‘to, at, toward, unto’ and κυνέω kuneō which means ‘to kiss’ and so, proskuneō literally means, to kiss toward someone, to throw a kiss in token of respect or homage. The idea or picture one gets from this root word is to kiss the hand; and the word ‘kuneō’ is thought to be a derivative of the word κύων ‘kuōn’, which means ‘dog’, and therefore carries the meaning ‘to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand’.

This really struck me, as we see the attempt that the enemy has done at gaining the worship of the masses – think about how so many are enslaved into having to bow before the ‘pope’s’ or any catholic priest’s extended hand and kiss (lick) the hand of their assumed ‘master’! Or how about the millions that ‘kiss’ the toe of the statue of ‘St. Peter’ which is in fact the pagan image of a pagan mighty one called Jupiter!

We are to worship only One – and that is יהוה! We are not to worship any man, woman, image or any other false mighty one! We are not to ‘kiss the hand’, so to speak, of another, in subjection to enslavement – but we are to humble ourselves and show respect and reverence toward יהושע our Master, as we are to worship Him Alone!

The appointment of Yosĕph as ruler in Mitsrayim is a picture of Messiah, whose hand we are to kiss!

Berěshith/Exodus 41:40 “Be over my house, you yourself, and at your mouth all my people shall kiss – only in the throne I am greater than you.”

The word translated as ‘kiss’ is נָשַׁק nashaq – Strong’s H5401 and means, ‘to kiss, do homage, show respect and affection for, acknowledge’ and this word can have the meaning of, ‘fastening together, be in array (dressed accordingly)’.

To ‘kiss’ here clearly speaks of that which we submit under and show respect to, as being the proper authority under which we walk and obey. In Hoshěa/Hosea 13 there is a clear rebuke for those who engage in idolatrous worship

Hoshěa/Hosea 13:2 “And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves moulded images from their silver, idols according to their skill, all of them the work of craftsmen. They say of them, “Let the men who slaughter kiss the calves!”

The rebuke given here in Hoshěa, saying that the men who slaughter must kiss the calves, is a very clear message to a rebellious and backsliding people – as the message is clear to those who will not trust in יהוה, but will rather walk in their own reasoning: they must go ahead and kiss their calves and see if that will help them!!!

We are not to ‘kiss the calves’ and be fastened together to abominable images or practices of false worship, but we are to ‘kiss the Son’ and pay homage and proper respect to our Redeemer and King, as we are dressed in His Torah, and find our refuge in Him.

Tehillim/Psalm 2:12 “Kiss the Son, lest He be enraged, and you perish in the way, for soon His wrath is to be kindled. Blessed are all those taking refuge in Him.”

The wrath of the Son is the wrath of the Father, and our refuge is in Elohim – who is ONE!

In Ḥazon/Revelation 7:11 we once again see a 7-fold praise being given to Elohim, as the messengers, elder and living creatures worshipped Elohim, saying: “Aměn! The blessing, and the esteem, and the wisdom, and the thanksgiving, and the respect, and the power, and the might, to our Elohim forever and ever. Aměn.” 

What is worth taking note of here is the use of the word Aměn at the start and end of this 7-fold praise for Elohim!

This Greek word ἀμήν amēn – Strong’s G281 is transliterated from the Hebrew word adverb אָמֵן aměn– Strong’s H543 means, ‘truly, verily, truth, so be it’.

Aměn is also often translated as ‘trust’; and so, we see that to trust or believe implies an action and not just a thought; but rather in one’s acknowledgment of what has been written in the Word, the confirmation of one’s ‘aměn’ implies that there will be an active trust and belief in doing what the Word says!

Here in this worship and praise of Elohim, the messengers, elders and living creatures that are around the throne give the full acknowledgement of the true declaration that is made by the great crowd which no one was able to count, as they declare a clear and confident aměn to the fact that Deliverance belongs to Elohim!

They then proceed to give a 7-fold praise is saying what is also to be accredited to our Mighty Master, Elohim and Saviour: blessing, esteem, wisdom, thanksgiving, respect, power and might!

This affirming praise that is offered to Elohim declares a powerful completeness and totality of the praise that is due to, and must be continually accredited to, Elohim! This complete praise opens and closes with the ἀμήν amēn – Strong’s G281, establishing for us the clear and defined praise that is due to our Mighty Causer of Deliverance!

When I go through these passages like this, I cannot help but be stirred to worship our Master and give Him the just and reasonable worship we are to bring, which is our set-apartness, accompanied by much singing – aměn!

We have already taken a look at all of these 7 words of praise that is given to Elohim and what I once again want to highlight here is that the 7-fold praise that the Lamb is worthy to receive in Chapter 5 is a confirmation here in Chapter 7 that the Lamb is Elohim, unto which a 7-fold complete and total praise is due!

The praise given along with the heavenly host to the Deliverer, by all who have been delivered, is a victory declaration of praise for our Messiah, the Lamb, who has washed us in His own blood!

After this we see 11 chapters that describe the wrath of Elohim being poured out, before coming to the next passage of praise, which we find in Chapter 19. However, what we also take note of, before looking at the victory praise of deliverance in Chapter 19, is that in the midst of these 11 chapters (8-18), we are able to see some wonderful praise being given in Chapter 15, which we will look at first, as we journey through this wonderful revelation of praise:

Ḥazon/Revelation 15:1-4 “And I saw another sign in the heaven, great and marvellous: seven messengers having the seven last plagues, for the wrath of Elohim was ended in them. 2 And I saw like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those overcoming the beast and his image and his mark and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of Elohim. 3 And they sing the song of Mosheh the servant of Elohim, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvellous are Your works, יהוה Ěl Shaddai! Righteous and true are Your ways, O Sovereign of the set-apart ones! 4 “Who shall not fear You, O יהוה , and esteem Your Name? Because You alone are kind. Because all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your righteousnesses have been made manifest.”

This passage of praise is a very powerful passage, as we take note of this vision of praise that Yoḥanan was given in regards to those who were singing the ‘song of Mosheh’ and ‘the Song of the Lamb’! Just as He saw another sign in the heaven with the seven messengers who were about to pour out the seven last plagues as described in Chapter 16, he saw a vision of those overcoming the beast and his mark and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass singing the song of Mosheh and the song of the Lamb!

This is a clear picture of a people who hold fast to our Master and have overcome the onslaught of the enemy by guarding righteousness and not falling prey to the wicked deception of the beast.

What is worth taking note of is that the reference to the song of Mosheh reminds us of the song that Yisra’ĕl sang after they came through the Sea of Reeds and the Mitsrians had been destroyed, which can be found in Shemoth/Exodus 15:1-14 (Read)!

This is the first recorded account we see in Scripture of an assembly or body of believers singing a song of praise to יהוה, and the first account we see of a song being used to praise Him. I do believe that songs were sung unto Him in praise before this – but here we see Mosheh and the children of Yisra’ĕl singing together – this was the day of deliverance – a sure reason to sing!!!

A wonderful prophetic shadow picture of what will once again be sung by a delivered and redeemed people:

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 12: “And in that day you shall say, “I thank You יהוה, though You were enraged with me, Your displeasure has turned back, and You have comforted me. 2 “See, Ěl is my deliverance, I trust and am not afraid. For Yah, יהוה, is my strength and my song; and He has become my deliverance.” 3 And you shall draw water with joy from the fountains of deliverance. 4 And in that day you shall say, “Praise יהוה, call upon His Name; make known His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His Name is exalted. 5 “Sing to יהוה, For He has done excellently; this is known in all the earth. 6 “Cry aloud and shout, O inhabitant of Tsiyon, for great is the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl in your midst!”

