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8th of the 3rd month 2021/2022
Shalom family, may the joy of יהוה continue to strengthen us to be a praising people, who with great zeal cling to Him and walk steadfast in Messiah!
Ya’aqoḇ/James 1:3-4 “My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the proving of your belief works endurance. 4 And let endurance have a perfect work, so that you be perfect and complete, lacking in naught.”
These verses are often widely quoted and are one of the more well-known in Scripture, yet I wonder how many of those who know this and recite this verse, actually do what the verse says!
For many of us, if not all of us, trials have been coming hard and fast from all sides and for each one the trials we may find ourselves falling into can often seem like a dead-end street with no way out, and the imminent threat of stress and panic often seizes one to the point of feeling insecure and helpless – can anyone relate to this of late?
If this is true then I ask whether you are actually counting it all joy?
The Greek word that is used here for ‘trials’ is πειρασμός peirasmos – Strong’s G3986 which means, ‘an experiment, trial, temptation, testing’ and speaks of an enticement to sin and temptation, whether arising from inward desires or from outward circumstances; as well as the condition of things, or a mental state, by which we are enticed to sin; or to a lapse from the faith and set-apartness.
This word can also be understood as some adversity, affliction, or trouble that is sent by Elohim with the purpose of serving to test or prove one’s character, faith, and set-apartness.
So, whatever the trial you may find yourself falling into, be it from a circumstance as a result of choices that result in causing you to be tempted to a lapse of faithfulness or whether it is simply a method of a time of proving that has been sent by Elohim to grow you – what we are able to be reminded of, is that we are instructed to count or consider it all joy!
While this may be often easier said than done – the fact remains that we have absolutely no excuse to not be a joyful, praising people – regardless or the current situation we find ourselves in.
Having said that, I want us to look at a chapter that speaks of what is to come, and for many it may sound like doom and gloom, yet when we consider the reality of who it is that we belong to, and recognize the need to be clinging to יהוה without letting go, we can endure that which is to come, with a steadfast joy that comes from Him, as we walk in Messiah, aměn!
While we may certainly face, and fall into, many trials on a daily, weekly or even monthly basis, we need to ensure that we grow stronger and stronger in our ability to count it joy, so that our endurance is strengthened for the days to come, where we know that the pressures and persecutions will increase tremendously before our Messiah comes to take up His faithful remnant Bride!
In a message called, “PRAISE YAHWEH IN THE LIGHT OF THE FIRE!”, please go the following Chapter and read:
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 24
This Chapter speaks very loud and clear, of the wrath of Elohim that is coming upon the earth, as the result of man’s wickedness and lawlessness.
No matter who you are or what position you may have, and no matter how much wealth you may or may not have – all will be affected by these events, as the earth will be completely plundered – and this is the Word of יהוה that has spoken – and therefore it shall be!!!
Verse 1 begins this passage with the clear announcement that יהוה is making the earth empty and a waste and He is the One who will overturn its surface!
The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘See’ is הִנֵּה hinneh – Strong’s H2009 which means, ‘Lo! Behold! Look! See!’, which is the prolonged form of the word הֵן hen – Strong’s H2005, which is an interjection that demands attention and is mainly used to emphasise the information that follows.
This was a very clear declaration that was being made!
The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘making empty’ is בּוֹקֵק boqeq – which comes from the root word בָּקַק baqaq – Strong’s H1238 which means, ‘to empty, completely laid waste, demoralized, devastated, make void’.
This root word is used 9 times on 7 verses in the Tanak and is a word that clearly describes the resulting action of judgement for lawlessness and rebellion.
This word is translated as ‘degenerate’ in describing Yisra’ěl as a degenerate vine, as seen in:
Hoshěa/Hosea 10:1 “Yisra’ěl is a degenerate vine, he brings forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he increased the slaughter-places. And the better his land, the better they made the pillars.”
This chapter 10 of Hoshěa/Hosea, in referring to Yisra’ěl, is in fact referring to the House of Yisra’ěl – the Northern 10 Tribes, also referred to as Ephrayim.
In following on from the previous chapter, we see here the description of this now corrupt and idolatrous nation – as they are described as being a ‘degenerate vine’, when in fact they should have been a fruitful vine, bearing the fruit of righteousness!