“In that day” – when our deliverance is complete at His Second Coming! Those who fear יהוה and walk in obedience to His Torah will sing the Song of Mosheh! In essence we have been shown the end from the beginning and the vision that Yoḥanan was given in Ḥazon/Revelation 15 confirms this with it also being identified as the song of The Lamb – for our deliverance belongs to The Lamb and our praise and song of His deliverance echoes the deliverance song of Mosheh, who is a shadow picture of our Master and Elohim!

According to this account in Ḥazon/Revelation 15 – it will be those who overcome the beast and his image and his mark and the number of his name that will sing this song after the last plague – sung by a people who had returned to the True way of יהוה by keeping the very commands given through Mosheh as Mount Sinai!

The Hebrew root that is translated as ‘sang/sing’ is שִׁיר shiyr – Strong’s H7891 and simply means ‘sing’, but also carries the meaning, ‘to use one’s voice as an instrument to sing musical tones, rhythms, and often words’. Using our voice to sing to יהוה is an attribute of giving thanks or rather, that which should flow from giving thanks. So many people are too shy to sing, yet we should not worry what others may think of our voice, as we sing to the One who causes us to be – He loves to hear you sing! Singing to יהוה is a great implement or tool, not only for great celebration of His great loving-commitment, but as we know from Scripture, is a great tool for war!!!

This word שִׁיר shiyr – Strong’s H7891 is identical to the primitive root word שׁוּר shur – Strong’s H7788 meaning, ‘to travel, journey, carriers’. One lexicon describes this word as ‘strolling singer’, and figuratively shows us how Dawiḏ would sing wherever he went! Praise could not be withheld from his lips, no matter who looked on! How about you?

For more on the song of Mosheh, please see the Torah commentary notes from within the Torah portion from Shemoth/Exodus 13:17-17:16, which can be found on our site (https://atfotc.com) under the Torah portions menu or by clicking on the following link:

https://atfotc.com/index.php/torah-portions/shemoth/64-shemoth-exodus-13-17-17-16-beshalla-when-he-sent

Once again, from these accounts we are able to declare the song of the deliverance of Elohim, by the mighty working of His outstretched Arm and right Hand – יהושע Messiah!!! Our victory song is certainly in praise and esteem of יהוה our Elohim who has caused us to overcome the flesh and cause us to trust not in ourselves, but rather put our whole trust in Him.

It is those overcoming the beast and his image and the number of his name that are able to sing the song of deliverance of the Lamb. The Greek word for ‘overcomes’ is νικάω nikaō – Strong’s G3528 which means, ‘to conquer, prevail, overcome, victorious’.

As we stay in our Master and Elohim by guarding His commands and walking in set-apartness, we are equipped with courage to overcome!

The promises given to those who overcome in the messages given to the assemblies in Ḥazon/Revelation give us a boost of encouragement to hold fast to the Truth and endure!

To those in Ephesos:

Ḥazon/Revelation 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I shall give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of Elohim.””

To those in Smurna:

Ḥazon/Revelation 2:11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes shall by no means be harmed by the second death.”

To those in Pergamos:

Ḥazon/Revelation 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I shall give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I shall give him a white stone, and on the stone a renewed Name written which no one knows except him who receives it.””

To those in Thyatira:

Ḥazon/Revelation 2:26 “And he who overcomes, and guards My works until the end, to him I shall give authority over the nations”

To those in Sardis:

Ḥazon/Revelation 3:5 “He who overcomes shall be dressed in white robes, and I shall by no means blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I shall confess his name before My Father and before His messengers.”

To those in Philadelphia:

Ḥazon/Revelation 3:12 “He who overcomes, I shall make him a supporting post in the Dwelling Place of My Elohim, and he shall by no means go out. And I shall write on him the Name of My Elohim and the name of the city of My Elohim, the renewed Yerushalayim, which comes down out of the heaven from My Elohim, and My renewed Name.”

To those in Laodikeia:

Ḥazon/Revelation 3:21 “To him who overcomes I shall give to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

One can be greatly encouraged as we see the collective blessing of overcoming the pressures and trials that we face, for those who overcome will get to eat of the tree of life and the second death will have no power over them as they have access back to the tree of life! Overcomers get to eat of the hidden manna and authority over the nations will be given to them for they will be able to rightly rule with proper discernment! Overcomers shall be dressed in white robes and have assurance that their names will never be blotted out and will become supporting posts in the Dwelling Place of Elohim and be given to sit with the Master on His Throne!

This in itself ought to be sufficient encouragement to endure and overcome!

Romiyim/Romans 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 5:3-5 “For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands, and His commands are not heavy, 4 because everyone having been born of Elohim overcomes the world. And this is the overcoming that has overcome the world: our belief. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world but he who believes that יהושע is the Son of Elohim?”

The reason for me highlighting this picture of overcoming is to simply emphasise our need to be a people who are not hindered by the chaos of a corrupt and wicked world but are rather equipped in being able to reflect a proper stability that true standing and staying in the Master entails.

This image of overcomers standing on the sea of glass that I want us to also carefully consider here, as we are able to glean a great deal of encouragement in equipping us to keep standing firm in our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah, always being ready to offer up continual praise and esteem unto His Name, amidst a chaotic and crooked world! While the world is getting progressively worse, at an alarmingly rapid rate, and all we may see around us on a day to day basis is the chaos of lawlessness, we can be securely comforted in our ability to overcome the chaos as we continue to stand in the Master, armed in His Truth, and after having done all, keep standing!!!

The image of a sea of glass carries a couple of very significant pictures that can teach us a great deal of the work of deliverance from the chaos of sin that Elohim has brought to us.

The image given to us in Ḥazon/Revelation 15:2 of a sea of glass mixed with fire and those who have overcome the beast standing on the sea of glass in a picture of those who have been refined and cleansed through the Word of Elohim, as we know that fire is that which refines and water (as represented by the sea) cleanses.

The Greek word that is translated as ‘glass’ in Ḥazon/Revelation 15:2 comes from the root word ὑάλινος hualinos – Strong’s G5193 which means, ‘glass, glassy, transparent like glass, water or crystal’ and is only used 3 times in the Renewed Writings (N.T.) – twice in Ḥazon/Revelation 15:2 and once in:

Ḥazon/Revelation 4:6 “And before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and in back.” 

This Greek word ὑάλινος hualinos – Strong’s G5193 comes from the root word ὕαλος hualos – Strong’s G5194 which means, ‘a clear transparent stone, like glass or ice or even crystal’. This Greek word is used once in the LXX (Septuagint – Greek translation of the Tanak – O.T.) in Iyoḇ/Job 28:17 where it is used to translate the word ‘crystal’, which is translated from the Hebrew word זָכָה zaḵah – Strong’s H2135 which means ‘to be clear, clean or pure, to be blameless, cleansed, make yourself clean and be kept pure’. This word is only used 8 times in Scripture and also gives us the meaning of being clear and pure and free from any foreign substances; being flawless and in a perfect state, being free of guilt and able to stand before the throne of Elohim which we can, by the blood of Messiah, come boldly to in order to find favour in time of need!

This image of the sea of glass, like crystal, which is also used to also describe that which is before the throne of Elohim, is a clear picture of stability and that which is established and firm forever and that which has no spot or blemish or any fragment of corruption, for it represents the perfection of the set-apartness of Elohim and that which is before His throne! The concept or picture of an established sea that is firm, upon which overcomers can stand before Elohim, helps us recognise the powerful work of redemption that Elohim has done for those who are in Messiah, for He has delivers us from sin and corruption and has drawn us out of the chaotic waters of the world, as pictured through a chaotic and raging sea!

Does your life reflect the stability of the Word or has the chaos of this world got you all tossed with storm? If chaos is evident in your life then let the Word wash you and cause you to stand in the Master and be delivered from chaos to stability in Him! We are to bring the continual praise and thanks that is due to our Elohim as we are armed daily with His Truth and walk in perfect love as we pursue set-apartness with our all and be overcomers that give abundant praise unto Elohim, sing the pure song of deliverance – the song of Mosheh and the song of the Lamb, which only overcomers can do!!!

As you reflect on the gift of deliverance that has drawn you out of the chaos of sin and lawlessness so that your feet can stand firm on the Rock, having a joy filled stability in the Master, give Him all praise and esteem and never stop!!!

After this powerful chapter of the praise brought by overcomers, we see another 3 chapters (16-18) describing the wrath of Elohim, before coming to Chapter 19, where we see a great resounding praise for deliverance being given:

Ḥazon/Revelation 19:1-7 “And after this I heard a loud voice of a great crowd in the heaven, saying, “Halleluyah! Deliverance and esteem and respect and power to יהוה our Elohim! 2 Because true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great whore who corrupted the earth with her whoring. And He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” 3 And a second time they said, “Halleluyah! And her smoke rises up forever and ever!” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped Elohim who sat on the throne, saying, “Aměn! Halleluyah!” 5 And a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our Elohim, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” 6 And I heard as the voice of a great crowd, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunders, saying, “Halleluyah, for יהוה Ěl Shaddai reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him praise, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife prepared herself.” 

WOW – what an awesome passage of resounding praise being given here!

After the wrath of Elohim has been poured out and His Bride’s deliverance has been made complete there is a loud voice that is heard in the heaven – a voice of a large crowd, saying, “Halleluyah! Deliverance and esteem and respect and power to יהוה our Elohim! Because true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great whore who corrupted the earth with her whoring. And He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.”

This is a praise for the Deliverance of Elohim being made complete for His called out and chosen Bride. This vision that Yoḥanan was given is a clear encouragement of a secure hope that we have in our Deliverer, ass we recognise our need to work out our deliverance with fear and trembling, holding fast the sure and promised hope of this being made complete when our Master comes for His ready Bride – a Bride that is praising Him continually! Our Master and Deliverer is coming with vengeance and when He comes, we who are in Him will join in the declaration of the large crowd that declares a resounding Halleluyah for His wonderful work or redemption!

The Greek word that is translated as ‘halleluyah’ is ἁλληλουϊά hallēlouia – Strong’s G239 which is a transliteration of the Hebrew root word הָלַל halal Strong’s H1984 which means, ‘to shine; to be boastful; to be clear; to make a show; to rave; be foolish; to celebrate; praise, cheer, brag or extol, i.e., extol the greatness or excellence of a person, object or event’.

This is a word that is frequently used for ‘praise’ and more specifically the praise and boasting we are to make in יהוה; and do so as we shine the light of His Truth in all we do, walking in His light and making our continual boast in Him! We are to be continually giving our praise to our Master and Elohim, our Deliverer and King, יהושע Messiah –– for He is יהוה our Saviour/Deliverer!

Yonah/Jonah 2:9-10 “But I slaughter to You with the voice of thanksgiving, I pay what I have vowed. Deliverance is of יהוה.” 10 Then יהוה spoke to the fish, and it vomited Yonah onto the dry land.”

The reason for me highlighting these two verses from the Book of Yonah/Jonah is to make clear the powerful lesson we can learn from Yonah. He praised יהוה from the belly of a fish and declared that deliverance is of יהוה, then יהוה delivered him! Our praise does not begin once our deliverance is made complete but rather it begins at the revelation of our Master who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light!

Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 2:9-10 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a people for a possession, that you should proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light, 10 who once were not a people, but now the people of Elohim; who had not obtained compassion, but now obtained compassion.”

Are your proclaiming the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness? What we can learn from Yonah is that no matter what we are going through, we can praise our Master, give Him thanks and bless Him for being our Deliverer – even in the darkest trials – in fact, we need to learn to give praise and thanks to our deliverer when facing the most intense battles and when surrounded by the darkest of troubles! Do you hear this?

Can you recognise the necessity of praise? Think about how awesome the collective praise will sound when all who have been praising Him, while working out their deliverance, come together as a large crowd to declare a resounding and unified Halleluyah!!! Praise has already begun – are you joining in and being contagious or has grumbling gripped you and you find praise too hard to give due to the leprosy of complaining and gripping about your troubles?

In Ḥazon/Revelation 19:4 the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures worshipped Elohim who sits on the throne, declaring a resounding aměn and halleluyah, confirming the boastful praise of our Master and Deliverer!!

Then in Ḥazon/Revelation 19:5 there is a call from the throne that is given, calling all to praise our Elohim!

The Greek word that is translated here as ‘praise’ is αἰνέω aineō – Strong’s G134 which means, ‘to sing praise’ and is used 9 times in the Renewed Writings (N.T.) and only in reference to praise being given to Elohim!

All are called to praise Elohim! Are you responding as you should?

In Ḥazon/Revelation 19:6 we then see the voice of a great crowd giving a huge cry of praise, declaring:

Halleluyah, for יהוה  Ěl Shaddai reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him praise, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife prepared herself.

יהוה Ěl Shaddai reigns!!! Do you desire to be one of the great crowd that declare this mighty praise when the marriage of the Lamb has come? Then listen up – your praise needs to be happening now! That means there can be no grumbling, no complaining, no griping, no moaning…. only boasting, thanks and praise to Elohim, in all you do!

Let your life resound with the 7-fold complete praise for Elohim as this revelation of praise causes you to do so continually with a rejoicing heart!

For the purposes of stirring your hearts to praise our Elohim who reigns, please see Tehillah/Psalm 95, 97 and 99 – three powerful psalms of praise that declare that יהוה reigns!

As we sojourn here, let us abstain from fleshly lusts and throw off all that hinders a life of praise and do our utmost at echoing the complete and total praise that we are to be giving to our Master and Elohim!

Can you echo that which we see being described in this revelation of praise for our Messiah?

As we consider the complete praise that is due to Elohim, let us be bold in our declaration that:

The blessing and the esteem and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the respect and the power and the might be unto our Elohim forever and ever, aměn!

May this study and exposition on the praise that we find in Ḥazon/Revelation cause you to join in continually with the complete praise and declaration of deliverance to our Deliverer! This is a revelation of praise – can you hear?

In closing I encourage you to be a praising people who are boldly declaring who the causer of our deliverance is, making sure that you are blessing Him at all times, shrugging off all doubts, worries, complaints and gripes!

This is a revelation of praise – get praising all you servants of Elohim!!!

As you take time to consider the wonderful praise being declared in this book of the revelation of Messiah, assess yourself through the mirror of the Word in order to see if you are praising Him as you should!

In closing, in order to stir up your revelation of praise I would like to encourage you to take a listen to one of our newest songs, which is called, ‘HERE I AM’. This song was composed as a result of the words of a poem of praise that was sent to us from an inmate in Texas, asking if we could make a song from it. From words written in a prison to a song of praise being compiled, which contain some of the words we have looked at in Ḥazon/Revelation!

The sing can be listened to on our site (https://atfotc.com) under the music menu and new songs page or by using or clicking on the following link:

https://atfotc.com/index.php/music/29-worship-music/661-new-music

The words of the song, so you can sing along, are as follows:

HERE I AM!