This root word בָּקַק baqaq – Strong’s H1238 can also carry the meaning of, ‘to be in a state or condition of destruction; a degenerating withering vine i.e., the state or condition of lacking moisture in a plant and indicates poor health’, and it can also mean, ‘to be growing and fruitful as a healthy plant’.
This may sound a bit contradictory, in seeing that the same root word can mean two opposites – but what we have here, is a nation who, by all accounts, are seemingly fruitful, yet what we do see, is that the fruit that they were bearing was, in a sense, corrupt and empty fruit, as their ‘fruit’ had quickly turned to false worship. This is a clear picture of false and empty worship of the lawless, for they have the outward appearance of ‘fruit’ and appear to be on the increase, yet they are empty, void and vain and are in a state of lacking moisture, for they do not walk according to the Spirit as they have cast the Torah aside and are feeding of the futility of an empty and degenerating fleshly worship, which is not true worship at all!
Tehillah/Psalm 128:3 “Let your wife be as a fruit-bearing vine within your house, your sons like olive plants all around your table.”
Yisra’ĕl was to be a fruitful wife, a betrothed bride that was bearing great fruit within the house, yet they had adulterated themselves with the nations and were corrupting their worship, by mixing in pagan practices and so, this ‘fruitful’ wife was actually a ‘degenerate’ wife.
Why were they worthless and void and empty, and why was their worship empty and in vain?
Because they had wasted their ‘fruitfulness’ on idols and pagan altars and had directed that false worship unto יהוה, which as we know in Scripture, this form of corrupt and mixed worship is not worship at all, but is rather an abomination in the eyes of Elohim.
The more that Yisra’ĕl increased and bettered their land the more they profaned themselves by making pillars, which were erected as huge monuments, pillars or standing stones and were often built in a prescribed form that had cultic meanings to them, being built along with pagan altars.
This corrupt and degenerate worship traces back to Nimrod worship, as these were actually phallic symbols of fertility.
Many centuries later, when Constantine, the father of the church and the mixed religion of Christianity, issued a decree and mandated that everyone in the Roman Empire was to become a Christian and many temples were turned into churches, where tall pillars were placed on top of the buildings for added visibility – commonly known also as ‘steeples’ – something we know and see very clearly all around us in almost every city and suburb today! The degenerate bride had profaned her worship and integrated pagan idolatry as a means and form that ultimately led to formalised religion!
Back to Yeshayahu/Isaiah 24
As a result of there being no resultant fruit of righteousness, יהוה is the One who empties and makes waste!
As a result of the outpouring of His wrath, which we can further read about in Ḥazon/Revelation, we are clearly told that יהוה will make the earth empty and a waste; and in Yeshayahu/Isaiah 24:4 we are told that the world shall ‘languish’ and the haughty people of the earth shall ‘languish’!
The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘languish’ comes from the root word אָמַל amal – Strong’s H535 which means, ‘to be weak, languish, decay, fade away, wither, to be or grow feeble’.
The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘world’ comes from the root word בֵּבֵל teḇel – Strong’s H8398 which means, ‘inhabited world’ and the Hebrew word that is translated as ‘haughty’ is מָרוֹם marom – Strong’s H4791 which means, ‘height, above, exalted, haughty, lofty, proudly’ and comes from the word רוּם rum – Strong’s H7311 meaning, ‘to be high or exalted, to become proud, rebelled’.
What we see from this, is the clear fact that the ‘worldly’ and all those who are proud and lofty and have built for themselves a life that is dependent upon self and the world, will be brought low and will decay!
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 2:17 “And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the pride of men shall be brought low. And יהוה alone shall be exalted in that day”
Verse 5 further stresses the fact that the earth lies defiled, because of its inhabitants that have transgressed against the Torah of Elohim and have changed the Torah and broken the everlasting covenant!
The Hebrew root word that is translated as ‘defiled’ is חָנֵף ḥaneph – Strong’s H2610 which means, ‘to be polluted or profane, turn to lawlessness’ and the Hebrew root word that is translated as ‘broken’ is פָּרַר parar – Strong’s H6565 which means, ‘to break, frustrate, annul, nullify, make ineffectual, split, divide’.