 THE BLESSING AND ESTEEM AND THE WISDOM

The THANKSGIVING AND RESPECT

THE POWER AND THE MIGHT TO OUR ELOHIM

FOREVER AND EVER AMEN

AND I WILL BOW DOWN ON MY KNEES TO WORSHIP YOU

AND I’LL RAISE UP MY HANDS TOWARD YOUR THRONE

AND I will lift UP MY VOICE TO GIVE YOU PRAISE

         AND I SURRENDER I SURRENDER BEFORE YOUR FACE   (x2)

HERE I AM TO SEEK YOUR FACE

HERE I AM TO GIVE YOU PRAISE

HERE I AM TO SEEK YOUR REIGN

                             HERE I AM TO ESTEEM YOUR NAME                      X 2

AND I WILL BOW DOWN….

HERE I AM….

AND I WILL BOW DOWN….

יהוה bless you and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show favour to you; יהוה lift up His face to and give you shalom!

Shalom all,

Ḥazon/Revelation 1:7 “See, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth shall mourn because of Him. Yes, Aměn.”

In a clear declaration, in the revelation of יהושע Messiah that Yoḥanan was given, we see the powerful truth that awaits all mankind! Our Creator and Saviour is coming on the clouds and every eye will see Him!

Ḥazon/Revelation chapter 1 makes a powerful introduction to this extremely powerful book, declaring who יהושע Messiah is! He is the Aleph and the Taw, He is the beginning and the end! He is the One coming on the clouds and in saying that, we can boldly say that: He is יהוה our Saviour!!!

In a brief message called, “SEE, HE IS COMING ON THE CLOUDS!” I would like to expand a little on this phrase in order for us to fully comprehend the magnitude of this statement, among many, that declares that יהושע Messiah is יהוה our Saviour and there I no one else beside Him!!!

As part of this very powerful revelation of יהושע Messiah, we need to understand why this declaration of Him coning on the clouds is a very significant one, especially when it is made very clear that every eye will see the one who comes on the clouds! In this message I want highlight various key passages that help us understand the power of the declaration and revelation of who it is who rides the clouds, as we need to understand from a Scriptural perspective why this statement carries such power. One that is wonderfully thread through Scripture in order for us to acknowledge and confess who our Creator and Saviour is!

The first part of this verse 7 from Ḥazon/Revelation 1 is a quote from:

Dani’ěl/Daniel 7:13 “I was looking in the night visions and saw One like the Son of Enosh, coming with the clouds of the heavens! And He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.”

As a part of the visions that Dani’ěl saw, we are able to see that He was given a revelation of the One who is coming with the clouds!

The Aramaic word that is translated here as ‘visions’ comes from the noun חֱזוּ ḥezu – Strong’s H2736 which means, ‘vision, appearance’ and comes from the root verb חֲזָה ḥazah – Strong’s H2370 which corresponds to the Hebrew primitive root verb חָזָה ḥazah – Strong’s H2372 which means, ‘to see, behold, have a vision, prophesy, perceive, to see by experience’. It is from this root verb that we get the Hebrew word חָזוֹן ḥazon – Strong’s H2377 which means, ‘revelation, vision’, and this is the word that is used for the Book of the Revelation of Messiah – a clear book of prophesy that reveals to us very clearly who our Saviour, Master and Elohim is!

Dani’ěl saw, in a vision, the revelation of יהושע Messiah, and in the Aramaic phrase He is described as being One like the Son of Mankind, which prophetically was clearly understood as being The Saviour who would come to be born in the flesh and redeem mankind!

Messiah told His taught ones, when teaching of the end days and the time of His coming again, the following:

Mattithyahu/Matthew 24:30 “And then the sign of the Son of Aḏam shall appear in the heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Aḏam coming on the clouds of the heaven with power and much esteem.”

This imagery of our Creator and Saviour coming on the clouds is one that was understood by Yisra’ěl, and one that gave a confident expectation of deliverance to come, yet when Messiah came in the flesh and made the clear declaration that He would be seen coming on the clouds, it was seen as blasphemy, when He made this statement before the high priest:

Mattithyahu/Matthew 26:62-65 “And the high priest stood up and said to Him, “Have You no answer to make? What do these witness against You?” 63 But יהושע remained silent. So the high priest said to Him, “I put You to oath, by the living Elohim that You say to us if You are the Messiah, the Son of Elohim.” 64 יהושע said to him, “You have said it. Besides I say to you, from now on you shall see the Son of Aḏam sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of the heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his garments, saying, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? See, now you have heard His blasphemy!”

With Messiah quoting from Tehillah/Psalm 110 and Dani’ěl/Daniel 7, He was making it clear that he is the High Priest and King that is coming again, when he shall be seen as the One who is coming on the clouds!

By this statement He was basically telling them that He is the Master and Elohim and Saviour of Man, and by this declaration he was making it clear that at the revelation of His coming on the clouds, every eye would see and know that He is יהוה our Saviour! Think about it for a moment! At these words the high priest tore his garments and said that יהושע has blasphemed! It was considered blasphemy to be saying that He was the One who is coming on the clouds, for it was understood very clearly that it is יהוה who is the One who shall come on the clouds! On order for us to understand this more, we can take a look at a couple of key Scriptures that highlight this clear concept and imagery of יהוה being the One who is coming on the clouds!

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 33:26 “O Yeshurun, there is no one like Ěl, riding the heavens to help you, and on the clouds, in His excellency.” 

The poetic term ‘Yeshurun’, which means ‘upright one’, is used as a symbolic term in Scripture when speaking of all 12 Tribes of Yisra’ĕl that are serving together in unity! יְשֻׁרוּן Yeshurun – Strong’s H3484 comes from the word יָשַׁר yashar – Strong’s H3474 which means, ‘to be straight, right, pleasing, be level, upright, just and lawful’. The Book of Yasher, commonly known to us as ‘Jasher’, means the book of the ‘upright/straight’ or the Book of the ‘Righteous’. This is what יהוה has chosen Yisra’ĕl (His called-out Bride) for – to be straight and upright and walk in His Torah, shining the Light of His Besorah (Good News) amidst a crooked world.

יהוה – He is Ěl and Sovereign of the upright ones, and He is coming as the Righteous King, riding on the clouds, to gather the tribes of Yisra’ĕl.

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘clouds’ comes from the root word שַׁחַק shaḥaq – Strong’s H7834 which means, ‘cloud, dust, sky, heavens’ and this word is used 21 times in Scripture and is frequently used to describe the power and strength of Elohim who is above the clouds and who rides on the clouds!

Tehillah/Psalm 68:4 “Sing to Elohim, sing praises to His Name. Raise up a highway for Him who rides through the deserts, By His Name Yah, and exult before Him.”

Tehillah/Psalm 68:33-35 “To Him who rides on the ancient highest heavens! See, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice. 34 Ascribe strength to Elohim; His excellence is over Yisra’ěl, and His strength is in the clouds. 35 O Elohim, awesome from Your set-apart places, The Ěl of Yisra’ěl is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be Elohim!”

This Tehillah is a great song of Dawiḏ and expresses the clear call for us to praise Him who rides the clouds and deserts!!!

Tehillah/Psalm 18 is a song of Dawiḏ which carries the words that he spoke to יהוה in the day that יהוה delivered him from his enemies and from the hand of Sha’ul. And in this song of praise יהוה is described as the One who came riding on the storm cloud into battle against His enemies in order to deliver His Beloved!

Tehillah/Psalm 18:9-15 “And He bowed the heavens and came down, and thick darkness was under His feet. 10 And He rode upon a keruḇ, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness His covering; around Him His booth, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. 12 From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed, hail and coals of fire. 13 And יהוה thundered in the heavens, and the Most High sent forth His voice, hail and coals of fire. 14 And He sent out His arrows and scattered them, and much lightning, and confused them. 15 And the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were uncovered at Your rebuke, O יהוה , at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.”

Very powerful imagery used here in this great song of praise for our Deliverer, who comes riding on the storm clouds and destroys our enemies with the lightning fire of His wrath!