I hope this makes the picture clear, as to why the earth is already in such a defiled state and is not functioning according to the Creator’s design – it is clearly because man has turned to lawlessness and has made the Torah of Elohim ineffectual as a means to govern His creation – and this is why it lies defiled!
When the Torah is disregarded, and thrown out as no longer being the primary instructions for living, then the result is simply one of a devastating defilement that is decaying; and this principle that is being pictured here, for the earth, applies to our individual lives too – for when we break the Torah and change His Torah, by substituting it with tradition, we defile ourselves, and render our garments of unrighteousness as garments of decay.
The result of this defilement of mankind, is that it will be consumed under a curse and die in the fire of the wrath of Elohim.
All very gloom and doom stuff I know – yet this is real people!!!
Yet what we see here, in verse 6, is the promise of a remnant that shall be left!!!
Yes, a remnant – that is: the faithful and trustworthy few who are in the world but not of the world – the remnant few who endure under trials and guard the commands of Elohim and the belief of יהושע:
Ḥazon/Revelation 14:12 “Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones, here are those guarding the commands of Elohim and the belief of יהושע.”
In Yeshayahu/Isaiah 7:3 we are given the name of the son of Yeshayahu, which isשְׁאָר יָשׁוּב She’ar Yashuḇ – Strong’s H7610 which means, ‘a remnant shall return’, and carries great insight for us, especially in light of the message that Yeshayahu was told to go, with his son, and relay to Aḥaz, to not be afraid of the enemies who were encroaching Yehuḏah.
The ‘remnant’, in Scripture, are regarded as those who guard the commands of Elohim and possess the witness of יהושע Messiah – and it is the remnant against whom the enemy will launch a great attack:
Ḥazon/Revelation 12:17 “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to fight with the remnant of her seed, those guarding the commands of Elohim and possessing the witness of יהושע Messiah.”
The days ahead will get so intense, that those in the world who are carrying on in their ‘merry’ little ways, as they indulge in their lawless lifestyles of satisfying the flesh, will come to the point where they wish they were dead and they will put away their party gear – not by choice – and in the process, many will blaspheme Elohim and prefer to cry out for the rocks to fall on them.
Verses 8-9 highlights this clear state that rejoicing will cease.
There will be no more sounds of joy and as a result, bitterness will increase.
What we see happening more and more today, is the vast increase in bitterness of so many, who are extremely bitter about the harsh and trying times that we are living in, under a corrupted man-driven system of lawlessness and what was thought by many as ‘good times’ is fast disappearing, under the depravity of sin and corruption.
In Yeshayahu/Isaiah 24:10 we are told that the ‘deserted’ city shall be broken down – and the Hebrew word that translated as ‘deserted’ comes from the root word תֹּהוּ tohu – Strong’s H8414 which means, ‘formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness, empty space, futile, meaningless’.
The KJV translates this as ‘the city of confusion’, and what we see here, is the direct reference to the ‘counterfeit Yerushalayim’, which is a reference to Baḇelon – which has caused so many to inherit that which is futile and formless, and has led the world into a great confusion, as the masses do not know יהוה.
This root word תֹּהוּ tohu – Strong’s H8414 is used in:
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 59:4 “No one calls for righteousness, and no one pleads for truth. They trust in emptiness and speak worthlessness; they conceive trouble and bring forth wickedness.”
In verse 11 we are told that all joy will be darkened and the gladness of the earth shall be gone, while there is a great cry for wine in the streets.
This is clear prophetic language of the state of the lawless, who are desperately seeking their ‘wine’, which is a clear reference to the corrupted teachings of the whore, and despite the cry for her poisonous wormwood, there will be no joy found.
As we see depravity increasing at an alarming rate, and see the clear effect of the curses for disobedience being poured out, the lawless will no longer be able to find their comfort in their false worship systems.
As the wrath of our Master is poured out on the nations, the clear destruction of falsehood is seen, yet many will still claim to call on the Master, but not in Truth, as their false ways of worship will no longer render the false joy and rejoicing that they had erroneously held fast to.
In Yeshayahu/Isaiah 24:12 we are told that the city is left in ruins and the gate is stricken with destruction!
The gates of a city were the place where the judges and officials of the city would sit and right-ruling would be given and so, by this clear picture of the gate being stricken with destruction, we can see the reference to the fact that the proper right-ruling of Elohim had been discarded and there was no more a call for pure righteousness and truth.
This is pretty much the state of the world at present, as no man-driven government regards the Torah of Elohim.
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 5:1-2 “Diligently search the streets of Yerushalayim, and please look, and know and seek in her open places if you find a man, if there is anyone doing right-ruling, seeking the truth, then I shall pardon her. 2 “Even when they say, ‘As יהוה lives,’ they swear falsely, for certain.”
Yeḥezqěl /Ezekiel 32:29-31 “The people of the land have practised oppression, and committed robbery, and have wronged the poor and needy. And they oppressed the stranger without right-ruling. 30 “And I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the breach before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it – but I did not find one! 31 “Therefore I have poured out My displeasure on them, I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath. And I have put their way on their own head,” declares the Master יהוה.”
There is no substance to the world’s ways of man-made doctrines and corrupted traditions that have attempted to change the Torah – and the reality of this will be exposed and therefore, cause the crying out for the wine of lies and the gladness of the earth to be removed, as the lies are uncovered and exposed for what they really are!
At this point, it is worth reading Ḥazon/Chapter 18, as we can clearly see that which we have been looking at, being described:
Ḥazon/Revelation 18:1-24: “And after this I saw another messenger coming down from the heaven, having great authority, and the earth was lightened from his esteem. 2 And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, “Baḇel the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, and a haunt for every unclean and hated bird, 3 because all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her whoring, and the sovereigns of the earth have committed whoring with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the power of her riotous living.” 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. 5 “Because her sins have piled up to reach the heaven, and Elohim has remembered her unrighteousnesses. 6 “Render to her as she indeed did render, and repay her double according to her works. In the cup which she has mixed, mix for her double. 7 “As much as she esteemed herself and lived riotously, so much torture and grief give to her, because in her heart she says, ‘I sit as sovereigness, and I am not a widow, and I do not see mourning at all.’ 8 “Because of this her plagues shall come in one day: death and mourning and scarcity of food. And she shall be burned up with fire, because יהוה Elohim who judges her is mighty. 9 “And the sovereigns of the earth who committed whoring and lived riotously with her shall weep and mourn over her, when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her torture, saying, ‘Woe! Woe, the great city Baḇel, the mighty city, because your judgment has come in one hour!’ 11 “And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their merchandise anymore – 12 merchandise of gold and silver, and precious stone and pearls, and fine linen and purple, and silk and scarlet, and all citron wood, and every object of ivory, and every object of most precious wood and bronze and iron and marble, 13 and cinnamon and incense, and fragrant oil and frankincense, and wine and oil, and fine flour and wheat, and cattle and sheep, and horses and carriages, and bodies and lives of men. 14 “And the fruit that your being longed for has gone from you. And all your riches and splendour are lost to you, and you shall find them no more, not at all. 15 “The merchants of these, those who became rich by her, shall stand at a distance for fear of her torture, weeping and mourning, 16 and saying, ‘Woe! Woe, the great city that was dressed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 ‘For in one hour such great riches was laid waste.’ And every shipmaster, and every passenger, and sailors, and as many as work the sea for their living, stood at a distance, 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’ 19 “And they threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and saying, ‘Woe! Woe, the great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she was laid waste.’ 20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you set-apart emissaries and prophets, for Elohim has completely avenged you on her!” 21 And one mighty messenger picked up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “With such a rush the great city Baḇel shall be thrown down, and shall not be found any more at all. 23 “And the light of a lamp shall not shine in you any more at all. And the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you any more at all. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, for by your drug sorcery all the nations were led astray. 24 “And in her was found the blood of prophets and set-apart ones, and of all who were slain on the earth.”
Back to Yeshayahu/Isaiah 24:
We can relate what is being written in Ḥazon/Revelation to these words of Yeshayahu/Isaiah 24, and what I want to emphasis very clearly here, is that the Day of יהוה is not a Day of fun and games, as we also read the following, in:
Yo’ĕl/Joel 1:15 “Alas for the day! For the day of יהוה is near, and it comes as destruction from the Almighty.”