This very strong imagery is also seen in another psalm that is ascribed to Dawiḏ in the LXX and Syriac texts:

Tehillah/Psalm 104:1-4 “Bless יהוה, O my being! O יהוה my Elohim, You have been very great: You have put on excellency and splendour, 2 covering Yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a curtain, 3 who is laying the beams of His upper rooms in the waters, who is making thick clouds His chariot, who is walking on the wings of the wind, 4 making His messengers the winds, His servants a flame of fire.”

Making thick clouds His chariot!

The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘chariot’ is רֶכֶב reḵeḇ – Strong’s H7393 which means, ‘chariot, chariot horses, charioteers’ and comes from the primitive root verb רָכַב raḵaḇ – Strong’s H7392 which means, ‘to mount and ride, ride in a chariot, to cause to ride, to cause to draw or plough’.

This highlights the clear imagery of our Master and Elohim who is coming, riding on the clouds, coming to reap the harvest and destroy His enemies and deliver His chosen!

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘cloud’ is עָב aḇ – Strong’s H5645 which means, ‘cloud, dark cloud, cloud mass, thick clouds’, and this word comes from the primitive root verb עוּב uḇ – Strong’s H5743 which means, ‘cover with a cloud, to becloud’.

The first time we see the word עָב aḇ – Strong’s H5645 being used is in:

Shemoth/Exodus 19:9 “And יהוה said to Mosheh, “See, I am coming to you in the thick cloud, so that the people hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” And Mosheh reported the words of the people to יהוה.”

Here it is translated as ‘thick’, and the Hebrew word for ‘cloud’ is עָנָן anan – Strong’s H6051 meaning, ‘a cloud, cloud mass, heavy mist’.

The word עָב aḇ – Strong’s H5645 is typically designates a particular cloud, generally a dark cloud in the sense of a rain cloud. The ‘thick cloud’ can be both something very encouraging as well as something very frightening! As Yisra’ĕl went through the Wilderness they were guided by the presence of יהוה, and here Shelomoh uses the clear imagery of the goodness of a king’s favour being like that of a cloud that brings the much-needed springs rains.

Mishlĕ/Proverbs 16:15 “In the light of a sovereign’s face is life, and his delight is like a cloud of the latter rain.”

In a clear contrast from verse 14 where we see the picture of the anger of a king that brings death, here we see how the light of a king’s face is life!

To be in the light of someone’s face is a picture of acceptance and approval, and the light of a king’s face is often an expression that is commonly used in regards to יהוה.

Tehillah/Psalm 4:6 “Many are saying, “Who would show us good?” יהוה, lift up the light of Your face upon us.”

Tehillah/Psalm 44:3 “For not by their own sword did they possess the land, neither did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand and Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You delighted in them.”

Tehillah/Psalm 89:15 “Blessed are the people who know the festal trumpet-call! They walk, O יהוה, in the light of Your face.”

The ‘light of the face of יהוה’ also speaks of His esteem and was made clearly visible in the form of our great Husband and King, יהושע Messiah!

Qorintiyim Bet/2 Corinthians 4:6 “For Elohim, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts for the enlightening of the knowledge of the esteem of Elohim in the face of יהושע Messiah.”

His delight is like the cloud of the latter rain!

In continuing to give us the clear image of the blessing of life we also see Shelomoh teaching us the delight of our Sovereign is likened to His great protection and provision!

The Hebrew word used for ‘latter rain’ is the word מַלְקוֹשׁ malqosh – Strong’s H4456 and comes from the same as the word לֶקֶשׁ leqesh – Strong’s H3954 which means, ‘the after growth’ and the denominative verb of this is לָקַשׁ laqash – Strong’s H3953 which means, ‘to take the second crop, to take everything, to glean the harvest’.

The latter rain is also a promise of provision and blessing that is given for obedience:

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 11:13-14 “And it shall be that if you diligently obey My commands which I command you today, to love יהוה your Elohim and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your being, 14 then I shall give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, and you shall gather in your grain, and your new wine, and your oil.”

If His commands were guarded then יהוה would send both the EARLY rain and the LATTER rain!

The former and latter rains are related to the two comings of Messiah. The Hebrew word for ‘early rain’ is the word יוֹרֶה yoreh – Strong’s H3138 and is the active participle of the word יָרָה yarah – Strong’s H3384 which means, ‘to throw or shoot, direct, instruct, teach, teacher’.

What we recognise from the early and latter rain is that with the first coming of Messiah we can recognise that He came to ‘teach and instruct’ us and with His second coming, as the latter rain, He is coming to take up a harvest of souls – He is coming to reap, and He is coming on the clouds!!!

These words are used, both as references to these two events, in Hoshěa and Yo’ěl:

Hoshěa/Hosea 6:3 “So let us know, let us pursue to know יהוה. His going forth is as certain as the morning. And He comes to us like the rain, like the latter rain watering the earth.”

The word translated as ‘latter rain’ is מַלְקוֹשׁ malqosh – Strong’s H4456 and the word translated as ‘watering’ is יוֹרֶה yoreh – Strong’s H3138.

Yo’ěl/Joel 2:23 “And you children of Tsiyon, be glad and rejoice in יהוה your Elohim, for He shall give you the Teacher of Righteousness, and cause the rain to come down for you, the former rain and the latter rain, as before.”

The word used for both ‘teacher’ and ‘former rain’ is the root word מוֹרֶה moreh – Strong’s H4175 which means both, ‘teacher’ and ‘rain’ and comes from the root word יָרָה yarah – Strong’s H3384 from which we get the term ‘early rain’.

The word that used in Yo’ěl/Joel 2:23 for ‘latter rain’ is מַלְקוֹשׁ malqosh – Strong’s H4456.

יהושע Messiah is both our Teacher of righteousness and He is the ‘gatherer of the after crop’ – He has come and shown us the way and taught us through His life, death and resurrection how we are to walk in Him and guard the Torah – when He comes again will He find faith – active faith that is seen in the diligent guarding and doing of His commands???

The day of יהוה is a dark day, a day of thick clouds, and the question we must be readily able to answer positively, is that when He comes again will we be found to be doing that in which He delights!

The Rider of the thick clouds is coming – are you ready with oil in your lamp and ready to be taken up as His ready Bride or will you be found to be one who has blasphemed His Name and walked in stubbornness and pride and will tremble at His appearance in the cloud!!!

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 19:1 “The message concerning Mitsrayim. See, יהוה is riding on a swift cloud, and He shall come into Mitsrayim. And the idols of Mitsrayim shall tremble at His presence, and the heart of Mitsrayim melt in its midst.”

This message concerning Mitsrayim is a clear prophecy against that which is of the world and walking according to the lusts of the flesh and walking in idolatry! יהוה is coming, riding on a swift cloud!

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘riding’ is רָכַב raḵaḇ – Strong’s H7392 which means, ‘to mount and ride, ride in a chariot, to cause to ride, to cause to draw or plough’.

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘on’ is עַל al – Strong’s H5921 – translates as ‘in, on, upon, over, by’ and is used as a preposition (in the sing. or pl. often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following).

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘swift’ is קַל qal – Strong’s H7031 which means, ‘light, swift, one who is swift’. The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘cloud’ is עָב aḇ – Strong’s H5645 which means, ‘cloud, dark cloud, cloud mass, thick clouds’

When our Master comes riding on the clouds, He will be coming swiftly and there will be nowhere to hide for His enemies!

In another image of יהוה riding on the clouds in vengeance, is seen in the message concerning Ninewěh:

Naḥum/Nahum 1:2-3 “יהוה is a jealous and revenging Ěl, יהוה is a revenger and a possessor of wrath. יהוה takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He watches for His enemies. 3 יהוה is patient and great in power, but by no means leaves unpunished. יהוה has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.”