Yo’ĕl/Joel 2:1-3 “Blow a ram’s horn in Tsiyon, and sound an alarm in My set-apart mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the earth tremble, for the day of יהוה is coming, for it is near: 2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains – a people many and strong, the like of whom has never been, nor shall there ever be again after them, to the years of many generations. 3 Ahead of them a fire has consumed, and behind them a flame burns. Before them the land is like the Garden of Eḏen, and behind them a desert waste. And from them there is no escape.”
In Yeshayahu/Isaiah 24:15 we are clearly instructed that, in light of all this that is coming, we are to ‘praise יהוה in the east’!
The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘in the east’ is בָּאֻרִים ba’uriym where the letter ‘בָּ’ beyt is used as a preposition that is translated as ‘in/in the’ before the word אוּרִים Uriym which is the plural of the root word אוּר ur – Strong’s H217 which actually means, ‘a flame, fire, fires, light’ or ‘light of fire’.
The KJV translates this as ‘in the fires’.
It is from this verse that I chose the title for this message:
PRAISE YAHWEH IN THE LIGHT OF THE FIRE!
This phrase and call, is exactly the point of my message that I am presenting here: – for it is in the light of fire that we are to be praising יהוה!
The plural of the word אוּר ur – Strong’s H217, which is the word אוּרִים Urim – Strong’s H224, is used in:
Shemoth/Exodus 28:30 “And into the breastplate of right-ruling you shall put the Urim and the Tummim, and they shall be on the heart of Aharon when he goes in before יהוה. And Aharon shall bear the right-ruling of the children of Yisra’ĕl on his heart before יהוה, continually.”
אוּרִים Uriym – Strong’s H224 means ‘lights, illuminations’ – and the אוּרִים Urim was placed in the breastplate of right-ruling of the High Priest, together with the תֻּמִּים Tummiym – which is the plural of the word תֹּם tom, which carries the meaning of ‘perfections’
While there is no evidence to clearly tell us what the Urim and Tummim consisted of, be it stones or any other substance, what we can see, is that the High Priest would use these in order to get right-ruling and so speaks of seeking the perfect truth from יהוה.
What is very interesting and worthy of noting, is that the first letter of the word אוּרִים Urim is the first letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, which is the letter א ‘aleph’ and the first letter of the word תֻּמִּים Tummiym is last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which is the letter ת ‘taw’:
And… we know very clearly who the Aleph and the Taw is:
Ḥazon/Revelation 1:8 “I am the ‘Aleph’ and the ‘Taw’, beginning and end,” says יהוה “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 44:6 “Thus said יהוה, Sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, and his Redeemer, יהוה of hosts, ‘I am the First and I am the Last, besides Me there is no Elohim.”
What are the urim and tummim?
They are the things that illuminate and perfect.
We know that יהושע is the Light and He was the Perfect Lamb, and so this represents for us our need to hunger and thirst for righteousness and be perfect before Elohim, for He is perfect and we are called to be the salt and light, which we can only be, when we seek out His Right-Ruling and walk according to that which is to be upon our heart – His Torah!
You will notice the positioning of the Urim and Tummim was in the breastplate – and therefore they were by the heart!!!
Our Master and Elohim, writes His Torah on our hearts and therefore it is to be in our hearts and mouths so that we may do it!
Therefore, the call to ‘praise יהוה in the light of the fire’ is a call for us to recognise what must happen and why, as He pours out His righteous right-ruling against lawlessness and sin, yet as we cling to Him and walk in Messiah, we can be sure of the promised hope of our deliverance, as we continue to praise Him, knowing that He delivers the righteous from all distress:
Tehillah/Psalm 34:19 “The righteous cried out, and יהוה heard, and delivered them out of all their distresses.”
Tehillah/Psalm 37:39 “But the deliverance of the righteous is from יהוה, their strength in time of distress.”
Tehillah/Psalm 58:10 “The righteous rejoices when he has seen the vengeance, He washes his feet in the blood of the wrong”
Tehillah/Psalm 118:15 “The voice of rejoicing and deliverance is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of יהוה is doing mightily.”
As we cling to יהוה, guarding to do all He has commanded us, then we may confidently raise up the voice of rejoicing and deliverance.
In verse 16 we see that while there will be songs of rejoicing being heard from the ends of the earth, Yeshayahu declares a huge WOE!!!
While many are falsely singing ‘Splendour to the Righteous One’, Yeshayahu says that he was wasting away and it was a big woe to him and he declared:
‘The treacherous betray, with treachery the treacherous betray’
The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘treacherous’ comes from the root word בָּגַד bagaḏ – Strong’s H898 which means, ‘to act or deal treacherously, act deceitfully, faithless, transgressor’ and this verb is used to denote unfaithfulness in several different relationships; and it is used in connection with unfaithfulness in marriage – and more specifically, how Yisra’ĕl has acted treacherously toward Elohim:
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 3:20 “But indeed as a wife betrays her husband, so have you betrayed Me, O house of Yisra’ĕl,” declares יהוה.”
This phrase: ‘The treacherous betray, with treachery the treacherous betray’,
is written in the Hebrew text as follows:
בֹּגְדִים בָּגָדוּ וּבֶגֶד בּוֹגְדִים בָּגָדוּ
Bogeḏiym bagaḏu uḇegeḏ bogediym bagaḏu
In this verse 16 of Yeshayahu/Isaiah 24, we find that this root verb בָּגַד bagaḏ – Strong’s H898 is seen in 4 words, with a fifth word having the root of a word that comes from the verb בָּגַד bagaḏ – Strong’s H898, which is the root of the word which is translated as ‘treachery’ and is the Hebrew noun בֶּגֶד beggeḏ – Strong’s H899 which means, ‘treachery, to deceive’ and can also give reference to any kind of garment, from the robes of the rich and mighty to the rags of the poor and the leper.
This noun בֶּגֶד beggeḏ – Strong’s H899 is also used as a reference to the cloth used to cover the Tabernacle furniture, as seen in Bemiḏbar/Numbers 4:12-13.
So ,with all 5 of these words that are used to construct this phrase, being rooted in the word בָּגַד bagaḏ – Strong’s H898, it is abundantly clear that the emphasis is placed on the state of treachery and deception, as many are living in complete deception as they continue to refuse the need to receive a love for the Truth.
So, what we see here, in Yeshayahu/Isaiah 24, is a clear play on words, that clearly reveals the counterfeit messiah and his worship system, that has acted deceitfully and caused many to be clothed in unrighteous garments of betrayal and deceit, as they disregard the Table of Elohim and trample underfoot His Torah; yet firmly believe that they are clothed with righteousness!
Yeshayahu exposes this deceit here, in proclaiming the very big woe against treachery and deceit!
This is a woe that is still to be heard today, as many are thinking that they are worshipping the Creator and declaring His splendour, while their lives clearly reveal that they are not dressed in righteousness, as their garments are completely stained by sin and lawlessness.
This is a picture of many who think they are worshipping the Master, yet will be rejected as not being known by Him, despite their empty lip service of a false praise, as they may honour Him with their lips but their hearts are far from Him, as their works of lawlessness reveal that they do not have His Torah upon their hearts!
Our Master gave a clear warning to those who think they are worshipping Him as Master, yet still continue to be lawless!
Mattithyahu/Matthew 7:21-23 “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!’”
In Yeshayahu/Isaiah 24:17-18 the message is clear to those who are of the world:
fear and the pit and snare be upon them!
We who are in Messiah are in the world we are but not of the world!
And the clear warning being given here is that nobody shall be able to escape the coming destruction, when the windows of heaven are opened and the earth is shaken under the hand of the Most–High! If your refuge is not in The Most-High, then you will not be able to hide from His coming wrath!
Yeshayahu is clear, on this great shaking that is coming and how the enemy will be bound up and be punished after many days.
This may be a prophetic reference to Satan being bound up for the 1000 years while Messiah reigns, yet this also speaks of the many sinners who have died and will be punished at the Judgement seat after the Millennial reign!
He ends this chapter with the clear picture of there being no more need for the sun and moon, to show us our Master’s Appointments, for יהוה shall be in our midst and this reference to the moon blushing and the sun being ashamed, also speaks of how the importance of them will be diminished, and while many may have worshipped them in the past, they will be shown up as things that should never be worshipped!