While we are definitely able to see the clear theme of the image of the One who rides the clouds, being made abundantly clear, we must take note that in the ancient pagan Kenaʽanite religion, Ba’al was believed to be the one who rides the clouds!

In Ugaritic texts, which are the ancient texts that deal a lot with the ancient Kenaʽanite religion, Ba’al was repeatedly referred to as being the one who rides on the clouds ad sends rain. In fact, in the Ugaritic texts one of the titles that is repeatedly given to Ba’al is ‘The Cloud Rider’! Why is this important for us to know? Well, when we look at the history of Yisra’ěl and their falling away to the corruption of Ba’al worship, we are able to understand why the clear description of יהוה being the Only One who rides the clouds and sends rain, being significantly important in declaring who one serves and follows!

As we consider this clear battle for worship, we can be reminded of the events that took place when the House of Yisra’ěl was under the reign of a wicked Aḥaḇ and his corrupt wife Izeḇel, who had caused Yisra’ěl to follow the wicked worship of Ba’al, the Kenaʽanite deity of fertility, who they believed to ride the clouds and send rain!

It was during this time that the prophet of יהוה, Ěliyahu, had called for the rain to stop for 3 ½ years and then confronted the corrupt Ba’al worship, in a heated showdown on Mount Karmel, where the True Cloud Rider was revealed and the prophets of Ba’al were put to death! After this event, the rain came as the True Cloud Rider, יהוה Elohim, had now sent his rain at the voice of His prophet!

It is in Melaḵim Aleph/1 Kings 18 that we are able to read and study the events of the showdown on Mount Karmel and from verse 2 we are told that the famine was severe in the land:

Melaḵim Aleph/1 Kings 18:1-2 “And after many days it came to be that the word of יהוה came to Ěliyahu, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Aḥaḇ, and I give rain on the earth.” 2 Thereupon Ěliyahu went to present himself to Aḥaḇ. And the scarcity of food in Shomeron was severe.”

Yisra’ěl had fallen prey to the false worship of Ba’al and after 3 ½ years of there being no rain, the time to show a corrupt people who the True Cloud Rider is came about. Under a corrupt worship system, Ba’al was worshiped for being the cloud rider and sender of rain and was believed to be the one to bring fertility. Well, after 3 ½ years of drought, the famine had become so severe that the time to now choose who they serve had come about, as Ěliyahu set up a clear challenge that would identify who the True Cloud Rider and Sender or Rain was.

Despite concerted efforts of the Ba’al prophets, their assumed deity did not answer them! Then Ěliyahu repaired the slaughter-place of Yisra’ěl and called on יהוה to send fire. יהוה answered with fire and consumed the ascending offering, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 

After this we see the following response of the people of Yisra’ěl who were called to choose that day whom they would serve:

Melaḵim Aleph/1 Kings 18:39 “And all the people saw, and fell on their faces, and said, “יהוה, He is the Elohim! יהוה, He is the Elohim!”

The people acknowledged that יהוה is Elohim and by this declaration of acknowledgement, they acknowledged that יהוה is the True Cloud Rider and not Ba’al!

The Ba’al prophets were then killed at the wadi Qishon and then Ěliyahu told Aḥaḇ to go up and eat, because of the sound of rain! Rain was coming!!! The Cloud Rider and Sender of Rain was coming! At this event on Mount Karmel, when יהוה answered with fire, we are able to recognise the image of Him answering with lightning from His dark cloud, striking with lightning the ascending offering that was prepared by Ěliyahu! There was thunder, lightning and then the rain!!! This was a huge day as it identified who the True and Only Cloud Rider is! Ba’al worship was destroyed and יהוה was once again revealed as Elohim and the One who rides on the clouds!!!

The heavy rain that followed would have ended the drought and so we are able to see the powerful prophetic shadow picture of the second coming of our Master. In the Book of Amos, we are told that the days are coming when יהוה will send a famine for the Word:

Amos 8:11 “See, days are coming,” declares the Master יהוה, “that I shall send a hunger in the land, not a hunger for bread, nor a thirst for water, but for hearing the Words of יהוה.”

A famine for the hearing of the Word! I think that we are certainly in these days, as we take note that many are, as Sha’ul said, listening to those who tickle the ear and are refusing to listen to the proper sound teaching of the Word of Elohim! This is a time when the choice of who one serves must be made!

Sadly, many are deceived as they simply follow what they are told and are unable to rightly divide the truth and discern against deceit, for they know not the right-rulings of Elohim because the false prophets and false teachers and false shepherds have muddied the waters and taught deceit, treachery and falsehood!

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 23:26-27 “Till when shall it be in the heart of the prophets? – the prophets of falsehood and prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27 who try to make My people forget My Name by their dreams which everyone relates to his neighbour, as their fathers forgot My Name for Baʽal.”

The deceit that is coming forth from the hearts of false prophets and false teachers continue to cause people to forget the Name of יהוה – for Ba’al!!!

The Hebrew word בַּעַל ba’al – Strong’s H1167 means, ‘owner, lord, master, land owner’, and at its root form it means, ‘to marry, rule over, husband’. We also take note that the name בַּעַל Ba’al – Strong’s H1168, as it is used in this verse from Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 23:27, was the name of a Phoenician deity and as a name it can be rendered from the Hebrew into English as ‘The Lord’!!!

Melaḵim Aleph/1 Kings 18:21 “And Ěliyahu came to all the people, and said, “How long would you keep hopping between two opinions? If יהוה is Elohim, follow Him; and if Baʽal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.”

If we translate the Hebrew of the highlighted text correctly into English we would better have the following:

If יהוה is Elohim, follow Him; and if The Lord, follow him.

For many this may seem offensive, yet to the true hearer and doer of the Truth this is a sobering reality of what the false and deceitful traditions of man has done in causing many to not know Elohim and in doing so they have forgotten the Name of יהוה, which highlights how the deceived have forgotten who it is who causes them to be!

Choose the True Cloud Rider or choose the cloud deceiver!

As we consider the clear revelation of יהוה being the One who rides the clouds and the One who is coming on the clouds, as prophesied, we are able to understand the clear choice that many where given when Messiah came in the flesh! Many rejected Him and His words that revealed that He is the One who is coming on the clouds, as blasphemy, and it is with this imagery that we are able to once again recognise how it is the spirit of Ěliyahu that must come first, before Him who rides on the clouds comes, for the spirit of Ěliyahu calls for a choice to be made, in a time of a famine for the Word!!! Only those who truly hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled and be taken up to be with him who rides on the clouds, while those who reject Him and shall be destroyed by the fire of His wrath when He comes on the dark cloud!

Every eye will see Him who rides on the clouds! The question is… who are you serving? Choose the True Cloud Rider today – יהושע Messiah – for He is יהוה our Elohim!!! In choosing Him you choose life and choose to hear, guard and do His Word as you throw off all that entangles and destroy all form of ‘Ba’al’ worship, in order to serve the True Living Elohim, who rides the clouds! The revelation of יהושע Messiah identifies for us that He is יהוה our Elohim and Saviour, and beside Him there is no one else. Our acknowledgment of this is another confession of confidence we have in our only One True Saviour who is coming swiftly for us:

SEE, HE IS COMING ON THE CLOUDS!

Are your eyes fixed on Him? If Not, then hear this message and look to the Prince and Perfecter of our belief, for:

SEE, HE IS COMING ON THE CLOUDS!