All form of pagan worship will be destroyed as יהוה’s reign is firmly established here on earth!
And in the renewed heavens and earth we are told that the city will have no need for sun and moon for Elohim lights it and the Lamb is its lamp!
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 25 & 26 continues into a song of praise, given by the remnant at the deliverance of יהוה.
While all of these events to come, may sound very frightening – and indeed they are – we need to be sure that we are able to endure the trials that we find ourselves facing today, so that endurance may have a perfect work in us, making us complete in Messiah and lacking nothing!
May we be a praising people in the light of His righteous refining fire!
The Hebrew word that is translated in verse 15 as ‘praise’ comes from the primitive 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’.
This verb כָּבֵד kaḇeḏ – Strong’s H3513 is used in the 10 words (Commandments) when we are told to ‘respect’ our parents; and what is, in effect, being told to us, is that we must carefully consider and ‘give weight to’ the Word of Elohim and so, we must weigh up the consequences of the inherited lies and mistakes that we had been wrongly raised up in, and be careful to not follow in the same mistakes, by guarding 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.
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!
When we consider this Hebrew word for ‘esteem’ – כָּבוֹד kaḇoḏ – Strong’s H3519 in the ancient script we gain further insight in the revelation of the esteem of יהוה.
In the ancient pictographic script, the word כָּבוֹד kaḇoḏ – Strong’s H3519 looks like this:
Kaph – כָּ:
The ancient form of this letter is 
– meaning ‘the open palm of a hand’.
The meaning behind this letter is ‘to bend and curve’ from the shape of a palm as well as ‘to tame or subdue’ as one has been bent to another’s will (under their hand), as an open hand symbolises submission.
This also can picture for us a palm or palm branch from the curved palm shape. The hand also speaks of one’s work, or under whose hand you submit and obey, and can also speak of a covering, as in the covering of a hand.
Beyt – ב:
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, and is the Dwelling Place of the Most-High, which we are, as we are as living stones being built up in Messiah.
Waw – וֹ:
The ancient pictographic form of this letter is 
, which is a peg or ‘tent peg’ or nail, which was used for securing or tying 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’.
Dalet – ד:
The ancient script has this letter as
and is pictured as 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.
When we look at these pictographic letters for ‘esteem’ we are able to see some wonderful insight into the esteem of יהוה being revealed to us.
The collective rendering of these pictographic letters can give us the meaning:
THE COVERING OF THE HOUSE
THAT HAS BEEN SECURED
AND ENTRANCE GIVEN!
We also take note that we are able to recognise that the esteem we are to give to Elohim, and Elohim alone, is because He is the builder of the House!
By His Hand He has built us and by His Mighty Saving Hand He has secured for us an entrance into His presence, as we are built up in Him who is greater than the House!
For the builder of the House is greater that the House!
We are the dwelling Place and He is the Master Builder who covers us as we take our stand upon Him, our Rock and Refuge!
As we consider the rendering of this word for ‘esteem’ – כָּבוֹד kaḇoḏ – Strong’s H3519 – we are able to see from Scripture a clear revelation of the esteem of יהוה our Elohim.
We take note of the very striking words of Messiah, as He spoke to the Pharisees who were accusing His taught ones for breaking the Sabbath, when they went through the grain fields on the Sabbath and began to pluck heads of grain, to eat.
Mattithyahu/Matthew 12:6 “But I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the Set-apart Place.”
The One who is greater than the House was in their midst!
In Speaking of יהושע Messiah, in the letter to the Iḇ’rim/Hebrews, we see, in:
Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 3:3-6 “For this One has been deemed worthy of more esteem than Mosheh, as much as He who built the house enjoys more respect than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all is Elohim. 5 And Mosheh indeed was trustworthy in all His house as a servant, for a witness of what would be spoken later, 6 but Messiah as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the boldness and the boasting of the expectation firm to the end.”
Elohim is the builder and the One who built the House is worthy of more esteem than Mosheh!
In a manner of speaking, Mosheh is the House, just as we are the House/Dwelling Place of Elohim, yet our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah, is greater than the House, for He is the builder of the House!
We also read in:
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 40:5 “And the esteem of יהוה shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see it. For the mouth of יהוה has spoken.”