יהוה bless you and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show favour to you; יהוה lift up His face to you and give you Shalom

Shalom all,

Today is… DAY 50!!! We have now come to the day we have been counting to, having counted 7 completed Sabbaths from the waving of the sheaf of the first, as commanded to us in:

Wayyiqra/Leviticus 23:15-17 “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. 16 ‘Until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath you count fifty days, then you shall bring a new grain offering to יהוה. 17 ‘Bring from your dwellings for a wave offering two loaves of bread, of two-tenths of an ĕphah of fine flour they are, baked with leaven, first-fruits to יהוה.”

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 16:9-12 “Count seven weeks for yourself. Begin to count seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain. 10 “And you shall perform the Festival of Shaḇuoth to יהוה your Elohim, according to the voluntary offering from your hand, which you give as יהוה your Elohim blesses you. 11 “And you shall rejoice before יהוה your Elohim, you and your son and your daughter, and your male servant and your female servant, and the Lĕwite who is within your gates, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are in your midst, at the place where יהוה your Elohim chooses to make His Name dwell. 12 “And you shall remember that you were a slave in Mitsrayim, and you shall guard and do these laws.”

Each year I highlight various key words and their meanings from these two passages concerning this great day that we are celebrating here today, in order for us to get a clearer understanding of the significance of this Feast; and today is no different, as I will once again show you a few Hebrew words and their meanings, along with the ancient pictographic rendering of these words that give us some wonderful insight into the perfect work of our Master and Elohim, along with our responsibility as a Bride that is making Herself ready for the soon return of our Coming Husband, Redeemer and King, יהושע Messiah.

Most have understood this day as being called ‘Pentecost’, which comes from the Greek word πεντηκοστή pentēkostē – Strong’s G4005 which is an ordinal number which means, ‘fiftieth’.

In Hebrew, this day is known as word שָׁבֻעוֹת Shaḇuoth which is the plural of the word שָׁבוּעַ shaḇua – Strong’s H7620 which means, ‘a period of 7 (days, years)’, which comes from the denominative verb – שָׁבַע shaḇa – Strong’s H7650 which means, ‘to swear, exchange oaths, take an oath, vow’. It is from this root that we get the Hebrew word for ‘seven’, which is the word שֶׁבַע sheḇa – Strong’s H7651.

Having said that, we recognise then that this is, in a manner of speaking, the Feast of Oaths or Feast of Sevens, or better understood as ‘THE FEAST OF WEEKS’, where we are able to joyfully celebrate the Covenants of Promise, that we were once excluded from without expectation and Elohim in the world, but have now, in Messiah, been brought near to and grafted in, by His blood!

We have not only been brought near, by His blood, as celebrated by the blood of the Passover Lamb that was slain, but in celebrating this Feast of Oaths/Sevens/Weeks, we rejoice in the fact that His Covenants of Promise have now been written on our hearts, giving us a firm expectation in our Master, as we work out our deliverance, each and every day, with fear and trembling! Once we had no expectation and were without Elohim, but now, in Him, our expectation is secure!!!

The Hebrew word שָׁבֻעוֹת Shaḇuoth is the first word that I would like to show you; and as we look at this word in the ancient pictographic text we are able to glean a powerful understanding of our reason for rejoicing!

In the ancient pictographic script – שָׁבֻעוֹת Shaḇuoth meaning, ‘sevens, oaths’, looks like this:

Shin – שָׁ:

This is the letter ‘shin’ which in the ancient script is pictured as , which is ‘two front teeth’ and carries the meaning of ‘sharp or press, chew or devour’; which is what the teeth do, and this also speaks of the sharpened word that comes forth from the mouth, as the teeth ‘chew’ or ‘meditate’ on the Truth, making what comes forth pure and sharp! It also carries the understanding of consuming or destroying – as teeth do to food. This can give us the meaning of WORD or Words.

Beyt – בֻ:

The ancient script has this letter as , which pictures a tent floor plan and means, ‘house’ or ‘tent’. It represents family and the importance of those who are inside the tent as opposed to the tent structure itself.

Ayin – ע:

The original pictograph for this letter is  and represents the idea of ‘seeing and watching’, as well as ‘knowledge’. as the eye is the ‘window of knowledge’ and can also render the concept of knowledge revealed!

Waw/Vav – וֹ:

This is the Hebrew letter ‘waw’ or ‘vav’ which in the ancient script is pictured as , which is a peg or ‘tent peg’, which was used for securing or tying down of the tent or other items. The possibility of it having a Y-shape is to show that it prevents the rope from slipping off. The root meaning of this letter is ‘to add, secure or hook’.

Taw – ת:

The ancient script has this letter as  which is pictured as two crossed sticks, and can represent for us ‘seal, covenant, mark or sign’; as this once again points to the complete work of Messiah in the renewal of the Covenant in His Blood that brings the two Houses of Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah together in Him, as One, for He is not only the ‘aleph’, but is also the ‘taw’ – the beginning and the end of all creation!

When we look at these pictographic symbols of the word for שָׁבֻעוֹת Shaḇuoth we can see the message being made clear through this Feast, as it can render for us the following meaning, in terms of the requirements of the Covenants of Oaths being secured by the Blood of Messiah, by which we have now been sealed by His Spirit:

THE WORD OF THE HOUSE HAS BEEN MADE KNOWN AND SEEN (WORD MADE FLESH) IN ORDER TO SECURE US AND SEAL US (FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION)!

In order for us to get to this Feast day of Shaḇuoth we are, as you all know, commanded to count to 50!

In other words, we take note that our Master and Elohim requires us to be a people who can count.

We are to be a ‘counting people’ and as we understand that we are continually reminded how we are to know how to count or else we may be in great danger of being in a place of not understanding His great plans for us, we see how He has taught us to count to 3, which we previously were unable to do when enslaved by false traditions – 3 Days and 3 nights!!!

He also taught us to count correctly to 7 in order to keep His Shabbat and so establish the sign between us and Him forever (Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 20:12,20).

Now that we can count to 3 and 7 – it does not stop there – we learn to take a great step forward in our counting ability by being able to count to 50!

All of these are very important numbers that any child of Elohim ought to be able to correctly count to, as they all point us toward His work of Redemption and Deliverance for us!

Counting requires a concentrated effort and it requires a daily choice of choosing life over death, blessing over curse; and the joy that this responsibility brings must result in our alert ability to call many out of darkness – for we know the times – after all we can now count, aměn!!!

The Hebrew word used for ‘count’, in our instruction to count 50 days to Shaḇuoth, is the word סָפַר saphar – Strong’s H5608 which means, ‘to score, mark as a tally, record, inscribe, recount, celebrate, commune’.

It is used 161 times in the Tanak (O.T), also being translated into English as, ‘tell, told, number, tell me, declared, numbering’.

This Hebrew word סָפַר saphar is the denominative root verb of the word סֵפֶר sepher – Strong’s H5612 which means, ‘a missive, document, writing, book, scroll, letters’, and is used to describe the Book of the Torah!

As we consider the clear importance of this commanded ‘counting period to 50’ we recognise how this is a great season that teaches us to continually be a ‘counting people’ who daily ‘count the cost’ of following our Master and Redeemer, יהושע Messiah. And to be faithful in being a ‘counting people’, we need to realise that we cannot do this without the Word of Elohim – as we are to meditate on His Torah day and night and allow this סֵפֶר sepher or Book of the Torah to lead us each and every day:

Yehoshua/Joshua 1:8 “Do not let this Book of the Torah depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you guard to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and act wisely.”

If we do not count we cannot be cleansed! To count means to reflect on where we are and repent of our sin and be filled with the Good News of the Kingdom.

The word סָפַר saphar (spelt from right to left is with a סָ – samek, פַ – pey, ר – resh).