At the beginning of this Chapter 40 in Yeshayahu/Isaiah we see the clear words of Elohim saying, “Comfort, comfort My people’, says your Elohim”, and this is a very comforting assurance that is given in declaring the promise of a recovery of breath that Elohim would bring and how the Spirit of Ěliyahu would come first in preparing the way and making straight the way in the desert for our Elohim, and then we see in the verses that follow these words:
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 40:9-11 “You who bring good news to Tsiyon, get up into the high mountain. You who bring good news to Yerushalayim, lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid. Say to the cities of Yehuḏah, “See your Elohim!” 10 See, the Master יהוה comes with a strong hand, and His arm rules for Him. See, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him. 11 He feeds His flock like a shepherd, He gathers the lambs with His arm, and carries them in His bosom, gently leading those who are with young.”
In this clear prophecy, of the esteem of יהוה being revealed, we are told that the one who brings good news to Tsiyon would say to the cities of Yehuḏah, “See Your Elohim!”.
The Master יהוה comes with a strong Hand, revealing the power of His esteem and it is He who feeds the flock as a Shepherd!
When Yoḥanan the Immerser, who Messiah referred to as being the Spirit of Ěliyahu having come to prepare the way, was asked by the priests and Lěwites that were sent by the Yehuḏim who he was, Yoḥanan proclaimed this passage in Yeshayahu/Isaiah 40:3.
Yoḥanan/John 1:23 “He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of יהוה,’ as the prophet Yeshayahu said.”
We then see the following, written in:
Yoḥanan/John 1:29 “On the next day Yoḥanan saw יהושע coming toward him, and said, “See, the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world!”
In a clear fulfilment of prophecy, we see Yoḥanan saying to the cities of Yehuḏah, “See, the Lamb of Elohim”, as the Strong Hand and esteem of יהוה had been revealed in the form of יהושע Messiah!
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!!!
Therefore, as we consider the days that lie ahead, may we be encouraged by the words of Messiah, given to the assembly in Smurna:
Ḥazon/Revelation 2:10 “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. See, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, in order to try you, and you shall have pressure ten days. Be trustworthy until death, and I shall give you the crown of life.”
As we sojourn, here and now, as strangers and foreigners, let us hold fast to our identity in Messiah and be bold and courageous in sounding the alarm and blowing the shofar, for near is the Day of יהוה.
And as we face, or fall into, many trials along the way, may we count it all joy and praise יהוה in the light of the fire, so that all esteem and praise be given to Him in every way.
Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 4:12-13 “Beloved ones, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that is coming upon you, to try you, as though some unusual matter has befallen you, 13 but as you share Messiah’s sufferings, rejoice, in order that you might rejoice exultingly at the revelation of His esteem.”
May the proving of our belief be found to result in praise, respect and esteem at the revelation of יהושע Messiah.
My sober warning and great encouragement to you in this message, is to give respect and esteem to the commands of Elohim and be diligent in guarding His charge, as a called out and set-apart people, ensuring that no matter what we face, we are able to praise יהוה in the light of the fires that we face!
If we cannot get that right here today, how will we stand in that Day, when He comes in His fiery wrath!!!
This is a call to stand firm in Messiah, now and forevermore, aměn!
Perhaps you have allowed some of the many trials get you down, under the intense heat of the pressures that surround you, and enclose you, in from every side – be reminded of this: יהוה sits as a refiner and His eye is constantly on us and we can find refuge in His Name, counting it all joy, as we get strengthened in His joy.
I remind you all to be fervent, in encouraging one another each and every day and let us not forsake the gathering, but be more fervent in loving our great and mighty Elohim and loving each other, as we carry each other’s burdens with a fighting faith that does not let the fiery trials consume us, as we stay in Him and guard His Word as we allow the ‘lightings and perfections’ of His Torah to be upon our hearts, so that we may, by our fervent walk of faithfulness, make the strong call for righteousness and plead for truth, as we sound the alarm and blow the shofar, calling many to come back to the Covenants of Promise!
Maybe you have been, or maybe you have not been – and you may even feel that you cannot – yet I urge you to heed this very clear non-negotiable instruction to:
PRAISE YAHWEH IN THE LIGHT OF THE FIRE!!!
יהוה bless your 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!