Now, when we see these symbols, as written in the ancient pictographic script, we get a wonderful picture of what true cleansing entails, when we ‘count’ as we should:

 THE ANCIENT FORM OF WRITING THE WORD “COUNT” – SAPHAR!

Samek – סָ:

The ancient script has this letter pictured as , which is a thorn and has the meanings of ‘pierce and sharp’ and can also carry the meaning of ‘a shield’, as thorn bushes were used by shepherds to build a wall to enclose their flock in the night against the attack of predators. Another meaning would be ‘to grab hold of’ as a thorn is a seed that clings to hair and clothing.

The Word of Elohim is sharper than a doubled edged sword and when we find that we do not grab hold of His Word and allow His Word to be our shield of faith, we may find ourselves being pierced through with sin and compromise! Our praise we have for our Master is that in Him we are upheld forever, for He is the shield of our Help, as He Himself took the crown of thorns upon His head, bearing our sin and shame that we may be found to be shielded in Him! It can also give a meaning of ‘turning’, for it is the thorn that turns us away from danger to that which is secure.

Pey – פָּ:

This is the letter ‘pey’, which is pictured as , which is an ‘open mouth’ and carries the meaning of ‘speak and blow’, from the functions of the mouth, and can have the meaning of ‘scatter’ by blowing. It can also mean sword or beard as in things with edges, as well as a region in depicting a place with edges or boundaries. It also can represent that which has been spoken forth from the words of one’s mouth, as being established!

Resh – ר:

The ancient script has this letter pictured as , which is ‘the head of a man’ and carries the meaning of ‘top, beginning, first, chief’, as in being the top of the body or the head of a tribe and the one who rules; and also speaks of possession or inheritance that is decided by the chief. Our true life of praise unto יהוה, our Head, begins when we fear Him, for He is the beginning of our strength, and true separated praise entails a true fear of the One who is Chief over us!

When seeing the construct of this word for count in its ancient form we have a clear picture of how cleansing entails true repentance through being able to correctly count! This ancient grouping of letters can carry various meanings for us, and in terms of being a people who count, we realise that this can only be done when we:

GRAB HOLD OF THE WORD OF THE HEAD!

This picture, in terms of counting, teaches us that our shield and refuge is in our Head and Master, who teaches us through His Word to number our days and we recognise that When we bring our sins (pictured by the thorn) and confess them (open mouth) to יהושע our Messiah (head of a man); then He is the one who cleanses us!

As we count the cost of following our Master and surrender and submit our lives to His Word that leads us, we then recognise how we are to be hearers and doers of His Word and not simply hearers only!

“Doing” the Word implies a proper obedience, that does what the Master commands us to do and here at Shaḇuoth we are commanded to ‘PERFORM’ the FESTIVAL OF WEEKS to יהוה.

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘perform’ comes from the root word עָשָׂה asah – Strong’s H6213 meaning, ‘to do, work, make, produce, to act with effect, to observe, to bring about, institute’ and can also mean, ‘celebrate’, which I think is very fitting, as it is truly a great ‘joy’ TO DO the laws and right-rulings as prescribed!

So many today think that it is a huge burden to do what is commanded, yet that is so far from the truth – when we diligently observe and guard to do all He commands us to do – it is a great joy and a delight and not heavy at all!

A derivative of this root is the word מַעֲשֶׂה ma’aseh – Strong’s H4639 and means ‘a deed, work or acts, accomplishments’. The Acts of the Apostles speaks of the deeds or acts of that which the Apostles did and records their ‘acts’ of obedience.

Our obedience in ‘doing’ or ‘performing’ this Feast should be evidenced with great commitment and joy!

We shall be known by our fruits based on our proper reverence and submission to our Master, which shall be evidenced in our “acts of obedience”, as we walk in righteousness, guarding to do all He has commanded us to do, all the time!!! We are to be doers of the Word and not just hearers only!

Ya’aqoḇ/James 1:22-25 “And become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror, 24 for he looks at himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what he was like. 25 But he that looked into the perfect Torah, that of freedom, and continues in it, not becoming a hearer that forgets, but a doer of work, this one shall be blessed in his doing of the Torah.”

As we consider this root verb עָשָׂה asah in terms of our need to ‘perform’ this Feast and be doers of the Word, we recognise that we can only be proper doers if we are in fact looking intently into the Word, and when we see this word in the ancient pictographic script we gain further understanding of what it is to be a proper doer of the Word!

In the ancient pictographic script, the verb עָשָׂה asah – Strong’s H6213 which means, ‘to do, work, make, produce, to act with effect, to observe, to bring about, institute, celebrate’ looks like this:

Ayin – עָ:

The original pictograph for this letter is:  and represents the idea of ‘seeing and watching’, as well as ‘knowledge’ as the eye is the window of knowledge.

Sin – שָׂ:

This is the letter ‘sin/shin’ which in the ancient script is pictured as: , which is ‘two front teeth’ and carries the meaning of ‘sharp or press, chew or devour’; which is what the teeth do, and also speaks of the sharpened word that comes forth from the mouth, as the teeth ‘chew’ or ‘meditate’ on the Truth, making what comes forth pure and sharp! It also carries the understanding of consuming or destroying – as teeth do to food.

Hey – ה:

The ancient script has this letter as  and is pictured as a man standing with his arms raised up and out as if pointing to something, and in essence carries the meaning of ‘behold’ as in when looking at something very great. It can also have the meaning to ‘breath’ or ‘sigh’ as when looking at a great sight and having your breath taken away so to speak! It also has the meaning of revelation or to reveal something by pointing it out, as well as ‘praise’ through the lifting up of our hands in complete awe and surrender.

When looking at this word עָשָׂה asah in the ancient pictographic form, we are able to further understand how critical it is for us to be doers of the Word and so perform and do that which is instructed for us to do. From this picture, we can see the meaning of:

LOOKING AT THE WORD THAT HAS BEEN REVEALED!

This teaches us that we are unable to DO or PERFORM the Word if we are not looking intently at the Word!

Ok… so we have counted… and having come to Shaḇuoth we are now commanded to perform this Feast!

As we look intently into the clear instructions given to us, in regards to performing the Feast of Shaḇuoth, we take note that a key component of our performing this Feast is one of rejoicing! Yes… rejoicing!!!

The Hebrew root word translated as ‘feast’ is the noun חַג ḥag – Strong’s H2282 which means, ‘a festival, feast, sacrifice, festival gathering, solemnity’, which comes from the root verb חָגַג ḥagag – Strong’s H2287 which means, ‘to make a pilgrimage, keep a pilgrimage, celebrate a feast, observe a feast, dance’.

This word חַג ḥag – Strong’s H2282 which means, ‘a festival, feast, sacrifice, festival gathering, solemnity’, in the ancient pictographic text looks like this:

Ḥet – חַ:

The ancient script has this letter as  which is a ‘tent wall’, and carries a meaning of ‘SEPARATION’, as a tent wall separates two halves of the tent; or it can also reflect the outside walls that separate the people inside from that which is outside and so can also symbolise protection and security to those inside, while picturing a cutting off of those who are outside. Hence this letter can mean ‘established, secure’ as well as ‘cut off, and separated from’. As a tent wall, we are also able to recognise the picture of stones being built up to make a complete wall, having been separated from the world and built up in the master!

Gimel – ג:

This is the letter ‘gimel’, which in the ancient script in pictured as  which is ‘a foot’ and carries the meaning to ‘walk, gather, carry’, as clearly referring to the functions of a foot; and it can also give the meaning of a gathering of people, and we know that ‘feet’ in Hebrew speaks of one’s walk and ability to keep the Feasts of יהוה, and represents one’s ‘walk’, and therefore also pictures for us the idea of ‘gathering’.